Cantabrian mixed forests | |
---|---|
Ecology | |
Realm | Palearctic |
Biome | temperate broadleaf and mixed forests |
Borders | |
Geography | |
Area | 95,158 km2 (36,741 sq mi) |
Countries | |
Autonomous communities of Spain | |
Conservation | |
Conservation status | vulnerable |
Protected | 9,294 km² (10%) [1] |
The Cantabrian mixed forests is a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion in southwestern Europe. It extends along the coastal Cantabrian Mountains and Galician Massif of Northern Spain, extending south into northern Portugal, and northwards through the westernmost Pyrenees to southwestern France. The ecoregion extends from the seacoast to the highest peaks of the Cantabrian Mountains. The highest peak is Torre Cerredo at 2,648 meters elevation.
The ecoregion is transitional between the Mediterranean climate and Oceanic climate regions of Spain and Portugal and the more humid and temperate forests of Western Europe. The lowlands have mild temperate climates, while the high mountains experience cold winters.
The ecoregion's elevational range supports several plant communities.
The lowlands are characterized by broadleaf deciduous forests, with English oak (Quercus robur), sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa), European ash (Fraxinus excelsior), lindens ( Tilia platyphyllos and Tilia cordata ), wych elm (Ulmus glabra), and maples ( Acer pseudoplatanus and Acer platanoides ). Characteristically Mediterranean evergreen trees and shrubs, including holm oak (Quercus ilex), cork oak (Quercus suber), sweet bay (Laurus nobilis), strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo), and Rhamnus alaternus , can be found in warm and well-drained areas like limestone outcrops. Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) is common on Atlantic coastal dunes in northern Portugal and western Galicia, and further inland on rocky dry slopes. [2]
Middle- and upper-elevation forests are characterized by deciduous oaks ( Quercus petraea and Quercus pyrenaica ), with European beech (Fagus sylvatica) from the Cantabrian Mountains eastward into France.
Stands of white birch (Betula pubescens) appear below the timber line. Above the timber line (1800 meters), subalpine plant communities including low shrubs (including dwarf juniper and heathers), grasses, peat bogs, and rock outcrops cover the highest peaks. [2]
Large mammals include Cantabrian brown bear (Ursus arctos), Iberian wolf (Canis lupus signatus), Cantabrian chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica parva), wild boar (Sus scrofa), red deer (Cervus elaphus elaphus), and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus). Feral horses (Equus caballus) roam in Galicia's mountains. The broom hare (Lepus castroviejoi) is an endemic species to the Cantabrian Mountains. The reclusive Pyrenean desman (Galemys pyrenaicus) is a vulnerable small mammal that lives here and in the Pyrenees. [2]
The Cantabrian brown bears number over 200 individuals, who live in the Cantabrian Mountains of southern Asturias and Cantabria and the adjacent portion of Castile and León. The brown bear population has increased in recent decades from fewer than 100 in the 1990s. The Cantabrian population is the larger of the two remaining brown bear populations in southwestern Europe; the other is in the Pyrenees. [3]
The Cantabrian capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus cantabricus) is an endangered subspecies of grouse. Its population and range are declining from habitat destruction, human disturbance, and over-hunting.
9,294 km2 (10%) of the ecoregion is in protected areas. Another 23% is forested and outside protected areas. [1] Protected areas include Picos de Europa National Park (661.2 km2), [4] Somiedo (289.8 km2), Redes, (376.98 km2), Fuentes del Narcea, Degaña e Ibias (576.34 km2), Fuentes Carrionas y Fuente Cobre - Montaña Palentina (781.41 km2), Ponga (205.06 km2), Fragas do Eume (91.49 km2), and Aiako harria (68.95 km2) natural parks in Spain, [5] and Peneda-Gerês National Park (695.92 km2) [6] in Portugal.
The Zagros Mountains forest steppe is a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion in Western Asia. The ecoregion extends along the Zagros Mountains, stretching from eastern Turkey and northern Iraq to southern Iran.
