MANAGE4FUTURE
Towards effective management practices to enhance carbon sequestration and climate change adaptation of Spanish Quercus forests
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Context
Context
Quercus ilex forests are of utmost importance in Spain due to their wide distribution area, cultural significance and socio-economical value. However, during the last decades, these have shown clear signs of decline (defoliation and mortality), partially derived from the rural depopulation and associated abandonment of traditional forest management. The lack of silvicultural practices has resulted in a high density of overaged individuals showing remarkable structural and functional problems, with devastating consequences for the health of these iconic forests in the current climate change scenario. Consequently, natural carbon sinks are weakened due to limited tree growth, and the forest resilience against climate variability is reduced. Given the urgent need to promote the conservation of this species of enormous ecological and socioeconomic importance in the Iberian Peninsula, it is a priority to improve our current understanding on the mechanisms and agents involved in health loss and vulnerability to climate extremes, and to test potential solutions to reduce their current decline.
Objectives
Objectives
The main goal of the project is to evaluate the effect of thinning practices on the carbon sequestration capacity and climate change adaptation of Quercus ilex forests in the short- and long-term. The principal operational objective of the project is to establish a research infrastructure for the continuous observation of carbon and water cycles and physiological status of Quercus ilex forests under different managements, aligned with state-of-the-art international standards.
The specific scientific objectives are to examine the effect of thinning on: (1) the long-term carbon sequestration, (2) the short-term carbon sequestration and evapotranspiration, (3) the water use efficiency of Quercus ilex forests, and (4) the physiological response of Quercus ilex forests against climate extremes.
The methodological objectives are: (1) to compare above-ground CO2 and H2O gas exchange estimates performed at leaf, tree and ecosystem levels, (2) to validate the model-based approaches to partition net ecosystem CO2 and H2O fluxes through experimental approaches, and (3) to integrate micrometeorological, ecophysiological and multispectral methods to monitor the physiological response of Quercus ilex forests against climate variability.
To achieve these objectives, two fully-equipped eddy covariance (EC) stations will be set up in two adjacent holm oak forest stands representing the control (i.e. unmanaged) and thinning treatments, located in Teruel province (Spain). The EC observations will be complemented with dendrochronological analyses, leaf- and tree-level physiological measurements (gas exchange and stable isotopes), and spectral and remote sensing information (PRI, IRT, SIF).
Eddy covariance stations
ES-Mzn: Control unthinned site in Manzanera (Teruel, Spain)
ES-Mzn: Control unthinned site in Manzanera (Teruel, Spain)
ES-Srn: Thinned site in Sarrión (Teruel, Spain)
ES-Srn: Thinned site in Sarrión (Teruel, Spain)
Project results
Sciencific publication: Kowalski, A. S. 2025 An elucidatory model of oxygen’s partial pressure inside substomatal cavities. Biogeosciences, 22, 785–789. DOI: 10.5194/bg-22-785-2025
Sciencific publication: Kowalski, A. S. and Abril-Gago, J. 2025 Exploring unresolved inquiries regarding the meaning of Reynolds averaging and decomposition: A review. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 362, 110364. DOI: 10.1016/j.agrformet.2024.110364
Sciencific publication: Martín-Sánchez, R., Sancho-Knapik, D., Alonso-Forn, D., López-Ballesteros, A., Ferrio, J. P., Hipp, A. L., Peguero-Pina, J. J., & Gil-Pelegrín, E. 2024. Oak leaf morphology may be more strongly shaped by climate than by phylogeny. Annals of Forest Science, 81(1), 1–18. DOI: 10.1186/S13595-024-01232-Z
Conference talk: Ortiz-Gonzalo D, Gominski DPJ, Brandt M, Sanz-Cobeña A, López-Ballesteros A, Fernández-Alonso MJ, Fensholt R. Cada árbol cuenta: Monitoreo de carbono a nivel de árbol individual vía deep learning en ortofotos. XI Remedia Workshop “Reconectando agricultura, ganadería y silvicultura hacia la neutralidad climática. Un encuentro de la ciencia y sociedad ibéricas”, Plasencia, 23-24 May 2024.
Conference poster: Doblas-Rodrigo A, Ferrio JP, Carrara A, Urcola N, El Mokhtari A, López-Ballesteros A. Efecto del resalveo sobre la respiración a escala suelo y ecosistema de encinares mediterráneos (Quercus ilex). XI Remedia Workshop “Reconectando agricultura, ganadería y silvicultura hacia la neutralidad climática. Un encuentro de la ciencia y sociedad ibéricas”, Plasencia, 23-24 May 2024.
Conference poster: López-Ballesteros A., Peguero-Pina JJ., dos Santos-Silva JV., Martín-Sánchez R., Sancho-Knapik D., Gil-Pelegrín E., Ferrio JP. Soil water status modulates the temperature dependence of stem CO2 efflux in Quercus ilex and Quercus faginea trees. XVI Simposio Internacional Hispano-Portugués de Relaciones Hídricas en Plantas. 14-16 Feb 2024.
Conference talk: Ferrio JP., Peguero-Pina JJ., Sancho-Knapik D., Gil-Pelegrín E., López-Ballesteros A., Nadal M., Gil-Pelegrín E. "Determining stomatal response to vapour pressure deficit from gas exchange measurements: conceptual and methodological challenges". XVI Simposio Internacional Hispano-Portugués de Relaciones Hídricas en Plantas. 14-16 Feb 2024.
Conference talk: López-Ballesteros A., Peguero-Pina JJ., dos Santos-Silva JV., Martín-Sánchez R., Sancho-Knapik D., Gil-Pelegrín E., Ferrio JP. Unraveling the origin behind the stem CO2 efflux in Quercus ilex and Quercus faginea trees. XVI Congreso Nacional de la Asociación Española de Ecología Terrestre - "La Ecología en una biosfera humanizada”. Almería (Spain), 16-20 Oct 2023.
