Linking Cork to Cork Oak Landscapes: Mapping the Value Chain of Cork Production in Portugal

Traditional farming landscapes in South and Central Portugal, known as montados, are affected by global socio-economic and biophysical pressures, putting the sustainability of the systems in jeopardy. Cork oak trees (Quercus suber L.) are characteristic features of these complex agro-silvo-pastoral agroforestry systems, delivering a globally important product, cork. The increasingly distant, global scale of decision making and trade can consequently be observed on the local, landscape, scale. In this study, we use a value chain approach to test the concept that landscape products can ensure sustainable management of the landscape of origin. We interviewed agents—cork producers, intermediaries, industrial transformers, and winemakers—about the challenges they perceived in the business and how these were connected to the landscape of origin. We illustrate the network of agents and sub-actors involved in the sector and highlight the most prominent concerns. We conclude that this approach can reveal the major points for determining the future of the montado, and we suggest that collaboration amongst value chain agents can be a pathway to landscape sustainability.

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Cork Oak Trees (Quercus suber L.)

Agrobacterium Protocols Volume 2 ◽

10.1385/1-59745-131-2:113 ◽

2006 ◽

pp. 113-123 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Rubén Álvarez ◽

Mariano Toribio ◽

Millán Cortizo ◽

Ricardo-Javier Ordás Fernández

Keyword(s):

Quercus Suber ◽

Cork Oak ◽

Oak Trees

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Factors affecting post-fire regeneration after coppicing of cork oak (Quercus suber) trees in northeastern Algeria

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/cjfr-2019-0181 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 50 (4) ◽

pp. 371-379

Author(s):

Salah Eddine Roula ◽

Rachid T. Bouhraoua ◽

Filipe X. Catry

Keyword(s):

Tree Mortality ◽

Management Practices ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Quercus Suber ◽

Grazing Pressure ◽

Cork Oak ◽

Ecological Impacts ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Growing Seasons ◽

Oak Trees

Wildfires may have serious and long-lasting impacts in Mediterranean Basin oak forests. Although cork oak (Quercus suber L.) is usually considered a highly fire-resistant tree species, post-fire recovery is not guaranteed. We assessed the mortality and regeneration of 729 cork oak trees that burned and were cut in six sites with the objective of identifying the main factors affecting the short- to medium-term post-fire recovery. We used linear mixed models to investigate potential relationships among tree stump status at the end of the second and fifth growing seasons and several tree- and site-level variables. Overall tree mortality in the second year was 44% and was negatively affected by bark thickness and positively affected by root exposure, trunk injuries, and diameter, in decreasing order of importance. Between the second and fifth years, mortality increased to 53%, but this increase was only observed in sites with high grazing pressure. Grazing also had a strong negative impact on the growth of basal resprouts, thereby compromising tree recovery. The results give useful information on the need for application of adequate forest management practices (particularly avoiding debarking injuries, soil erosion, and grazing pressure) to increase the resilience of these ecosystems and reduce the negative economic and ecological impacts of wildfires.

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Can behavioural differences inPlatypus cylindrus(Coleoptera: Platypodinae) from Portugal and Tunisia be explained by genetic and morphological traits?

Bulletin of Entomological Research ◽

10.1017/s0007485315000437 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 106 (1) ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

A. Bellahirech ◽

M.L. Inácio ◽

F. Nóbrega ◽

J. Henriques ◽

L. Bonifácio ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Morphological Traits ◽

Nucleotide Composition ◽

Quercus Suber ◽

Genetic Differences ◽

Cork Oak ◽

Protective Measures ◽

Mediterranean Countries ◽

Oak Trees ◽

Coi Sequences ◽

Wood Borer

AbstractPlatypus cylindrusis an important wood borer of cork oak trees (Quercus suber) in the Mediterranean region, namely Portugal, Morocco and Algeria where its presence has drastically increased in the past few decades. On the contrary, the insect is not a relevant pest in Tunisia. The aim of this work is to analyze morphological and genetic differences among Tunisian and Portuguese populations in order to understand their role in the diverse population dynamics (e.g., aggressiveness) of the insect. The information could be used as a novel tool to implement protective measures. Insects were collected from cork oak stands in Tunisia (Ain Beya, Babouch and Mzara) and Portugal (Chamusca and Crato). Morphological traits of female and male mycangial pits were determined, using scanning electron microscopy but no significant differences were found. Genetic differences were analyzed using nuclear (internal simple sequence repeat polymerase chain reaction) and mitochondrial (cytochrome oxidase I (COI)) molecular markers. The results showed a very low level of intraspecific polymorphism and genetic diversity. The alignment of COI sequences showed high percentage of identical sites (99%) indicating a very low variation in nucleotide composition. Other variables related with the ecology of the insect and its associated fungi must be studied for a better understanding of the differences in the insect population's dynamic in Mediterranean countries.

