The Role of Gorse (<i>Ulex parviflorus</i> Pourr. Scrubs) in a Mediterranean Shrubland Undergoing Climate Change: Approach by Hyperspectral Measurements

The goal of this study was to observe the neighbor effect of Gorse, a plant of the Fabaceae family, on three typical species of Mediterranean shrubland: kermes oak, white Cistus and rosemary. For this purpose, a hyperspectral analysis and the application of vegetation indices (VIs) were carried out. We provide the spectral signature of Gorse, which differs mainly from that of its companion species in the band between 700 and 1350 nm. This supposed Gorse effect was tested in natural conditions and in conditions of forced drought to simulate the effects of the climate change predicted for the Mediterranean Basin. Field spectrometry demonstrated the existence of such interactions between the four species. In control stands, the presence of Gorse significantly modifies the spectral responses of kermes, white Cistus and rosemary, mainly in the near-infrared region (700–1350 nm). Both tri- and tetra-specific plant assemblages also exhibited spectral changes, suggesting an indirect effect of Gorse. Under drought conditions, one-way ANOVA followed by Fisher’s LSD test led us to identify the features involved in plants’ coexistence with Gorse. The Cistus albidus reflectance spectrum was clearly increased in the presence of Gorse in rain-exclusion conditions. The application of several VIs allowed us to extract new information on the variation of spectral signatures. Unexpectedly, nitrogen supply by Gorse was not shown, except for Cistus, as shown by the VI NDVI (N) analysis. However, this study proved that Gorse can modify the behavior of its companion species in controls, but also in drought conditions, by increasing their photosynthesis activity (NIRvP) and water content (ratio R975/R900). Gorse therefore appears as a key species in the ecosystem of the Mediterranean shrubland, but its high vulnerability to drought leaves a vacant ecological niche in plant communities. While the spectral reflectance increases linearly with the specific richness in the lack of any disturbance, by contrast, climate aridification imposes a double reciprocal profile. This clearly means that multispecific plant communities cope better with climate change. Nevertheless, knowledge of the underlying mechanisms requires further structural, chemical, and biochemical investigation