Guadalajara Province Research Articles

Geological factors of the Guadalajara landscapes (Central Spain) and their relevance to landscape studies

The landscapes of a territory are the consequence of its history; overlapped geological, vegetable and cultural histories usually exist on a landscape. At the Mediterranean domain, however, a translucent vegetation exists, and its history is closely related to the geologic and cultural histories, because low-technology agricultural uses on a different hardness rock background control vegetation. Thus, in areas like the Guadalajara province, the geologic composition and the human activities can be considered the primary conditions for landscape configuration. Both condition the typologies, distribution and relative importance of the geotic, biotic and anthropogenic components of landscapes. A complex network of interrelations among all them exists but, in the base of which lie the geology of the territory, included relief, because it has a more independent influence since man cannot modify the geologic factors; such as the colour of the rocks, the size and distribution of rock bodies, the palaeogeographic domains and the tectonic structure all which control landscape development and configuration. Moreover, geology influences conditions and even limit, the presence, typologies and development of the biotic and anthropogenic elements. These factors also have a major relevance for environmental management, educational and economic policy, and, in some cases, for environmental impact assessment.

Sedimentology of Quaternary perched springline and paludal tufas: criteria for recognition, with examples from Guadalajara Province, Spain

AbstractOutcrop‐scale geometries and bed relationships of ambient temperature freshwater carbonates are poorly understood because many described tufas have been dismantled by erosion and present only part of a particular depositional model. At the field scale, four end‐member models encompass the tufa continuum: (1) perched springline; (2) paludal; (3) fluvial; and (4) lacustrine tufas. Individual bed types can occur with variable dominance within several of these models, but one or more beds are characteristically dominant only within a single tufa model, so it can be differentiated from relatively isolated outcrop fragments. Two models (perched springline tufas and paludal tufas) are known in outline only in the literature despite being present within the Quaternary deposits of most karstic regions. Perched springline tufas generally form lobate, fan‐shaped mound morphologies on hillslopes and develop from single or multiple spring resurgences. Mature deposits show a subhorizontal top and a steep face on the downflow side. The steep outer zones of tufa mounds may be developed into cascades with moss curtains or can be dominated by shallow rimstone pools according to face angle. Tufa deposits lying downslope of the mounds are usually detrital in nature, especially if some dismantling of the mound has occurred. The relatively thin subhorizontal lobe‐top deposits commonly contain organic‐rich deposits. Paludal tufas develop predominantly in waterlogged valley bottom situations, where line‐sourced waters emerge from valley side and bottom aquifers. Lime mud precipitation predominates in these sites. Mud is deposited as subhorizontal laminites that thin towards the valley axis and downstream of resurgences. Tufa spring‐mounds may form where lesser volumes of water are involved. Individual tussocks (phytoherm cushions) of grasses and rushes are the most diagnostic feature of the model, but sapropels and peats may be intercalated. Diagenesis in both models is rapid. Lithification of individual beds is virtually instantaneous and always occurs before the decay of the associated living vegetation. The resulting highly porous and permeable fabrics remain fresh in Holocene tufas, but aggrading neomorphism and partial spar infill of vegetation moulds is common in older deposits. Dissolution in many perched springline tufas is small scale. Many large cavities are primary, but with later coatings of speleothems. Early removal of organics from paludal tufas is responsible for autobrecciation and differential compaction.

Prevalencia de hepatitis A en la provincia de Guadalajara. ¿Es España un país de baja endemia?

Spain, together with the other southern European countries, was considered to be an area with a moderate degree of endemia. This fact has consequences for tourists that visit these areas and for vaccination strategies. A prevalence study was proposed in order to get to know the situation of this infection in the Guadalajara province. 284 specimens of serum were taken from patients who were classified according to their age, sex and place of residence (with more or less than 10.000 inhabitants). In these specimens the presence of hepatitis A antibodies were studied, using a Microparticule Enzyme Immunoassay (MEIA) (Abbott). An increase in the prevalence was observed in older people, there is a low prevalence population (</= 5%) in people aged between 0-29 years and a high prevalence population (>80%) in adults aged between 30 and 74 years. No differences were observed related to sex. In the stratified analysis according to age, differences were observed between the groups from rural and urban origins. The low prevalence of hepatitis A was found among the younger population, as seen in other studies carried out on a national level, and this together with a decrease in the frequency, means that Spain is included among the countries with low endemia. This fact has consequences for tourists who visit our country and for vaccination strategies, due to the increase in the number of adults who are susceptible to the infection.