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Post-release habitat utilisation by Francolinus bicalcaratus ayesha, a critically endangered subspecies endemic to Morocco: implications for optimising future release programmes

Bird Conservation International ◽

10.1017/s0959270915000118 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 26 (3) ◽

pp. 323-336 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

SAÂD HANANE ◽

NAJIB MAGRI

Keyword(s):

Habitat Selection ◽

Ecological Factors ◽

Release Site ◽

Quercus Suber ◽

Cork Oak ◽

Critically Endangered ◽

North West ◽

Oak Trees ◽

Auditory Detection ◽

Cork Oak Forest

SummaryCharacterising the habitat use of released captive-bred birds is required to help optimise future avian reintroduction programmes. The critically endangered Double-spurred Francolin Francolinus bicalcaratus ayesha is endemic to north-west Morocco, where it inhabits forests of cork oak Quercus suber. To improve the viability of this threatened population, 300 captive-bred francolins were released into a game reserve, and post-release monitoring was conducted. This study aimed to identify habitat variables determining the habitat selection of the Double-spurred Francolin. Auditory detection was used during transect surveys of calling males to locate birds and their habitat occupation. Comparison of occupied and random plots showed that this bird is found mostly in flat topography with high cover of shrubs and dense cork oak trees, and close to the release site and water points. Conservation of Double-spurred Francolin depends on the choice of the release point within the cork oak forest, which should be in proximity to suitable cover of cork oak trees, shrubs and water points. Such choices would allow a rapid adaptation to prevailing conditions within release sites. Further multi-scale studies are needed to improve our understanding of the effects of ecological factors on the processes of habitat selection by this endemic subspecies.

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Effect of climate change on the spatial distribution and cork production of Quercus suber L., the risk of exclusion by the Aleppo pine expansion, and management practices to protect Q. suber habitat: A review

Notulae Botanicae Horti Agrobotanici Cluj-Napoca ◽

10.15835/nbha49112218 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 49 (1) ◽

pp. 12218

Author(s):

Kaouther MECHERGUI ◽

Wahbi JAOUADI ◽

Amal S. ALTAMIMI ◽

Souheila NAGHMOUCHI ◽

Youssef AMMARI

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Spatial Distribution ◽

Management Practices ◽

Quercus Suber ◽

Cork Oak ◽

Aleppo Pine ◽

Cork Production ◽

Future Global Warming ◽

The Future ◽

The Mediterranean

Climate change represents an important challenge for forest management and the silviculture of stands and it is known that climate change will have complex effects on cork oak forest ecosystems. North Africa and the Mediterranean basin are especially vulnerable to climate change. Under the effect of climate change, cork oak will disappear from a large area in the future, and the rest will migrate to higher altitudes and latitudes. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of climate change on the spatial distribution of Quercus suber L. and cork production in the Mediterranean area, and the risk of its exclusion by the Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis Mill.) expansion. The literature review showed that up to 40% of current environmentally suitable areas for cork oak may be lost by 2070, mainly in northern Africa and the southern Iberian Peninsula. Temperature directly influences atmospheric evaporative demand and should affect cork productivity. Precipitation is the main factor that positively influences cork growth and several authors have confirmed the negative effect of drought on this growth. Currently, cork oak habitats are colonized in several places mainly by the Aleppo pine. Under climate change, Aleppo pine is projected to occupy higher altitude sites and several authors have predicted that current and future global warming will have a positive influence on Aleppo pine growth in wet sites. In the future and under climate change, there is a strong possibility that the Aleppo pine will colonize cork oak habitat. Finally, we proposed management practices to protect cork oak against climate change and Aleppo pine expansion.

