TOUR DU VALAT

A research centre for the conservation of Mediterranean wetlands




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Temporary marsh pools

A temporary pool threatened by invasion from surrounding, shrubby vegetation

Project leader: Christian PERENNOU (See the CV)

Team:

Philippe Chauvelon, Emilien Duborper, Dominique Felisiak, Perrine Gauthier, Christiane Jakob, Marc Pichaud, Mouhssine Rhazi, Alain Sandoz, Nicole Yavercovski


Mediterranean temporary pools & marshes host a very rich flora and fauna (especially invertebrates and amphibians), with many species being adapted to annual dry-up and to huge inter-annual hydrological fluctuations. Drying-up plays a key role in the way these ecosystems function, and it is virtually compulsory.
From 2001 to 2005, Tour du Valat carried out an integrated research and conservation programme on temporary pools, targeting rare species (especially amphibious plants) and the impact of socio-economic factors. A second major component dealt with the management and conservation of selected sites.

Through scientific research as well as more applied works, the project aimed at :

  • improving knowledge on key issues for the conservation of temporary pools, on population genetics and dynamics (plants, amphibians), and on inter-annual vegetation dynamics
  • experimental management of various sites, together with scientific monitoring : shrub removal, control through grazing/ cutting, pool restoration…
  • a reinforced protection on the field of many pools.

Contents:


Issues :

The pools’ small size, their dispersed distribution and the temporary presence of water make temporary pools unattractive habitats, even compared to « usual » wetlands. Consequently their biodiversity wealth is often not recognized. This reinforces numerous threats that are already acting:

  • destruction through in-filling or drainage for agricultural or urban developments ,
  • degradation through qualitative or quantitative changes of their hydrology, including in their watershed,
  • degradation through the natural evolution of vegetation : shrub encroachment following the abandonment of extensive cattle husbandry in the north ; overgrazing in the south …

Activities:

The project helped establish:

  • a synthesis of issues at stake for temporary pools in the Mediterranean basin ;
  • improved knowledge on the genetics of small, fragmented populations of rare plants (e.g. Marsilea strigosa) ;
  • improved knowledge on the population dynamics of rare plants : Elatine brochoni in Morocco, Cressa cretica on the Tour du Valat estate; also for some amphibians such as the threatened Marbled Newt Triturus marmoratus in the Roque-Haute Nature Reserve ;
  • inter-annual vegetation dynamics of temporary pools in Morocco.
  • various operations of experimental management together with scientific monitoring : shrub removal, control through grazing/ cutting, pool restoration…

During this programme, an important LIFE project for the protection and management of various sites was implemented in Southern France, aiming at transferring the results from such results towards a broad spectrum of stakeholders: the general public, site managers (e.g. foresters; NGOs; Reserves managers…), elected representatives… This project LIFE was carried out in 1999-2004, in partnership with a dozen of other organisations in Southern France (see below).
The project has attained its objectives overall and the following results may be highlighted:

  • Control has been established over 85 ha of land, and this has been supplemented by control over the usage of an additional 3,170 ha through management agreements. At one of the sites (Valliguières), direct control of the management has been achieved on 98% of the Natura 2000 site.
  • Various experimental management activities, accompanied by scientific monitoring, have enabled effective management methods to be perfected (scrub clearing, grazing/mowing, pond restoration, etc.). Transfers of experiences have taken place between project sites. The results have been developed, for application throughout the Mediterranean, in the form of a very comprehensive management guide (2 volumes), an international conference, and the establishment of links with project leaders of similar projects around the Mediterranean.
  • Various additional management activities (removal of refuse/infrastructure, removal of introduced species, etc.) have been undertaken, to put a stop to the threats faced by a number of sites.
  • A strong network of professionals working at the seven sites has been established and has developed permanent links.
  • The temporary pools, which had formerly received hardly any attention on these seven sites, from local residents, elected representatives or even some managers, are now viewed as a major challenge for which a range of planning documentation and practices have been implemented: woodland management, control of fires, revisions of the planning and zoning procedures (POS/PLU).
  • At the international level, a specific Ramsar Convention (http://www.ramsar.org/) resolution has been developed by the project (http://www.ramsar.org/res/key_res_viii_33_en.pdf). Spain has subsequently designated several Ramsar temporary pool sites, and Corsica has proposed one.
  • Local LIFE operators have acquired technical competence and local legitimacy, which has enabled them to be designated as operators of the Natura 2000 Objectives Document; all the management plans produced by the LIFE project are well on their way to being approved as Objectives Documents. The partnerships established with local councils have often enabled anxieties related to Natura 2000 to be allayed.
  • An initial inventory of the Mediterranean temporary pools of the south of France has been drawn up: it includes nearly a thousand, which are well-covered overall by the Natura 2000 network.
  • Almost all the partners have initiated medium-term projects and activities at six of the seven LIFE sites, in addition to regional initiatives that extend widely beyond the sites, notably in Corsica: LIFE sites have “spread like wildfire” (detailed regional inventories, projects similar to LIFE at additional sites).

Partners:


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