Laurel forests in Tenerife, Canary Islands

The general wood structure, vessel size and distribution along the stem xylem radius and in petioles were studied in Laurus azorica trees living in a Tenerife laurel forest. The fractions of volume occupied by dry matter, water and air in percentage of wood fresh volume were also studied. The wood showed a diffuse-porous structure, with solitary vessels or vessels somewhat clustered in small radially oriented groups. Vessels had a diameter ranging from 20 to 130 µm. This diameter was minimal close to the pith, increased more than 2-fold with age, and reached its maximum width close to the cambium. Vessel density decreased from 36 vessels mm^-2 near the pith to about 13 vessels mm^-2 near the cambium. Accordingly, the lumen area was small in young xylem close to the pith (0.0015 mm²), reaching a value 5 times larger (0.007 mm²) near the cambium than in the centre of the stem. Lumen area of vessels in petioles was about 1.5% of petiole cross-sectional area and thus much lower than in stems. Mean hydraulic diameter of these vessels was about 20 µm, and mean vessel density about 136 per petiole. There were only small differences in proportions of dry matter, water and air along stem radius. The relevance of each one of these fractions in the wood is discussed as evidence of the possible existence of a number of embolized vessels dispersed in the total functional cross-sectional area of the xylem.     

Laurel forests in Tenerife, Canary Islands

The efficiency of the conductive system in about 40-year-old Laurus azorica trees growing in a laurel forest was evaluated by comparing main stems and leaves (petioles) on the basis of theoretical sap flow values (1) calculated from vessel anatomy (taking vessels as ideal capillaries), (2) derived from measured dye velocity and (3) data taken from direct sap flow measurements. It was found that actual sap flow rate per wood area increases in stems from the pith towards the cambium. The outermost part of the stem is the most important part of the tree for conducting water. Maximum actually measured transpiration (sap flow rate) for the stand was practically identical to the theoretical rate calculated based on petiole anatomy, but it was about 45 times lower than that calculated based on stem anatomy. This illustrates the safety features of stem wood, which due to its high vessel density, is capable of transporting all the water required even when only a small area of its vessels is working. In the petioles, xylem is more efficiently used, but almost all vessels must work in order to supply water to leaves and any disturbance may cause leaf loss.     

Laurel forests in Tenerife,Canary Islands

 Stand structure and leaf area distribution of a laurel forest in the Agua García mountains of Tenerife are described. The site is situated at 820 m a.s.l., faces NNE, and has a humid mediterranean climate. Summer droughts are mitigated by relatively high air humidity and clouds. The natural mixed hardwood forest is composed of six major tree species: Laurus azorica (Seub.) Franco, Persea indica (L.) Spreng, Myrica faya Ait., Erica arborea L. and two species of Ilex (I. platyphylla Webb & Berth. and I. canariensis Poivet.). The experimental stand had a density of 1693 trees ha^– 1, a basal area of 33.7 m²ha^– 1, and a cumulated volume of above-ground parts of trees of 231 m³ ha^– 1 with a corresponding dry mass of 204 ton ha^– 1. Diameters at breast height ranged from 6 to 46 cm. Mean concentration of plant dry mass per volume was 1.17 kg m^– 3. The vertical pattern of leaf area distribution in individual trees for all tree species was characterized by a Gaussian-like curve. Stand leaf area index was 7.8. These evergreen, broad-leaved (laurisilva or lucidophyllous) forests represent a relic forest that was widespread in the Mediterranean region some 20 million years ago. Our data illustrate some of the structural characteristics of this historically widespread forest type. Received: 2 December 1994 / Accepted: 6 November 1995     

A spatially-explicit model of alien plant richness in Tenerife (Canary Islands)

Biological invasions are one of the major threats to biodiversity, especially in oceanic islands. In the Canary Islands, the relationships between plant Alien Species Richness (ASR) and their environmental and anthropogenic determinants were thoroughly investigated using ecological models. However, previous predictive models rarely accounted for spatial autocorrelation (SAC) and uncertainty of predictions, thus missing crucial information related to model accuracy and predictions reliability. In this study, we propose a Generalized Linear Spatial Model (GLSM) for ASR under a Bayesian framework on Tenerife Island. Our aim is to test whether the inclusion of SAC into the modelling framework could improve model performance resulting in more reliable predictions. Results demonstrated as accounting for SAC dramatically reduced the model's AIC (ΔAIC = 4423) and error magnitudes, showing also better performances in terms of goodness of fit. Calculation of uncertainty related to predicted values pointed out those areas where either the number of observations (e.g. under-sampled areas) or the reliability of the environmental predictors was lower (e.g. low spatial resolution in highly heterogeneous environments). Although our results confirmed what was already observed in other ecological studies, such as the important role of roads in ASR spread, methodological considerations on the applied modelling approach point out the importance of considering spatial autocorrelation and researcher's prior knowledge to increase the predictive power of statistical models as well as the correctness in terms of coefficients estimates. The proposed approach may serve as an essential management tools highlighting those portions of territory that will be more prone to biological invasions and where monitoring efforts should be addressed.     

