Effect of Pinus Sylvestris L. and Pinus Nigra Arn. thinning on juvenile cork oak (Quercus Suber L.) growth in Bozoo (Burgos, Spain)

• María Luisa Salguero ; Carmen Allué ; Carlos García-Güemes ; Raul Tapias ^[1] ; Arantzazu González-Pérez ^[1] ; Piqué ^[1]
  1. [1] Universidad de Huelva

     Universidad de Huelva

     Huelva, España

     
• Localización: Suberwood: new challenges for the integration of cork oak forests and products / Javier Vázquez Piqué (ed. lit.), Helena Pereira (ed. lit.), María Arantzazu González Pérez (ed. lit.), 2008, ISBN 978-84-96826-47-2, págs. 213-222
• Idioma: inglés
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• Dialnet Métricas: 1 Cita
• Resumen

  • Bozoo cork oak forest is located in the northeast of Burgos province (north of Spain), in the "Sierra de Besantes" Public Forest. "Sierra de Besantes" is at the eastern part of the Natural Park of "Montes Obarenes", also included in the Nature2000 network.

    A number of particular characteristics can be found in the Bozoo cork oak forest, namely: (1) the little surface of this relict forest, around 400 ha, growing under unusual climate conditions for the species. (2) cork oak grows under a Pinus sylvestris and Pinus nigra 50 year-old reforestation and (3), the poor light conditions and the water and nutrients competition of the pines do not permit an appropriate development of cork oak.

    A collaboration programme between the Burgos Forest Service (Junta de Castilla y León) and the University of Huelva began in 2003 to analyse the response of the cork oaks to the pine thinning or clearcut. Two plots of 1530 and 1800 m2 were installed and pines were clearcutted in half of each plot. Cork oak response is monitored with 100 analogical dendrometers and 9 electronic point dendrometers. In addition, some dendrometers have been installed in Quercus ilex, Arbutus undo, Pinus sylvestris and Pinus nigra . In order to obtain correlations between climate and growth parameters, a meteorological station was installed in the experimental plot. Air temperature, rainfall, radiation, wind, humidity, soil temperature and soil moisture are measured every 15 minutes. Simultaneously; the Burgos Forest Service has designed a pine thinning progiarrune in the area with cork oak presence. The goal to be achieved is the recovery of cork oak forest through the improvement of light conditions and regulation of competition with pines. In spring of 2004, 9 ha were thinned.

    Those cork oaks in the thinned area showed primary and secondary growth in autumn 2004, while no growth has been in cork oak under the pine cover. No damage has been registered in the cork oak of the thinned area due to heavy snowfalls of winter of 2005. Main goals to be achieved with the study arc: (1) to develop a growth model for the Bozoo cork oak forest, including the analysis of the environmental and silvicultural variables and (2) to ellaborate a silvicultural pattern with the aim of the recovery of the cork oak forest.