The Northern Anatolian conifer and deciduous forests is a temperate coniferous forests ecoregion located in northern Anatolia, Turkey.
The Caucasus mixed forests is a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion in the Caucasus Mountains, as well as the adjacent Lesser Caucasus range and the eastern end of the Pontic Mountains.
Mediterranean conifer and mixed forests is an ecoregion, in the temperate coniferous forest biome, which occupies the high mountain ranges of North Africa. The term is also a botanically recognized plant association in the African and Mediterranean literature.
The Apennine deciduous montane forests are a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion in the Apennine Mountains of Italy. The development of these forests is ensured by the high rainfall in the Apennines, combined with a temperate-cool climate. Because of climate change, the presence of silver fir, although still widespread, has been dramatically reduced in favour of beech.
The Southeastern mixed forests are an ecoregion of the temperate broadleaf and mixed forest biome, in the lower portion of the Eastern United States.
Quercus pyrenaica, also known as Pyrenean oak, or Spanish oak is a tree native to southwestern Europe and northwestern North Africa. Despite its common name, it is rarely found in the Pyrenees Mountains and is more abundant in northern Portugal and north and northwestern Spain.
The Western Great Lakes forests is a terrestrial ecoregion as defined by the World Wildlife Fund. It is within the temperate broadleaf and mixed forests biome of North America. It is found in northern areas of the United States' states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, and in southern areas of the Canadian province of Manitoba and northwestern areas of the province of Ontario.
The Eastern Anatolian deciduous forests ecoregion is located in the mountains of eastern Turkey. It is a Palearctic ecoregion in the temperate broadleaf and mixed forests biome.
The Anatolian conifer and deciduous mixed forests is an ecoregion located in southwestern Anatolia, Turkey. It has a Mediterranean climate, and is part of the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome.
The Pannonian mixed forests is a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion in Europe. It covers an area of 307,720 km2 in all of Hungary, most of Slovakia, about half of Croatia and Slovenia, around a third of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania, and Serbia, and minor parts of Austria, Czech Republic, and Ukraine.
The Carpathian montane conifer forests, also known as Carpathian montane forests, is a temperate coniferous forests ecoregion in the Carpathian Mountains of the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Romania, and Ukraine.
The Southwest Iberian Mediterranean sclerophyllous and mixed forests is a Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub ecoregion in southwestern Europe. It occupies the southwestern Iberian Peninsula, encompassing coastal lowlands and mountains in portions of Portugal and Spain.
The Iberian sclerophyllous and semi-deciduous forests is a Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub ecoregion in southwestern Europe. It occupies the interior valleys and plateaus of the Iberian Peninsula. The ecoregion lies mostly in Spain, and includes some portions of eastern Portugal.
The Northeastern Spain and Southern France Mediterranean forests is a Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub ecoregion in southwestern Europe. It occupies the Mediterranean coastal region of northeastern Spain, Southern France, the Balearic Islands and a small part of Italy.
The Northwest Iberian montane forests is a Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub ecoregion in southwestern Europe. It lies in the northwestern Iberian Peninsula, includes inland mountains, foothills, and plateaus in northwestern Spain and northeastern Portugal.
The Iberian conifer forests is a Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub ecoregion in southwestern Europe. It includes the mountain forests of southern and central Spain.
The Central Korea deciduous forests is a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion on the Korean Peninsula, covering portions of South Korea and North Korea.
The Pyrenees conifer and mixed forests is a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion in southwestern Europe. It extends along the Pyrenees mountains which run east and west along the border between France and Spain, and includes all Andorra. The ecoregion extends from the lower slopes of the Pyrenees to its highest peaks, which include Aneto, Posets, and Vignemale.
The Alps conifer and mixed forests is a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion in central Europe. It extends along the Alps mountains through portions of France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Liechtenstein, Austria, and Slovenia. The ecoregion extends from the lower slopes of the Alps to its peaks, which include Mont Blanc, at 4,809 m (15,778 ft) the highest peak in the Alps.