Dataset of Phenology of flora of mediterranean high-mountains meadows (Sierra Nevada)

Study Extent

The Mediterranean high-mountain meadows (know locally as “borreguiles”) are ecosystems conditioned by the snow dynamics and potentially sensitive to changes in water availability and temperature (Fernández Casas, 1974; Martínez Parras et al. 1985). This ecosystem occupies an altitudinal range between 2200 and 3000 m a.s.l. and its distribution is determined by accumulation of the meltwater (Fernández-Casas 1974). Although it represents only 1.4% of this mountain range (1125 ha), it has a high rate of plant endemicity (Table 1) (Bonet et al. 2010; APMM 2013). The borreguiles is included in the Annex I of the Habitats Directive (EU habitat code 6230) (Bartolomé et al. 2005; Rigueiro et al. 2009). This ecosystem settles over hydromorphic soils that develop around mountain lakes, streams, depressions and glacier origin valleys. The overall appearance of borreguiles in summer is intense green, contrasting with the yellowish color of the surrounding psychroxerophiles grasslands. This ecosystem contains several plant communities arranged as parallel bands in relation to water courses (Lorite 2002). The floristic composition of these communities depends on moisture content of the substrate. First, on some moist soil, as a transition from dry grasslands to borreguiles themselves, there is a medium coverage grassland called dry borreguil. It hosts species such Agrostis nevadensis, Plantago nivalis, Ranunculus acetosellifolius, Thymus serpylloides or Arenaria tetraquetra subsp. amabilis (among others) (Losa et al. 1985, Lorite 2002). Then dense grassland appears, located in areas with constant moisture throughout the summer and deep soils. As typical species of this community include Nardus stricta, Festuca iberica, Leontodon microcephalus, Lotus corniculatus subsp. glacialis, Luzula spicata, Ranunculus demissus and Campanula herminii. Moreover, in the rocky promontories areas forming the borreguil are enriched with the presence of Vaccinium uliginosum subsp. nanum and Ranunculus acetosellifolius. In places where there is constant flooding and still waters until fall, the optimum conditions of oxygen deprivation exist for incipient peat formations are installed. These communities are characterized by the presence of species such as Carex nigra, Eleocharis quinqueflora, C. echinata, C. nevadensis, Juncus articulatus, Ranunculus angustifolius, Pinguicula nevadensis or Festuca frigida. In addition to its high ecological value, this ecosystem plays an important role in transhumance livestock systems (Robles et al. 2009). They are pastures with a high nutritive value and with the greater forage production of the Sierra Nevada ecosystems (Boza et al. 2008; González-Rebollar 2006; Robles et al 2009, APMM 2013). This is important because they act as a trophic reserve for livestock in summer (Fernández-Casas 1974; Robles 2008). However the abandonment of uses linked this practice has tended effect of reducing the area of this ecosystems and consequent overloading of neighboring (González-Rebollar 2006; Robles 2008) We selected one of the most representative borreguiles of Sierra Nevada, located at San Juan basin river (Guejar-Sierra; Granada, Spain).The catchment area is about 1325 Ha. This basin was formed by glacial erosion of the bedrock (mica schists) and presents a valley with U-shaped (Martín Martín et al. 2010).

Sampling

We sampled at three localities along an altitudinal gradient: one at Prado de la Mojonera (Low Altitude; around 2200 m a.s.l.) and two at Hoya del Moro (Middle and High altitude; 2430-2550 m a.s.l. and around 2775 m a.s.l respectively). For each locality, the sampling was performed every 15 days during the free-snow period once a year from 1988-1990 and from 2009 to 2013. For the middle altitude locality we have data from two periods: 1988-1990 and 2009-2013. For low and high altitude locations we have data from 2009-2013 period. In each locality permanent plots of 1 x 1 m were randomly distributed. In each plot a floristic inventory was carried out. The presence/absence and an estimation of abundance-coverage using the Braun-Blanquet cover-abundance scale (Braun-Blanquet 1964) were recorded for each taxa. We also counted the number of individuals belong to three main phenological phase (phenophase) established: vegetative phenophase, reproductive phenophase (flowering) and seed phenophase. Plots were divided into quadrats of 25 x 25 cm to facilitate counting.

