Site description:
The Catalan (NE Spain) site (41º18' N, 1º49' E) is located at the Natural Pak of Garraf. The Garraf Mountains are a calcareous formation 35 Km south of Barcelona. They constitute one of the most relevant carstic zones in Catalonia. Its latitude and its location near the seashore determines a typical Mediterranean climate with mild temperatures and few but torrential rains during spring and autumn; tempered winters and hot and dry summers. The high permeability of the carstic zones implies a high degree of loss of water that is no longer available for plants. The soils in Garraf are very thin and discontinuous. To ensure a continuous surface of soil under the roofs, the VULCAN plots are located in abandoned fields that were cultivated until the end of nineteenth century. The site suffered big fires in the summers of 1982 and 1994. Currently the regenerating vegetation covers 50-60 % of the plot's surface with a maximum height of 70 cm. The main plants within the plots are Erica multiflora and Globularia alypum plus other species such are Pistacia lentiscus, Ulex parviflorus, Dorycnium pentaphyllum, Fumana ericoides, Helianthemum syriacum, Brachypodium phoenicoides and Ampelodesmus mauritanica. Yearly average temperatures are 14.5ºC (January 7ºC, July 22ºC) and yearly precipitation is 575 mm. The soil type is Calcareous and N deposition is c. 5 Kg N/ha/yr

Site responsible:

Josep Penuelas
CREAF
Center for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications
Facultat de Ciencies
Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona
08193 Bellaterra (Barcelona)
Spain
tel. 34-93-5812199, 34-93-5811312, 34-93-5812934
fax 34-93-5811312
email: penuelas@uab.es