Title
East Iberian meso-Mediterranean open Juniperus thurifera-woodlands with Juniperus phoenicea, Ephedra nebrodensis
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Spain: Aragón (east of Zaragossa in the Sierra Alcubierre, Sierra de Segura near Murcia)
area frequency
2 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Juniperetum phoeniceo-thuriferae (Braun-Blanquet & O. Bolós 1957) Rivas-Martínez 1987 (= Rhamneto-Cocciferetum thuriferetosum Braun-Blanquet & O. Bolós 1957)
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Open juniper forest and scrub with an interspersed tree and herb layer featuring mainly thermophilous perennial species.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Juniperus thurifera, Juniperus phoenicea, Pinus halepensis
Shrub layer
Ephedra nebrodensis, Linum suffruticosum, Berberis vulgaris subsp. seroi, Dorycnium pentaphyllum subsp. pentaphyllum, Rosmarinus officinalis, Genista scorpius, Rhamnus lycioides
Lianas
Asparagus acutifolius
Herb layer
Argyrolobium zanonii subsp. zanonii, Thymus vulgaris, Dactylis glomerata subsp. hispanica, Koeleria vallesiana, Lygeum spartum, Festuca hystrix, Brachypodium retusum, Gypsophila hispanica, Stipa iberica
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Juniperus thurifera, Juniperus phoenicea; Ephedra nebrodensis
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)
Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia forests (J4, J9), kermes oak forests (J30), lowland and alluvial forests (U30).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Afforestation with Pinus nigra subsp. salzmannii; rosemary communities: Rosmarino officinalis-Linetum suffruticosi; scrub of gypsum-containing soils: Ononidetum tridentatae.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Pastures; feather grass communities: Lygeo spartii-Stipetum lagascae.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Nitrophilous communities: Salsolo vermiculatae-Peganetum harmalae.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
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Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
at steep sites of the surrounding mountainous country, hollowed landscapes and plains
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
meso-Mediterranean, supra-Mediterranean
Geology (bedrock)
Karst rocks (Tertiary)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
calcareous lithosols, decalcified terra rossa; (calcaric lithosols; (saline) calcic and chromic cambisols; chromic luvisols; gypsic xerosols)
soil texture
loamy, rich in gypsum
soil moisture, water balance
moderately dry to very dry
soil reaction
weakly acidic to alkaline
soil fertility
oligotrophic, oligo-mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
IV(VII), IV7b
average annual temperature
8-13 °C
average annual precipitation
300-400 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
20-23 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
-1 to 2 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
semi-arid climate.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Often pasture land with corresponding degrees of degradation; well developed semi-natural stands are worthy of protection.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
No details
causes of endangerment
Clearing, fires, grazing, cattle rearing and arid cultivation.
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)
Braun-Blanquet & Bolòs de 1957; Loidi Arregui, Díaz González & Herrera Gallastegui 1997; Loidi Arregui, Biurrun Galarraga & Herrera Gallastegui 1997; Mateo Sanz 1983; Peinado Lorca & Rivas-Martínez (Ed.) 1987; Rivas-Martínez 1987; Rivas-Martínez, Bascones, Díaz González, Fernández-González & Loidi Arregui 1991a; Rivas-Martínez, Bascones, Díaz González, Fernández-González & Loidi Arregui 1991b
Compiled by
A. Penas Merino and L. Herrero Cembranos