Quality Control

The sampling plots were georeferenced using a Garmin eTrex Legend GPS (ED1950 Datum) with an accuracy of ±5 m. We also used colour digital ortophotographs provided by the Andalusian Cartography Institute and GIS (ArcGIS 9.2; ESRI, Redlands, California, USA) to verify that the geographical coordinates of each sampling plots were correct (Chapman and Wieczorek 2006). The specimens were taxonomically identified using Flora Iberica (Castroviejo et al. 1986-2005) and others reference floras: Flora de Andalucía Oriental (Blanca et al. 2011), Flora Vascular de Andalucía Oriental (Valdés et al. 1987) and Flora Europaea (Tutin et al. 1964–1980). The scientific names were checked with databases of International Plant Names Index (IPNI 2013) and Catalogue of Life/Species 2000 (Roskov et al. 2013). We also used the R packages taxize (Chamberlian and Szocs 2013; Chamberlain et al. 2014) and Taxostand (Cayuela and Oksanen 2014) to verify the taxonomical classification. We also performed validation procedures (geopraphic coordinate format, coordinates within country/provincial boundaries, absence of ASCII anomalous characters in the dataset) with DARWIN_TEST (v3.2) software (Ortega-Maqueda and Pando, 2008).

Method steps

1. All data were stored in a normalized database and incorporated into the Information System of Sierra Nevada Global Change Observatory. Taxonomic and spatial validations were made on this database (see Quality control description). A custom-made SQL view of the database was performed to gather occurrence data and others variables associated to some occurence data, specifically: • Flowering abundance: number of flowering individuals by square meter • Fruit abundance: number of individuals in fruiting period by square meter • Cover: the percentage of cover by taxon. The value represents a transformation of Braun-Blanquet cover-abundance scale (van der Maarel 1979, 2007) The occurrence and measurement data were accommodated to fulfill the Darwin Core Standard (Wieczorek et al. 2009; 2012). We used Darwin Core Archive Validator tool (http://tools.gbif.org/dwca-validator/) to check whether the dataset meets Darwin Core specifications. The Integrated Publishing Toolkit (IPT v2.0.5) (Robertson et al. 2014) of the Spanish node of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) (http://www.gbif.es:8080/ipt) was used both to upload the Darwin Core Archive and to fill out the metadata. The Darwin Core elements for the occurrence data included in the dataset are: occurrenceId, modified, language, basisOfRecord, institutionCode, collectionCode, datasetName, catalogNumber, scientificName, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, specificEpithet, infraspecificEpithet, scientificNameAuthorship, continent, country, countryCode, stateProvince, county, locality, minimumElevationInMeters, maximumElevationInMeters, decimalLongitude, decimalLatitude, coordinateUncertaintyinMeters, geodeticDatum, recordedBy, DayCollected, MonthCollected, YearCollected, EventDate. For the measurement data, the Darwin Core elements included are: id, measurementID, measurementType, measurementValue, measurementAccuracy, measurementUnit, measurementDeterminedDate, measurementDeterminedBy, measurementMethod, measurementRemarks.

This dataset includes records of the phylum Magnoliophyta (10939 records, 99.43%) and marginally Pteridophyta (63 records, below 1% of total records). Most of the records included in this dataset belong to both the class Magnoliopsida (6057 records; 55.04%) and Liliopsida (4883 records; 44.37%). The class Psilotopsida is represented by 63 records. There are 19 orders represented in the dataset, Poales (44.25%) and Lamiales (12.52%) being the most important order from classes Liliopsida and Magnoliopsida, respectively. The class Psilotopsida is represented only by order Ophioglossales. In this collection, 28 families are represented, with Cyperaceae, Poaceae and Fabaceae being the families with highest number of records. The dataset contains 72 taxa belonging to 51 genera. Carex, Nardus, and Scorzoneroides are the most represented genera in the database. There are 29 threatened taxa.

