IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jlands/v14y2025i2p390-d1590313.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Connecting Natural and Planted Forests: New Ecological Functions in an Agricultural Landscape in Northern Spain

Author

Listed:
  • Javier Brazuelo Núñez

    (Laboratory of Dendrochronology, Silviculture and Global Change—Den-drodatLab—ERSAF, Department of Forest Engineering, University of Cordoba, Campus de Rabanales, Crta. IV, km. 396, 14071 Córdoba, Spain)

  • Carlos A. Rivas

    (Mediterranean Forest Global Change Observatory, Digitalization and Development in Forestry Ecosystems Laboratory, DigiFoR+-ERSAF, Department of Forestry Engineering, University of Cordoba, Campus de Rabanales, Crta. IV km. 396, 14071 Córdoba, Spain)

  • Guillermo Palacios-Rodríguez

    (Mediterranean Forest Global Change Observatory, Digitalization and Development in Forestry Ecosystems Laboratory, DigiFoR+-ERSAF, Department of Forestry Engineering, University of Cordoba, Campus de Rabanales, Crta. IV km. 396, 14071 Córdoba, Spain)

  • Rafael M. Navarro-Cerrillo

    (Laboratory of Dendrochronology, Silviculture and Global Change—Den-drodatLab—ERSAF, Department of Forest Engineering, University of Cordoba, Campus de Rabanales, Crta. IV, km. 396, 14071 Córdoba, Spain)

Abstract

The connectivity of forest ecosystems is increasingly recognized as a key factor in evaluating the sustainability of forest management, with significant implications for biodiversity conservation. This study examines the impact of afforestation programs on forest evolution, fragmentation, and connectivity in León province, Spain, over the past 25 years (1996–2020). Three scenarios were modeled across two periods (1996–2006 and 2006–2020), integrating data from the national forest inventories (IFN2, IFN3, and IFN4) and afforestation program records provided by the Junta de Castilla y León. The evolution of connectivity “with” and “without” afforestation was analyzed using Graphab 2.6 and graph theory, and several connectivity metrics were calculated. The first period analyzed, influenced by the two initial afforestation programs, corresponded to the end of a forest expansion phase, followed by a decrease in tree cover. Despite this reduction, a net positive balance of up to 24% of all connectivity metrics (NC, PC, Flux, and ECA) was observed throughout the study period. Afforestation in mountain areas enhanced tree cover continuity, resulting in a more homogeneous but less diverse landscape. Conversely, afforestation in agricultural lands increased landscape heterogeneity, diversifying and extending the ecological network of connections. These programs have played a crucial role in shaping the landscape, influencing its diversity and the evolution of forest connectivity. Legislation grounded in technical and ecological principles should be prioritized as a strategic tool to address pressing land management challenges and preserve natural values.

Suggested Citation

  • Javier Brazuelo Núñez & Carlos A. Rivas & Guillermo Palacios-Rodríguez & Rafael M. Navarro-Cerrillo, 2025. "Connecting Natural and Planted Forests: New Ecological Functions in an Agricultural Landscape in Northern Spain," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-20, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:14:y:2025:i:2:p:390-:d:1590313
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/2/390/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/2/390/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Juan Pablo Ramírez-Delgado & Moreno Di Marco & James E. M. Watson & Chris J. Johnson & Carlo Rondinini & Xavier Corredor Llano & Miguel Arias & Oscar Venter, 2022. "Matrix condition mediates the effects of habitat fragmentation on species extinction risk," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Carmen Galán-Acedo & Gabriela Pacheco Hass & Vinícius Klain & Pedro Bencke & Júlio César Bicca-Marques, 2024. "Urban Matrices Threaten Patch Occurrence of Howler Monkeys in Anthropogenic Landscapes," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-13, April.
    2. Clayton, Helena & Hingee, Kassel L. & Chancellor, Will & Lindenmayer, David & van Dijk, Albert & Vardon, Michael & Boult, Chris, 2024. "Private benefits of natural capital on farms across an endangered ecoregion," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 218(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:14:y:2025:i:2:p:390-:d:1590313. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.