Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

To live or to survive in Doñana dunes: Adaptive responses of woody species under a Mediterranean climate

  • Published:
Plant and Soil Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Dune System of Doñana National Park (SW Spain) exhibit a mosaic of environmental characteristics, with different plant communities, all under the same Mediterranean climate, creating an interesting field laboratory for the study of plant responses to stressing conditions. Fourteen woody plant populations were selected, belonging to either xerophytic or hygrophytic plant communities on stabilised dunes, where topography causes differences in soil water availability. Plants were tagged and morphological and ecophysiological measurements were recorded in winter and summer of 1999. Seasonal differences in ecophysiological measurements together with morphological variables were used as plant traits to identify the main adaptive responses of the species. Cluster analysis of traits separated three groups of plant strategies: spiny legume species; sclerophyll, and semideciduous species. In addition, another two kind of strategies have been found in the semideciduous group of species, those withstanding water shortages, attaining very negative water potentials, low photochemical efficiency, and leaf proline accumulation in summer, as opposed to those tolerating water deficit, with moderate seasonal differences in water potential, proline content and photochemical efficiency. The results of this study indicate that legume species behave as a different functional group and drought-semideciduous species present different adaptive responses under the same environmental stress. Ecophysiological measurements must be used as plant traits to detect functional groups under Mediterranean climate.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • F Ain-Lhout M Zunzunegui M C Díaz Barradas R Tirado A Clavijo F García Novo (2001) ArticleTitleComparison of proline accumulation in two Mediterranean shrubs subjected to natural and experimental water deficit Plant Soil 230 175–183 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1010387610098 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3MXjt12qsrY%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • L S Bates R P Waldren I D Teare (1973) ArticleTitleRapid determination of free proline for water stress studies Plant Soil 39 205–207 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaE3sXlsVGitLk%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • O Bjorkman S B Powles (1984) ArticleTitleInhibition of photosynthesis reactions under water stress: interaction with light level Planta 161 490–504 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00407081

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clemente Salas l 1998 Los suelos del Parque Nacional de Doñana. ICONA

  • O Correia F M Catarino J D Tenhunen O Lange (1987) Regulation of water use by species of Cistus in the scrub vegetation of Serra da Arrábida, Portugal J D Tenhunen F M Catarino O L Lange W Oechel (Eds) Plant Response to Stress. Functional Analysis in Mediterranean Ecosystems Springer-Verlag Berlin 247–258

    Google Scholar 

  • S Díaz M Cabido (1997) ArticleTitlePlant functional types and ecosystem function in relation to global change: a multiscale approach J. Veg. Sci. 8 463–474

    Google Scholar 

  • M C Díaz Barradas O Correia M Zunzunegui F Ain-Lhout A Clavijo P Silva S Ferreira (2000) ArticleTitleDistribuiçâo de sexos na espécie dióica Corema albumao longo de um gradiente climático Rev. Biol. (Lisboa) 18 7–22

    Google Scholar 

  • M C Díaz Barradas F García Novo (1988) ArticleTitleModificación y extinción de la luz a través de la copa en cuatro especies de matorral en el Parque Nacional de Doñana Monogr. Inst. Pirenaico Ecol. 4 503–516

    Google Scholar 

  • M C Díaz Barradas M Zunzunegui F García Novo (1999a) ArticleTitleAutoecological traits of Halimium halimifolium under Mediterranean type climate Fol. Geobot. 34 189–208

    Google Scholar 

  • M C Díaz Barradas M Zunzunegui R Tirado F Ain-Lhout F García Novo (1999b) ArticleTitlePlant functional types and ecosystem function in Mediterranean scrub J. Veg. Sci. 10 709–716

    Google Scholar 

  • M R García-Mora J B Gallego-Fernández F García Novo (1999) ArticleTitlePlant functional types in coastal foredunes in relation to environmental stress and disturbance J. Veg. Sci. 10 27–34

    Google Scholar 

  • F García Novo (1979) The ecology of dune vegetation of Doñana National Park R L Jeffries A J Davy (Eds) Ecological Processes in Coastal Environments Blackwell’s Oxford 571–592

    Google Scholar 

  • F García Novo (1997) The ecosystems of Doñana National Park F García Novo R M M Crawford M C Díaz Barradas (Eds) The Ecology and Conservation of European Dunes Publicaciones de la Universidad de Sevilla Sevilla 97–116

    Google Scholar 

  • F García Novo J A Merino (1997) Pattern and processes in the dune system of Doñana National Park, South-western Spain E Maarel Particlevan der (Eds) Dry Coastal Ecosystems Part C. General Aspects. Ecosystems of the World Elsevier Amsterdam 453–468

    Google Scholar 

  • F García Novo M C Díaz Barradas M Zunzunegui R García Mora J B Gallego Fernández (2004) Plant functional types in coastal dune habitats M L Martínez N P Psuty (Eds) Coastal Dunes, Ecology and Conservation Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 155–169

