Importance of grazing in the conservation of the traditional landscape of the merino passes in the Cantabrian mountain

Authors

  • Laura Rivero Ordaz Departamento Biodiversidad y Gestión Ambiental, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Universidad de León https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3954-5430
  • María Leonor Calvo Galván Departamento Biodiversidad y Gestión Ambiental, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Universidad de León https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3710-0817
  • Víctor Fernández-García Departamento Biodiversidad y Gestión Ambiental, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Universidad de León - Département de Géoscience, Faculté des Géosciences et de l’Environnement, Université de Lausanne https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3217-3814

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3989/pirineos.2022.177008

Keywords:

Land cover classes, landscape diversity, transhumance

Abstract


The decrease in transhumant sheep during the last decades may have significant consequences on land cover classes and cover classes diversity in mountain areas. The influence of grazing on landscape evolution in the mountain areas traditionally used for Merino grazing in the Cantabrian Mountains (2002-2020) was investigated. For this purpose, Landsat images and a supervised classification algorithm were used to obtain the mean annual values and trends of land cover classes and the Shannon index of land cover classes in 10 sheep grazed and 10 non-grazed mountain-areas. Grassland cover was higher in sheep grazed areas, while tree, shrub, bare ground cover and diversity of land cover classes was higher in non-grazed areas. Temporal trends did not show significant changes, although sheep grazing favored grassland conservation and diversity of land cover classes. This suggests a positive relationship between sheep grazing and conservation of the traditional mosaic landscape.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Álvarez, J., 1995. Dinámica sucesional tras el abandono y recuperación del matorral mediante pastoreo controlado: experiencia en un sector de la montaña de León. Tesis doctoral, Universidad de Lleida, España.

Álvarez-Martínez, J.M., Suárez-Seoane, S. & De Luis, E., 2011. Modelling the risk of land cover change from environmental and socio-economic drivers in heterogeneous and changing landscapes: The role of uncertainty. Landscape and Urban Planning, 101 (2): 108-119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2011.01.009

Ameztegui, A., Morán-Ordóñez, A., Márquez, A., Blázquez-Casado, A., Pla, M. Villero, D., García, M.B., Errea, MP. & Coll, L., 2021. Forest expansion in mountain protected areas: Trends and consequences for the landscape. Landscape and Urban Planning, 216, 104240: 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2021.104240

Barquín, J., Álvarez-Martínez, J.M., Jiménez-Alfaro, B., García, D., Vieites, D., Serrano, E., et al., 2018. La integración del conocimiento sobre la Cordillera Cantábrica: hacia un observatorio inter-autonómico del cambio global. Ecosistemas, 27(1): 96-104. https://doi.org/10.7818/ECOS.1422

Borrelli, P. & Oliva, G., 2001. Efectos de los animales sobre los pastizales. En: Borrelli, P y Oliva, G. (Eds.), Ganadería Sustentable en la Patagonia Austral. INTA Centro Regional Patagonia Sur, Buenos Aires, 99-128pp., Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Camps-Valls, G., Gómez-Chova, L., Calpe-Maravilla, J., Martin-Guerrero, J.D., Soria-Olivas, E., Alonso-Chorda, L., et al., 2004. Robust support vector method for hyperspectral data classification and knowledge discovery. IEEE Transactions on Geocience and Remote Sensing, 42(7): 1530 -1542. https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2004.827262

Dalponte, M., Bruzzone, L., Vescovo, L. & Gianelle, D., 2009. The role of spectral resolution and classifier complexity in the analysis of hyperspectral images of forest areas. Remote Sensing of Environment, 113 (11): 2345-2355. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2009.06.013

ESRI, 2019. ArcGIS (Versión 10.7.1.) [Programa de ordenador]. California: ESRI.

Fernández, M., López, P. & González, D., 2013. Prácticas ganaderas en la Cordillera Cantábrica. Aproximación multidisciplinar al estudio de las áreas de pasto en la Edad Media. Debates de Arqueología Medieval, 3: 167-219. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10261/196934

Fernández-García, V., Marcos, E., Fernández-Guisuraga, J.M., Fernández-Manso, A., Quintano, C., Suárez-Seoane, S. & Calvo, L., 2021. Multiple endmember spectral mixture analysis (MESMA) applied to the study of habitat diversity in the fine-grained landscapes of the Cantabrian Mountains. Remote Sensing, 13(5): 979. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs13050979

Ferreira, L.M., Celaya, R., Benavides, R., Jáuregui, B., García, U., Santos, A., et al., 2013. Foraging behaviour of domestic herbivore species grazing on heathlands associated with improved pasture areas. Livestock Science, 155 (2-3): 373-383. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2013.05.007

Feurdean, A., Ruprecht, E., Molnárc, Z., Hutchinsond, S. & Hickler, T., 2018. Biodiversity-rich European grasslands: Ancient, forgotten ecosystems. Biological Conservation, 228: 224-232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2018.09.022

García, J., 2014. Ganadería extensiva y trashumante, clave en la conservación de sistema de alto valor natural. Cuaderno Entretantos, 1: 1- 28.

