| Iberian sclerophyllous and semi-deciduous forests | |
|---|---|
 Natural landscape around the Safareja watercourse,Moura, Portugal | |
 Location of the ecoregion (in purple) | |
| Ecology | |
| Realm | Palearctic |
| Biome | Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub |
| Borders | |
| Geography | |
| Area | 297,804 km2 (114,983 mi2) |
| Countries | |
| Conservation | |
| Conservation status | critical/endangered |
| Protected | 74,552 km² (25%)[1] |
TheIberian sclerophyllous and semi-deciduous forests is aMediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrubecoregion in southwestern Europe. It occupies the interior valleys and plateaus of theIberian Peninsula. The ecoregion lies mostly inSpain, and includes some portions of easternPortugal.
The ecoregion covers the interior basins of Iberia's main rivers – theDouro,Tagus,Guadiana,Guadalquivir, andEbro. It is bounded on the north by the temperate-climatePyrenees andCantabrian mixed forests. Spain's interior mountains, which divide the various river basins, are home to the distinctNorthwest Iberian montane forests andIberian conifer forests ecoregions. Separate ecoregions also occupy the coastal lowlands – theSouthwest Iberian Mediterranean sclerophyllous and mixed forests to the southwest,Southeastern Iberian shrubs and woodlands to the southeast, and theNortheast Spain and Southern France Mediterranean forests to the east.[2]
The ecoregion has aMediterranean climate. The ecoregion's interior location means a hot, dry summer. Winters are generally mild, and colder in the northern portion of the ecoregion.[2]
Plant communities include forests, woodlands,maquis shrublands, grasslands, low shrublands, and wetlands. The predominant trees are evergreensclerophyll broadleaf species andconifers.[2]
Forests ofholm oak (Quercus rotundifolia) andcork oak (Quercus suber) were once predominant in plains and valleys with deep alluvial soil. Over centuries most of these forests have been converted to agriculture, pasture, ormaquis shrubland. Maquis shrubland is a dense thicket of tall woody shrubs and low trees, mixed with low shrubs, herbs, and grasses.[2]
Olive-carob woodlands and maquis are common in the southern portion of the ecoregion, and in canyons in the northern Douro andTagus basins.Wild olive (Olea europaea) andcarob (Ceratonia siliqua) are the predominant trees, with the shrubsChamaerops humilis,Pistacia lentiscus,Erica arborea,Erica scoparia,Phillyrea latifolia,Phillyrea angustifolia, andMyrtus communis, as well as lianas and herbs.[2]
Forests of stone pine (Pinus pinea) and maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) are found on sandy soils and inland dunes, and on soils derived from silicaeous rocks. Stone pines provide edible pine nuts, and the maritime pines provide pine tar.[2]
Areas of the southeast and Ebro valley with limestone, marl, and gypsum-derived soils are home a mosaic landscape, with mixed forest ofAleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) andholly oak (Quercus coccifera), open juniper woodlands ofJuniperus thurifera andJuniperus phoenicea, steppe grasslands withStipa tenacissima andLygeum spartum, and low shrublands withArtemisia herba-alba,Thymelaea hirsuta,Ononis tridentata,Helianthemum squamatum, andThymus mastigophorus.[2]
Extensive seasonally-flooded saline wetlands ofSuaeda fruticosa,Microcnemum coralloides,Aizoanthemum hispanicum,Arthrocnemum glaucum, andLimonium ovalifolium cover areas with poor drainage.[2]
Traditional agrosilvopastoral landscapes, known asdehesa in Spain andmontado in Portugal, are found in the western portion of the ecoregion, and extending into the adjacentSouthwest Iberian Mediterranean sclerophyllous and mixed forests ecoregion. They include scattered cork oak (Quercus suber) and holm oak trees interspersed with agricultural fields, olives and other fruit trees, and pastures. Dehesas support wildlife as well as livestock and crops, and forest products like cork, honey, mushrooms, and wild game. Over the past century many dehesas and montados were cleared to create larger single-crop fields of grain and other agricultural commodities.[2]
The ecoregion is home to small populations ofIberian wolf (Canis lupus signatus) in the plains of northern Castile, andIberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) in the southwest. Year-round resident birds include theSpanish imperial eagle (Aquila adalberti) andgreat bustard (Otis tarda). The woodlands are a wintering area forcommon cranes (Grus grus), and a breeding area forwhite storks (Ciconia ciconia) andblack storks (Ciconia nigra).[2]
74,552 km2, or 25%, of the ecoregion is inprotected areas.[1] Some protected areas includeGuadiana Valley Natural Park in Portugal, andSierra Norte de Sevilla Natural Park,Sierra de Hornachuelos Natural Park,Sierra Mágina Natural Park,Sierra de Andújar Natural Park,Monfragüe National Park,Arribes del Duero Natural Park,Lagunas de Villafáfila Nature Reserve, andSierra de María-Los Vélez Natural Park in Spain.
