Vegetation and Population Dynamics Glossary
Vegetation Glossary
Native Vegetation
Species that develop naturally in an area without human intervention, adapting to past or present environmental conditions.
Biodiversity
A set of interdependent living organisms coexisting in an ecosystem.
Forest
A set of interdependent plant communities with a specific structure, density, and flora, whose combined operation forms the basis of its stability. The dominant species is the tree.
Deciduous Forest
Vegetation formation of the Eurosiberian region with annual leaf loss at the beginning of the cold period (due to low-temperature resistance) and recovery at the start of warm, moist periods.
Climax
The ideal state a plant community reaches when fully adapted to its environment. The culminating stage in vegetation development, with the most complex structure and best adaptation to a territory’s environmental conditions.
Cliserie
A graphic representation of staggered plant communities according to height, forming distinct vegetation levels.
Deforestation
Elimination of forests by human action.
Dehesa
A form of Mediterranean forest exploitation, balancing grassland use with tree harvesting, fruit picking, and/or cork oak utilization.
Sustainable Development
Economic, social, and political development that doesn’t compromise future generations’ ability to meet their needs, using resources responsibly, maintaining quality of life, and minimizing environmental impacts.
Enclave
A territory within a larger one, with different physical characteristics.
Endemism
A plant species exclusive to a defined territory (e.g., pinsapo, dragon tree, laurel).
Sclerophyll
Evergreen plant species adapted to drought and heat stress by reducing leaf surface area, developing hard leaves, and deepening roots.
Steppe
Plant formation characteristic of drier areas (e.g., Los Monegros, AlmerÃa, Murcia), with scattered, clustered, low-growing species and some interspersed shrubs.
Garrigue
Shrubland resulting from maquis degradation. Open formation where kermes oak dominates, along with broom, thyme, and rosemary.
Humus
Product of organic matter decomposition.
ICON
The Institute for Nature Conservation, responsible for Spanish forest policy and ecological asset conservation.
Heathland
Scrub vegetation characteristic of the Siberian region (maritime climate), mainly composed of heather, gorse, and legumes.
Laurel Forest
Subtropical, relict, multispecies, evergreen forest with Lauraceae-like morphology (laurel, avocado, cinnamon tree, etc.), and a fern-dominated understory.
Marcescent Forest
Deciduous species that retain dry leaves until new ones sprout (e.g., oak and gall forests).
Maquis
Dense scrub vegetation in Mediterranean regions, developing in areas degraded by human pressure or semi-arid conditions: thickets, thorn bushes, heather, interspersed with shrubs and small trees.
Evergreen
Vegetation that never completely loses its leaves.
Natural Prairie
Herbaceous vegetation growing spontaneously where altitude prevents shrub or tree development. These are mountain or alpine meadows.
Meadow
Herbaceous formation in temperate, humid oceanic climates, created by humans for grazing after forest clearing, fertilization, and seeding. Cut to preserve grass.
Reforestation
Restoring forest cover by planting species through human action.
Relict
Plant species surviving from a past era due to favorable microclimates or as remnants of pre-deforestation vegetation.
Understory
Vegetation growing beneath the tree canopy.
Soil
Layers (horizons) resulting from rock transformation under climate and vegetation influence.
Vegetation Replacement
Vegetation formation away from the climax stage, regressing with density and species loss, and increased erosion.
Xerophile
Plant community adapted to drought conditions.
Xeromorphic
Plants or communities with adaptations for dry conditions.
Population Glossary
Census
Information source on a country’s population, collecting demographic, economic, and social data. In Spain, conducted every ten years.
Demographic Cycle
Period with common characteristics in population evolution and structure. Three main stages: old, transitional, and modern.
Birth Control and Malthusianism
Measures to reduce birth rates and population growth. Named after Thomas Malthus, who advocated birth reduction.
Zero Growth
Population stability trend, often in developed countries, due to fertility decline matching mortality.
Natural Population Increase
Difference between births and deaths in a population over time.
Demography
Science studying human populations qualitatively and quantitatively.
Population Density
Number of people per unit area, usually per square kilometer.
Population Aging
Increased proportion of older people (65+) due to declining birth rates and increased life expectancy.
Life Expectancy
Average years a person is expected to live from birth or a certain age.
Population Structure
Gender and age composition, represented by a population pyramid.
Population Explosion
Rapid population growth due to low mortality and high birth rates.
Hearths and Households
Historical population counts based on households (fires), assuming each fire represented a family.
Sex Ratio
Ratio of men to women, usually expressed as men per hundred women.
Population Register
List of inhabitants with relevant information (birthplace, occupation, etc.), updated every five years.
Population Pyramid
Diagram representing demographic structure by gender and age.
Labor Force
People of working age (16-64 in Spain), including employed and unemployed.
Mortality Rate
Deaths per thousand inhabitants per year.
Birth Rate
Births per thousand inhabitants per year.
Dependency Ratio
Ratio of non-working-age (under 16 and over 65) to working-age people (16-64). Higher ratios indicate development challenges.
Aging Rate
Ratio of elderly to young people.
Fertility Rate
Live births per year per number of women of childbearing age (15-49).
Infant Mortality Rate
Deaths of children under one year per total births.
Marriage Rate
Marriages per year per total population.
Demographic Transition
Stage with declining mortality followed by declining birth rates, leading to the highest population growth.