Soil bioengineering is the use of living plant materials to perform some engineering function, from simple erosion control with hydroseeding to more complex slope stabilization with willows and other plants (Schiechtl 1980).
Pioneering woody species are of particular importance in the development of bioengineering systems. In Mediterranean countries the water stress resulting from a dry summer is a limiting factor for plant success, and the plant selection for bioengineering should consider the more suitable native species.
To my knowledge there is a PhD project in the University of Lisbon (ISA - Carlo Bifulco under the supervision of Prof. Francisco Rego). I don't know other projects on this specific area, but there are much work being done by Prof. Ramon Vallejo (Universid Barcelone) on plants suitable for recultivation and also by Dr Santiago Soliveres Codina (Universid Rey Juan Carlos?)
The Centre for Applied Ecology "Prof. Baeta Neves" (CEABN) of the Institute of Agronomy (University of Lisbon) has a PhD student working on that subject. More info here: http://www.isa.utl.pt/ceabn/membro/2/53/carlo-bifulco
Indian study would also help u to understand the bio-engineering aspects of plant on restoration project. Attached is the reprint may be helpful.
In the North of Spain Semillas Zulueta provides information about mediterranean seeds for restoration projects
If you are also interested on wetlands restoration you can contact with Maria A. Rodrigo Alacreu, from ICBIBE (University of Valencia): http://www.uv.es/~rodrigoa/
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