Adaptive leaf structures in a Myrica-Erica stand on Tenerife (Canary Islands)

This study is based on a phytosociological table and a matrix of species and morphological characters. The relevés were taken along a transect in a Myrica faya-Erica arborea formation on Tenerife (Canary Islands). The analysis of the phytosociological table reveals a vegetational succession and a corresponding ecological gradient. The study of correlations between morphological and ecological data leads to the creation of groups of species with different combinations of characters, and to a discussion of the adaptive values of each character combination. The species of each group occupy similar niches.Abbreviations AOC= Analysis of Concentration - P/C= index ratio between the perimeter of a leaf and the circumference of a circle having the same area as the leaf     

Environmental correlates of life history pattern in ground-beetles on Tenerife (Canary Islands)

The spatial and temporal structure of Carabus (Nesaeocarabus) interruptus Dejean, 1831 populations and the independent effects of climate along altitudinal gradients in the island of Tenerife, especially whether environmental preferences constrains the species breeding patterns at local and regional scales were evaluated. Ground-beetles were sampled with twenty-one pitfall traps in each of the forty-one plots during one year study. Some sampled specimens were dissected and dried to determine sex, weight and ovarian maturation. The populations were restricted to the middle climatic zone (600–1700 m). There was a long adult activity period from October to June and the changes in the weekly capture success were strongly correlated with the rainfall and temperature. Overall the males during winter were more active than the females. The emergence of new adults occurred only in spring and the body dry weight peaked in April–May. From start of autumn the weight was recovered to the initial values of the cycle, increased and peaked in January. The females prolonged its oviposition period from mid-autumn to the starting of spring. The species showed a winter breeding pattern and the seasonal variations in multiple life history traits could correspond with the changing conditions of the microclimatic variables. An evolutionary ecological model could help explain the life history pattern variability among the Carabus species in South-western Europe. The species could tackle the geographic dispersion of their populations for the single purpose of seeking a suitable hydrothermal environment (high rainfall and mild temperatures) if the food was insured.     

First record of Crustacea Malacostraca from fresh waters in the Canary Islands

Crustacea Malacostraca were hitherto unknown from fresh waters of the Canary Islands. A new species of Amphipoda, Rhipidogammarus rheophilus, has recently been discovered in springs and spring brooks in Tenerife.

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Resumen Crustacea Malacostraca era hasta ahora desconocida de las aguas dulces de las Islas Canarias. Una nueva especie de anfípodo, Rhipidogammarus rheophilus, ha sido recientemente descubierto de fuentes y manantiales de Tenerife.

     

Regeneration strategies of tree species in the laurel forest of Tenerife (The Canary Islands)

The laurel-forest of the Canary Islands is a montane cloud-forest. In order to gain some knowledge on the processes that maintain tree species diversity, we conducted an analysis of three different laurel-forest plots of the Anaga massif (Tenerife), varying in canopy composition but growing under similar environmental conditions. For each plot we recorded basal area of the canopy trees (h<1.30 m), the density of suckers and seedlings (h>1.30 m), as well as seed-bank composition. The plots have similar regeneration composition, which appears to be independent of differences in canopy composition. Laurus azorica is the most common seedling species, whereas Prunus lusitanica is the most abundant species among suckers and basal shoots. Neither Erica arborea nor Myrica faya, the two main canopy trees in one of the plots, were found in any of the stands as seedlings or suckers, despite their existence as viable seeds in the seed-bank. The regeneration composition and the canopy composition in one of the plots is remarkable different, revealing differents dynamics processes in the three plots. The results suggest the existence of three well-defined ecological groups: pioneer (regeneration primarily by seedlings), non-pioneer (regeneration by seedlings and suckers) and remnant species (regeneration primarily by suckers).These three groups and the effect of small scale disturbances (natural and human-induced), could help to understand the maintenance of tree species richness.     

