Monitoring data on the effect of domestic livestock and rabbits on Androcymbium europaeum pastures

Study Extent

The study area belongs to the Integral Reserve of Las Marinas-Amoladeras,the main steppe zone of the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park) located in Almería (southeast Spain). This area is considered hunting refuge and zoological station. The soils are limestone, poor and poorly developed (Guirado et al., 2001). Biogeographically, it belongs to the Murcian-Almerian chorological province, Almeria sector, thermo-Mediterranean semiarid-arid belt. The annual precipitation is 200 mm with strong intra- and interannual variation and the mean annual temperature is 19 ºC. The potential vegetation of the area consists of Ziziphus lotus thornscrub, but at present, shrubs of the Helianthemo-Siderition pusillae alliance dominate, reflecting the former grazing-pastoral activity, now abandoned and of which only pastoral use with sheep remains, together with hunting activity.

Sampling

To evaluate the effect of sheep and rabbits on the population of A. europaeum and its plant communities diversity, 18 plots of 2.5 m x 2.5 m were installed in the study area. A randomized block design was followed, which consisted of 6 blocks separated between 300 and 400 m, with three different treatments or management types (one plot by treatment and block): 1) with herbivory by sheep and rabbits (G+C+), 2) excluding only sheep (G-C+) (fenced with hunting netting) and 3) excluding rabbits and sheep (G-C-) (fenced with rhomboidal netting of 4 cm of light). Two types of assessment were carried out: density of A. europaeum, and plant community evaluation.

Quality Control

For the abundance count, and to reduce possible bias among observers, criteria for the correct identification of individuals were established and practiced prior to sampling for each field campaign. In general, the results obtained from the beginning were quite coincident and without inter-observer bias. Each year, sampling was carried out by 2-4 observers, with at least one of them present in all the samplings. Plants for almost all species found where sampled and determined at lab. Data where carefully implemented in a database and cross-check validations were carried out.

Method steps

1. The abundance of A. europaeum in each plot was yearly evaluated by counting the number of individuals in 50 cm x 50 cm fix squares, taking four squares per plot, distributed according to the four cardinal points (N, S, E and W): 24 squares per treatment (six blocks by four squares). The exclusion plots were installed in May 2010, after the first density and biodiversity samplings (March and April), thus this year should be considered as year zero, without exclusion treatments.
2. The evaluation of the plant communities where A. europaeum lives was carried out yearly in spring, to ensure that most annual species had grow and flowered to allow a correct identification. Two fix cross transects (2 m length) were established in each plot, and using the point-intercept method (Elzinga et al. 1998), 50 points per transect were censused. The points were separated by 4 cm, and in each one of them the contacting species with a needle of 2 mm section are noted. For each transect the following variables were determined: - specific vegetation cover: percentage of soil covered by each plant species - plant species richness: number of species - diversity index (H'): Shannon index H' = - Σ pi · Ln pi - vegetation cover: percentage of soil covered by vegetation - total specific cover: sum of the specific vegetation cover of each species - musk/lichen cover: percentage of soil covered by musk or lichen - bare soil cover: percentage of bare soil

There are 98 taxa included in the dataset. The 5 most represented taxa in the dataset are: Androcymbium europaeum (Lange) K.Richt. (34.74%), Stipa capensis Thunb. (11.09%), Gynandriris sisyrinchium (L.) Parl. (5.64%), Filago pyramidata L. (3.51%) and Erodium chium (Burm.fil.) Willd. (2.37%). A total of 72 genus are included in the dataset, being the 5 most represented: Androcymbium (34.74%), Stipa (11.09%), Gynandriris (5.64%), Helianthemum (4.28%) and Filago (3.83%). There are 2 classes represented in the dataset: Liliopsida (57.14%) and Magnoliopsida (42.86%). A total of 21 order represented in the dataset being the 5 most represented: Liliales (34.74%), Poales (14.23%), Asterales (11.2%), Asparagales (8.14%) and Fabales (4.97%). There are 31 family included in the dataset. The 5 family most represented in the dataset are: Colchicaceae (34.74%), Poaceae (14.23%), Asteraceae (11.2%), Iridaceae (5.64%) and Fabaceae (4.87%).

