Gloria Rodríguez-Loinaz, Lorena Peña, Igone Palacios-Agundez, Ibone Ametzaga-Arregi,  Miren Onaindia. 2018. Identifying Green Infrastructure as a Basis for an Incentive Mechanism at the Municipality Level in Biscay (Basque Country) Forests 2018, 9, 22; doi:10.3390/f9010022

El objetivo de este estudio es identificar los componentes principales de la Infraestructura Verde a nivel local para desarrollar un esquema económico compensatorio.

The contributions of green infrastructure (GI) to human well-being have been widely recognised; however, pathways for its systematic implementation are missing. Local governments can play a crucial role in the conservation of GI, and a formal recognition of this role in budgeting systems would foster the inclusion of GI in their agenda. The aim of this study is to identify the principal components of GI at the local level to form a basis for a compensatory economic scheme. We identified the principal components of GI based on the mapping of biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services provision. Furthermore, we analysed the potentiality of an incentive mechanism to promote GI based on the protection status of GI. Finally, an incentive mechanism to promote GI at the municipality level was proposed. The results showed that the GI of Biscay is mainly composed of the natural forests presented in the area, and that 50% of the principal components of the GI are not protected. Furthermore, one third of the protected principal components of the GI only has protection at the municipality level. So, we propose a Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES)-like scheme at the municipality level based on the cover of natural forests, where the objective is the conservation and promotion of the GI.

Igone Palacios-Agundez, Lorena Peña, Ibone Ametzaga-Arregi, Gloria Rodríguez-Loinaz, Miren Onaindia. 2017. Sustainable landscape management based on cultural ecosystem services. Change Adaptation Socioecol. Syst. 2017; 3: 103–110

En este artículo se presentan de manera integrada los resultados del proyecto transdisciplinar de investigación sobre Evaluación de Servicios de los Ecosistemas llevado a cabo en Euskadi y se resaltan las claves de este enfoque integral y transdisciplinar, que cuenta con una comunidad de aprendizaje y está impulsando la puesta en práctica de políticas innovadoras.

To sustain cultural ecosystem services and cultural heritage it is important to go in depth in the science policy interface, because efficient governance mechanisms emerge from the cooperation of scientists and practitioners. In the Basque Country, we are on the road towards adaptive and resilient landscape management through an integrative approach that enhances the link between science, policy-making and society. Key elements of this approach are: The establishment from the outset of a transdisciplinar community of practice; the creation of specific transdisciplinar working groups to go in depth with concrete applicability measures; a strong outreach strategy and educational programs development; and last but not least, the involvement of stakeholders at multiple stage of the process. Diverse research lines are carried out during the process (e.g. mapping ecosystems services, analyzing social perceptions), whose results are combined to help identify response options for sustainable landscape. Relevant policy implementations of the results of this broad research are already taking place in the Basque Country. The proved utility of this working mechanism makes key agents to continue involved, and to attract more agents into the process. These transdisciplinary processes facilitate the creation of synergies and win-win solutions towards sustainable management of cultural ecosystem services.

Josu G. Alday, Elene Etxeberria, Ibone Ametzaga.2017.Conversion of Pinus radiata plantations to native forest after harvest operations: a north Iberian Peninsula case study. Eur J Forest Res DOI 10.1007/s10342-017-1071-2

Restauración del bosque autóctono en una plantación forestal de coníferas utilizando la gestión forestal como herramienta de facilitación del proceso.

There is broad consensus on restoration of native woodlands in places where intensive forestry is nowadays not profitable. However, this consensus is lost when stakeholders need to implement forest management practices as restoration tool, especially because there is a substantial lack of empirical evidence about its feasibility. In this context, we assess the impact of two different harvest treatments on understorey plant species composition of Pinus radiata plantations as tools to recover native woodland vegetation in northern Iberian Peninsula. Here, common clear-cut treatment and restoration-clear-cut where only pine trees were removed (i.e. reducing the disturbance effect over understorey vegetation) were compared against understorey plant species composition of young and old plantations and restored tracks. The aim was to identify which treatment is more suitable to recover native woodland vegetation. The results reveal that both clear-cuts maintained species composition plus important understorey native species, some of them being restoration targets. However, both clear-cuts showed diversity reductions compared with old plantations, although there were not apparent retention effects on compositional change towards native communities at least two years after harvest. It seems that the remaining vegetation established by natural succession after both clear-cut treatments could be used to achieve initial restoration objectives for some native tree and understorey plant species at relatively low costs. In any case, it would be interesting to implement supplementary management measures to accelerate this conversion, such as invasive species elimination or target species seeding, to maintain local biodiversity and introduce native woodland species not present in the area.