Mitochondrial DNA diversity in 17th-18th century remains from Tenerife (Canary Islands)

Mitochondrial DNA sequences and restriction fragment length polymorphisms were retrieved (with >80% efficiency) from a 17th-18th century sample of 213 teeth from Tenerife. The genetic composition of this population reveals an important ethnic heterogeneity. Although the majority of detected haplotypes are of European origin, the high frequency of sub-Saharan African haplotypes (15.63%), compared to that of the present-day population (6.6%), confirms the importance of the Canary Islands in the black slave trade of that epoch. The aboriginal substrate, inferred from the U6b1 haplotypes (8.59%), has also decreased due to European input. Finally, the presence of Amerindian lineages (1.5%) reveals that the Canary Islands have also received genetic flow from America.     

A new species of Pseudoniphargus (Crustacea,Amphipoda) from subterranean waters in Tenerife (Canary Islands)

Pseudoniphargus candelariae n. sp. is described from a ground-water-fed well in Tenerife (Canary Islands) and is compared with all species known from Macaronesia. The new species has one unique character (spination of palmar angle of gnathopod 1 sexually dimorphic) and presents furthermore a new combination of morphological features not found in other species of the genus in the area studied.     

The long-term ecology of the lost forests of La Laguna, Tenerife (Canary Islands)

Aim We report the first analysis of the long‐term ecology of Tenerife, in order to establish a pre‐colonization base‐line and to assess the effect of human activity and the role of climatic variation on vegetation during the Late Holocene. Location A former lake bed in the city of La Laguna (Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain). Methods A sedimentary sequence of over 2 m was obtained from the former lake bed. Fossil pollen and microfossil charcoal concentrations were analysed. Radiocarbon dating of the sequence indicates that it spans approximately the last 4700 years. The pollen diagram was zoned using optimal splitting within psimpoll 4.25. Results Three pollen zones were differentiated: (1) in Zone L1 (c. 4700–2900 cal. yr bp ) a mixed forest was dominated by Quercus, Carpinus, Myrica and Pinus; (2) in Zone L2 (c. 2900–2000 cal. yr bp ) the laurel forest taxa increased, while Pinus, Juniperus and Phoenix declined; and (3) Zone L3 (c. 2000–400 cal. yr bp ) was characterized by the decline of Carpinus and Quercus and the abundance of laurel forest taxa (e.g. Myrica). Neither Carpinus nor Quercus was hitherto considered to be native to the Canary Islands. Their decline started c. 2000 years ago, coinciding with microfossil charcoal evidence of increased burning and with archaeological evidence for the first human settlement on Tenerife. Main conclusions Between c. 4700 and 2000 cal. yr bp , the composition of the forest in the valley of La Laguna was very different from what it is at present. In particular, Quercus and Carpinus appear to have been significant components, alongside components of the present‐day laurel forest, and the native pine (Pinus canariensis) forest and thermophilous woodland were also more prevalent in the region (but probably not within the lake basin itself) until 3000 cal. yr bp . The subsequent decline of Quercus and Carpinus led to the establishment of the present laurel forest in the region and a shift to more open vegetation types. These changes indicate that the aboriginal inhabitants of the islands, the Guanches, had a far more profound impact on the vegetation of Tenerife than hitherto realized.     

Source areas and long-range transport of pollen from continental land to Tenerife (Canary Islands)

The Canary Islands, due to their geographical position, constitute an adequate site for the study of long-range pollen transport from the surrounding land masses. In this study, we analyzed airborne pollen counts at two sites: Santa Cruz de Tenerife (SCO), at sea level corresponding to the marine boundary layer (MBL), and Izaña at 2,367 m.a.s.l. corresponding to the free troposphere (FT), for the years 2006 and 2007. We used three approaches to describe pollen transport: (1) a classification of provenances with an ANOVA test to describe pollen count differences between sectors; (2) a study of special events of high pollen concentrations, taking into consideration the corresponding meteorological synoptic pattern responsible for transport and back trajectories; and (3) a source–receptor model applied to a selection of the pollen taxa to show pollen source areas. Our results indicate several extra-regional pollen transport episodes to Tenerife. The main provenances were: (1) the Mediterranean region, especially the southern Iberian Peninsula and Morocco, through the trade winds in the MBL. These episodes were characterized by the presence of pollen from trees (Casuarina, Olea, Quercus perennial and deciduous types) mixed with pollen from herbs (Artemisia, Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae and Poaceae wild type). (2) The Saharan sector, through transport at the MBL level carrying pollen principally from herbs (Chenopodiaceae-Amaranthaceae, Cyperaceae and Poaceae wild type) and, in one case, Casuarina pollen, uplifted to the free troposphere. And (3) the Sahel, characterized by low pollen concentrations of Arecaceae, Chenopodiaceae-Amaranthaceae, Cyperaceae and Poaceae wild type in sporadic episodes. This research shows that sporadic events of long-range pollen transport need to be taken into consideration in Tenerife as possible responsible agents in respiratory allergy episodes. In particular, it is estimated that 89–97% of annual counts of the highly allergenous Olea originates from extra-regional sources in southern Iberia and northern Africa.     

