Title
Majorcan locust tree forests (Ceratonia siliqua)
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Spain: Mallorca
area frequency
3 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Cneoro triccoci-Ceratonietum siliquae O. Bolòs & Molinier 1958.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Locust tree forests with pines and shrubs and markedly thermophilous herbs. The forests resemble impenetrable scrub.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Ceratonia siliqua, Pinus halepensis, Olea europaea
Shrub layer
Pistacia lentiscus, Cneorum tricoccon
Lianas
Rubia peregrina subsp. longifolia, Asparagus horridus, Asparagus albus, Smilax aspera
Herb layer
Teucrium pii-fontii, Brachypodium retusum, Hyparrhenia hirta, Stipa capensis
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Ceratonia siliqua; Pistacia lentiscus, Cneorum tricoccon
Ecological variants
Typical variant; variant with Juniperus phoenicea subsp. turbinata (on skeletal soils in wind-exposed locations near the sea); variant with Limonium ebusitanum (in areas near to cliff coasts).
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
Variant with Limonium heterospicatum; variant with Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia (in ravines and in contact areas to Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia forests).
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
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Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
sclerophyllous forests (J40).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
---
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Rosemary communities: Anthyllido cytisioidis-Teucrietum majorici. Pastures: Hypochoerido achyrophori-Brachypodietum retusi. Limonietum capreriensis.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Olive, locust tree, almond, and fig plantations.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
in sometimes wind exposed areas of sea cliff coasts, ravines
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
lowland-colline; 0-500 m; thermo-Mediterranean
Geology (bedrock)
Tertiary, Cretaceous, Jurassic, Triassic
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
(stony calcic cambisols)
soil texture
clayey, stony
soil moisture, water balance
moderately dry to very dry
soil reaction
weakly acidic to alkaline
soil fertility
oligotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
IV1, IV3
average annual temperature
17-19 °C
average annual precipitation
400-500 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
23-25 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
8-12 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
dry-subhumid climate.
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
Tourism.
required measures for protection and restitution
No details
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
No details
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Bolòs de & Molinier 1958; Folch I Guillèn 1981; Folch I Guillèn & Franquesa 1984; Peinado Lorca & Rivas-Martínez (Ed.) 1987; Rivas-Martínez, Costa Talens, Soriano, Perez, Llorens & Rosello 1992; Rivas-Martínez 1987
Compiled by
A. Penas Merino and L. Herrero Cembranos
