Indicator species and communities for the climatophilous series in the Doñana district (Huelva, Spain)

Abstract

Vegetation mapping of the District of Doñana (Huelva, southern Spain) at a scale of 1 : 10,000 using a digital format and a phytosociological approach enabled the identification of indicator communities and species for the two climatophilous vegetation series found in the area: Oleo sylvestris-Querco suberis S. and Rhamno oleoidis-Querco rotundifoliae S. Six communities and thirteen characteristic species were found for the former series, compared with one community and four characteristic species for the latter. This numerical difference is largely the result of the difference in surface area - 80.74% for the Q. suber range vs. 8.82% for the Q. rotundifolia range - and of the primarily agricultural use of the latter. The fact that indicator species and communities could be identified at all is striking, given the considerable impact of human activity in this area, which is evident from the map of actual vegetation. Copyright © 2012 Société botanique de France.