Bolete Productivity of Cistaceous Scrublands in Northwestern Spain1

Bolete Productivity of Cistaceous Scrublands in Northwestern Spain. Cistaceous scrublands dominated by Cistus ladanifer and Halimium lasianthum are widely distributed in northwestern Spain and are known to harbor the popular edible mushrooms Boletus edulis and B. aereus. As commercial harvest of these species is an important activity in Spain's forests, in some cases generating greater revenue than timber production, we tried to determine whether there is commercial potential for bolete harvest in young cistaceous scrublands. Transects of 50 m x 2 m were randomly established in cistaceous scrublands and bolete yield was measured. High production of these valuable mushrooms was associated with 3-year-old plants, a much earlier onset than observed for Pinus and Quercus stands. Management recommendations for the studied scrub ecosystems are proposed that take into account the economic value of the mushrooms.