I.Palacios-Agundez, J. Unzueta, G. Rodriguez-Loinaz, M. Onaindia, 2017. Lifelong learning on sustainability for personal, professional and social transformation: analyzing a seven year experience from the University of the Basque Country. Proceedings of EDULEARN17 Conference 3rd-5th July 2017, Barcelona, Spain. ISBN: 978-84-697-3777-4.Castillo-Eguskitza, N.,  Rescia, A . J., Onaindia , M. 2017. Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve (Biscay, Spain): Conservation against development? Science of the Total Environment 592. p. 124–133

Análisis de los resultados de una encuesta realizada a antiguos alumnos/as del posgrado en Medio Ambiente y Sostenibilidad de la UPV/EHU.

The UNESCO Chair on Sustainable Development and Environmental Education of the University of the Basque Country (Spain) has offered for seven editions a Postgraduate course on Environment and Sustainability. This postgraduate degree (30 ETCS credits) is mainly composed of lectures, workshops and field trips, and includes a final presentation and discussion of an applied project. It also includes the option of realizing an internship programme in different companies, institutions and NGOs. Students and professionals from different areas of knowledge take part in the course and learn on sustainability together with an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary panel of teachers. In order to analyze students’ satisfaction on the course, determine the rate of employment of post-students in jobs related to sustainability and analyze if the course has provoked them a lifelong learning towards sustainability, we conducted a survey on post-students. 48% of the students of the seven editions answered the survey. Results show that students’ satisfaction on the course is high. What students liked most of the course is its interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary character, the great variety and quality of teachers from different professional backgrounds and with expertise in diverse sustainability subjects, the opportunity to make professional contacts, the active participation of the group, the internship programmes and the final applied project. 90% of student made an internship programme in different companies, institutions or NGOs. 92% of them said that they learned a lot in those work practices. With regard to employability, 50% consider that this postgraduate has served them to find a job related to sustainability.

Castillo-Eguskitza, N.,  Rescia, A . J., Onaindia , M. 2017. Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve (Biscay, Spain): Conservation against development? Science of the Total Environment 592. p. 124–133

Estudio sobre la relación conservación – desarrollo socioeconómico y cultural en la Reserva de la Biosfera de Urdaibai (Bizkaia) a través de análisis de ordenación multivariantes y mediante su comparación con otro área no protegida.

The protected area approach has extended from conserving biodiversity to improving human well-being. However, the relationship between conservation and socioeconomic and cultural development continues to be controversial. This paper combines land use variables with socioeconomic and cultural variables through multivariate ordination analysis and evaluates their evolution in two areas inside and outside a Biosphere Reserve since the approval of the Governance Plan for Use and Management in the Reserve. The results indicate a similar tendency in the two areas, from the abandonment of traditional rural activities and decline in pine plantations to naturalness, urban sprawl and the growth of the tertiary economic sector, welfare indicators and sustainability index. However, it can be broadly observed that the region included inside the protected area presents better conservation features (native forest) and rural systems (forestry and primary economic sector) than the region outside the protected area while maintaining similar socioeconomic and cultural conditions. We suggest that the designation of the Biosphere Reserve does not influence the local population negatively but does safeguard its conservation, which could have enhanced socioeconomic and cultural development. Thus, even though certain changes must be made to replace the conifer plantations and encourage agricultural activities, the designation of the protected area fulfills its sustainability goal and enhances the local population’s quality of life.

