Vegetation secondary succession and

restoration in the Lafarge quarry

(Yepes, Toledo, Spain)

Area of Botany, Dep. of Environmental Sciences University of Castilla-La Mancha

Dr. Santiago Sardinero

Dr. Federico Fernández

María Lorente Pulgar

Study of the vegetation secondarysuccession

Environmental educationprogram

Supervision of the restoration tasks

1. Studing the process of natural plant recolonization in the quarry along time.

Lafarge limestone quarry in Yepes: long exploitation period, with areas altered along time.

2. Determining both natural-seminatural vegetation in the surroundings of the quarry.

The existence of natural-seminatural habitats in the surroundings of the quarry, can be used as a reference for the restoration tasks.

3. Evaluating the rate of convergence of the natural successional recolonization and the natural-seminatural vegetation.

4. Determining which plant species belonging to the natural-seminatural vegetation demand restoration tasks in the areas altered by the extractive activities.

The restoration tasks must be focused principally to facilitate the accessof the plant species existing in the natural-seminatural area of the quarry.

Nature is to be imitated for restoring the well functioning of the ecosystem,

instead of making up a “green” landscape.

Visitor Center and environmental education activities at the quarry.

4 POINTS

THE QUARRY: history of the quarry, productive proccess, measures for environmental correction, etc.PLANT SUCCESSION ALONG TIME: Vegetation types.THE SIGN OF THE LANDSCAPE: plants from which honney is obtained,biological crust, orchids, plant of the month, endemic plants, etc.THE RESTORATION: To make known the restoration activities.

Geographical situation, climate and lithology

YEPES

Pliocene Sandsotones and Conglomerates

Sandy Clays and Loamy Clays

Limestones and Loamy Limestones Pontian

Sandstones Loamy Limestones Loams and Gypsum

Neó

gen

e

Mio

cene

Vindobonian

Red clays with Gypsum Red Sandy Clays

The Ocaña mesa (tableland, plateau)Stratigraphic lay-out (IGME 1982)

Yepes (Toledo, Spain), 700 m

• Climate:

mesomediterranean(T=13.9 ºC),

semicontinental (Ic = 19.1), semiarid (P = 320 mm)

Methods

4

5

3

2

1

109 8 6

7

12

11 13 14

15

17 1918

2016

2524

23

22 21

Sampling inside the quarry

• Delimitation of the exploitation front on aerial

photos at different ages.

• Selection of five sampling points in each area

determined by the alteration age and

abandonment:

� 2003

� 1998

� 1989

� 1978

� <1978

• Exclusion of the humid depressions, areas with

evidences of posterior alteration, or areas which

where not submitted to extraction.

• Field sampling: july-september of 2003 and

may-july of 2007

Methods

Sampling in the surrounding of the

quarry:

• Three types of natural-seminatural vegetation:

- Thyme fields (T)(Thymus sp. pl.)

- Alfa-grass fields (E)

(Stipa tenacissima)

- Kermes-oak fields (C)

(Quercus coccifera)

• 5 samples for every vegetation type

• Groups of three samples (focused replicas)

separated approximately 500 m and scattered

along the exterior edge of the quarry.

• Sampling field: July-September of 2003

T1T1

C2

E1

E2

C2T2

C3

E3T3

E4

C4

T4

E5

T5

C5

Vegetation types

1. Asparago acutifolii-Quercetum rotundifoliae: encinares manchegos

2. Daphno gnidii-Quercetum cocciferae: coscojares manchegos

3. Genisto scorpii-Retametum sphaerocarpae: retamares manchegos

4. Arrhenathero erianthi-Stipetum tenacissimae: espartales

5. Lino differentis-Salvietum lavandulifoliae: matorrales (tomillares, salviares, esplegueras)

6. Trachynion distachyae: pastizales anuales

Thyme field

Methods

Kermes-oak field

Quercus coccifera

Thymus vulgaris, Th. zygis

Methods

Alfa grass field

Stipa tenacissima

Data Classification• Sequential, Agglomerative, Hierarchical and Non-overlapping (SAHN methods)

Data Ordination• DCA (Detrended Correspondence Analysis) (CANOCO; ter Braak 1995)

Analysis on the overall species richness and the species richness

according to their biological attributes:• Plant form

• Biogeographical distribution

Methods: data analysis

Results: classification

• Identification of 8 successive vegetation types along time after exploitation

• Predominance of herbaceous plants during the first 15 years after the alteration, with predominance of annual arvenses (WEEDS) in the soil most recently altered.

