Effects of pine plantations on coastal gradients and vegetation zonation in SW Spain

摘要

One of the most important anthropic disturbances on Mediterranean coastal dunes is the plantation of pine trees. However, the impact of coastal pine plantations on environmental gradients and on the spatial zonation of vegetation has received little attention. I analysed the spatial pattern of vegetation along sea-inland gradients from the foredune inland in three dune systems at the Gulf of Cádiz (SW Spain) to assess the effects of pine plantations on both the environment and the plant communities. In this study, I focus on the effects of the “Wooded dunes with Pinus pinea and/or Pinus pinaster” European habitat (code 2270) on the “Coastal dunes with Juniperus spp.” European habitat (code 2250), both considered as priority habitat, and which in many cases compete for the same range of the spatial zonation of vegetation.