Iberian conifer forests | |
---|---|
Ecology | |
Realm | Palearctic |
Biome | Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub |
Borders | |
Geography | |
Area | 34,462 km2 (13,306 sq mi) |
Country | Spain |
Autonomous communities of Spain | |
Conservation | |
Conservation status | critical/endangered |
Protected | 15,229 km² (44%) [1] |
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 ecoregion has montane Mediterranean climate. Rainfall averages 1,100 mm annually, and can exceed 1,500 mm in some high-altitude areas. Below-freezing temperatures and snow are common in the winter months. [2]
The ecoregion covers higher elevations in several disconnected ranges in southern and central Spain.
The Sierra Nevada lies in Andalucia, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. The Sierra de Baza lies close to the northeast.
The Sierra de Castril lies northeast of the Sierra de Baza, between the Andalucian and Iberian mountains.
The ecoregion covers the southern ranges of the Sistema Ibérico, including the Sierra de Gúdar, Sierra de Albarracín, and Sierra de Javalambre. It also includes the Sierra de Guadarrama, the eastern portion of the Sistema Central.
Pine forests are the characteristic plant community, with Black pine (Pinus nigra salzmannii), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster), Stone pine (Pinus pinea), and Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) are predominant. Spanish fir (Abies pinsapo) grows in the southern part of the ecoregion. Juniper woodlands dominated by Juniperus thurifera , Juniperus phoenicea and Juniperus oxycedrus grow on dry, rocky slopes.
Mixed forests of pines and broadleaf trees grow at middle to lower elevations in areas with deeper soils and higher humidity. Broadleaf trees include Quercus faginea , Quercus pyrenaica , Ulmus glabra , Fraxinus angustifolia , lindens (Tilia spp.), Sorbus spp., and maples (Acer spp). Taxus baccata , Betula pubescens and Populus tremula grow in sheltered canyons with year-round moisture. [3] Heathlands dominated by Calluna vulgaris , Ulex and Juniperus communis grow in the northern part of the ecoregion.
Evergreen oaks, chiefly holm oak (Quercus rotundifolia), cork oak (Quercus suber) and kermes oak (Quercus coccifera) and maquis shrubland dominated by Olea europaea , Ceratonia siliqua , Laurus nobilis , Arbutus unedo , Rhamnus alaternus , Pistacia terebinthus , Pistacia lentiscus , Erica arborea , Erica scoparia , Phillyrea angustifolia , Phillyrea latifolia , Myrtus communis and Chamaerops humilis grow on dry and south-facing slopes at low and mid-elevations.
Spanish red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) are widespread. [4] The Western Spanish ibex (Capra pyrenaica victoriae), a threatened subspecies of goat, was reintroduced to Sierra de Guadarrama National Park in 1991 from the Gredos Mountains further west, and has increased in numbers since. [5]
The Iberian wolf (Canis lupus signatus) lives in limited numbers in the northern ranges. An isolated southern population in the Sierra Morena dwindled in numbers and interbred with dogs, and may now be extinct. [6]
952 km², or 35%, of the ecoregion is in protected areas. [7]
Protected areas include Sierra Nevada National Park, Serrania de Cuenca Natural Park, Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park, and Sierra de Guadarrama National Park.
The Sierra de la Laguna pine–oak forests are a subtropical coniferous forest ecoregion, found in the Sierra de la Laguna mountain range at the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula, Mexico.
The Sierra Madre Occidental pine–oak forests are a Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion of the Sierra Madre Occidental range from the southwest USA region to the western part of Mexico. They are home to a large number of endemic plants and important habitat for wildlife.
The Northern Anatolian conifer and deciduous forests is a temperate coniferous forests ecoregion located in northern Anatolia, Turkey.
The woodlands of the Iberian Peninsula are distinct ecosystems on the Iberian Peninsula. Although the various regions are each characterized by distinct vegetation, the borders between these regions are not clearly defined, and there are some similarities across the peninsula.
The Mediterranean woodlands and forests is an ecoregion in the coastal plains, hills, and mountains bordering the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean in North Africa. It has a Mediterranean climate, and is in the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome.
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 Illyrian deciduous forests is a terrestrial ecoregion in southern Europe, which extends along the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It belongs to the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome, and is in the Palearctic realm.
The climate and ecology of land immediately surrounding the Mediterranean Sea is influenced by several factors. Overall, the land has a Mediterranean climate, with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. The climate induces characteristic Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub vegetation. Plant life immediately near the Mediterranean is in the Mediterranean Floristic region, while mountainous areas further from the sea supports the Sub-Mediterranean Floristic province.
The South Apennine mixed montane forests is an ecoregion in the southern Apennine Mountains of southern Italy and Sicily. It has a Mediterranean climate, and is in the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome.
The Tyrrhenian-Adriatic sclerophyllous and mixed forests is an ecoregion in southern Italy, Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, the Dalmatian Islands of Croatia, and Malta.
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 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 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, Ukraine, and Romania.
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 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 and Southern France, and the Balearic Islands.
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 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.