Rhetoric and reality of reforestation methods for soil and water conservation in Guadalajara (Spain)

Foresters have played an important part in the Spanish national strategy against land degradation. It might be expected that after the changes restored political democracy in Spain in the late 1970s, a reorganization of the way the planning and implementation of soil and water conservation projects through reforestation would be changed. This paper considers the case of Guadalajara province as an example of the way in which reforestation has been effected at national level, and the consequences for the ecosystem. It examines how, since the 1940s, the technical methods used by forestry technicians have changed from concerns with protection to those of wood production. Although reforestation methods for wood production have been recognized as detrimental to soil and water conservation, they continue to be used even in the face of considerable opposition by local people and environmental pressure groups. The paper concludes that claims for soil protection mask a policy of wood production, excluding affected people from the decision-making process. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Participatory methods of data collection for soil and water conservation planning through reforestation in Guadalajara (Spain) / Méthodes participatives de collecte des données pour la planification de la conservation du sol et de l'eau par la reforestation à Guadalajara

This paper considers that the field methods of data gathering it uses constitute a reliable form of explanation of the socio-economic processes of land degradation in Guadalajara Province and a possible form of eliminating long standing barriers of distrust between Government forestry planners and land users in Spain. The paper shows that the involvement of respondents in the construction of the list of questions used in field work reduced distrust, helped to explain the socio-economic processes of land degradation (as seen by land users) and raised their interest in participation and organisation. The paper argues that these participatory methods of data gathering, if adopted by Government officials in their stages of planning, can result in a more effective form of reforestation and soil and water conservation.

STAGES OF PLANT SUCCESSION IN FAGUS SYLVATICA L. AND PINUS SYLVESTRIS L. FORESTS OF TEJERA NEGRA NATURAL PARK (CENTRAL SPAIN), THREE YEARS AFTER FIRE

In August 1991 a fire in Tejera Negra Natural Park (Guadalajara Province, Central Spain) burned 300 ha. A study of the stages of succession inFagus sylvaticaL. andPinns sylvestrisL. forests was carried out during the first 3 years after the fire (1992–1994) in order to evaluate the dynamics of floristic richness, vegetation cover, diversity, plant density, and fugacity of the colonizing species by sampling of 10 permanent plots. Two years after the fire, vegetation cover in the burnt plots was similar to that of unburnt plots. However, floristic richness, diversity, and fugacity values were significantly higher in the burnt plots. At the end of the study,Fagus sylvaticawas replaced byGenista floridashrubs andPinus sylvestriswas replaced byCytisus scoparius.

The SLOSS dilemma: a butterfly case study

Butterfly species richness is examined on simulated archipelagoes of 2, 3, 4 and 5 holm oak forest fragments in the Guadalajara Province (central Spain). It is shown that there are more species on several small ‘islands’ than on a single island. Also, species number increases with the number of fragments that form the archipelago, and with the average distance between islands within the archipelago. Thus, we conclude, at least for butterflies in a system of fragmented holm oak forests in central Iberia, that the best strategy in order to maximize the conservation of species richness is the creation of a net of some small and scattered reserves.

Landscape changes as visible indicators in the social, economic and political process of soil erosion: A case study of the municipality of puebla de valles (Guadalajara Province), Spain

AbstractThis paper proposes a methodological approach to data gathering as a sound basis for understanding land degradation processes, breaking down barriers of distrust between Government officials and land users, and promoting participation in planning for soil and water conservation. It examines how landscape changes, of value as indicators of erosion, are perceived by land users and can be used in planning. It is proposed that the participation of land users in the construction of questionnaires, data gathering, analysis and writing up of the findings are examples of the participatory initial stages in planning.