Spontaneous Primary Succession and Vascular Plant Recovery in the Iberian Gypsum Quarries: Insights for Ecological Restoration in an EU Priority Habitat Mota, Juan Francisco Mendoza Fernández, Antonio Jesús Gypsophile Gypsum mining Passive restoration Permanent plots Species-Area Relationships (SAR) Successional chronosequence The following supporting information can be downloaded at: https:// www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/plants12051162/s1, Figure S1: Variation in species richness through- out the chronosequence; Figure S2: Location of the sampled gypsum quarries in which spontaneous succession processes were recognized (black stars). Grey, Iberian gypsum outcrops with gypsicolous vegetation [48 ], and blue Spanish gypsum mining concessions (https://www.igme.es/); Table S1: Acronyms, scientific names, degree of gypsophily (according to Mota et al. [48]) of the 183 species recorded in the plots (MAJ = plots of the chronosequences according to the year; R = plots of the restoration; S = scrubland). 1 = presence; 0 = absence. This research was possible by Projects ‘Comparative metabarcoding of the rhizosphere in three singular edaphic environments exploited by mining: bases for sustainable development/ UAL2020-RNM-B2007’, and through the projects ‘Assessment, Monotoring and Applied Scientific Research for Ecological Restoration of Gypsum Mining Concessions (Majadas Viejas and Marylen) and Spreading of Results (ECORESGYP)’ sponsored by the company EXPLOTACIONES RÍO DE AGUAS S.L. (Torralba Group) and funded by European Union’s Horizon 2020 (H2020-MSCA-RISE-777803) We thank Beatrice Antolin for reviewing the English translation of the text. Gypsum covers a vast area of the Iberian Peninsula, making Spain a leader in its production. Gypsum is a fundamental raw material for modern societies. However, gypsum quarries have an obvious impact on the landscape and biodiversity. Gypsum outcrops host a high percentage of endemic plants and unique vegetation, considered a priority by the EU. Restoring gypsum areas after mining is a key strategy to prevent biodiversity loss. For the implementation of restoration approaches, understanding vegetation’s successional processes can be of invaluable help. To fully document the spontaneous succession in gypsum quarries and to evaluate its interest for restoration, 10 permanent plots of 20 × 50 m were proposed, with nested subplots, in which vegetation change was recorded for 13 years in Almeria (Spain). Through Species-Area Relationships (SARs), these plots’ floristic changes were monitored and compared to others in which an active restoration was carried out, as well as others with natural vegetation. Furthermore, the successional pattern found was compared to those recorded in 28 quarries distributed throughout the Spanish territory. The results show that an ecological pattern of spontaneous primary auto-succession is widely recurring in Iberian gypsum quarries, which is capable of regenerating the pre-existing natural vegetation. 2023-05-11T07:21:55Z 2023-05-11T07:21:55Z 2023-03-03 journal article Mota, J.F.; Martínez- Hernández, F.; Salmerón-Sánchez, E.; Mendoza-Fernández, A.J.; Pérez-García, F.J.; Merlo, M.E. Spontaneous Primary Succession and Vascular Plant Recovery in the Iberian Gypsum Quarries: Insights for Ecological Restoration in an EU Priority Habitat. Plants 2023, 12, 1162. [https://doi.org/10.3390/ plants12051162] https://hdl.handle.net/10481/81450 10.3390/ plants12051162 eng info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/H2020/MSCA-RISE-777803 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ open access Atribución 4.0 Internacional MDPI