Verónica Caballero-Serrano, Josu G. Alday,  Javier Amigo, David Caballero, Juan Carlos Carrasco, Brian McLaren, Miren Onaindia. 2017. Social Perceptions of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Human Ecology  45 (4): 475–486

Análisis de  la percepción que posee la sociedad sobre algunas características de la biodiversidad y los servicios de los ecosistemas en un bosque tropical en la parroquia de Sangay, Ecuador.

The Amazon basin is widely recognized for its high biological and cultural diversity, enabling the provision of many ecosystem services. This study explores social perceptions of some of the features of biodiversity and ecosystem services in a tropical forest in Sangay Parish, Ecuador. Following a survey of residents, we identified three groups whose perceptions vary in relation to socioeconomic characteristics, cultural backgrounds, lifestyles, and the benefits obtained from the Sangay forest. Mestizo professionals, with a better socioeconomic situation, identify more regulation and cultural services; Shuar farmers have a comprehensive knowledge of biodiversity features and rely on provisioning services; and Shuar gatherers consume more forest products but are the least likely to formally recognize ecosystem services. We emphasize the importance of identifying social groups within a population and understanding their particular characteristics and perspectives before developing conservation and land use planning policies.

Ximena Salinas, C., Onaindia, M., Mendieta, J.2017. Landscape, sustainability and the socioeconomy in the coastal Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve, Northern Spain. Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences (JBES). Vol. 10, No. 1, p. 150-160.

Un estudio que analiza la sostenibilidad de los paisajes en la Reserva de Urdaibai a través de la relación entre las unidades de paisaje y las actividades socioeconómicas.

El objetivo principal de este estudio es analizar la sostenibilidad de los paisajes en la Reserva de la Biosfera de Urdaibai (RBU) a través de la relación entre las unidades de paisaje y las actividades socioeconómicas. La RBU se encuentra en el norte de España, siendo un área de gran valor ecológico y paisajístico en un entorno urbanizado. El paisaje está compuesto por numerosas y variadas unidades compuestas por comunidades espontáneas y aquellas que dependen de las actividades humanas. La actividad económica depende principalmente del sector industrial y del de servicios. Se realizó un Análisis de Componentes Principales (PCA) utilizando indicadores territoriales y socioeconómicos para cada municipio. La relación entre el paisaje y la actividad socioeconómica se realizó mediante la prueba de correlación múltiple de Pearson. Nuestros resultados sugieren que la sostenibilidad de las unidades del paisaje cultural en la UBR está vinculada a las actividades socioeconómicas en el sector industrial y el de servicios.

Peña, L., Monge-Ganuzas, M., Onaindia, M., Fernández de Manuel, B., Mendia, M., 2017. A Holistic approach including biological and geological criteria for integrative management in protected areas. Environmental Management, 59 (2): 325-337. DOI 10.1007/s00267-016-0781-4.

Holistic approach including biological and geological criteria for integrative management in protected areas.

Biodiversity hotspots and geosites are indivisible parts of natural heritage. Therefore, an adequate spatial delimitation and understanding of both and their linkages are necessary in order to be able to establish conservation policies. Normally, biodiversity hotspots are a typical target for those policies but, generally, geosites are not taken into account. Thus, this paper aims to fill this gap by providing an easily replicable method for the identification and integration of the geosites and the biodiversity hotspots in a Network for Integrative Nature Conservation that highlights their linkages. The method here presented has been applied to Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve (UBR) situated in southeastern of the Bay of Biscay. The obtained results indicate that some geosites that are not directly related with biodiversity hotspots remain unprotected. Thus, from the study carried out it can state that our conserving just biodiversity hotspots is not enough to conserve the whole natural heritage of a protected area, as some plots interesting due to their relevant geoheritage remain unprotected. Therefore, it is necessary to fully integrate geosites into the planning documents of protected areas as a part of an ecosystem approach. The ecosystem approach recognizes the integrity of abiotic and biotic elements in nature conservation policies. Moreover, the proposed framework and the innovative methodology can be used as an easy input to identify priority areas for conservation, to improve the protected areas conservation planning, and to demonstrate the linkages between biodiversity hotspots and geosites.

Verónica Caballero-Serrano, Miren Onaindia, Josu G. Alday, David Caballero, Juan Carlos Carrasco, Brian McLaren, Javier Amigo. 2016. Plant diversity and ecosystem services in Amazonian homegardens of Ecuador. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 225: 116–125.

