Integrated by the National Park and the Sierra Nevada Natural Park, it covers an area of 172,238 hectares divided into three very different habitats: the high mountain area, dominated by rocky outcrops and natural crevices, the mid-mountain area, occupied by deciduous forests such as oak, maple, cherry and chestnut trees, and the lower areas, where holm oak and riparian forests can be found. In terms of the anthropic variable, the natural area has small villages located in the lower areas of the slopes, mainly with an agricultural and livestock farming tradition.
The Feral cats project (LWE2103011) is planned to be carried out in these 3 environments:
- Estimate the level of penetrability of domestic cats in natural and/or semi-natural environments from potential sources (urban centres and country houses) using photo-trapping databases and detailed tracking of individuals with GPS collars.
- Determine the diet of domestic cats in different natural, semi-natural or rural environments, estimating the frequency of predation on wild species in an attempt to quantify the impact of predation by domestic cats on biodiversity.
Within the projects Role of silvopastoral practices in conservation and Geodatabase, spacial model and Integration into VRE (LWE2103026 and LWE2103027), 6 livestock farms located on both slopes of the Sierra are studied. On the northern slopes, selected livestock graze from the mid-mountain areas to the high mountain areas. Different plant communities develop in them: mid-mountain scrubland, herbaceous perennial pastures, holm oak groves, reforestation pine forests, and even high mountain scrubland (piornales) and wet high mountain pastures. On the southern slope, five livestock farms have been selected, which in addition to grazing in ecosystems similar to those mentioned above, include others located in drier basal areas (esparto grasslands, albaldiares). The altitudinal range of the study areas in the Sierra Nevada extend from 500 to 2600 m.
In this environment, WP8 will study atmospheric gases (CO2, CH4 and N2O) and gases dissolved in water (O2, N2 and Ar) isotopically. Estimates of primary production by GPP18O (photosynthesis/respiration balances) of some marshes and the Guadalquivir river. Isotopic analysis of tree rings will also be carried out to study changes in water use efficiency and the effects of Global Change, as well as water and dissolved compounds: nitrates, nitrites, ammonium, DIC, DOC, sulphates, etc.