    Google Scholar 

  • F García Novo M Zunzunegui J C Muñoz Reinoso J B Gallego Fernández M C Díaz Barradas (1996) Surface and groundwater control on ecosystem development: the case of Doñana National Park (SW Spain) J CruzSan Julián J Benavente (Eds) Wetlands: A Multiapproach Perspective Granada Universidad de Granada 81–101

    Google Scholar 

  • P D Hare W A Cress (1997) ArticleTitleMetabolic implications of stress-induced proline accumulation in plants Plant Growth Regul. 21 79–102 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1005703923347 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2sXjs1amtLY%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • P D Hare W A Cress J Staden ParticleVan (1998) ArticleTitleDissecting the roles of osmolyte accumulation during stress Plant Cell Environ. 21 535–553 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1cXltl2hu7s%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • C M Herrera (1984) ArticleTitleTipos morfológicos y funcionales en plantas del matorral mediterráneo en el sur de España Stud. Oecol. 5 23–34

    Google Scholar 

  • C M Herrera (1992) ArticleTitleHistorical effects and sorting processes as explanations for contemporary ecological patterns: character syndromes in Mediterranean woody plants Am. Nat. 140 421–446 Occurrence Handle10.1086/285420

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • S Karavatas Y Manetas (1999) ArticleTitleSeasonal patterns of photosystem 2 photochemical efficiency in evergreen sclerophylls and drought semi-deciduous shrubs under Mediterranean field conditions Photosynthetica 36 41–49 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1007010502269 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1MXltlOnsb4%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • P A Keddy (1992) ArticleTitleAssembly and response rules: two goals for predictive community ecology J. Veg. Sci. 3 157–164

    Google Scholar 

  • J E Keeley (1986) Resilience of Mediterranean shrub communities to fires B. Dell A J M Hopkins B B Lamon (Eds) Resilience in Mediterranean-type Ecosystems Junk Dordrecht, Netherlands 95–112

    Google Scholar 

  • J E Keeley (1998) Copling demography, physiology and evolution in chaparral shrubs P W Rundel G. Montenegro F M Jaksic (Eds) Landscape Disturbance and Biodiversity in Mediterranean-type Ecosystems Springer-Verlag New York 257–264

    Google Scholar 

  • A Kyparissis P Drilias Y Manetas (2000) ArticleTitleSeasonal fluctuations in photoprotective (xanthophyll cycle) and photoselective (chlorophylls) capacity in eight Mediterranean plant species belonging to two different growth forms Aust. J. Plant. Physiol. 27 265–272 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3cXivFOgu7k%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • A Kyparissis Y Petropoulou Y Manetas (1995) ArticleTitleSummer survival of leaves in a soft-leaved shrub (Phlomis fructicosaL. Labiatae) under mediterranean field conditions: avoidance of photoinhibitory damage through decreased chlorophyll contents J. Exp. Bot. 46 1825–1831 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK28XlsFegtQ%3D%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • A R Lansac J P Zaballos A Martín (1994) ArticleTitleSeasonal water potential changes and proline accumulation in Mediterranean shrubland species Vegetatio 113 141–154

    Google Scholar 

  • J Levitt (1972) Responses of Plants to Environmental Stresses Academic Press NY USA

    Google Scholar 

  • H K Lichtenthaler (1987) ArticleTitleChlorophylls and carotenoids: pigments of photosynthetic biomembranes Method Enzymol. 148 350–382 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL1cXhs1Cgu78%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • T G Maslova I A Popova (1993) ArticleTitleAdaptative properties of the plant pigment systems Photosynthetica 29 195–203 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2cXlslGnsL0%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • R K Meentemeyer A Moody (2002) ArticleTitleDistribution of plant life history types in California chaparral: the role of topographically determined drought severity J. Veg. Sci. 13 67–78

    Google Scholar 

  • J Merino F García Novo M Sánchez Díaz (1976) ArticleTitleAnnual fluctuation of water potential in the xerophytic shrub of Doñana Biological Reserve (Spain) Oecol. Plant. 11 1–11

    Google Scholar 

  • P C Miller (Eds) (1981) Resource Use by Chaparral and Matorral Springer-Verlag New York Heideberg Berlin 455

    Google Scholar 

  • H A Mooney (1989) Chaparral physiological ecology – paradigms revised S C Keeley (Eds) The California Chaparral: Paradigms eexamined Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Los Angeles, CA

    Google Scholar 

  • Muñoz Reinoso J C and García Novo F 2000 Vegetation patterns on the stabilized sands of Doñana Biological Reserve. In Vegetation Science in Retrospect and Perspective. Proceedings IAVS Symposium. Eds. P S White, L Mucina and J Leps. pp. 164–167. IAVS Opulus Press, Uppsala, Printed in the UK

  • Muñoz Reinoso J C and García Novo F 2004 Multiscale control of vegetation patterns: the case of Doñana (SW Spain). Landscape Ecol. (In press)

  • E Núñez-Olivera J Martínez-Abaigar J C Escudero (1996) ArticleTitleAdaptability of leaves of Cistus ladanifer to widely varying environmental conditions Funct. Ecol. 10 636–646