Se analiza la sostenibilidad de los paisajes en la Reserva de la Biosfera de Urdaibai a través de la relación que existe entre las unidades de paisaje y las actividades socioeconómicas.

Homegardens (HG) can play a key role in the conservation of plant diversity and at the same time provide ecosystem services that have a direct and positive impact on human welfare. The relationships among plant diversity, ecosystem services, and the factors that influence them formed the subject of study in tropical HG in Sangay, Ecuador. We compiled information from 138 HG in 11 localities and found 484 plant species associated with 20 ecosystem services, the most important of which, according to interviews with the gardeners, provide food, medicine and ornamentation. Influential physical factors on plant diversity in the HG were altitude, precipitation and temperature, while socioeconomic factors, including ethnicity, gender, income and education, were perhaps more important determinants of HG diversity. Three groups of HG were identified by Hierarchical Ascendant Correspondence Analysis: “small HG of recent origin,” having the fewest species and ecosystem services, “large, transitional HG,” having a wide range of services, and “medium, established HG,” mainly supplying food, medicine, ornamentation, shade and fencing. Ethnicity may be a stronger determinant of differences in HG composition: for Shuar people, HG were a main source of food, critical to their subsistence in rural areas; in total, Shuar gardeners cultivated on the whole more plant species. On the other hand, HG belonging to mestizos were more diverse, have more exotic plant species, and provide mainly cultural and regulatory services. HG in more urban settings mainly provided ornamentation, fencing and shade. This information can be applied by policy makers to the design of strategies for biodiversity conservation and food security.

Peña, L., Monge-Ganuzas, M., Onaindia, M., Fernández de Manuel, B., Mendia, M., 2016. A Holistic approach including biological and geological criteria for integrative management in protected areas. Environmental Management. DOI 10.1007/s00267-016-0781-4.

Un enfoque holístico que incluye criterios biológicos y geológicos para una gestión integrada de las áreas protegidas.

El patrimonio natural está formado tanto por el patrimonio biológico como por el geológico. Por tanto, la identificación y delimitación de ambos, y sus conexiones es necesaria para poder establecer políticas de conservación. Generalmente, las áreas relevantes por su biodiversidad son incluidas en estas políticas, sin embargo las áreas con un relevante patrimonio geológico no son tenidas en cuenta. Así, con este estudio se pretende ofrecer un método fácilmente replicable para identificar hotspots de biodiversidad y geosites e incluirlos en una red de conservación de la naturaleza integral en la que destaquen sus conexiones. El método que se presenta en este estudio ha sido aplicado en la Reserva de la Biosfera de Urdaibai. Los resultados indican que aquellos geosites que no poseen ninguna relación con la biodiversidad se encuentran actualmente desprotegidos. Por tanto, conservar unicamente los hotspot de biodiversidad no es suficiente para conservar todo el patrimonio natural que se encuetra presente en la Reserva. Así, es necesario incluir los geosites en los documentos de gestión y conservación de las áreas protegidas utilizando un enfoque ecosistémico.

Palacios-Agundez, I., Onaindia, M., Potschin, M., Tratalos, J.A., Madariaga, I., Haines-Young, R. 2015. Relevance for decision making of spatially explicit, participatory scenarios for ecosystem services in an area of a high current demand. Environmental Science & Policy 54: 199-209.

Relevance for decision making of spatially explicit, participatory scenarios for ecosystem services in an area of a high current demand

This research developed an innovative methodology combining qualitative participatory scenarios with spatially explicit quantitative models to provide land use planning recommendations for the Biscay region. As part of the MillenNium AssesSment in Biscay-Basque Country Sub-global assessment, previous participatory scenario planning yielded four scenarios in the study area: Oppressed Biscay, Global Delicatessen, TechnoFaith and Cultivating Social Values. Through the current research, these participatory scenarios have been complemented and revised through spatially explicit analysis of land cover in the four scenarios, with the aims to: verify the coherency and plausibility of the land changes for each scenario, identify those areas more likely to change in the four scenarios, and analyze the sustainability of each scenario.