Six-year study of meiofaunal dynamics in fish farms in Tenerife (Canary Islands,NE Atlantic Ocean)

In our six-year study, we investigated the dynamics of the meiofaunal community directly under the influence of a fish farm, in adjacent areas and in control areas outside the fish farm influence. Our data showed spatial, seasonal and annual variation in the meiofaunal community under the influence of the fish farm; however, no clear trend is discernible. Copepods are positively associated with mud and very fine sands, which seem to increase with time under the fish farm and adjacent areas, particularly in summer. As shown throughout the study period, copepods could soon take over other components of the community, resulting in a community shift. Our approach to investigate the dynamics of a community with a quick response to environmental changes proves useful to detect early-stage deviations from non-affected areas, which could be critical to distinguish environmental impacts before they cause major shifts in the environment.     

Climatic responses of plant species on Tenerife,The Canary Islands

Abstract. The distribution of 44 common vascular plant species on Tenerife, The Canary Islands, has been related to the variation in temperature and precipitation. Frequency values for these speceis were obtained using a stratified sampling system with 200 10 m x 10 m plots distributed all over the island. A model is proposed relating variation in vegetation to altitude according to two main climatic gradients occurring between the 3718 m summit and the coastline of Tenerife. The vascular plants have been classified into guilds according to their presumed tolerance to cold and drought; one remainder group includes species which are randomly distributed without any relation to climatic variation. Differences between the guild structure suggested here and common knowledge of plant species occurrence in the well-known vegetation belts of Tenerife are explained by assuming disturbance and local ground-water availability as additional decisive factors.     

Sporobolus copei sp. nov. (Poaceae: Chloridoideae) from Tenerife (Canary Islands,Spain)

Sporobolus copei F. Verloove sp. nov. is described and illustrated. It has been known since at least the 1970s on the island of Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain). Until now it has been confused with both Sporobolus diandrus and S. indicus. Its origin and affinities are discussed. A status as very locally naturalised xenophyte seems most reasonable.     

Biodiversity of Apis mellifera populations from Tenerife (Canary Islands) and hybridisation with East European races

The biodiversity of honeybee (Apis mellifera) populations from Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain) has been assessed by restriction analysis of a mitochondrial non-coding intergenic region. Seventy-nine colonies were analysed from thirteen apiaries in six populations that have been kept from recent queen introduction. The length and restriction pattern of the PCR amplified products of the intergenic region identified four mitochondrial haplotypes. One of these haplotypes shows the same restriction pattern and composition of the intergenic region carried by honeybees belonging to the African lineage. Two haplotypes are characterised by a particular intergenic region found with high frequency in the Canarian populations. The haplotype representative of the East European honeybee lineage shows a frequency of 35%, thus indicating introduction of queen honeybees. The finding of this haplotype in Canarian honeybees suggests that hybridisation between the endemic Apis mellifera populations and imported bees is occurring in Tenerife.     

Human-induced hybridization among congeneric endemic plants on Tenerife, Canary Islands

Endemic genera on oceanic islands often evolved striking morphological and ecological differences among species, with weak postzygotic reproductive isolation. Human activities can lead to increased connectivity and can thereby promote secondary contact and hybridization between previously isolated species. We studied this phenomenon in three species of the genus Pericallis (Asteraceae) on Tenerife, Canary Islands. A total of 53 populations was sampled, including morphologically uniform as well as mixed populations containing morphologically diverse individuals. All plants were analyzed both genetically using AFLP markers and morphometrically. As expected, morphological analysis clearly separated the plants from the uniform populations in three clusters, with distinguishing characters corresponding to those used in species identification. The three species were also grouped into distinct genetic clusters in a structure analysis, although no private alleles were observed. Adding the mixed population data to the analyses provided evidence for extensive hybridization among species, predominantly between P. cruenta and P. echinata, and between P. cruenta and P. tussilaginis, and morphological and genetic signals were congruent. The mixed populations were geographically located in between the uniform populations and were found in road verges significantly more often than the uniform populations. The observed distribution strongly suggests that hybridization between originally isolated species is recent, promoted by secondary contact due to human disturbance and the construction of roads.     

