Seedling establishment of two shrubby plants native to the Sierra Nevada mountain range

The Sierra Nevada mountain range near the Mediterranean Sea is an unique environment known for the variety of endemic species. Nevertheless, an alpine ski station situated on the mountain has dramatically affected the landscape, leaving some areas barren. In an effort to restore the vegetation cover, laboratory experiments were conducted with seeds of Genista versicolor Boiss and Reseda complicata Bory, two shrubby plants native to Sierra Nevada. Using different concentrations of two plant growth regulators, Ethrel and N6-benzyladenine, seeds from both species were planted in soil sampled from the alpine ski resort. Surprisingly, both Ethrel and N6-benzyladenine significantly improved seedling establishment. Consequently, seedling pre-treatment with definite plant growth regulators could be a useful approach to revegetation of the Sierra Nevada mountain range.

Climatology of the Sierra Nevada Mountain-Wave Events

This note presents a satellite-based climatology of the Sierra Nevada mountain-wave events. The data presented were obtained by detailed visual inspection of visible satellite imagery to detect mountain lee-wave clouds based on their location, shape, and texture. Consequently, this climatology includes only mountain-wave events during which sufficient moisture was present in the incoming airstream and whose amplitude was large enough to lead to cloud formation atop mountain-wave crests. The climatology is based on data from two mountain-wave seasons in the 1999–2001 period. Mountain-wave events are classified in two types according to cloud type as lee-wave trains and single wave clouds. The frequency of occurrence of these two wave types is examined as a function of the month of occurrence (October–May) and region of formation (north, middle, south, or the entire Sierra Nevada range). Results indicate that the maximum number of mountain-wave events in the lee of the Sierra Nevada occurs in the month of April. For several months, including January and May, frequency of wave events displays substantial interannual variability. Overall, trapped lee waves appear to be more common, in particular in the lee of the northern sierra. A single wave cloud on the lee side of the mountain range was found to be a more common wave form in the southern Sierra Nevada. The average wavelength of the Sierra Nevada lee waves was found to lie between 10 and 15 km, with a minimum at 4 km and a maximum at 32 km.

Datos sobre la vegetación edafohigrófila del sector Malaciutno-Almijarense (Málaga-Granada, sur de España).

RESUMEN. Datos sobre la vegetación edafohigrófila del sector Malaciutno-Almijarense (Málaga-Granada, sur de España). Se ha realizado un estudio acerca de la vegetación edafohigrófila desarrollada en las riberas de algunos ríos pertenecientes a los territorios calizo-dolomíticos de las sierras de Almijara, Tejeda, Cázulas, Guájares y Sierra Nevada (sector Malacitano-Almijarense, provincia Mica). Se han detectado un total de 25 fitocenosis (20 asociaciones, 4 subasociaciones y 1 comunidad) encuadrables en 13 clases fitosociolágicas, de las cuales se aportan datos acerca de sus características estructurales, florísticas, ecológicas, corológicas y dinámicas. Cabe destacar la ampliación del areal corológico actualmente conocido hasta el sector Malacitano-Almijarense de los herbazales-brezales de Molinio arundinaceae- Ericetum erigenae Costa, Peris y Figuerola 1983, los adelfares de Erico terminalis-Nerietum oleandri Rivas Goday y Esteve ass. nova (que se validan en este trabajo) y las saucedas de Erico-Salicetum pedicellatae Esteve 1973. Por otra parte, como novedades destacan los juncales negros de Hyperico caprifolii-Schoenetum nigricantis Gómez Mercado y F. Valle 1992 ericetosum terminalis subass. nova, las mimbreras dolomitícolas de Erico terminalis-Salicetunt eleagni ass. nova y las choperas blancas termomediterráneas con sauce pedicelado de la subasociación Rubio tinctorum-Populetum albae salicetosum pedicellatae subass. nova. Por último se describen las tres geoseries de vegetación riparia presentes en el área de estudio.Palabras clave. Andalucía, dolomías, fitosociologfa, geoseries, vegetación riparia.SUMMARY. Data on the edapho-hygrophilous vegetation of Malacitano-Almijarense sector (Malaga- Granada, Southern Spain). A study on the vegetation related to streams and rivers in the dolomitic territories of Almijara, Tejeda, Cázulas, Guájares and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges (Malacitano- Almijarense sector, Baetic province) has been carried out by determining its main structural, floristic, ecological, chorological and dynamic characteristics. A total amount of 25 phytocoenoses have been recognised, comprising 20 associations, 4 subassociations and 1 community belonging to 13 phytosociological classes. Those associations that reach the Malacitano-Almijarense sector increasing their currently known chorological area must be pointed out, such as the grass-heathlands of Molinio arundinaceae-Ericetum erigenae Costa, Peris y Figuerola 1983, the oleander communities of Erico terminalis-Nerietum oleandri Rivas Goday y Esteve ass , nova which are validated in this paper, and the willow communities of Erico-Salicetum pedicellatae Esteve 1973. Furthermore, some phytosociological novelties must be highlighted, such as the black rush-beds of Hyperico caprtfolii-Schoenetutn nigricantis Gómez Mercado y F. Valle 1992 ericetosunt terminalis subass. nova, the dolomiticolous willow woods of Erico terminalis-Salicetum eleagni ass. nova and the thermo-Mediterranean white poplar woods of Rubio tinctorum-Populetum albae salicetosum pedicellatae subass. nova. Finally, the three riparian geoseries present in the study area are described.Key words. Andalusia, dolomites,geoseries, phytosociology, riparian vegetation.