García, J.M., Bolaños, F. & Roselló, R., 1999. Análisis de la evolución del paisaje y los cambios en los usos del suelo, durante los últimos cuarenta años, en tres parcelas de las tierras altas de la ecorregión Galaico-Cantábrica. Cuadernos de la Sociedad Española de Ciencias Forestales, 8: 85-92.

García-González, R., 2008. La utilización de los pastos por los grandes herbívoros: principios básicos y casos de estudio. En: Fillat, F., García-González, R., Gómez, D. y Reiné, R. (Eds.) Pastos del Pirineo. Instituto de Estudios Altoaragoneses - Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (CSIC), 205-227 pp., Huesca.

Gartzia, M., Alados, C.L. & Pérez-Cabello, F., 2014. Assessment of the effects of biophysical and anthropogenic factors on woody plant encroachment in dense and sparse mountain grasslands based on remote sensing data. Progress in Physical Geography, 38(2): 201-217. https://doi.org/10.1177/0309133314524429

Gartzia, M., Pérez-Cabello, F., Bueno, C.G. & Alados, C.L., 2016. Physiognomic and physiologic changes in mountain grasslands in response to environmental and anthropogenic factors. Applied Geography, 66: 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeog.2015.11.007

Gómez-Sal, A., 2001. The ecological rationales and nature conservation value of ex-tensive livestock systems in the Iberian Peninsula. En: Bunce, R.G.H., Pérez-Soba, M., Elbersen, B.S., Prados, M.J., Andersen, E., Bell, M., Smeets, P.J.A.M. (Eds.) Examples of European agri-environmental schemes and livestock systems and influence on Spanish cultural and landscapes. Wageningen: Alterra, 103-123 pp.

Grobler, J.H., 1983. Feeding habitats on the Cape Mountain Zebra. Equus zebra ze-bra Linn. 1758. Koedoe, 26 (1): 159-168. https://doi.org/10.4102/koedoe.v26i1.596

Guadilla-Sáez, S., Pardo-de-Santayana, M. & Reyes-García, V., 2019. The role of traditional management practices in shaping a diverse habitat mosaic in a mountain region of Northern Spain. Land Use Policy, 89, 104235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2019.104235

Gualtieri, J.A. & Cromp, R.F., 1999. Support vector machines for hyperspectral remote sensing classification. Proceedings of 27th AIPR Workshop: Advances in Computer-Assisted Recognition, 3584: 221-232. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.339824

Harris Geospatial, 2017. ENVI (Versión 5.4) [Programa de ordenador]. Colorados: Harris Geospatial.

Hemati, M., Hasanlou, M., Mahdianpari, M. & Mohammadimanesh, F., 2021. A Systematic Review of Landsat Data for Change Detection Applications: 50 Years of Monitoring the Earth. Remote Sensing, 13: 2869. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs13152869

Huang, C., Song, K., Kim, S., Townshend, J.R.G., Davis, P., Masek, J.G., et al., 2008. Use of a dark object concept and support vector machines to automate forest cover change analysis. Remote Sensing of Environment, 112 (3): 970-985. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2007.07.023

IBM, 2021. SPSS Statistics (Versión 28.0.0.0) [Programa de ordenador]. Disponible en: https://spssgratis.com/ (Accedido: 15 junio de 2021).

Kampmann, D., Herzoga, F., Jeanneret, Ph., Konold, W., Peter, M., Waltera, T. Wildic, O. & Lüschera, A., 2008. Mountain grassland biodiversity: Impact of site conditions versus management type. Journal for Nature Conservation, 16 (1): 12-25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnc.2007.04.002

Lasanta, T., Vicente, S. & Cuadrat, J., 2005. Mountain Mediterranean landscape evolution caused by the abandonment of traditional primary activities: a study of the Spanish Central Pyrenees. Applied Geography, 25(1): 47-65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeog.2004.11.001

Lasanta, T., 2010. Pastoreo en áreas de montaña: Estrategias e impactos en el territorio. Estudios Geográficos, 71(268): 203-233. https://doi.org/10.3989/estgeogr.0459

Margalef, R., 1998. Ecologia. 1ra ed. Omega, 968 pp., Barcelona, España.