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Characterization of Cork Oak (Quercus Suber) Wood Anatomy

IAWA Journal ◽

10.1163/22941932-90000210 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 30 (2) ◽

pp. 149-161 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Vicelina B. Sousa ◽

Sofia Leal ◽

Teresa Quilhó ◽

Helena Pereira

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Area ◽

Vessel Diameter ◽

Structural Features ◽

Quercus Suber ◽

Cork Oak ◽

Oak Wood ◽

Cork Production ◽

Water Conduction ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

Perforation Plates

The cork oak (Quercus suber L.) is important for ecological and socioeconomic sustainability and nature conservation in the Mediterranean area. Anatomical and structural features of cork oak wood were characterized at two sites in Portugal, including never-debarked trees and trees under cork production. Cork oak wood showed semi-ring porosity, solitary vessels with simple perforation plates, and large rays. Vessels were arranged in a diagonal to radial pattern, larger and more abundant in earlywood, and gradually decreasing in intermediate and latewood. In trees under cork production vessel distribution and frequency were altered, with more frequent and smaller pores, and a less distinct porosity pattern. Vessel diameter, element length and frequency were 133 ± 49 μm, 433 ± 103 μm and 2.9 ± 0.5 vessels/mm2 for never-debarked trees and 139 ± 50 μm, 341 ± 100 μm and 5.1 ± 1.5 vessels/mm2 for debarked trees. Multiseriate ray width ranged 0.15–1.04 mm, and uniseriate ray height 9.1–791.3 μm. Fibres had a mean length of 1.15 ± 0.20 mm. Vasicentric tracheids were frequent. Tyloses and crystals were commonly present. The anatomical features of cork oak wood favour water conduction and mechanisms of drought adaptation to the Mediterranean climate. The wood can also adapt to cork removal.

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Endemic and Emerging Pathogens Threatening Cork Oak Trees: Management Options for Conserving a Unique Forest Ecosystem

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pdis-03-16-0408-fe ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 100 (11) ◽

pp. 2184-2193 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

Salvatore Moricca ◽

Benedetto T. Linaldeddu ◽

Beatrice Ginetti ◽

Bruno Scanu ◽

Antonio Franceschini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Basin ◽

Rural Landscape ◽

Cork Oak ◽

Oak Forests ◽

Oak Decline ◽

Primary Role ◽

Emerging Pathogens ◽

Management Options ◽

Oak Trees ◽

Cork Production

Cork oak (Quercus suber) forests are economically and culturally intertwined with the inhabitants of the Mediterranean basin and characterize its rural landscape. These forests cover over two million hectares in the western Mediterranean basin and sustain a rich biodiversity of endemisms as well as representing an important source of income derived from cork production. Currently cork oak forests are threatened by several factors including human-mediated disturbances such as poor or inappropriate management practices, adverse environmental conditions (irregular water regime with prolonged drought periods), and attacks of pathogens and pests. All these adverse factors can interact, causing a complex disease commonly known as “oak decline.” Despite the numerous investigations carried out so far, decline continues to be the main pathological problem of cork oak forests because of its complex etiology and the resulting difficulties in defining suitable control strategies. An overview of the literature indicates that several pathogenic fungi and oomycota can play a primary role in the etiology of this syndrome. Therefore, the aim of this review is to analyze the recent advances achieved regarding the bio-ecology of the endemic and emerging pathogens that threaten cork oak trees with particular emphasis on the species more directly involved in oak decline. Moreover, the effect of climate change on the host-pathogen interactions, a task fundamental for making useful decisions and managing cork oak forests properly, is considered.

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First Report of Canker Disease Caused by Botryosphaeria parva on Cork Oak Trees in Italy

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pdis-91-3-0324a ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 91 (3) ◽

pp. 324-324 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

B. T. Linaldeddu ◽

A. Franceschini ◽

J. Luque ◽

A. J. L. Phillips

Keyword(s):

