How far surface water fluxes determine restoration success in Mediterranean degraded areas? Implications for dryland precision restoration

Drylands functioning depends on water fluxes and the retention of resources. The restoration degraded areas should mimic natural arrangement vegetation in landscape a source-sink pattern. Reintroducing key woody seedlings through planting is major concern ecological as these often exceed degradation thresholds ecosystem functions are limited. However, it not clear how might determine performance species. We have analyzed microcatchment surface area spots with without optimization treatment (waterproof surfaces dry wells) survival growth Olea europaea during six years after semiarid landscape. recorded positive effect seedling highlighting limitation sites. did observe linear relationship between collecting plant performance. higher lower capacity pitch suggesting loss integrity hole structure. Water treatments were especially effective when low. These results be useful for designing precision actions landscapes.