Biodiversity Data Journal :
Data Paper (Biosciences)
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Corresponding author: Antonio Jesús Pérez-Luque (antonio.perez@inia.csic.es)
Academic editor: Christos Arvanitidis
Received: 09 Oct 2023 | Accepted: 18 Feb 2024 | Published: 26 Feb 2024
© 2024 Antonio Jesús Pérez-Luque, María Eugenia Ramos-Font, Mauro José Tognetti Barbieri, Clara Montoya Román, Claudia Tribaldos Anda, Francisco M. Cabezas-Arcas, José González-Rebollar, Ana Belén Robles
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Pérez-Luque AJ, Ramos-Font ME, Tognetti Barbieri MJ, Montoya Román C, Tribaldos Anda C, Cabezas-Arcas FM, González-Rebollar JL, Robles AB (2024) Monitoring data on the effect of domestic livestock and rabbits on Androcymbium europaeum (Lange) K. Richt. and its xerophytiques pastures for thirteen years. Biodiversity Data Journal 12: e113943. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.12.e113943
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Dataset of annual monitoring of herbivory effects on the conservation status of the endangered species Androcymbium europaeum (Lange) K. Richt and its associated plant communities is presented in this manuscript. This dataset encompasses the annual monitoring of herbivory effects on the conservation status of the endangered species Androcymbium europaeum. Since 2010, the SERPAM Department (Service of Evaluation, Restoration and Protection of Mediterranean Agrosystems) at the Zaidin Experimental Station, belonging to the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC-EEZ), has conducted annual sampling to assess the impact of both domestic and wild livestock, specifically rabbits, on the pastures where A. europaeum lives. The study consisted of a randomised block design, implementing three distinct treatments to evaluate different management strategies: (1) rabbit and domestic herbivory, (2) exclusion of domestic livestock and (3) exclusion of rabbits and domestic livestock. Within each treatment, two types of monitoring were conducted. Firstly, the abundance of A. europaeum was estimated by counting individuals within 50 cm x 50 cm quadrats. Secondly, plant species diversity was assessed along 2-m long transects using the modified Point-Quadrat method. The research was conducted within the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park in southern Spain, specifically in the Amoladeras Nature Reserve in Almería.
The dataset contains information spanning from 2010 to 2023, providing valuable insights into the annual monitoring of herbivory effects on the conservation status of A. europaeum, contributing to our understanding of the species' interaction with domestic and wild animal in the studied area.
occurrence, endangered plant species, Ibero-Maghreb endemism, herbivory, species richness, species diversity, Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park (southern Spain), plant conservation
Androcymbium europaeum (Lange) K. Richt., commonly known as Cape saffron or "Azafrán del Cabo" (in Spanish), is an endemic plant found exclusively in the Ibero-Maghreb Region. Belonging to the Colchicaceae family, this species is a winter-growing geophyte that undergoes vegetative development from October to March, strongly dependent of rainfall patterns. The flowering period of this plant occurs during autumn and winter, displaying a strong correlation with precipitation levels and temperature variation (
Androcymbium europaeum inhabits the thermo-Mediterranean belt characterised by a semi-arid to arid ombroclimate, specifically, in xerophytic grasslands and open clearings, often found on stony or sandy substrates. The soil typically consists of skeletal, stony or sandy terrain, occasionally revealing limestone bedrock outcrops. This species is commonly found within winter ephemeral therophytic grasslands, which exhibit varying coverage and are rich in plant species (
Regarding its distribution, A. europaeum is primarily found in the south-eastern region of the Iberian Peninsula, in the Province of Almería (Fig.
Distribution and location of the study plots. a Location of the study area; b Distribution of the 10 km x 10 km (blue squares) and 5 km x 5 km (yellow squares) grids in which A. europaeum has been cited at national (
Several species within the Cochicaceae family have exhibited a positive relationship between the presence of small herbivores and livestock and their population density (
To enhance our comprehension of grazing's impact on the population dynamics of A. europaeum, we have been conducting a comprehensive monitoring programme at a specific site for the past 13 years. Our objective is to evaluate the contribution of both domesticated and wild animals in the status conservation of this species, while also examining the diversity of the pastures that serve as habitats for A. europaeum. This long-term study aims to deepen our understanding of the interplay between grazing practices and the conservation of this species. This data-paper has focused on documenting a dataset to assess the impact of domestic livestock and rabbits on the density of A. europaeum (in excluded to livestock and rabbits and non-excluded plots) over a period of thirteen years (2010-2023) in one of the most well-preserved populations of the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park.
