Climate-driven variations in productivity reveal adaptive strategies in Iberian cork oak agroforestry systems

Abstract

Cork oak agroforestry systems (AFS) have been managed for centuries by humans to produce cork and other goods and services and have recently been recognised as an important reservoir for biodiversity improvement and conservation. However, despite having recently been included as a natural habitat of community-wide interest within the EU Habitats Directive, these systems are in a critical situation of decline. Among other factors, they are strongly threatened by climate change, the effects of which are also expected to be particularly severe in the Mediterranean region. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the influence of climate variability by examining primary production indicators and also to analyse whether the geographical location may have a role in the incidence of the adverse effects of climate.