Elongation Factor ◽

Quercus Suber ◽

Cork Oak ◽

Width Ratio ◽

Canker Disease ◽

First Report ◽

Oak Trees ◽

Mycelial Plug ◽

Pathogenicity Tests ◽

Length Width

A survey was carried out in the spring of 2003 to study the fungi associated with declining trees in a cork oak (Quercus suber L.) forest located in Sassari Province, Sardinia, Italy (40°52′N, 9°01′E) at an altitude of 150 m (above sea level). Several isolates obtained from live twigs and branches showing sunken necrotic bark lesions were identified as Fusicoccum parvum Pennycook & Samuels (teleomorph Botryosphaeria parva Pennycook & Samuels). Neither pycnidia nor ascomata were observed on the symptomatic samples collected. On potato dextrose agar (PDA) at 25°C, the isolates developed an aerial and compact mycelium, initially white but becoming gray after 4 to 6 days, and produced pycnidia after 1 month on sterile cork oak twigs placed on the surface of PDA. Conidia from culture were hyaline, ellipsoidal to fusiform, externally smooth, thin walled, nonseptate, 12 to 19 (15.5) × 5.5 to 8.5 (6.5) μm, with length/width ratio of 2.4 ± 0.1 (mean ± standard error). Identity was confirmed by analysis of the nucleotide sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) from the rRNA repeat and the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (EF1-α), as done elsewhere (1,4). BLAST searches at GenBank showed a high identity with reference sequences (ITS: >99%; EF1-α: 100%). Representative sequences of both regions were deposited at GenBank (ITS: Accession No. DQ487157; EF1-α: Accession No. DQ487158). Pathogenicity tests were carried out on seven 2-year-old cork oak seedlings maintained in a greenhouse at 14 to 26°C with the B. parva strain CBS 119937 obtained in this study. A mycelial plug (3 to 4 mm2) taken from the margin of an actively growing colony on PDA was put in a shallow wound made by a scalpel on the basal part of the stem of each seedling. Sterile PDA plugs were placed into similar wounds on three control seedlings. The inoculation points were wrapped in Parafilm to retain moisture for 1 week. After 4 weeks, all seedlings inoculated with B. parva died and showed a collapse of the stem cortical tissues associated with dark brown discolorations and vascular necrosis measuring 10.9 ± 0.4 cm. No symptoms were visible in the control seedlings. The pathogen was reisolated from all the inoculated seedlings, thus fulfilling Koch's postulates. The results confirm the virulence of this fungus and point to its possible involvement in the aetiology of cork oak decline. B. parva is a cosmopolitan, plurivorous pathogen causing disease in several hosts of economic importance, such as grapevine (3), kiwi (2), and Eucalyptus spp. trees (1). To our knowledge, this is the first report of B. parva causing canker disease on cork oak trees. References: (1) A. Gezahgne et al. S. Afr. J. Bot. 70:241, 2004. (2) S. R. Pennycook and G. J. Samuels. Mycotaxon 24:445, 1985. (3) A. J. L. Phillips. Phytopathol. Mediterr. 41:3, 2002. (4) B. Slippers et al. Mycologia 96:83, 2004.

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Raffaelea quercina sp. nov. Associated with Cork Oak (Quercus suber L.) Decline in Portugal

Forests ◽

10.3390/f12040513 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (4) ◽

pp. 513

Author(s):

Maria L. Inácio ◽

José Marcelino ◽

Arlindo Lima ◽

Edmundo Sousa ◽

Filomena Nóbrega

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Basin ◽

Quercus Suber ◽

Cork Oak ◽

Ambrosia Beetle ◽

Distribution Area ◽

Oak Decline ◽

Ambrosia Beetles ◽

Oak Trees ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

The Mediterranean Basin

Research Highlights: Raffaelea quercina sp. nov. is an ophiostomatoid fungus isolated from the ambrosia beetle Platypus cylindrus. The species occurs in symptomatic Portuguese cork oak trees, (Quercus suber L.), exhibiting vegetative decline. Background and Objectives: Quercus suber L. is a species restricted to the Mediterranean basin, of special economic importance as it constitutes the crucial raw material for the cork production industry, in particular for Portugal, the world’s leading producer. Over the last three decades a progressive and alarming decline of cork oak trees has been observed across its distribution area, including Portugal. The ambrosia beetle Platypus cylindrus, commonly known as the oak pinhole borer, establishes symbiotic relationships with fungi from which it depends for survival and for oak colonization. Some of these fungi are ophiostomatoid species of the Raffaelea genus, known as ambrosia fungi associated with ambrosia beetles. Some Raffaelea species exhibit phytopathogenic activity causing wilting and/or death of trees. The objective of the present study is to identify the association between P. cylindrus and Raffaelea species in Portuguese cork oak stands showing symptoms of disease and decline. Materials and Methods: A total of 300 adult insects were collected as they emerged from cork oak logs, sampled from symptomatic trees. Axenic isolates of Raffaelea species were obtained from the beetles and their galleries in the trunks and identified based on morphological features and molecular analysis of the SSU and LSU rDNA regions. Results: Two Raffaelea species were identified, i.e., R. montetyi and a novel Raffaelea species closely related to R. canadensis. The novel species is morphologically and genetically characterized in this study, and erected as Raffaelea quercina M.L. Inácio, E. Sousa & F. Nóbrega, sp. nov. Raffaelea quercina constitutes a new phytopathogenic fungal species associated with P. cylindrus and cork oak trees exhibiting symptoms of vegetative decline. Conclusions: Raffaelea species appear to have a significant role in cork oak decline. Future research on the association between P. cylindrus and Raffaelea species, encompassing the trans-European and North African wide-range of cork oak stands, would further clarify the relationships between ambrosia beetles, associated fungi and cork oak decline, contributing to a better understanding of the phenomena and for strategies aiming to halt the continuous decline of the unique cork oak stands enclosed in the Mediterranean basin.

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