Native and introduced gastropods in laurel forests on Tenerife,Canary Islands

The introduction of non-native gastropods on islands has repetitively been related to a decline of the endemic fauna. So far, no quantitative information is available even for the native gastropod fauna from the laurel forests (the so-called Laurisilva) of the Canary Islands. Much of the original laurel forest has been logged in recent centuries. Based on vegetation studies, we hypothesized that densities and the number of introduced species decline with the age of the regrowth forests. We sampled 27 sites from which we collected thirty native and seven introduced species. Two introduced species, Milax nigricans and Oxychilus alliarius, were previously not reported from the Canary Islands. Assemblage composition was mainly structured by disturbance history and altitude. Overall species richness was correlated with slope inclination, prevalence of rocky outcrops, amounts of woody debris and leaf litter depth. Densities were correlated with the depth of the litter layer and the extent of herb layer cover and laurel canopy cover. Introduced species occurred in 22 sites but were neither related to native species richness nor to the time that elapsed since forest regrowth. One introduced slug, Lehmannia valentiana, is already wide-spread, with densities strongly related to herb cover. Overall species richness seemed to be the outcome of invasibility, thus factors enhancing species richness likely also enhance invasibility. Although at present introduced species contribute to diversity, the potential competition between introduced slugs and the rich native semi-slug fauna, and the effects of introduced predatory snails (Oxychilus spp. and Testacella maugei) warrant further monitoring.     

Cheetahs of the deep sea: deep foraging sprints in short-finned pilot whales off Tenerife (Canary Islands)

1. Empirical testing of optimal foraging models for breath-hold divers has been difficult. Here we report data from sound and movement recording DTags placed on 23 short-finned pilot whales off Tenerife to study the foraging strategies used to catch deep-water prey. 2. Day and night foraging dives had a maximum depth and duration of 1018 m and 21 min. Vocal behaviour during dives was consistent with biosonar-based foraging, with long series of echolocation clicks interspersed with buzzes. Similar buzzes have been associated with prey capture attempts in other echolocating species. 3. Foraging dives seemed to adapt to circadian rhythms. Deep dives during the day were deeper, but contained fewer buzzes (median 1), than night-time deep dives (median 5 buzzes). 4. In most deep (540-1019 m) daytime dives with buzzes, a downward directed sprint reaching up to 9 m s(-1) occurred just prior to a buzz and coincided with the deepest point in the dive, suggestive of a chase after escaping prey. 5. A large percentage (10-36%) of the drag-related locomotion cost of these dives (15 min long) is spent in sprinting (19-79 s). This energetic foraging tactic focused on a single or few prey items has not been observed previously in deep-diving mammals but resembles the high-risk/high-gain strategy of some terrestrial hunters such as cheetahs. 6. Deep sprints contrast with the expectation that deep-diving mammals will swim at moderate speeds optimized to reduce oxygen consumption and maximize foraging time at depth. Pilot whales may have developed this tactic to target a deep-water niche formed by large/calorific/fast moving prey such as giant squid.     

Leaf and canopy adaptations in a high-elevation desert on Tenerife,Canary Islands

Quantitative data on the morphology of leaves and canopy in a high elevation desert stand on Tenerife have been analyzed by multivariate methods. The results show a trend in morphological variation that is related to plant height. An interpretation of this trend in terms of the adaptive values of different character combinations suggests that this could be related to a vertical microclimatic gradient. Three main groups of species have been identified, which have evolved different adaptive strategies to different niches within a single stand. The functional values of the character combinations of each species group are discussed.Nomenclature follows Bramwell & Bramwell (1983).This research is part of a broader co-operative project Convergent evolution of plant communities in distant areas, codirected by D. Lausi (University of Trieste, Italy) and L. Orlóci (University of W-Ontario, London, Canada), and funded by the Italian C.N.R. and the Canadian N.S.E.R.C.