Old field dynamics on the dry side of the Mediterranean basin: patterns and processes in semiarid southeast Spain

摘要: Euro-Mediterranean countries have a long history of land use changes and urbanization processes (Antrop 2004). During the past century, with advent industrial tourist development, these experienced an important intensification related to abandonment rural livelihoods city sprawl in coastal areas. On northern (European) rim Mediterranean basin, socioeconomic taking place during this period promoted dramatic exodus, consequent large cultivated areas (Lepart Debussche 1992) (figure 13.1). As result, previously are now being colonized by natural vegetation, implications for such as water balance (Bellot et al. 2001), wildfire regime (Pausas 2004) carbon sequestration (DeGryze Meanwhile, landscapes on southern (African) basin still suffer from overexploitation, especially overgrazing (after clearing), increasing cultivation pronounced slopes, associated degradation problems (Le Houerou 1993; Taiqui 1997; Redjali These contrasting patterns different socioeconomic, demographic, political trends occurring between (Puigdefabregas Mendizabal 1998) Thus there is some association mesic ecosystems overexploitation drier ecosystems. However, also Europe (e.g., southeast Spain) that considered semiarid undergoing process (Bonet 2004; Bonet 2006). In chapter we will focus areas, where studies vegetation dynamics been developed only recently 2001; Pausas