Palacios-Agundez, I., Onaindia, M., Barraqueta, P., Madariaga, I. 2015. Provisioning ecosystem services supply and demand: The role of landscape management to reinforce supply and promote synergies with other ecosystem services. Land Use Policy 47: 145-155.

Provisioning ecosystem services supply and demand: The role of landscape management to reinforce supply and promote synergies with other ecosystem services 

The global economy and international trade allows regions to have a higher ecosystems services demand than the services provided by their own ecosystems; this leads to a supply and demand provisioning ES scale mismatch, which may affect the provision of other ES. This study aims to identify ways to balance the supply and demand of ecosystems through sustainable land use. The study is focused on the provisioning ecosystem services in Biscay and their relationship with the ecological footprint of the area.

The study concludes that to replace the current monoculture forest plantations to a multi-functional landscape will strengthen food security and improve biodiversity and essential ecosystem services. Reducing the ecological footprint at a local scale will contribute to a reduced demand on global ecosystem services. As such, maximizing a mosaic approach to local land use will help to improve the provision of ecosystem services and therefore contribute to a reduction in the global ecological footprint.

Peña, L., Casado-Arzuaga, I, Onaindia, M. 2015. Mapping recreation supply and demand using an ecological and a social evaluation approach. Ecosystem Services 13: 108-118.

Mapping recreation supply and demand using an ecological and a social evaluation approach.

This paper provides a framework for addressing recreation as an example of Cultural Ecosystem Services and a methodology to support landscape management based on recreation activities at a regional scale. A GIS-based approach was used to estimate and map ecological and social factors illustrating recreation supply and demand in the Basque Country (northern Spain). The proposed methodology for recreation supply was based on recreation potential and accessibility, and the social demand was determined using a convenience sample of 629 persons that reported preferences for recreation activities using photo-questionnaires.

Rodríguez-Loinaz, G., Alday, J.G., Onaindia, M. 2015. Multiple ecosystem services landscape index: a tool for multifunctional landscapes conservation. Journal of Environmental Management 147: 152-163. DOI:10.1016/j.jenvman.2014.09.001

Multiple ecosystem services landscape index: A tool for multifunctional landscapes conservation

In this study we propose a new integrative environmental indicator based on the ecosystem services provided by the landscape and named “multiple ecosystem services landscape index” (MESLI). MESLI was developed at municipality level in the Basque Country and the results demonstrated that the MESLI index is a good tool to measure landscape multifunctionality at local scales. This information about ecosystem services at the local level is usually lacking. Therefore, MESLI would be very useful for policy-makers and land managers because it provides relevant information to local scale decision-making.

Palacios-Agundez, I., Fernández de Manuel, B.,  Rodríguez-Loinaz, G., Peña, L., Ametzaga-Arregi, I., G. Alday, J.,  Casado-Arzuaga, I., Madariaga, I., Arana, X., Onaindia, M. 2014. Integrating stakeholders’ demands and scientific knowledge on ecosystem services in landscape planning. Landscape Ecology 29: 1423-1433.

Integrating stakeholders’ demands and scientific knowledge on ecosystem services in landscape planning

This paper develops an approach that integrates scientific knowledge and stakeholders’ demands to provide guidelines for landscape planning strategies while considering ecosystem services. On the one hand, a participative process was carried out to define the region’s sustainable future, considering the opportunities and constrains provided by the landscape and its ecosystems. On the other hand a space analysis (GIS) was done to study synergies and trade-offs between biodiversity and carbon storage (fact that was already identified as a knowledge gap during the participatory process). Both the special analysis and the participative process converged in the suitability of promoting natural forest ecosystems restoration in the region, due to their high contribution to biodiversity and carbon storage. This iterative learning and decision making process is already showing its effectiveness for decision making, with specific examples of how the results obtained by this integrative approach are being included.

Casado-Arzuaga, I., Onaindia, M., Madariaga, I., Verburg, P.H. 2014. Mapping recreation and aesthetic value of ecosystems in the Bilbao Metropolitan Greenbelt (northern Spain) to support landscape planning. Landscape Ecology 29: 1393-1405.