• Predominance of short shrubs since 20-25 years after the exploitation.

• Convergence between the older communities in the quarry and the most degraded of the exterior.

??????>25>25252514145500AgeAge

??????<1978<197819781978198919891998199820032003Year of perturbationYear of perturbation

Kermes Kermes fieldfield

Alfa Alfa grass grass

fieldfield

Exterior Exterior Thyme Thyme

fieldfield

Inter ior Inter ior Thyme Thyme

fieldfield

HelichrysumHelichrysum

Mediterranean Mediterranean scrubscrub

CentaureaCentaurea

Thistle This tle fieldsfields

CarduusCarduus

Thistle This tle fieldsfields

CruciferaeCruciferae

RuderalRuderal & & weedsweeds

Plant community:Plant community:

Euclidean Distance + Minimum VarianceD

issi

mila

rity

6,000

5,500

5,000

4,500

4,000

3,500

3,000

2,500

2,000

1,500

1,000

500

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

Crucifera

eCar

duus

Centau

rea

Helichr

ysum Interi

or

Thyme

fieldExter

ior

Thyme

fieldAlfa

a grass

fieldKer

mesfield

Perennial

herb. com.

Annual

herb. com.

Shrubby short

com.

Fuera de la

cantera

Seminatural

Thyme com.

Alfa grass

comm.

Kermes com.

2003 1998 1989 1978 <1978

Herbaceous

communities

Shrubbycom. + Alfa

grass

Results: classification

Results: Ordination

�� The temporal tendency in the change of flora (axis 1 of DCA) The temporal tendency in the change of flora (axis 1 of DCA) follows a pattern of convergence towards the naturalfollows a pattern of convergence towards the natural--seminaturalseminatural vegetation of the natural environment.vegetation of the natural environment.

�� The The successionalsuccessional change of flora is very slow, and only the change of flora is very slow, and only the communities which have been abandoned for longest period communities which have been abandoned for longest period of time (internal thyme communities), start to look like the of time (internal thyme communities), start to look like the external thyme communities (the most simple of the external external thyme communities (the most simple of the external communities), after at least 25 years.communities), after at least 25 years.

