Vulnerability to drought and adaptive management of relict forests of Abies Pinsapo Boiss

Abstract

Decay episodes and widespread mortality associated with Climate Change have been observed in different species worldwide. These mortality phenomena are particularly important in the Mediterranean region, because the predictions of climate change are especially severe in this area. Climate predictive models for the Mediterranean basin indicate a generalized increase in temperatures and a variation in precipitation regimes. To study the response of Mediterranean forests to changes in environmental conditions is a factor key to detect the possible effects that climate change may have on the development and survival of these forests. Abies pinsapo Boiss., a relict species, is a very interesting model to study the effect of climate change on forest dynamics and may allow to anticipate future responses of forests from more temperate latitudes.