Mapping recreation and aesthetic value of ecosystems in the Bilbao Metropolitan Greenbelt (northern Spain) to support landscape planning

This paper presents a method to quantify cultural ecosystem services and their spatial distribution in the landscape based on ecological structure and social evaluation approaches. Using a GIS-based approach and two different public participation processes three maps were obtained: a map showing the provision of recreation services, an aesthetic value map and a map of the correspondences and differences between both services. A weak spatial correlation was found between aesthetic quality and recreation provision services. A consultation with decision-makers indicated that the results were considered useful to identify areas that can be targeted for improvement of landscape and recreation management.

Palacios-Agundez, I., Casado-Arzuaga, I. Madariaga, I., Onaindia, M. 2013. The Relevance of Local Participatory Scenario Planning for Ecosystem Management Policies in the Basque Country, Northern Spain. Ecology and Society 18 (3): 7.

The relevance of local participatory scenario planning for ecosystem management policies in the Basque Country, northern Spain

This paper presents future scenarios for Biscay through 2050 as part of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment in Biscay sub-global assessment (Basque Country, northern Spain). The use of an integrated and participatory methodology by downscaling MA global scenarios allows analyzing how ecosystem services and human well-being might change in a range of plausible futures, and identifying management strategies for the territory and planning processes at local scale.

This work reflects the importance of taking into account different perspectives when dealing with ecosystem management; and also the crucial importance of involving policymakers and administration technicians in the process to gain policy impact. Thanks to it, on the recently renewed strategic policy planning for sustainability of the county this assessment is considered high priority.

Casado-Arzuaga, I., Madariaga, I., Onaindia, M. 2013. Perception, demand and user contribution to ecosystem services in the Bilbao Metropolitan Greenbelt. Journal of Environmental Management 129: 33-43.

Perception, demand and user contribution to ecosystem services in the Bilbao Metropolitan Greenbelt

This study, published in Journal of Environmental Management, analyses the perceptions of users regarding the benefits provided by the Bilbao Metropolitan Greenbelt and compares them to their demands for ecosystem services, in order to understand users’ preferences and better orient land use planning. The results show that the demand does not correspond to what users perceive these ecosystems to provide. The necessity to enhance people’s awareness of ecosystems’ capacity to provide social benefits is underlined, which could be useful to reorient land use planning based on ecosystem services.

Onaindia, M.,   Fernández de Manuel, B., Madariaga, I., Rodríguez-Loinaz, G. 2013. Co-benefits and trade-offs between biodiversity, the carbon store and water flow regulations. Forest Ecology and Management 289: 1-9.

Co-benefits and trade-offs between biodiversity, carbon storage and water flow regulation in the Biosphere Reserve of Urdaibai

This report shows the co-benefits and trade-offs between biodiversity, carbon storage and water flow regulation in the Biosphere Reserve of Urdaibai. The biodiversity and ecosystem services are valued, with the aim of proposing criteria for conservation plans that would include ecosystem services and biodiversity.

Rodríguez-Loinaz, G., Amezaga, I., Onaindia, M. 2013. Use of native species to improve carbon sequestration and contribute towards solving the environmental problems of the timberlands in Biscay, northern Spain. Journal of Environmental Management 120: 18-26.

Use of native species to improve carbon sequestration and contribute towards solving the environmental problems of the timberlands in Biscay, northern Spain

Transformation of natural forest areas into fast-growing exotic species plantations in Biscay has negative impacts on the environment, creating the necessity to evaluate the argument that forest managers use to persist with the “pine and eucalyptus culture”, arguing that these species provide a big Carbon sequestration service and their use as bio-energy. But, is this well-founded? or, could the use of native species improve the C sequestration service in Biscay while avoiding the environmental problems the actual plantations cause? After simulating the changes in the C stock in living biomass in 3 possible scenarios, in this study we prove that changing pine and eucalyptus by native species in plantations, while solving some of the environmental problems of the actual plantations, sequesters more Carbon in the long-term. 

Onaindia, M, Ballesteros, F., Alonso, G., Monge-Ganuzas, M., Peña, L. 2013. Participatory process to prioritize actions for a sustainable management in a biosphere reserve. Environmental Science & Policy 33: 283-294.