Monitoring data on the effect of domestic livestock and rabbits on Androcymbium europaeum pastures
Ana Belén Robles Cruz (Principal Investigator); José Luis González Rebollar, María Eugenia Ramos-Font, Mauro José Tognetti Barbieri, Antonio Jesús Pérez-Luque, Francisco Mario Cabezas-Arcas, Clara Montoya Román, Claudia Tribaldos Anda.
To evaluate the effect of sheep and rabbits on the population of A. europaeum and its plant communities, 18 plots of 2.5 m x 2.5 m were installed in the study area (Fig.
These data have been generated thanks to the funding of different projects, although the first samplings and the installation of the exclusion plots were funded by the Consejería de Medio Ambiente de la Junta de Andalucía through the "Ganadería Extensiva y Biodiversidad" project from 2008 to 2014. From this date on, it was financed through the CSIC intramural projects "Investigaciones sobre flora forrajera bética: prospección de especies, protocolo para su establecimiento en campo y valoración nutritiva" and "Pastoralismo y Medioambiente". From 2021 onwards, funding for monitoring came from the SUMHAL project (Sustainability for Mediterranean Hotspots in Andalusia integrating LifeWatch ERIC) (LIFEWATCH-2019-09-CSIC-04, POPE 2014-2020).
To evaluate the effect of sheep and rabbits on the population of A. europaeum and its plant communities diversity, 18 plots of 2.5 m x 2.5 m were installed in the study area. A randomised block design was followed, which consisted of six blocks separated between 300 and 400 m (Fig.
Abundance of Androcymbium europaeum
The density of A. europaeum in each plot was yearly evaluated by counting the number of individuals in 50 cm x 50 cm fixed squares, taking four quadrats per plot, distributed according to the four cardinal points (N, S, E and W): 24 quadrats per treatment (six blocks by four quadrats) (Fig.
Assessment of plant communities
The evaluation of plant communities where A. europaeum lives was conducted annually during the spring season to ensure that most annual species had grown and flowered, allowing for accurate identification. In each plot, the point-intercept (non-destructive) method was applied, following a modification proposed by
For the abundance count and to reduce possible bias amongst observers, criteria for the correct identification of individuals were established and practised prior to sampling for each field campaign. In general, the results obtained from the beginning were quite coincident and without inter-observer bias.
Each year, sampling was carried out by 2-4 observers, with at least one of them present in all the samplings. Plants for almost all species found were sampled and determined in the lab. Data where carefully implemented in a database and cross-check validations were carried out.
The sampling plots were georeferenced using a Kolida K20S high-precission GPS with an accuracy of ± 10 mm. Digital colour orthophotographs derived from flights performed with an RGB camera (45 Megapixels; Zenmuse P1, DJI) on board a UAV drone (DJI Matrice 300 RTK) were also used to verify that the geographic coordinates of each sample plot were correct. The spatial data were originally recorded as UTM using the datum EPSG:25830, but were transformed to geographic coordinates (EPSG: 4326) for easy manipulation.
The specimens were taxonomically identified using Flora Vascular de Andalucía Oriental (
The data were accommodated to fulfil the Darwin Core Standard (
All data were stored in a normalised database using Microsot Access. Custom-made SQL views of the database were performed to gather event and occurrence data. In addition, some variables at transect level were computed (see Sampling description section). Data were exported and taxonomic and spatial validations were made on this database (see Quality-control description).
Structure of the Darwin Core Archive (DwC-A).
The DwC-A encompasses comprehensive sampling event data (
Scheme of the Event dataset. There are six blocks with three treatments per block (one plot by treatment): G+C+ with herbivory by sheep and rabbits; G-C+ excluding only sheep; and G-C- excluding rabbits and sheep. In each of the 18 plots, there are two 2-m transects and four quadrats which were yearly monitored.
In order to facilitate the users with utilisation of the dataset, we wrote a detailed tutorial of how to download, process and prepare data from the GBIF dataset. This tutorial is available at https://ajpelu.github.io/dp_androcymbium_lab/ (
The study area belongs to the Integral Reserve of Las Marinas-Amoladeras, one of the main steppe zones of the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park, located in Almería (southern Spain) (Fig.
36.831783 and 36.8381261 Latitude; -2.2435419 and -2.2552436 Longitude.