1. Androcymbium europaeum (Lange) K.Richt.
   common name: Azafrán del Cabo
2. Filago pyramidata L.
3. Gynandriris sisyrinchium (L.) Parl.
4. Plantago ovata Forssk.
5. Spergularia diandra (Guss.) Boiss.
6. Stipa capensis Thunb.
7. Astragalus sesameus L.
8. Bromus rubens L.
9. Filago pygmaea L.
10. Helianthemum salicifolium (L.) Mill.
11. Euphorbia exigua L.
12. Crassula tillaea Lest.-Garl.
13. Erodium chium (Burm.fil.) Willd.
14. Logfia arvensis (L.) Holub
15. Ononis sicula Guss.
16. Carrichtera annua (L.) DC.
17. Plantago lagopus L.
18. Euphorbia falcata L.
19. Fagonia cretica L.
20. Rostraria pumila (Lam.) Tzvelev
21. Spergula fallax (Lowe) E.H.L.Krause
22. Asphodelus fistulosus L.
23. Helianthemum almeriense Pau
24. Medicago truncatula Gaertn.
25. Galium murale (L.) All.
26. Silene sclerocarpa Dufour
27. Asphodelus tenuifolius Cav.
28. Cuscuta epithymum (L.) L.
29. Trigonella monspeliaca L.
30. Diplotaxis ilorcitana (Sennen) Aedo, Mart.-Laborde & Muñoz Garm.
31. Helianthemum ledifolium (L.) Mill.
32. Reichardia tingitana (L.) Roth
33. Coronilla scorpioides (L.) W.D.J.Koch
34. Eryngium ilicifolium Lam.
35. Anagallis arvensis L.
36. Medicago littoralis Rohde ex Loisel.
37. Rhagadiolus stellatus (L.) Gaertn.
38. Hippocrepis ciliata Willd.
39. Medicago minima (L.) L.
40. Atractylis cancellata L.
41. Herniaria cinerea DC.
42. Erodium cicutarium (L.) L'Hér.
43. Hedypnois cretica (L.) Dum.Cours.
44. Neatostema apulum (L.) I.M.Johnst.
45. Asterolinon linum-stellatum (L.) Duby
46. Silene L.
47. Lagurus ovatus L.
48. Crepis capillaris (L.) Wallr.
49. Euphorbia sulcata Lens ex Loisel.
50. Peganum harmala L.
51. Silene micropetala Lag.
52. Asparagus albus L.
53. Scorpiurus muricatus L.
54. Hammada articulata (Moq.) O.Bolòs & Vigo
55. Diplotaxis DC.
56. Desmazeria rigida (L.) Tutin
57. Boraginaceae
58. Caryophyllaceae
59. Linum strictum L.
60. Minuartia hybrida (Vill.) Schischk.
61. Phagnalon saxatile (L.) Cass.
62. Plantago albicans L.
63. Plantago afra L.
64. Leontodon longirostris (Finch & P.D.Sell) Talavera
65. Trachynia distachya (L.) Link
66. Artemisia barrelieri Besser
67. Teucrium L.
68. Dactylis glomerata L.
69. Thymelaea hirsuta (L.) Endl.
70. Polygala monspeliaca L.
71. Linaria oligantha Lange
72. Dipcadi serotinum (L.) Medik.
73. Eruca vesicaria (L.) Cav.
74. Ajuga iva (L.) Schreb.
75. Crepis vesicaria L.
76. Limonium echioides (L.) Mill.
77. Plantago coronopus L.
78. Bupleurum semicompositum L.
79. Lolium rigidum Gaudin
80. Malcolmia africana (L.) R.Br.
81. Mesembryanthemum nodiflorum L.
82. Misopates orontium (L.) Raf.
83. Valantia hispida L.
84. Pallenis spinosa (L.) Cass.
85. Hedysarum spinosissimum L.
86. Silene tridentata Desf.
87. Carlina hispanica Lam.
88. Launaea nudicaulis (L.) Hook.fil.
89. Lactuca viminea (L.) J.Presl & C.Presl
90. Reseda phyteuma L.
91. Reseda lutea L.
92. Linaria arvensis (L.) Desf.
93. Stipa parviflora Desf.
94. Leontodon carpetanus Lange
95. Arisarum vulgare O.Targ.Tozz.
96. Avena barbata Pott ex Link
97. Erodium malacoides (L.) L'Hér.
98. Papaver hybridum L.

The study area belongs to the Integral Reserve of Las Marinas-Amoladeras,the main steppe zone of the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park located in Almería (southeast Spain). This area is considered hunting refuge and zoological station. The soils are limestone, poor and poorly developed (Guirado et al., 2001). Biogeographically, it belongs to the Murcian-Almerian chorological province, Almeria sector, thermo-Mediterranean semiarid-arid belt. The annual precipitation is 200 mm with strong intra- and interannual variation and the mean annual temperature is 19 ºC. The potential vegetation of the area consists of Ziziphus lotus thornscrub, but at present, shrubs of the Helianthemo-Siderition pusillae alliance dominate, reflecting the former grazing-pastoral activity, now abandoned and of which only ocassional pastoral use with sheep remains, together with current hunting activity.