Climatic and Anthropogenic Drivers of Forest Succession in the Iberian Pyrenees during the Last 500 Years: A Statistical Approach

Forest succession in the Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Iberian Pyrenees, has been significantly influenced by both climatic and anthropogenic factors over the last 500 years. The study reveals that dominant tree taxa such as Quercus, Betula, and Pinus exhibit strong relationships with summer temperature, drought, and autumn precipitation, showing immediate and delayed responses to these climatic drivers. A notable closed path in regional succession was identified, transitioning from pine-dominated forests due to human-induced clearing (16th–18th centuries) to natural forest recovery (18th–20th centuries), driven by reduced human pressure and rising temperatures. This statistical analysis provides critical insights for predicting future successional trends under changing climates, highlighting the complexity of ecological relationships and the need to address response lags in future research.

Rull, V., & Vegas-Vilarrúbia, T. (2022). Climatic and Anthropogenic Drivers of Forest Succession in the Iberian Pyrenees during the Last 500 Years: A Statistical Approach. Forests, 13(4), 622. https://doi.org/10.3390/f13040622