    Google Scholar 

  • G Oliveira J Peñuelas (2000) ArticleTitleComparative photochemical and phenomorphological responses to winter stress of an evergreen (Quercus ilex L.) and a semi-deciduous (Cistus albidus L.) Mediterranean woody species Acta Oecol. 21 97–107 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S1146-609X(00)00121-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • S Rhizopoulou M S Meletiou-Christou S Diamantoglou (1991) ArticleTitleWater relations for sun and shade leaves of four Mediterranean evergreen sclerophylls J. Exp. Bot. 42 627–635

    Google Scholar 

  • P F Scholander H T Hammel E D Bradstreet E A Hemmingsen (1965) ArticleTitleSap pressure in vascular plants Science 148 339–346

    Google Scholar 

  • U Schreiber H Hormann C Neubauer C Klughammer (1995) ArticleTitleAssessment of photosystem II photochemical quantum yield by chlorophyll fluorescence quenching analysis Aust. J. Plant Physiol. 22 209–220 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2MXmt1Oisro%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • P Scott (2000) ArticleTitleResurrection plants and the secrets of eternal leaf Ann. Bot. 85 159–166 Occurrence Handle10.1006/anbo.1999.1006 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3cXnsFCisg%3D%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • G V Semenova E Maarel Particlevan der (2000) ArticleTitlePlant functional types – a strategic perspective J. Veg. Sci. 11 917–922

    Google Scholar 

  • L Serrano J Toja (1995) ArticleTitleLimnological description of four temporary ponds in the Doñana National Park (SW, Spain) Arch. Hydrobiol. 133 497–516

    Google Scholar 

  • Terradas J 1991 Mediterranean woody plant growth-forms, biomass and production in the eastern part of the Iberian Peninsula. In Homenage to Ramón Margalef; or Why is such Pleasure in Studying Nature. Eds. J D Ros and N Prat. Oecol. Aquat. 10, 337–349

  • B Valdés S Talavera E Fernández Galiano (Eds) (1987) Flora vascular de Andalucía Occidental Ketres Editora Barcelona

    Google Scholar 

  • F Valladares R W Pearcy (1997) ArticleTitleInteractions between water stress, sun-shade acclimation, heat tolerance and photoinhibition in the sclerophyll Heteromeles arbutifolia Plant Cell Environ. 20 25–36 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1365-3040.1997.d01-8.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • F Valladares R W Pearcy (2002) ArticleTitleDrought can be more critical in the shade than in the sun: a field study of carbon gain and photo-inhibition in a Californian shrub during a dry El Niño year Plant Cell Environ. 25 749–759 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1365-3040.2002.00856.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • C Werner O Correia W Beychlag (1999) ArticleTitleTwo different strategies of Mediterranean macchia plants to avoid photoinhibitory damage by excessive radiation levels during summer drought Acta Oecol. 20 15–23 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S1146-609X(99)80011-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • C Werner O Correia W Beyschlag (2002) ArticleTitleCharacteristic patterns of chronic and dynamic photoinhibition of different functional groups in a Mediterranean ecosystem Funct. Plant Biol. 29 999–1011 Occurrence Handle10.1071/PP01143

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • C Werner R J Ryel O Correia W Beychlag (2001) ArticleTitleEffects of photoinhibition on whole-plant carbon gain assessed with a photosynthesis model Plant Cell Environ. 24 27–40 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1365-3040.2001.00651.x Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3MXhtlygu7k%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • M Westoby (1998) ArticleTitleA leaf-height-seed (LHS) plant ecology strategy scheme Plant Soil 199 213–227 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1004327224729 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1cXjslOht7o%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Woodward F I and Cramer W (eds.) 1996. Plant functional types and climate change. J. Veg. Sci. 7, 305–430

  • M Zunzunegui M C Díaz Barradas L Fernández Baco F García Novo (1999) ArticleTitleSeasonal changes in photochemical efficiency in leaves of Halimium halimifolium a Mediterranean semideciduous shrub Photosynthetica 36 17–31 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1007058611140

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • M Zunzunegui M C Díaz Barradas F García Novo (1998) ArticleTitleVegetation fluctuation in Mediterranean dune ponds in relation to rainfall variation and water extraction Appl. Veg. Sci. 1 151–160

    Google Scholar 

  • M Zunzunegui M C Díaz Barradas F García Novo (2000) ArticleTitleDifferent phenotypic response of Halimium halimifolium in relation to groundwater availability Plant Ecol. 148 165–174 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1009847628243

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, Apartado 1095, 41080, Sevilla, Spain

    M. Zunzunegui, M. C. Díaz Barradas, F. Ain-Lhout, A. Clavijo & F. García Novo

Authors
  1. M. Zunzunegui
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M. C. Díaz Barradas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. F. Ain-Lhout
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. A. Clavijo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. F. García Novo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. C. Díaz Barradas.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zunzunegui, M., Barradas, M.C.D., Ain-Lhout, F. et al. To live or to survive in Doñana dunes: Adaptive responses of woody species under a Mediterranean climate. Plant Soil 273, 77–89 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-004-6806-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-004-6806-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation