Title
North Lusitanian meso-Mediterranean cork oak forests (Quercus suber) with Juniperus oxycedrus
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Portugal: Trás-os-Montes, Duero
area frequency
2 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Rusco aculeati-Quercetum suberis C. Aguiar ined.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Forests with flat-leaved sclerophyllous species, dominant Quercus suber, accompanied by Quercus faginea and Juniperus oxycedrus, as well as numerous hemicryptophytes, chamaephytes and nanophanerophytes of the forests such as Erica arborea, Daphne gnidium, Rubia peregrina and Ruscus aculeatus.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Quercus suber, Quercus faginea
Shrub layer
Juniperus oxycedrus, Erica arborea, Daphne gnidium, Pistacia terebinthus
Herb layer
Arenaria montana, Asplenium onopteris, Ruscus aculeatus, Luzula forsteri, Dactylorhiza markusii
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Quercus suber; Ruscus aculeatus, Pistacia terebinthus, Juniperus oxycedrus; Dactylorhiza markusii
Ecological variants
a) quercetosum suberis; b) juniperetosum oxycedri
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
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Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
on moist soils: Galio broteriani-Alnetum glutinosae, Salicetum lambertiano-salvifoliae, Fraxino angustifoliae-Quercetum pyrenaicae.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
Quercus pyrenaica-forests (G65, G67), Mediterranean sclerophyllous forests (J5).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Quercus suber plantations; strawberry tree scrub: Phillyreo angustifoliae-Arbutetum unedonis; scrub: Lavandulo-Cytisetum multiflori, Cytiso multiflori-Retametum sphaerocarpae, Genisto falcatae-Ericetum arboreae, Euphorbio oxyphillae-Cistetum ladanferi.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Meadows, pastures; Trifolio subterranei-Poetum bulbosae.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Viniculture.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
Spergulario purpureae-Arnoseridetum minimae.
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
hilly country
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
meso-Mediterranean
Geology (bedrock)
silicate rocks (Palaeozoic, Precambrian)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
(lithic dystric cambisols; orthic luvisols)
soil texture
clayey, loamy
soil moisture, water balance
fresh, moderately dry
soil reaction
acidic, weakly acidic
soil fertility
oligotrophic, oligo-mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
IV(VI), IV7a
average annual temperature
13-17 °C
average annual precipitation
bis 1100 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
19-21 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
2-7 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
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Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
No details
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
No details
causes of endangerment
Cork production.
required measures for protection and restitution
Preservation of more semi-natural stands and protection against commercial exploitation.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Portugal: Douro Internacional.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Aguiar, Carvalho, Rodrigues & Esteves 1997
Compiled by
C. Pinto Gomes
