FILMED campaigns go on sampling around the Mediterranean bassin (and more)

Mediterranean maquis mostly compound by Pistacia lentiscus L. on the hills of Lixus, the cellebrated archaeological site near Larache (N Morocco) © E. Laguna 2007

During the last 2-3 months the research team of the project has harvested most than 50% of the expected samples of the 8 FILMED’s species (Arbutus unedo, Celtis australis, Myrtus communis, Nerium oleander, Pistacia lentiscus, Quercus coccifera, Rhamnus alaternus and Rosmarinus officinalis); the sampling targets for leaves (to develop the philogeographical research) are practically finished for the Western Mediterranean area, but they will continue the next months for the Eastern side and along Northern Africa. In addition some samples of relictic populations under non-strictely Mediterranean climates are made, i.e. for Nerium oleander in central and Southern Morocco (Saharo-Sindic region, under Saharian climate), or Arbutus unedo in Galicia.

Arbutus unedo L. in the relict Mediterranean forest, bordering the river Lor, near Folgoso do Caurel (Galicia, Spain). The forest dominant species are Quercus pyrenaica, Q. robur and Castanea sativa © E. Laguna 2007

In the case of A. unedo, the leaves were picked up from a population of the Caurel Mountains (provinces of Lugo and Ourense, Galician plateau), guided by Dr. Luis Guitián (University of Santiago), who kindly explained Dr. Emilio Laguna the impressive value of the relictic Mediterranean vegetation in NW Spain, living under atlantic climate. There, A. unedo mainly lives as a co-dominant species in the medium-tall tree layer, of the Quercus pyrenaica forests, sharing this plant community with other Mediterranean species like Ruscus aculeatus, Tamus communis, etc.

Dr. Luis Guitián, professor of the University of Santiago de Compostela, giving a field lesson on the importance of the Mediterranean relict vegetation in Galicia © E. Laguna 2007

Currently the difficulties are higher to sample Celtis australis, due that this tree has very few populations in wild, and most of them are submitted to frequent disturbation. For instance, one of the populations to be sampled -some dozens of specimens living as rupicoous plants on the rocky walls of the cellebrated roman bridge in Córdoba, Andalusia-, has been destroyed during 2007 as a result of the restoration works to conserve this monument.

The cellebrated Roman Bridge of Cordoba (Andalusia, Spain), which housed a rock-dwelling population of Celtis australis, foreseen to be sampled in 2007. This population has been removed as a result of the conservation works of this monument. © E. Laguna 2007