Scientific publication: López-Ballesteros A., Rodríguez-Caballero E., Moreno G., Escribano P., Heres AM, Curiel Yuste J. 2023 Topography modulates climate sensitivity of multidecadal trends of holm oak decline. Global Change Biology. DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16927.
Scientific publication: Peguero-Pina J.J., Sancho-Knapik D., Ferrio J.P., López-Ballesteros A., Ruiz-Llata M., and Gil-Pelegrín E. 2023 Reevaluating near-infrared reflectance as a tool for the study of plant water status in holm oak (Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia). Forests. DOI: 10.3390/f14091825
Conference poster: López-Ballesteros A, Doblas-Rodrigo Á, Carrara A, Peguero-Pina JJ, Sancho-Knapik D, Gil-Pelegrín, E, Ferrio JP. New paired FLUXNET sites to evaluate the potential of adaptive forest management to enhance carbon sequestration, water use efficiency, and resilience of Mediterranean oak forests. FLUXNET Meeting 2023. Brno (Czech Republic), 11-14 July 2023.
Conference session: López-Ballesteros A, Ferrio JP, Serrano-Ortiz P. ST05 - Acoplamiento ecosistema-atmósfera: microclima, e intercambio de gases y energía en el continuo suelo-planta-atmósfera. XVI Congreso Nacional de la Asociación Española de Ecología Terrestre - "La Ecología en una biosfera humanizada”. Almería (Spain), 16-20 Oct 2023.
Conference talk: Fernández-Alonso MJ*, López-Ballesteros A*, Álvarez-López V, Ferreiro-Domínguez N, Moreno G, Ortiz-Gonzalo D. Estrategias de mitigación en los sectores forestal y agroforestal de la Península Ibérica. X Remedia Workshop - "Mirando a las raíces: Carbon Farming". Bilbao (Spain), 11-12 May 2023.
Conference poster: López-Ballesteros A*, Ferrio JP. Potencial de la gestión forestal para la mitigación y adaptación al cambio climático. X Remedia Workshop - Mirando a las raíces: Carbon Farming. Bilbao (Spain), 11-12 May 2023.
Project activities
Invited talk: López-Ballesteros A. "Variabilidad interanual de los flujos de dióxido de carbono y la evapotranspiración en un ecosistema de matorral mediterráneo." XX Reunión Argentina de Agrometeorología (RADA). Universidad Nacional de Chilecito (La Rioja, Argentina). 25 Oct 2024.
Invited talk: López-Ballesteros A. "Bosques Centinela". Aragón Climate Week 2024. Jornada Cambio Climático: Emisiones, mitigación y efectos. Zaragoza. 22 Oct 2024.
TV report: Presentation of the MANAGE4FUTURE project and visit to the eddy covariance stations with the regional TV agency of Aragón. TV Program: Esta es mi tierra. Video. 13 Jan 2024
Participation in FLUXNET Newsletter: FLUXNET Member spotlight section in FLUXNET Community Council Newsletter, Issue 2. Presentation of the Ecophysiology Group at the Agri-Food Research and Technology Centre of Aragon (Spain), the MANAGE4FUTURE project, and the associated two eddy covariance stations included the FLUXNET global network. November 2023.
Invited talk: López-Ballesteros A. "Proyecto MANAGE4FUTURE: Efecto del resalveo sobre el balance de carbono y agua de encinares continentales en Teruel." III Reunión de la Red de Selvicultura Adaptativa al Cambio Climático (SilvApdat.net). ETSIAMB (Campus Universitario s/n, Albacete). 14 Nov 2023
Online dissemination article. La importancia de la gestión adaptativa para mantener la salud de nuestros bosques. Red de Intercambio de Conocimiento Agroalimentario (RICA). 22 Sep 2023
Invited talk: Ferrio JP. From source to sink: fractionation processes determining carbon and oxygen isotopes in plants. ERC RainDrops Workshop "Recent advances on stable isotope analysis on modern and archaeological plant remains". Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona (Spain). 16 Jun 2023
Interview: Entrevista enmarcada en el proyecto AulaCheck con el alumnado del IES María Moliner, Zaragoza (Spain)
Talk and co-creation workshop: 2023 Red AgriFoodTe Jornadas Sección Forestal. Presentación proyecto MANAGE4FUTURE. Tramacastilla, Teruel (Spain). 18 Apr 2023
Talk: López-Ballesteros A. Charla enmarcada en la iniciativa UNESCO 11F Día de la Mujer y la Niña en la Ciencia. IES Santiago Hernández, Zaragoza (Spain). 8 Feb 2023
Press realease: Inicio del Proyecto MANAGE4FUTURE https://www.aragonhoy.es/ciencia-universidad-y-sociedad-del-conocimiento/manage4future-nuevo-proyecto-cita-aumentar-secuestro-carbono-adaptacion-cambio-climatico-encinares-89317?version=194123
Interview: MANAGE4FUTURE Project in Diario de Teruel. https://www.diariodeteruel.es/comarcas/los-encinares-de-sarrion-y-manzanera-sirven-para-estudiar-los-efectos-del-cambio-climatico
Talk: Ferrio JP. Charla abierta al público sobre "Prácticas de manejo efectivas para aumentar el secuestro de carbono y la adaptación al cambio climático de los bosques de quercíneas españoles", actividad enmarcada dentro de la Semana de la Ciencia en Aragón - Jornada sobre Transición Ecológica y Digital. Organiza: Fundación Agencia Aragonesa para la Investigación y el Desarrollo (ARAID). Sede de ARAID, Zaragoza, (Spain). 18 Nov 2022
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