Title
Baetic meso-thermo-Mediterranean cork oak forests (Quercus suber) with Rubia agostinhoi, Teucrium pseudo-scorodonia, Luzula forsteri subsp. baetica
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Spain: provinces Cadiz with the region Aljibico and Málaga: Gaditanian-Baetic Cordilleras, region around Ronda and Malaga-Almijar; (not on the map: Morocco: province of Tanger)
area frequency
3 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Teucrio baetici-Quercetum suberis Rivas-Martínez ex Diez, Cuenca & Asensi 1987.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Dense forests with the sclerophyllous flat-leaved tree species Quercus suber; in the shrub layer especially Erica arborea and Rubus ulmifolius. Herb layer with a facies forming bracken layer, including a multitude of forest species, phanerophytes, hemicryptophytes, geophytes and some lianas.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Shrub layer
Genista monspessulana, Cytisus villosus, Arbutus unedo, Viburnum tinus, Phillyrea latifolia; Erica arborea, Erica scoparia, Crataegus monogyna, Genista triacanthos in own formation, Rubus ulmifolius, Cistus salviifolius, Genista linifolia, Ulex borgiae
Lianas
Rubia agostinhoi, Smilax aspera, Hedera helix subsp. canariensis, Lonicera periclymenum subsp. hispanica
Herb layer
Teucrium pseudo-scorodonia (in open stands), Ruscus hypophyllum, Luzula forsteri subsp. baetica, Brachypodium gaditanum, Scilla monophyllos, Galium scabrum; Pteridium aquilinum, Rubia peregrina, Aristolochia paucinervis, Carex distachya; in heathed forests: Lavandula stoechas, Lithodora prostrata, Calluna vulgaris, Teucrium fruticans
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Quercus suber; Teucrium pseudo-scorodonia, Ruscus hypophyllum, Luzula forsteri subsp. baetica; Erica scoparia, Stauracanthus boivinii, Lithodora prostrata, Helictotrichon marginatum
Ecological variants
Different degrees (described in Benzler 1994): in semi-natural, uncleared forests with Teucrio scorodoniae-Quercetum suberis quercetosum canariensis (moister sites in the Aljíbico region, including Rusco-Quercetum canariensis quercetosum suberis with Quercus canariensis, Quercus x jahandiezii), Teucrio scorodoniae-Quercetum suberis typicum with Pteridium aquilinum facies (forest with dense treetops, lower meso-Mediterranean belt, thermo-Mediterranean (upper belt)); quercetosum rotundifoliae: meso-Mediterranean in areas with a continental character, subhumid-humid in the area of Malaga-Almijar and occasionally (locally) in the Aljíbico region (Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia).
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
Still semi-natural, but cleared forests: Teucrio scorodoniae-Quercetum suberis with Genista linifolia facies, Teucrio scorodoniae-Quercetum suberis with Calicotome villosa scrub, Teucrio scorodoniae-Quercetum suberis typicum as well as quercetosum canariensis with a facies of Ulex borgiae.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Pure Quercus canariensis forests only in brook ravines; brook vegetation in different forms with Nerium oleander (only at low altitude locations), Ceratonia siliqua, Alnus glutinosa, Quercus canariensis, Rhododendron ponticum subsp. baeticum (high altitudes), Arbutus unedo, Salix atrocinerea, Laurus nobilis, Viburnum tinus, Fraxinus angustifolia; brook-side forest vegetation with the Rusco hypophylli-Quercetum canariensis typicum as well as the quercetosum suberis; rock vegetation with Cytisus tribracteolatus. Mountain peak areas of the Sierra de Aljibe with heath communities of Erica australis (in nature presumably forest-free areas), sometimes with oak forests of Quercus pyrenaica; rock communities with Cistus ladanifer and Erica australis.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
Quercus canariensis forests (G77), Mediterranean sclerophyllous forests (J3, J36, J42), fir forests (K26).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Pinus pinaster plantations; Cork oak forests with very heavy usage. Every 9 years harvesting (peeling) of the cork periderm (250 kg cork/ha/year). Scrub: Ulex borgiae (a Gaditanian endemic), Calicotome villosa, Erica scoparia, Quercus lusitanica, Arbutus unedo, Genista linifolia, Phillyrea angustifolia, Phillyrea latifolia, Viburnum tinus, Erica arborea, Pteridium aquilinum. Degraded scrub (Erica arborea stands, Cistus-Erica stands): Stauracanthus boivinii, Genista tridens, Genista triacanthos, Bupleurum foliosum, Halimium lasianthum, Satureja salzmannii. Erica australis heaths of peak locations of the Sierra de Aljibe are sometimes of anthropogenic origin (formerly fires), sometimes with low-growing Quercus pyrenaica.
