Title
Southwest Iberian meso-Mediterranean Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia-forests with Pyrus bourgaeana on siliceous rocks
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Spain: Extremadura, Sierra Morena, western New Castile; Portugal: Alentejo
area frequency
18 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Pyro bourgeanae-Quercetum rotundifoliae Rivas-Martínez 1987.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia forests with sclerophyllous species, often including pear trees (Pyrus bourgaeana) as well; cork oaks (Quercus suber) are also found in shady locations. The shrub and herb layers are interspersed.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia, Pyrus bourgaeana, Quercus suber, Quercus faginea subsp. broteroi
Shrub layer
Asparagus acutifolius, Pyrus bourgaeana, Daphne gnidium, Jasminum fruticans, Quercus coccifera, Pistacia lentiscus, Retama sphaerocarpa, Genista hirsuta, Lavandula stoechas subsp. sampaiana, Phillyrea angustifolia, Cytisus multiflorus
Lianas
Rubia peregrina, Lonicera implexa
Herb layer
Paeonia broteroi, Doronicum plantagineum, Ruscus aculeatus
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia, Pyrus bourgaeana, Genista hirsuta, Lavandula stoechas subsp. sampaiana
Ecological variants
Various subassociations: a) quercetosum rotundifoliae; b) quercetosum fagineae on fresh sites of northern slopes with Quercus faginea, Pistacia terebinthus; c) myrtetosum communis: lower meso-Mediterranean belt with Myrtus communis, Smilax aspera, Olea europaea subsp. oleaster; d) quercetosum suberis.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
with four vicariants: typical, thermophilous Marianic-Mochiquense with Pistacia lentiscus, thermophilous Toledan-Tagan with Olea europaea subsp. oleaster, mesophilous with Quercus faginea.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
On moist soils: Scrophulario scorodoniae-Alnetum glutinosae, Salicetum atrocinero-australis, Ficario ranunculoidis-Fraxinetum angustifoliae, Polygono equisetiformis-Tamaricetum africanae, Rubo ulmifolii-Nerietum oleandri, Viti sylvestris-Salicetum atrocinereae, Pyro bourgeanae- Securinegetum tinctoriae. Rock crevice communities: Asplenio billoti-Cheilanthetum hispanicae, Jasiono marianae-Cheilanthetum hispanicae, Buffonio willkommianae-Cheilanthetum hispanicae, Coincyo longirostri-Dianthetum lusitanici; wall crack communities: Umbillicetum rupestri-neglecti. Scree vegetation: Phagnalo saxatile-Rumicetum indurati.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
Quercus pyrenaica-forests (G64, G68, G70), Mediterranean sclerophyllous forests (J4, J2, J3, J6, J37, J38, J25, J36), lowland and alluvial forests (U30).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Forestry; due to livestock grazing the forests have been converted to Dahesa type grazing forests. In the pioneer forest stages, forest fringes and substitute communities, Quercus coccifera and other evergreen shrubs of the Hyacinthoido hispanicae-Quercetum cocciferae are typical. Scrub: Asparago albi-Rhamnetum oleoidis; Phillyreo angustifoliae-Arbutetum unedonis; Cytiso bourgaei-Retametum sphaerocarpae; Cistaceae scrub: Ulici-Cistion ladaniferi (Cistus ladanifer, Genista hirsuta, Lavandula stoechas subsp. sampaiana, Astragalus lusitanicus etc., in warmer areas Ulex eriocladus, Cistus monspeliensis), Halimium umbellatum subsp. viscosum; Genisto hirsutae-Cistetum ladaniferi; lavender communities: Scillo-Lavanduletum pedunculatae; herbaceous fringes: Pimpinello villosae-Origanetum virentis.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Meadows with perennial and annual species such as Poa bulbosa, Trifolium glomeratum, Trifolium subterraneum, Bellis annua, Bellis perennis, Erodium botrys etc. (Poo bulbosae-Trifolietum subterranei, Periballi-Trifolion suterranei, Festuco amplae-Poetum bulbosae). Pastures with typical species such as Agrostis castellana, Psilurus incurvus, Poa bulbosa; Bromo tectori-Stipetum capensis, Trifolio cherleri-Plantaginetum bellardi, Trifolio cherleri-Taeniatheretum caput-medusae, Bromo scopari-Hordeetum leporini (with more strongly nitrophilous species), Poo bulbosae-Trifolietum subterranei, Gaudinio fragilis-Agrostietum castellanae. Pastures with perennial nitrophilous species: Dauco criniti-Hyparrhenietum hirtae. Nitrophilous herb communities: Anacyclo radiati-Hordeetum leporini; Conopodio capillifolii-Geranietum purpureae, Galio aparinellae-Anthriscetum caucalidis, Torilido nodosae-Parietarietum mauritanicae.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Cereal cultivation.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
Road and path communities: Crassulo tillaeae-Saginetum apetalae; Pioneer communities on lithosols: Sedetum caespitosi-arenari; in temporary flood basins: Pulicario paludosae-Agrostietum pourreti; nitrophilous communities: Chrysanthemo myconis-Anthemidetum fuscatae. Thistle communities: Carduo bourgeani-Silybetum mariani. Melico magnolii-Stipetum gigantae.
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
hilly landscape
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
meso-Mediterranean
Geology (bedrock)
granites (Palaeozoic, Precambrian); slate (Cambrian, Precambrian)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
nutrient-poor silicate soils; regosol and eutrophic cambisols; not very deep soils; (stony eutric and (lithic) dystric cambisols; orthic, chromic and ferric luvisols;dystric regosols)
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to dry
soil reaction
acidic, weakly acidic
soil fertility
oligotrophic to meso-eutrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
IV4, IV(V), IV(VI)
average annual temperature
13-17 °C
average annual precipitation
550-750 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
22-26 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
6-7 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
---
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Dehesa type pollarded forests; currently preserved as open oak forests.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
No details
causes of endangerment
Destruction or erosion of the soils, forestry, grazing.
required measures for protection and restitution
No details
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Portugal: nature park (Parque Natural) Serra de São Mamede, nature reserve (Reserva Natural) Serra da Malcata.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Cano Carmona & Valle Tendero 1990; Ladero Alvarez, Perez Chiscano, Santos Bobillo, Valle Gutierrez & Amor Morales 1990; Melendo & Cano Carmona 1996; Peinado Lorca & Rivas-Martínez (Ed.) 1987; Rivas-Martínez 1987
Compiled by
V. Voggenreiter based on documents by S. Rivas-Martínez, A. Penas Merino and L. Herrero Cembranos; C. Pinto Gomez
