Research Areas

Environmental impact assessment of plants of renewable energy production (wind farms, photovoltaic solar plants, biomass plants, solar thermal power plants, etc.).

Estimation of forest biomass and productivity of Mediterranean forests in the context of Climate Change

This line is being developed in typically Mediterranean forest species (Pinus halepensis Mill., Pinus nigra Arn., Pinus pinea L., Pinus pinaster Ait., Quercus ilex subsp. Ballota, Quercus coccifera L., Juniperus thurifera L. and Quercus suber L.), being of great interest for the evaluation of the global productivity of the forests, as well as for the evaluation of the CO₂ sink effect that our forests perform, in current climatological situations or under climate change manipulation experiments. Basically, the above and bellowground biomass of the different species, in different ecosystems and treatments (brush out, thinning) is evaluated, and broken down into components (trunk, roots, branches and leaves), in order to evaluate the plant biomass partitioning and CO₂ fixed by unit of time. The sustainability of an ecosystem is determined by the net productivity of the ecosystem (NEP), among others. The evaluation of this concept allows us to decide to what extent the cultural and forestry activities carried out in the ecosystems are reversible under this concept and, therefore, to affirm the importance and sustainability of them. Likewise, the concepts of net primary productivity (NPP) and net change of biomass of a cycle, allows us to evaluate and quantify the actions aimed at obtaining biomass for energy and / or industrial purposes, in a context of change.

 The specific lines of work that we carry out, under this approach, are:

• Evaluation of the net primary productivity of forest stands, both natural and plantations, by means of classical inventory techniques and destructive samplings.
       

• Quantification of the respiration of the soil and of the stems (and branches) of the trees, by means of instrumentation based on IRGA's (infrared gas analyzer).

• Evaluation of the net ecosystem productivity (NEP) in natural forest stands and plantations, through a novel proposal of mixed techniques: inventory and destructive samplings + evaluation of heterotrophic respiration (by means of partitioning of the total respiration).

Sustainable management of resilient and non-resilient forest stands

At the same time, experiences are being developed in the field of forest management, within the new context of global change, where simulations of drought and silvicultural treatments are evaluated to propose efficient adaptive management.The evaluation is made from a multiple focus, mainly in terms of the effect on detailed annual growths in periods of 10 minutes, which allows us to understand which are the specific factors that influence the growth and productivity of these forest stands in the conditions of water stress.Simultaneously, we quantify the different components of the ecosystem that allow us to evaluate the net ecosystem productivity (NEP) in climate change conditions, to evaluate how that change affects the different flows related to productivity (both above and belowground).

Quantification of the net ecosystem productivity (NEP) through micrometeorological techniques

These techniques are based on the energy balance and measurement of CO₂ and H₂O fluxes, using either the "Bowen Ratio" or "Eddy Covariance" methodology. Micrometeorological techniques are also capable of evaluating methane (CH₄) fluxes in ecosystems where this gas is present (peat bogs, lakes, reservoirs, animal farms, manure dumps, garbage dumps, etc.). It is one of the most universally accepted techniques for evaluating these flows objectively.

Our research group has 6 complete Eddy Covariance stations (1 of them with a methane sensor) included in the EUROFLUX network, located in forest stands of Pinus nigra (Las Majadas, Cuenca), of Pinus halepensis (Yeste and Hellín, Albacete) and Juniperus thurifera (El Bonillo, Albacete) and 2 Bowen stations.

Applied dendrochronology: study and determination of the influence of climatic, edaphic, silvicultural and anthropic variables in the production of forest biomass.

Dendrochronology consists in the study and dating of the growth rings of trees. An important application is the Dendroecology, which consists in the observation and interpretation of the influence on the growth rings of factors such as competition, patterns of regeneration, diseases and pests, fires, silvicultural treatments, etc., that condition the production of forest biomass

Application of innovative forestry inventory techniques, as well as measurements of any type of material, through LIDAR-terrestrial-mobile.

Our research group is developing the adequate methodology to carry out quickly forest inventories  and at a low cost, relying on laser technology, both aerial and terrestrial, but with the particularity that terrestrial is applied by the latest technology.
This methodology will allow the wood stocks estimations in a fast way. Likewise, the quantification of wood piles, wood chips or any other material (soil volumes of land altered by man or natural external agents), will be possible.

Support for the regeneration of both resilient and non-resilient conifer forest stands

The difficult mechanisms of regeneration of the Pinus nigra Arnold. forest stands in the Serranía de Cuenca (Spain) have been studied in both burned and unburned areas. The regeneration of other conifers such as Pinus halepensis, either alone or mixed with holm oak, has also been studied in burned areas of southeast Castilla-La Mancha (Sierra del Segura, Albacete, Spain). In addition, it has also studied the conservation and regeneration of the Juniperus thurifera forest stands in Castilla-La Mancha. Thus, the silvicultural treatments to be applied to achieve a better regeneration of these forest stands have been determined, through the elimination of competition (mainly thinning) in conifers and, post-fire thinning practices “resalveo” in coppice forest stands of regenerated Quercus species). In addition, studies of dissemination together with seedlings have been made with different previous treatments of the soil and, also, simulating situations of continued water stress (climate change).

Evaluation of the quality of agricultural and forest soils

Soil microorganisms influence ecosystems and soil fertility, both in the establishment of biogeochemical cycles and in the formation of their structure. In addition, they exert a great influence on numerous reactions of oxidation, hydrolysis and degradation of organic matter, which in turn have a clear reflection in the natural cycles of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and other elements. In this way, the study of the biological state can serve as a marker of soil status, that is, as an indicator of its quality, which will inevitably be linked to the natural fertility of said soil. The characterization of the soil is based on physical-chemical, microbiological and enzymatic parameters. In addition, microbial respiration is also determined in the laboratory.

These studies apply to:

• Forest soils with different levels of intensity of recreational activity.

• Forest soils under different tree cover and subject to different silvicultural treatments.

• Forest and agricultural energy crops.

• Forest soils with logging and reforested areas.

• Soils burned.

• Soils subjected to conditions of controlled water stress.

Energy crops: evaluation and yield tables for the Mediterranean area.

This research is focused on scientific experiences that are being carried out with species of the genus Paulownia spp. with the aim of knowing the adaptability to Mediterranean environmental conditions, characterize their properties, determine their possible use as a forest plantation and develop a forest management model of the same, including yield tables. At the same time, experiences are being developed in other species, among which are the mulberry fruitless (Morus sp, clone bascara) and the sumac (Rhus coriaria).