A. europaeum has undergone different nomenclatural changes throughout its history, having been assigned to the genera Melianthium L., Erythrostictus Schltdl. or Androcymbium Willd. (
There are 100 taxa included in the dataset. The five most represented taxa in the dataset are: Androcymbium europaeum (Lange) K. Richt. (34.74%), Stipellula capensis (Thunb.) Röser & Hamasha (11.09%), Gynandriris sisyrinchium (L.) Parl. (5.64%), Filago pyramidata L. (3.51%) and Erodium chium (Burm.fil.) Willd. (2.37%). There are two classes represented in the dataset: Liliopsida (57.14%) and Magnoliopsida (42.86%). Twenty-one orders represented in the dataset being the five most represented: Liliales (34.74%), Poales (14.23%), Asterales (11.2%), Asparagales (8.14%) and Fabales (4.97%). There are 31 families included in the dataset (Fig.
2010-2023
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC-BY-NC 4.0) Licence.
Dataset about the annual monitoring of the effect of herbivorism on the conservation status of endangered species Androcymbium europaeum. Since 2010, the SERPAM Department (Service for Evaluation, Restoration and Protection of Mediterranean Agrosystems) of the Zaidin Experimental Station belonging to the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC-EEZ), has been carrying out annual sampling to evaluate the effect of domestic and wild livestock (e.g. rabbits) on the pastures inhabited by Androcymbium europaeum. A randomised block design with three treatments (type of management: rabbit and domestic herbivorism; only excluded to livestock; and excluded to rabbit and livestock) was performed. In each treatment, two types of monitoring were carried out: abundance estimation of A. europaeum by counting individuals on 50 cm x 50 cm quadrats; and plant species diversity in 2-m long transects using the modified Point-Quadrat method. This study was carried out in the Amoladeras Nature Reserve (Almería) within the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park (southern Spain). The dataset describes information from 2010 to 2023. Monitoring is performed annually. The dataset is deposited at GBIF (
Our dataset is composed by three files: event, occurrence and extendedmeasurementorfact, with a total of 41 columns.
Column label | Column description |
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eventID | An identifier for the set of information associated with an Event (something that occurs at a place and time). May be a global unique identifier or an identifier specific to the dataset. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/eventID. |
parentEventID | An identifier for the broader Event that groups this and potentially other Events. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/parentEventID. |
samplingProtocol | The names of, references to, or descriptions of the methods or protocols used during a Event. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/samplingProtocol. |
sampleSizeValue | A numeric value for a measurement of the size (time duration, length, area or volume) of a sample in a sampling Event. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/sampleSizeValue. |
sampleSizeUnit | The unit of measurement of the size (time duration, length, area or volume) of a sample in a sampling event. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/sampleSizeUnit. |
eventDate | The date-time or interval during which an Event occurred. For occurrences, this is the date-time when the event was recorded. Not suitable for a time in a geological context. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/eventDate. |
fieldNumber | An identifier given to the event in the field. Often serves as a link between field notes and the Event. We used to identify the block and the treatment. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/iri/fieldNumber. |
fieldNotes | One of a) an indicator of the existence of, b) a reference to (publication, URI), or c) the text of notes taken in the field about the event. We used to include the treatment. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/iri/fieldNotes. |
countryCode | The standard code for the country in which the Location occurs. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/countryCode. |
municipality | The full, unabbreviated name of the next smaller administrative region than county (city, municipality etc.) in which the Location occurs. Do not use this term for a nearby named place that does not contain the actual Location. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/municipality. |
footprintWKT | A Well-Known Text (WKT) representation of the shape (footprint, geometry) that defines the Location. A Location may have both a point-radius representation and a footprint representation and they may differ from each other. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/footprintWKT. |
footprintSRS | The ellipsoid, geodetic datum or spatial reference system (SRS) upon which the geometry given in footprintWKT is based. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/footprintSRS. |
language | A language of the resource. http://purl.org/dc/terms/language. |
institutionCode | The name (or acronym) in use by the institution having custody of the object(s) or information referred to in the record. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/institutionCode. |
collectionCode | The name, acronym, coden or initialism identifying the collection or dataset from which the record was derived. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/collectionCode. |
datasetName | The name identifying the dataset from which the record was derived. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/datasetName. |
ownerInstitutionCode | The name (or acronym) in use by the institution having ownership of the object(s) or information referred to in the record. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/ownerInstitutionCode. |
