Understanding Plant Species and Ecosystems
Cork Oak
The cork oak (Quercus suber) is a tree characteristic of the Mediterranean area, covered by a thick crust, which produces cork. The leaves are persistent, remaining on the tree between 12 and 22 months. The fruit is an acorn, which matures in autumn and winter. It thrives on siliceous, loose, and permeable land. It needs bright light and holds heat well but does not thrive in excessively dry climates. The acorn is used as feed for pigs, but the most important product is the cork.
Dryness
Dryness is the quality of those areas that are infertile due to a lack of moisture, which involves a lack of vegetation.
Biogeography
Biogeography is the branch of geography that describes and explains the distribution of the living world based on climate data, soil, and vegetation. It is a science of synthesis and, therefore, deals with the relationships of living beings with the environment.
Deciduous Forest
A deciduous forest is formed by deciduous tree species, i.e., they lose their leaves in the autumn of each year. Deciduous forests are found around 40º and 55º latitude. The dominant species include oak, either in pure or mixed stands; beech, which requires greater atmospheric humidity; and hornbeam, which is located in the intermediate regions between the oak and beech. There are other tree-sized secondary species such as ash, lime trees, elms, and maples.
Sclerophyll Forest or Vegetation
Sclerophyll forest or vegetation comprises those species of shrubs and evergreens that have adapted to longer seasonal droughts by producing tough leaves that prevent moisture loss through transpiration. They are normally found in Mediterranean climate regions. The olive, cork oak, oak, pine, and lavender are typical examples.
Evergreen Forest
An evergreen forest is composed of evergreen tree species, i.e., they do not lose their leaves at any time of year. Example species are evergreen oaks (Quercus ilex), oaks, and pines.
Deciduous
Deciduous is a term that refers to the ability of some plants to lose their leaves annually. In temperate zones, the falling of leaves occurs during the fall or winter, e.g., oak and beech.
Conifers
Conifers is the common name for a group of plants characterized by the development of seeds in structures called cones or pineapples. Conifers are woody plants. The seeds are formed on the scales of female cones, and pollen is formed in male cones, smaller than the female cones.
Holm Oak (Encina)
The Holm oak is a tree of the Fagaceae family, 10 to 12 meters tall, with a thick trunk branched into several main branches, from where the smaller branches form a large, round crown. Its leaves are elliptical, somewhat prickly and hard on the upper side, and whitish below. The flowers are greenish-yellow, and it produces acorns, either sweet or bitter. The wood is very hard and compact. Where the Holm oak has disappeared, a very different landscape from the Mediterranean one emerges. Acorns mature in October and November. Its area has been greatly reduced by human action. It has no special preference regarding soil type. The wood is heavy, hard, dense, and compact. It provides wood of high calorific value and has been widely used to make charcoal. The bark and galls are rich in tannins and are used in the leather tanning industry.
Sclerophyll
A sclerophyll is a drought-adapted plant with small, hard, and persistent leaves.
Heathland (Landa)
Heathland is a plain where only wild species grow.
Laurel Forest (Laurisilva)
Laurel forest, broadly speaking, refers to all types of forests of various strata with evergreen trees and shrubs. It develops under tropical or subtropical conditions, with mild temperatures throughout the year, and relative humidity that is more or less constant but always high. Rainfall is evenly distributed throughout the year, without a definite dry season. This forest formation is favored by the presence of orographic mist, which increases the total rainfall and contributes to the mildness of temperatures. The main species present commonly belong to the Lauraceae family, including some very important ones besides the bay laurel itself, such as camphor and avocado. Other families represented are the Rosaceae, with species such as the Portuguese laurel; the Theaceae or Camelliaceae, including tea and China roses; the Magnoliaceae; the Aquifoliaceae, with holly; and the Ericaceae.
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a group consisting of an organic community of plants and animals and the physical-chemical environment in which they live and interact, e.g., soil, vegetation, climate, and fauna.
Soil Science
Soil science is the science of soil, analyzing its profile, composition, and distribution, and, in some ways, the way it is used (agronomy).
Endemism
Endemism is the restriction of a certain plant species to a particular area (habitat) due to factors such as climate, soil, or isolation. Plants and animals are restricted to areas where they are native and only occur there.
Steppe
Steppe vegetation consists of xerophytic plants of small size and is characterized by the discontinuity of vegetative cover. It is typical of temperate latitudes. In Spain, it is located mainly in drier Mediterranean climate gradients and is formed by thorny shrubs, palms, thyme, and esparto grass.
Garrigue
Garrigue is a xeric scrubland with low-growing evergreens, found on limestone soils in the drier areas of the Mediterranean climate. It consists of kermes oak, wild carob, mastic, wild olive, rosemary, and thyme.
Humus
Humus is organic matter resulting from the decomposition of living things, both animal and vegetable.
Saplings
Saplings are areas occupied by tree species and shrubs maintained in short shifts and with specific forest management.
Maquis (Macchia)
Maquis is a shrubland, dense, almost impenetrable, sometimes reaching over two meters tall, resulting from the degradation of the forest on siliceous and impermeable soils. In the maquis, there are junipers, mastic, isolated thickets of pine and oak, broom, strawberry tree, and tall heather. This is a dense undergrowth, resulting from the degradation of Mediterranean forests.
Xerophytic Plants
Xerophytic plants are plants that can withstand and adapt to living in low-moisture environments.
Evergreen
Evergreen is a term that refers to the ability of some plants to remain always with leaves so that when one falls, another emerges. Examples of evergreen species are oaks and pines.
Soil Profile
Soil profile is the part resulting from a vertical cut in the soil, composed of various horizons.
Podzols
Podzols are a type of soil located in cold areas on siliceous rocks, under large conifer forests. They are gray and heavily leached in the upper layers.
Riparian
Riparian refers to a plant formation or plant that lives on the banks of rivers, e.g., willow, poplar, and alder.
Understory
Understory is a term used to refer to the vegetation that grows under the trees in a forest, whether woody or herbaceous.
Soil
Soil is the mineral and organic material located between the surface and the bedrock. It is prepared by countless microorganisms that mix vegetable and mineral elements (bacteria, earthworms, and moles), liquid elements (water), and gaseous elements (CO2).
Terra Rossa
Terra Rossa is a red soil, rich in iron oxide, typical of Mediterranean climates. It is formed by the alteration of limestone and dolomite in hot, dry climates. It constitutes fertile soil.
Vegetation
Vegetation is the ground cover resulting from the arrangement in space of different types of plants present in any portion of the territory. Its importance is due to the exploitation and processing carried out in the abiotic environment.
Climax Vegetation
Climax vegetation is the optimal state of balance, relatively stable, between vegetation and soil, corresponding to a wild area without human intervention. It is the final stage of total forest adaptation to its environment. Moreover, it presents a perfect adaptation to climate and soil, reaching a peak time, peak stage, final stage of perfection, and total forest adaptation to its environment.
Climax Vegetation
Climax vegetation is a plant community that represents the end of the process of ecological succession and has the most complex structure, the greatest stability, and the best adaptation to the environment.