DIGITAL ARCHIPELAGO

‘Adaptive monitoring of the ecological restoration of the Atiquipa Lomas mist forest’

Ecology and Conservation Biology

Environment

2006

The Atacama desert is dotted by islands of vegetation that owe their existence to the formation of mists. Despite their singularity, these mist forests have barely been studied to date. The mist will only contribute water if it is intercepted by the tree canopy. The Atiquipa Lomas forests studied here, dominated by Caesalpinia spinosa, are the most representative and the best conserved.

DIRECTOR

Luis Balaguer Nuñez

RESEARCH TEAM

Ana María Rincón Herranz, Beatriz Ruiz Díez, Esteban Manrique Reol, Isabel Ortega Madueño, José Javier Pueyo Dabad, Luis Balaguer Nuñez, Mª Mercedes Lucas Sánchez, Mercedes Fernández Pascual, Nicolás López Jiménez, Percy Jiménez Milón, Rafael Rubio de Casas, Rosa Arroyo García, Teodoro Coba de la Peña.

COLLABORATING INSTITUTIONS

Universidad Complutense de Madrid.

DESCRIPTION

This research project will pursue the following objectives:1.-Characterisation of the genetic singularity of the C. spinosa population in the Atiquipa Lomas forests.2.-Characterisation of their nodulation.3.-Characterisation of hydric relationships in conserved vs. reforested zones.The principle informing this project is that, in the case of severely altered ecosystems, the characterisation and restoring of processes should take precedence over repopulation via the sowing or planting of dominant species.