Spain: pioneer scrub: Phillyreo angustifoliae-Quercetum lusitanicae; strawberry tree scrub: Cytiso baetici-Arbutetum unedonis; thornwood: Asparago aphylli-Calicotometum villosae; Cistaceae scrub: Calicotomo villosae-Genistetum hirsutae, Lavandulo stoechidis-Genistetum equisitiformis; heaths: Stauracantho boivinii-Drosophylletum lusitanicae, Genisto tridentis-Stauracanthetum boivinii; herbaceous fringes (fringes): Calaminto baeticae-Galietum scabri.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Pastures of the Cynara humilis type (grazing pressure from roe deer and red deer in higher locations of the Sierra de Aljibe; Roe deer have their southern distribution limit here and have been placed under protection; red deer are more frequent); extensive grazing (cattle and bullfighting bulls). Pastures: Agrostis rupestris, Aira caryophyllea, Tuberaria guttata. Pastures on wet, argilliferous soils with Ulex borgiae, Crataegus monogyna; pasture land dominated by therophytes: Trifolio cherleri-Plantaginetum bellardi.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Presumably no arable land is present, at least not at higher locations. No fire clearing for agriculture.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
Seasonal and weekend tourism with camping sites amongst the areas of desertification. Influenced by firewood collection and garbage/waste production.
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
western flanks of mountains of the Baetic Cordillera, heavily engraved relief with narrow ravines
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
meso-Mediterranean, thermo-Mediterranean; 400-900 m
Geology (bedrock)
numic Aljibe-sandstone, sometimes deep disaggregated sandstone, sandstone-debris soils up to 3 m thick and high water capacity; clayey Quaternary soils; flysch (Tertiary)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
deep silicate soils; acidic, base-poor and leached brown soils, thick humic litter (Fern litter); ranker, partly podzolised, ranker-brown soils; (stony dystric and stony humic cambisols; chromic vertisols; leptosols)
soil texture
stony, sandy-clayey
soil moisture, water balance
moist to moderately dry
soil reaction
acidic to weakly acidic
soil fertility
oligotrophic, oligo-mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
IV3, IV(X)
average annual temperature
13-17 °C
average annual precipitation
680 bis >2000 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
22-26 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
2-9 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
Mediterranean, subhumid-humid climate, summer dryness and winterrain, atlantic autumn and winterrain regions rich in precipitation.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Still to a large extent semi-natural forests in the Sierra de Aljibe, but with a highly consequential influence of wild animals which have practically wiped out the trees, especially the Quercus canariensis rejuvenation (according to Seigue 1985). Quercus canariensis loses its fertility almost completely from an age of 50 years, and most trees are already older!
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
nature park Sierra de Aljibe: endemic species and glacial relicts, northern border for Moroccan-atlantic distributed species.
causes of endangerment
Almost no forest rejuvenation! Overly excessive stocks of wild animals (roe deer, red deer). On the other hand there is inadequate timber harvesting which might otherwise promote seedlings due to thinning.
required measures for protection and restitution
Propositions to fence off areas free of wild animals to promote forest regeneration with scientific documentation. Reduction in wild animal stocks is urgently required. Upgrowth can be expected particularly in cleared stands (many Quercus canariensis seedlings also appear) if gnawing of the shoots is prevented. No eucalyptus cultivation should be permitted anymore.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Spain: Sierra de Aljibe.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Benzler, Deil & Jung 1998; Diez Garretas, Cuenca & Asensi 1986; Peinado Lorca & Rivas-Martínez (Ed.) 1987; Perez Latorre, Nieto Caldera & Cabezudo 1993; Perez Latorre, Galan de Mera, Deil & Cabezudo 1996; Rivas-Martínez 1987
Compiled by
V. Voggenreiter based on documents by S. Rivas-Martínez and A. Benzler; A. Penas Merino and L. Herrero Cembranos
