Title
Minorcan wild olive tree forests (Olea europaea subsp. oleaster)
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Spain: Menorca
area frequency
2 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Prasio majoris-Oleetum sylvestris O. Bolòs 1969.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Forests mainly with wild olive and mastic trees accompanied by thermophilous shrubs, lianas and herbs.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Shrub layer
Pistacia lentiscus, Olea europaea subsp. oleaster, Phillyrea latifolia subsp. rodriguezii, Cistus creticus, Euphorbia dendroides, Erica scoparia
Lianas
Clematis cirrhosa var. balearica, Rubia peregrina subsp. longifolia, Smilax aspera, Tamus communis
Herb layer
Dactylis glomerata subsp. hispanica, Brachypodium retusum, Stipa capensis, Arisarum vulgare, Geranium robertianum, Prasium majus
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Pistacia lentiscus, Olea europaea subsp. oleaster, Phillyrea latifolia subsp. rodriguezii, Euphorbia dendroides; Prasium majus
Ecological variants
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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)
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Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
holm oak forests (J40).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Reafforestation with Pinus halepensis. Strawberry tree scrub: Phillyrea latifolia subsp. rodriguezii-Arbutetum unedonis. Cistaceae scrub: Ampoledesmo-Ericetum scopariae.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
---
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Olive groves.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
mountainous country
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
thermo-Mediterranean
Geology (bedrock)
Jurassic, Triassic, Carboniferous
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
(stony chromic cambisols; chromic luvisols)
soil texture
deep, stony soils
soil moisture, water balance
dry, very dry
soil reaction
acidic, weakly acidic
soil fertility
oligotrophic, oligo-mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
IV3
average annual temperature
17-19 °C
average annual precipitation
600-700 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
24-26 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
8-12 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
permanently windexposed.
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 1969; Bolòs de, Molinier & Montserrat 1970; Folch I Guillèn 1981; Folch I Guillèn & Franquesa 1984; Peinado Lorca & Rivas-Martínez (Ed.) 1987; Rivas-Martínez 1987
Compiled by
A. Penas Merino and L. Herrero Cembranos