1. Plantae
   rank: kingdom
2. Magnoliophyta
   rank: phylum
3. Pteridophyta
   rank: phylum
4. Liliopsida
   rank: class
5. Magnoliopsida
   rank: class
6. Psilotopsida
   rank: class
7. Apiales
   rank: order
8. Asterales
   rank: order
9. Asparagales
   rank: order
10. Boraginales
    rank: order
11. Brassicales
    rank: order
12. Caryophyllales
    rank: order
13. Celastrales
    rank: order
14. Ericales
    rank: order
15. Fabales
    rank: order
16. Gentianales
    rank: order
17. Lamiales
    rank: order
18. Liliales
    rank: order
19. Malpighiales
    rank: order
20. Myrtales
    rank: order
21. Ophioglossales
    rank: order
22. Poales
    rank: order
23. Ranunculales
    rank: order
24. Rosales
    rank: order
25. Saxifragales
    rank: order
26. Apiaceae
    rank: family
27. Asparagaceae
    rank: family
28. Asteraceae
    rank: family
29. Boraginaceae
    rank: family
30. Brassicaceae
    rank: family
31. Campanulaceae
    rank: family
32. Caryophyllaceae
    rank: family
33. Celastraceae
    rank: family
34. Crassulaceae
    rank: family
35. Cyperaceae
    rank: family
36. Ericaceae
    rank: family
37. Fabaceae
    rank: family
38. Gentianaceae
    rank: family
39. Juncaceae
    rank: family
40. Lentibulariaceae
    rank: family
41. Liliaceae
    rank: family
42. Linaceae
    rank: family
43. Onagraceae
    rank: family
44. Ophioglossaceae
    rank: family
45. Plantaginaceae
    rank: family
46. Poaceae
    rank: family
47. Portulacaceae
    rank: family
48. Polygonaceae
    rank: family
49. Ranunculaceae
    rank: family
50. Rosaceae
    rank: family
51. Rubiaceae
    rank: family
52. Scrophulariaceae
    rank: family
53. Violaceae
    rank: family
54. Agrostis
    rank: genus
55. Anthericum
    rank: genus
56. Arenaria
    rank: genus
57. Botrychium
    rank: genus
58. Bromus
    rank: genus
59. Campanula
    rank: genus
60. Carex
    rank: genus
61. Cerastium
    rank: genus
62. Cirsium
    rank: genus
63. Dactylis
    rank: genus
64. Draba
    rank: genus
65. Eleocharis
    rank: genus
66. Epilobium
    rank: genus
67. Erophila
    rank: genus
68. Eryngium
    rank: genus
69. Euphrasia
    rank: genus
70. Festuca
    rank: genus
71. Gagea
    rank: genus
72. Galium
    rank: genus
73. Gentiana
    rank: genus
74. Gentianella
    rank: genus
75. Herniaria
    rank: genus
76. Juncus
    rank: genus
77. Linaria
    rank: genus
78. Lotus
    rank: genus
79. Luzula
    rank: genus
80. Meum
    rank: genus
81. Montia
    rank: genus
82. Myosotis
    rank: genus
83. Nardus
    rank: genus
84. Parnassia
    rank: genus
85. Paronychia
    rank: genus
86. Phleum
    rank: genus
87. Pinguicula
    rank: genus
88. Plantago
    rank: genus
89. Poa
    rank: genus
90. Potentilla
    rank: genus
91. Radiola
    rank: genus
92. Ranunculus
    rank: genus
93. Rumex
    rank: genus
94. Sagina
    rank: genus
95. Scorzoneroides
    rank: genus
96. Sedum
    rank: genus
97. Silene
    rank: genus
98. Spergularia
    rank: genus
99. Stellaria
    rank: genus
100. Thlaspi
     rank: genus
101. Trifolium
     rank: genus
102. Vaccinium
     rank: genus
103. Veronica
     rank: genus
104. Viola
     rank: genus

Sierra Nevada (Andalusia, SE Spain), is a mountainous region with an altitudinal range between 860 m and 3482 m a.s.l. which covers more than 2000 km2. The climate is Mediterranean, characterized by cold winters and hot summers, with pronounced summer drought (July-August). The annual average temperature decreases in altitude from 12-16ºC below 1500 m to 0ºC above 3000 m a.s.l., and the annual average precipitation is about 600 mm. Additionally, the complex orography of the mountains causes strong climatic contrasts between the sunny, dry south-facing slopes and the shaded, wetter north-facing slopes. Annual precipitation ranges from less than 250 mm in the lowest parts of the mountain range to more than 700 mm in the summit areas. Winter precipitation is mainly in the form of snow above 2000 m of altitude. The Sierra Nevada mountain range hosts a high number of endemic plant species (c. 80; Lorite et al. 2007) for a total of 2,100 species of vascular plants (25% and 20% of Spanish and European flora, respectively), being considered one of the most important biodiversity hotspots in the Mediterranean region (Blanca et al. 1998; Cañadas et al. 2014). Sierra Nevada is an isolated high mountain range (reaching 3.482 m.a.s.l.) located in Southern Spain (37ºN, 3ºW) covering 2.100 km2. It hosts a high number of vegetal endemic species (c. 80) (Lorite et al. 2007) in a total of 2.100 species of vascular plants (25 % and 20 % of Spain and Europe flora respectively), being considered one of the most important biodiversity hotspot in the Mediterranean region (Blanca et al. 1998). It has several legal protections: Biosphere Reserve MAB Committee UNESCO; Special Protection Area and Site of Community Importance (Natura 2000 network); and National Park. This mountain area comprises 27 habitats types from the habitat directive. It contains 31 fauna species (20 birds, 5 mammals, 4 invertebrates, 2 amphibians and reptiles) and 20 plants species listed in the Annex I and II of habitats and birds directives. There are 61 municipalities with more than 90.000 inhabitants. The main economic activities are agriculture, tourism, beekeeping, mining and skiing (Bonet et al. 2010).