10.5061/DRYAD.Z612JM69K
Martín-Forés, Irene
0000-0003-3627-0347
University of Adelaide
Magro, Sandra
Creando Redes NatCap
Bravo-Oviedo, Andres
0000-0001-7036-7041
Spanish National Research Council
Alfaro-Sánchez, Raquel
Wilfrid Laurier University
Espelta, Josep M.
Centre for Research on Ecology and Forestry Applications
Frei, Theresa
European Forest Institute
Valdés-Correcher, Elena
National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment
Rodríguez Fernández-Blanco, Carmen
0000-0002-6262-1924
European Forest Institute
Winkel, Georg
0000-0002-9254-0447
European Forest Institute
Gerzabek, Gabriel
University of Hohenheim
Hampe, Arndt
National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment
Valladares, Fernando
Spanish National Research Council
Data from: Spontaneous forest regrowth in South-West Europe: consequences
for nature’s contributions to people
Dryad
dataset
2020
FOS: Natural sciences
BiodivERsA*
BiodivERsA3-2015-58
Agencia Estatal de Investigación
https://ror.org/003x0zc53
PCIN-2016-055
Ministerio de Asuntos Económicos y Transformación Digital
https://ror.org/03sv46s19
CGL2017-83170-R
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
https://ror.org/018mejw64
BiodivERsA
BiodivERsA3-2015-58
2020-10-06T00:00:00Z
2020-10-06T00:00:00Z
en
360785 bytes
2
CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
Context European forests are expanding and becoming denser following the
widespread abandonment of farmland and rural areas. Yet, little is known
about the goods and services that spontaneous forest regrowth provide to
people. Aims We assessed the changes in nature’s contributions to people
(NCP) from spontaneous forest regrowth, i.e. forest expansion and
densification, in South-West Europe. Methods We investigated 65 forest
plots in four different landscapes with contrasting ecological and
societal contexts. Two landscapes are located in rural areas undergoing
human exodus and forest expansion and densification; the other two, in
peri-urban areas with intense land use and forest densification but
negligible expansion. For each forest plot, we estimated variables related
to ten out of the 18 main NCP defined by the Intergovernmental
Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).
Regulating and material NCP were addressed using variables measured in the
field as proxies. Non-material NCP were studied through stakeholder
interviews. Results Our results show across the cases that forest
expansion and densification is generally associated with greater climate
regulation and energy provision. Changes in other NCP, especially in
non-material ones, were strongly context-dependent. The social perception
of spontaneous forest regrowth was primarily negative in rural areas and
more positive in peri-urban landscapes. Conclusion Passive restoration
through spontaneous forest expansion and densification can enhance
regulating and material NCP, especially when adaptive management is
applied. To optimise NCP and to increase the societal awareness of and
interest in spontaneous forest regrowth, the effects of this process
should be analysed in close coordination with local stakeholders to unveil
and quantify the many and complex trade-offs involved in rural or
peri-urban social perceptions.
The dataset was collected by four different teams who took part in the
project. It consisted on four case studies of forest regrowth (including
expansion and densification) after rural abandonment with contrasting
ecological and societal contexts. The study took place in Spain and
France. Two landscapes are located in rural areas undergoing human exodus
and forest expansion and densification; the other two, in peri-urban areas
with intense land use and forest densification but negligible expansion.
For each forest plot, we estimated variables related to ten out of the 18
main Nature's contributions to people (NCP) defined by the
Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem
Services. Regulating and material NCP were addressed using variables
measured in the field as proxies. Non-material NCP were studied through
stakeholder interviews. Thus, this dataset contains data on NCP associated
with forest regrowth of Juniperus thurifera L., Fagus sylvatica L.,
Quercus ilex L., and Quercus robur L stands. It includes a total of 65
study plots and 2,837 individual trees. The considered NCP included four
regulating, three material, and three non-material NCP as well as one NCP
common to all categories. The four regulating NCP were habitat creation
and maintenance; pollination and dispersal of seeds and other propagules;
regulation of climate through biological carbon (C) sequestration and
storage; and regulation of detrimental organisms and biological processes.
The two material NCP were energy; and medicinal, biochemical and genetic
resources. The three non-material NCP were learning and inspiration;
physical and psychological experience; and supporting identities. The NCP
common to all categories was the maintenance of options, reflected in
maintaining biodiversity (estimated in this case with the Shannon
diversity index). The dataset contains information at both individual and
plot level. Habitat creation and maintenance (NCP1) was calculated by
computing the spatial connectivity of the plots in Q. ilex and Q. robur
stands. It was inferred by calculating the percentage cover of broadleaved
forest in a circular buffer (radius = 500 m) around each plot. Pollination
and the dispersal of seeds and other propagules (NCP2) was estimated
by counting all seedlings and saplings in each plot and divided them by
the plot area to obtain the density of saplings per hectare. Climate
regulation in terms of biological carbon (C) storage and sequestration
(NCP4) was estimated by the overall C stock contained in the trees of the
study plots. We calculated the total biomass per tree using
species-specific allometric equations that combine the dbh and the height
of the sampled trees. We also calculated the C stock per tree multiplying
the obtained biomass by the percentage of C in each species. The
regulation of detrimental organisms and biological processes (NCP10) was
assessed using the percentage of invertebrate herbivory. For all except
the J. thurifera case study, we determined herbivore damages by visually
estimating the percentage of leaf area removed by invertebrates. Energy
provision (NCP11) was understood as the production of biomass-based fuels
such as fuelwood. We estimated biomass input from thick and medium
branches (i.e. the tree parts normally employed as fuelwood) for each tree
within plots. Biomass input from thick and medium branches was calculated
from allometric equations specific for each species. The provision of
medicinal, biochemical and genetic resources (NCP14) includes the
production of plant genes and genetic information. In each plot we
quantified gene diversity corrected for sample size as proxy for NCP14.
The maintenance of options (NCP18) includes the benefits associated with
species diversity. We scored woody species richness and abundance and
computed the Shannon diversity index as proxy. Additionally, interviews
regarding social perceptions related to learning and inspiration (NCP15),
physical and psychological experiences (NCP16) and supporting identities
(NCP17) were conducted at the case study level. Please notice that the
social perception dataset is not uploaded to ensure data privacy policy.
More information and detailed Methodology can be found in Martín-Forés et
al. (2020) People and Nature, in both the main text and the Supplementary
Material S1.
Some values are missing because the methodology was adjusted according to
each case study. For more information please read the detailed information
provided by Martín-Forés et al. (2020) People and Nature, in both the main
text and the Supplementary Material S1.