Effects of Chemical Soil Characteristics, Air Temperature and Precipitation on Pinus pinea Growth in Southern Inland Portugal

Abstract

Pinus pinea is widely distributed in the Mediterranean basin. In Portugal, it is predominantly located in the southwestern coastal area. Yet, there are also forest areas of Pinus pinea in inland southern Portugal. Four plots were settled to study the effects of soil chemical characteristics, air temperature and precipitation on Pinus pinea growth. In these plots, stand structure, soil texture, soil organic matter, soil content on macronutrients and micronutrients, air temperature and precipitation were analysed. The results indicate that the greatest growth was achieved in the plots with good availability of nutrients and the highest precipitation, whereas the lowest growth was observed in the plots with the lowest precipitation. There seems to be a trend toward the main limiting factor to Pinus pinea growth being the availability of water.