basisOfRecord | The specific nature of the data record. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/basisOfRecord. |
occurrenceID | An identifier for the Occurrence (as opposed to a particular digital record of the Occurrence). In the absence of a persistent global unique identifier, construct one from a combination of identifiers in the record that will most closely make the occurrenceID globally unique. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/occurrenceID. |
scientificName | The full scientific name, with authorship and date information, if known. When forming part of a Identification, this should be the name in lowest level taxonomic rank that can be determined. This term should not contain identification qualifications, which should, instead, be supplied in the identificationQualifier term. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/scientificName |
kingdom | The full scientific name of the kingdom in which the Taxon is classified. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/kingdom. |
phylum | The full scientific name of the phylum or division in which the Taxon is classified. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/phylum. |
class | The full scientific name of the class in which the Taxon is classified. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/class. |
order | The full scientific name of the order in which the Taxon is classified. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/order. |
family | The full scientific name of the family in which the Taxon is classified. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/family. |
genus | The full scientific name of the genus in which the Taxon is classified. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/genus. |
measurementID | An identifier for the MeasurementOrFact (information pertaining to measurements, facts, characteristics or assertions). May be a global unique identifier or an identifier specific to the dataset. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/measurementID. |
measurementType | The nature of the measurement, fact, characteristic or assertion. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/measurementType. |
measurementValue | The value of the measurement, fact, characteristic or assertion. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/measurementValue. |
measurementUnit | The units associated with the measurementValue. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/measurementUnit. |
measurementDeterminedDate | The date on which the MeasurementOrFact was made. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/measurementDeterminedDate. |
measurementMethod | A description of or reference to (publication, URI) the method or protocol used to determine the measurement, fact, characteristic or assertion. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/measurementMethod. |
measurementRemarks | Comments or notes accompanying the MeasurementOrFact. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/measurementRemark. |
occurrenceStatus | A statement about the presence or absence of a Taxon at a Location. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/occurrenceStatus. |
decimalLatitude | The geographic latitude (in decimal degrees, using the spatial reference system given in geodeticDatum) of the geographic centre of a Location. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/decimalLatitude. |
decimalLongitude | The geographic longitude (in decimal degrees, using the spatial reference system given in geodeticDatum) of the geographic centre of a Location. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/decimalLongitude. |
geodeticDatum | The ellipsoid, geodetic datum or spatial reference system (SRS) upon which the geographic coordinates given in decimalLatitude and decimalLongitude are based. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/geodeticDatu. |
genericName | The genus part of the scientificName without authorship. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/genericName. |
specificEpithet | The name of the first or species epithet of the scientificName. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/specificEpithet. |
taxonRank | The taxonomic rank of the most specific name in the scientificName. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/taxonRank. |
scientificNameAuthorship | The authorship information for the scientificName formatted according to the conventions of the applicable nomenclaturalCode. http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/scientificNameAuthorship. |
If you use the data, please cite as: Pérez-Luque A J, Ramos-Font M E, Tognetti M J, Montoya Román C, Tribaldos Anda C, Robles A B (2023). Monitoring data on the effect of domestic livestock and rabbits on Androcymbium europaeum pastures. Version 2.3. Estación Experimental del Zaidín (CSIC). Sampling event dataset https://doi.org/10.15470/jpjhuu accessed via GBIF.org on 09-10-2023.
This work has been developed in the framework of the following projects "Ganadería Extensiva y Biodiversidad" (Consejería de Medio Ambiente de la Junta de Andalucía), "Investigaciones sobre flora forrajera bética: prospección de especies, protocolo para su establecimiento en campo y valoración nutritiva", "Pastoralismo y Medioambiente" (Intramural project CSIC) and the SUMHAL project (Sustainability for Mediterranean Hotspots in Andalusia integrating LifeWatch ERIC) (LIFEWATCH-2019-09-CSIC-04, POPE 2014-2020). AJPL is currently funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by "European Union NextGenerationEU/PRTR" with a "Juan de la Cierva" fellowship programme (Grant JDC2022-050056-I).
ABRC and JLGR conceived the idea; MJTB, MERF, CMR, FMCA and CTA incorporated the data into the database. All the authors contributed to field monitoring. AJPL normalised and standardised the data, adapted it to DwCA and submitted to GBIF. AJPL led the writing effort and conducted the visualisations. All the authors reviewed the manuscript.