Phytoclimatic characterization and potentiality of Juniperus thurifera L. in the Iberian Peninsula

Abstract

This paper presents some contributions to the phytoclimatic characterization of stands of Juniperus thurifera L. in the Iberian Peninsula. For the phytoclimatic characterization, 1.098 sampling points from the 2nd National Forest Inventory of actual vegetation in which Juniperus thurifera was the principle especies in the forest were considered. The phytoclimatic diagnosis followed the phytoclimatic models of Allué-Andrade. Phytoclimatic territorial models were constructed in digital format on the basis of preliminary territorial factorial estimations, wich were used to determine climatic factors and phytoclimatic terns. The potential phytoclimatic area and the factorial ambits for the existence of Juniperus thurifera was performed in five phases of increasing strictness, based on factorial comparison (convex hull), phytoclimatic terns comparison, phytoclimatic suitability and evaluation of competitor Quercus and Fagus species. Juniperus thurifera stands are found in the phytoclimatic subtypes VI(IV)1, VI(IV)2, IV(VI)1, IV3, IV4, VI(VII) and VIII(VI). Subtype VI(IV)1 is both the most prevalent of the species (70% of stations studied) and the one with the highest index of phytoclimatic suitability. The highest phytoclimatic suitability is found in the phytoclimatic terns (VI(IV)1; VI(IV)2;-; -; -) and (VI(VI)2; IV(VI)1;- ;-;-). These terns are also the most prevalent of the species. In the strictest phase this calculation determined potential areas of high phytoclimatic viability for Juniperus thurifera totalling 1.958.700 ha in the center-east of the Iberian Peninsula. However, any practical interpretation of these results must take into consideration the phytoclimatic capacity for competition from some forest species. The territorial highest suitability phytoclimatic data set is available at www.fitoclimoal.com.