Participatory process to prioritize actions for a sustainable management in a biosphere reserve

In this article the scientific and technical participatory process made in the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve is discussed in order to develop the scientific and technical foundations of future PRUG from the contribution of experts in the different topics. In addition, the actions proposed in it and the impact that their realization would have are analyzed.

Onaindia, M., Ametzaga-Arregi, I., San Sebastián, M., Mitxelena, A., Rodríguez-Loinaz, G., Peña, L., G. Alday, J. 2013. Can understorey native woodland plant species regenerate under exotic pine plantations using natural succession? Forest Ecology and Management 308: 136-144.

Can understorey native woodland plant species regenerate under exotic pine plantations using natural succession?

In this article the natural regeneration of oak is analyzed under the cover of pine in Bizkaia (Basque Country). Composition and plant diversity in three areas are compared: Regenerating oak, old oak and pine plantations adjacent to these oak. It is noted that natural regeneration under the cover of pine occurs in older pine plantations.

Onaindia, M., Rodríguez-Loinaz, G.  An evaluation if ecosystem services as a base for the sustainable Management of a region, pp. 9-18; Palacios, I., Casado-Arzuaga, I., Madariaga, I., Arana, X. An Evaluation of Millennium Ecosystems from the Basque Country, pp. 19-33; Peña, L., Amezaga, I. The Landscape of the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country: The Evolution of Forest Systems, pp 79-96. En: Ayestarán, I., Onaindia, M. (Eds.) 2013.  Sustainable Development, Ecological Complexity and Environmental Values. Current Research Series no. 10. Center for Basque Studies. University of Nevada, Reno, EEUU. ISBN: 978-1-935709-35-0.

Sustainable Development, Ecological Complexity and Environmental Values

This Current Research series book on Sustainability contains a chapter that studies The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) from the Basque Country. The MA is a United Nations International and multidisciplinary Program that shows the relationships between nature and Human Well-Being. In the MA Follow up Context, this chapter analyses MA´s relevance in Northern Societies and presents the Biscay (Basque Country, Northern Spain) SGA case study.

Martín-López, B., Iniesta-Arandia, I., García-Llorente, M., Palomo, I., Casado-Arzuaga, I., García del Amo, D., Gómez-Baggethun, E., Oteros-Rozas, E., Palacios-Agundez, I., Willaarts, B., González, J.A., Santos-Martín, F., Onaindia, M., López-Santiago, C.A., Montes, C. 2012. Uncovering Ecosystem Service Bundles through Social Preferences. PLoS ONE 7(6): e3897

Uncovering Ecosystem Service Bundles through Social Preferences

Ecosystem service assessments have increasingly been used to support environmental management policies, mainly based on biophysical and economic indicators. However, few studies have coped with the social-cultural dimension of ecosystem services. In this article, published in PLOS-ONE, social preferences toward ecosystem services are analyzed. Through face-to-face questionnaires made in eight different case study sites (Green Belt of Bilbao included) from 2007 to 2011, it was found that 90.5% of the sampled population recognized the ecosystem’s capacity to deliver services. Formal studies, environmental behavior and gender variables influenced the probability of people recognizing the ecosystem’s capacity to provide services. The ecosystem services most frequently perceived by people were regulating services; of those, air purification held the greatest importance. We conclude that socio-cultural study the preferences toward ecosystem services can serve as a tool to identify relevant services for people, the factors underlying these social preferences, and emerging ecosystem service bundles and trade-offs.

Rodríguez-Loinaz, G., Amezaga, I., Onaindia, M. 2012. Does forest fragmentation affect the same way all growth-forms? Journal of Environmental Management 94: 125-131.

Does forest fragmentation affect the same way all growth-forms?

Fragmentation of natural habitats is one of the main causes of the loss of biodiversity. However, all plants do not respond to habitat fragmentation in the same way due to differences in species traits. We studied the effect of patch size and isolation on the biodiversity of vegetation in the mixed-oak forests in the north of the Iberian Peninsula. The aim was to evaluate whether all the growth-forms of vegetation are equally affected by forest fragmentation in order to improve the management strategies to restore this type of vegetation. This study has shown that the effect of the area and spatial isolation of the patches was not the same for the different growth-forms. Fragmentation had a mainly negative effect on the richness and diversity of forest specialist species, especially ferns and herbaceous growth-forms. Thus, in this region special attention should be paid to the conservation of forest specialist species, especially ferns and herbs, for which conservation of large forest areas should be promoted.