Maryam, N., Vahid, M.Z. & Mehdi, H., 2014. Comparing different classifications of satellite imagery in forest mapping (Case study: Zagros forests in Iran). International Research Journal of Applied and Basic Sciences, 8(7): 1407-1415.

Mata, A., 2020. Pastoreo extensivo en un pueblo de Soria: etnografía de un mundo en extinción. Revista Murciana de Antropología, 27: 33-56. https://doi.org/10.6018/rmu.356931

Morán, A., Suárez-Seoane, S., Calvo, L. & De Luis, E., 2011. Using predictive models as a spatially explicit support tool for managing cultural landscapes, Applied Geography, 31(2): 839-848. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeog.2010.09.002

Morán, A., 2013. Modelado espacio-temporal de los servicios que proporciona la biodiversidad en los matorrales de la Cordillera Cantábrica (NO España). Efectos de los cambios socioeconómicos a varias escalas. Ecosistemas, 22(3): 124-127. https://doi.org/10.7818/ECOS.2013.22-3.17

Olea, P. & Mateo-Tomás, P., 2009. The role of traditional farming practices in ecosystem conservation: The case of transhumance and vultures, Biological Conservation, 142(8): 1844-1853. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2009.03.024

PNOA, 2020. Centro Nacional de Información geográfica (CNIG) Disponible en: https://centrodedescargas.cnig.es/ (Accedido: 20 de enero de 2021).

Queiroz, C., Beilin, R., Folke, C. & Lindborg, R., 2014. Farmland abandonment: threat or opportunity for biodiversity conservation? A global review. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 12(5): 288-296. https://doi.org/10.1890/120348 PMid:26634216

Rebollo, S. & Gómez-Sal, A., 2003. Aprovechamiento sostenible de los pastizales. Ecosistemas, 12(3): 1-10.

Rivas-Martínez, S., Penas, A. & Díaz, T.E., 2004. Mapas Bioclimáticos y Biogeográficos. Disponible en: https://webs.ucm.es/info/cif/form/maps.htm (Accedido: 31 de julio de 2021).

Rodríguez-Pascual, M., 2001. La trashumancia. Cultura, cañadas y viajes. Edilesa, 430 pp., León, España.

Rodríguez-Pascual, M., 2003. Evolución de la trashumancia leonesa durante el siglo XX y su adaptación al siglo XXI. En: Pastor, E. y Portela, N. (Eds.), Un Camino de ida y vuelta. La trashumancia en España. Barcelona: Lunwerg, 215-225 pp.

Roy, D.P., Kovalskyy, V., Zhang, H.K., Vermote, E.F., Yan, L., Kumar, S.S., et al., 2016. Characterization of Landsat-7 to Landsat-8 reflective wavelength and normalized difference vegetation index continuity. Remote Sensing of Environment, 185: 57-70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2015.12.024 PMid:32020954 PMCid:PMC6999663

San Miguel, A. & Perea, R., 2009. Los pastos de puertos cantábricos y su conservación. En: Ballesteros, F. y Palacios, B. (eds.), Situación y conservación de la liebre de piornal en la cordillera Cantábrica. Madrid: Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Medio Rural y Marino, pp. 103-125.

Shannon, C. & Weaver, W., 1964. The mathematical theory of communication. Estados Unidos: Universidad de Illinois.

Umass, 2015. FRAGSTATS (Versión 4.2.1). [Programa de ordenador]. Disponible en: https://www.umass.edu/landeco/research/fragstats/downloads/fragstats_downloads.html (Accedido: 01de mayo de 2021).

USGS, 2020. Earth Explorer. Disponible en: https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/ (Accedido: 20 de diciembre de 2020).

Valkó, O. & Deák, B., 2021. Increasing the potential of prescribed burning for the biodiversity conservation of European grasslands. Current Opinion in Environmental Science and Health, 22, 100268: 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coesh.2021.100268

Published

2022-11-08

How to Cite

Rivero Ordaz, L. ., Calvo Galván, M. L. ., & Fernández-García, V. . (2022). Importance of grazing in the conservation of the traditional landscape of the merino passes in the Cantabrian mountain. Pirineos, 177, e074. https://doi.org/10.3989/pirineos.2022.177008

Issue

Section

Articles