DCA

Axis 1

-1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Axi

s 2

-0,5

0,0

0,5

1,0

1,5

2,0

2,5

4

10

1112 18

9

7

8

6

3

5

2

1

20

2114

1615

17

19

22

13 23

24 25

26

272829

30

31

32

3334

35

36

37

38

39

40

Axes 1 y 2 of the DCA for samples

Cruciferae

Carduus

Centaurea

Helichrysum

Internalthymes

Externalthymes

Alfa grass

Kermes

2003 1998

1989

1978 <1978

Results: Ordination

Axes 1 y 2 of the DCA for species

DCA

Axis 1

-1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Axi

s 2

-2

-1

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

CnicBene

SisyIrio

Sals

Kali

VaccHisp

LoliR

igi

Brom

DianNeslT

hra

MattFrutBromMatrTrigPoly

GypsPilo

DiplEruc

GaliTric

BromT ect

DiplVirgCap

sBur

sBu

glArve

ErucVesi

Sca

bSim

p

HeliSqua

ThymLacaThym

Sylv

PolyMons

LactSerrPapaRhoe

HirsInca

XeraInap

TeucGnap

AspaAcut

PhloLych

CistAlbi

HeliHirt

PolyA

vic

SisyOrie Cre

pTar

aBr

omR

ube

Ech

iVul

g

PicnAc

ar

DaphG

nid

RhamAlat

RhamLyciJasm

F rut

Car

lHis

p

Sile

Vulg

Bisc

Aur i

CoroS

cor

SisyHisp

AnacClavHo

rdLep

o

ViciP

ere

CentM

eli

ChonJunc

BromHord BromS

qua

ThymM

astA

traCanc

CardBour

ToriLept

Vulp

Cili

Card

Pycn

TragPorr Man

tSal

m

OnopIlly

SoncOler

Con

vArv

e

La ctRam

o

RostC

ris

Eph

eNeb

r

LepiSubu

TeucP

seu

Fum

aThym

Sta

eDub

iTh

esD

iva

IberCineL av a

L ati

Eup

hNic

a

Pla

nSem

p

Fum

aEr ic

CentOrna

ErynCam

p

ThymV

ulg

KoelVall

AsphRamo

QuerCocc

Atr aH

umi

Hel

iRot

u

Stip

Tena

TeucCapi

BuplFrut

H eliV iol

Bel

lTrix

LithFrutSe r

rPi n

nA

risP

ist

SalvLava

ScorLaci

GypsT

ome

Ce r

aSem

i

Lim

o To l

e

Ana

gLin

i

Ave

nBro

m

AvenSter

CareHallCe ntraC

a

Cor

iMon

s

CrepCapi

Dac

tHi s

p

FilaLute Gal

iPar

i

GeniScor

Hel

iSto

e

Gyp

sStru

Iber

Cre

n

Ver

oArv

e

Stip Pa rv

SantSqua

SangVerru

Results: sorting

Results: Species Richness/ Biogeographical distribution

�� The species most widely distributed (The species most widely distributed (SCosmSCosm, , PaleoTPaleoT, , MedEurMedEur, , TetTet) are ) are predominating in the those areas which have been more recently predominating in the those areas which have been more recently exploited (1exploited (1--15 years).15 years).

�� The plants of western Mediterranean distribution (The plants of western Mediterranean distribution (WMedWMed, , WMedWEurWMedWEur) ) increase their frequency along the secondary succession.increase their frequency along the secondary succession.

�� The endemic plants of the Iberian peninsula (The endemic plants of the Iberian peninsula ( IberIber) are most frequent at ) are most frequent at the middle of the succession ages. They are herbs and woody planthe middle of the succession ages. They are herbs and woody plants ts inside of the quarry.inside of the quarry.

�� Two protected endemic plants (Two protected endemic plants (LimoniumLimonium toletanumtoletanum and and Gypsophila Gypsophila bermejoibermejoi) are most frequent at intermediate ages (15) are most frequent at intermediate ages (15--25 years) after 25 years) after exploitation.exploitation.

�� Gypsum flora (Gypsum flora (prioritaryprioritary in Habitat UE Directive) is most frequent also in Habitat UE Directive) is most frequent also

at intermediate ages (15at intermediate ages (15--25 years)25 years)..

Frequency of species according to the biogeographical distribution

Fig 00

Vegetation types

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Fre

quen

cy

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Scosm PaleoT MedWEur MedEur Tet TetEur Iber Med IbNAfr W Med W MedWEur

Cruciferae Carduus

Centaure

a

Heli chrysum

Internal Thymes

External T

hymes

Alfa grass

Kermes

Results: Species richness / biogeographic distribution

Results: especies not recolonizing the perturbed areas

�� ImportantImportant speciesspecies in in thethe naturalnatural--seminaturalseminatural vegetationvegetation ofof thetheexternalexternal borderborder whichwhich do do notnot colonizecolonize thethe oldestoldest alteredalteredareasareas are:are:

�� TheThe talltall shrubsshrubs ofof kermeskermes fieldsfields: : Quercus Quercus cocciferacoccifera, , RhamnusRhamnus lycioideslycioides, , R. R. alaternusalaternus, , JasminumJasminum fruticansfruticans, , DaphneDaphne gnidiumgnidium, , EphedraEphedra nebrodensisnebrodensis, E. , E. fragilisfragilis, , AsparagusAsparagus acutifoliusacutifolius. . TheyThey are are disperseddispersed by by animalsanimals, , andandtheythey havehave thethe mostmost demandingdemanding germinationgermination requirementsrequirements..

�� SomeSome speciesspecies ofof externalexternal thymethyme fieldsfields: : Salvia Salvia lavandulifolialavandulifolia, , Genista Genista scorpiusscorpius, , LithodoraLithodora fruticosafruticosa, , BupleurumBupleurumfruticescensfruticescens, etc., , etc., sspeciespecies somewhatsomewhat bigger than bigger than thosethosepredominatingpredominating in the in the internalinternal thymethyme fieldsfields..

�� TheThe colonizationcolonization ofof thethe alfa alfa grassgrass ((StipaStipa tenacissimatenacissima) ) startsstartsbutbut seemsseems toto progressprogress veryvery slowlyslowly. .