Peña, L., Amezaga, I., Onaindia, M. 2011. At which spatial scale are plant species composition and diversity affected in beech forests? Annals of Forest Science, 68: 1351-1362.

At which spatial scale are plant species composition and diversity affected in beech forests? 

This article discusses the environmental factors and landscape heterogeneity affecting the plant composition and plant diversity in the beech forests of the Basque Country, and is analyzed how they affect to various life forms. It is noted that the plant composition and plant diversity responda primarily to landscape heterogeneity that there are around the beech and secondly to soil pH.

Rodríguez-Loinaz, G., Amezaga, I., Onaindia, M. 2011. Efficacy of management policies on protection and recovery of natural ecosystems in the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve. Natural Areas Journal 31: 358-367.

Efficacy of Management Policies on Protection and Recovery of Natural Ecosystems in the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve

Knowledge of landscape patterns and dynamics is essential for land use planners and natural resources managers. They need to know how landscapes have changed in order to determine the consequences and efficacy of the management policies and implement future decision-making. This study characterized the landscape of the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve, which has been affected by the introduction of exotic tree species since the beginning of the 20th century. We examined the dynamics of this landscape between 1991 and 2009 and the consequences of having been declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1984. Despite the small change described, the first effects of conservation and environmental recovery policies can be detected. Nevertheless, there remains much to be done for recovering the natural ecosystem; the most difficult obstacles include the fact that most of the land is privately owned and an existence of the administrative complexity.

Onaindia, M., Mitxelena, A. 2009. Potential use of pine plantations to restore native forests in a highly fragmented river basin. Annals of Forest Science, 66: 13-37.

Potential use of pine plantations to restore natural forests in a highly fragmented basin

In forests, the substitution of broadleaf species by conifers can reduce biodiversity because coniferous forests generally provide less diverse vascular understories than broadleaf forests. However, in some cases, former pine plantations might be useful for restoring native forests. We compared plant species composition on the plot scale in natural beech and mixed oak forests with that in plantations of Pinus radiata. Links between plant diversity and landscape parameters (patch size, fractal dimension and distance to the nearest patch of the same type) were investigated. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of pine plantations for restoring native diversity in a zone where native forests are very fragmented. Similar to oak forests, plant diversity in pine plantations was high, mainly due to the presence of generalist species. Some species characteristic of oak forests also appeared in pine plantations, suggesting the onset of natural forest regeneration. These results suggest that pine plantations could be used to promote natural regeneration of original oak forests. Moreover, residual native stands should be conserved as important sources of native species and their seeds.

Rodríguez-Loinaz, G., Onaindia, M., Amezaga, I., Mijangos, I., Garbisu, C. 2008. Relationship between vegetation diversity and soil functional diversity in native mixed-oak forests. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 40: 49-60.

Relationship between vegetation diversity and soil functional diversity in native mixed-oak forests

In the current study, we investigated the relationship between forest vegetation diversity and soil functional diversity (calculated from the activity of soil enzymes) in naturally developed plant communities of native mixed-oak forests without imposing any disturbances to already existing plant–soil relationships. In order to do so, five different vegetation types, i.e., herbaceous plants, climbing plants, trees, shrubs, and ferns, were considered. Correlations between plant diversity, soil physicochemical properties, and soil enzyme activities were determined. Herbaceous plants and ferns showed a strong positive correlation between Shannon’s plant diversity and soil functional diversity. Furthermore, herbaceous plants showed a strong positive correlation between species richness and soil functional diversity. Although these correlations between plant diversity and soil functional diversity might possibly be due to the fact that higher values of plant richness and diversity result in a greater habitat heterogeneity in the soil, current knowledge on the topic is mixed and very incomplete and, then, one must be extremely cautious when interpreting such correlations.