Forests, wood and undergrowth Mediterranean

The Mediterranean environment corresponds to one of the 26 large Biome S according to WWF under the formulation " Forests, wood and undergrowth méditerranéens" , which has as a linguistic equivalent the sclerophyllous forests . One finds there nearly 20% of the species of indexed plants, they adapted to the Mediterranean Climat of these areas.

An important adaptation of the Végétation took place there: low ceiling, not very dense, not very green, she lives at slowed down rate/rhythm and undergoes the climatic risks of the Mediterranean regions: short a Saison dries, of the irregular Précipitation S, the important Vent S but also the Feu and the actions of the Man which continue to degrade even more this Biome which already lost half of its potential grounds.

The sclerophyllous term comes from the Greek vocabulary where it means with resistant sheets this term applies to the Mediterranean plants like the olive-trees or the holm oaks, to the protéacées and was applied to the whole of the Mediterranean vegetation which has to adapt to the constraints of the local climate. But the majority of the Plante S that have it can qualify the sclerophyllous ones are in the Australian Bush.

Chorology

This biome is located in the Mediterranean regions, or at comparable climate such as the California, the Chile, the South Africa as well as the southern Australia.

These areas are only at the Western Continent S, which partly had with the Westerlies, Vent S which bring a relative softness to the coast S in Hiver.

In the classification from Total the 200, one can observe sclerophyllous forests:

in the Afrotropical: the Fynbos of South Africa.
in the Australasian : the bush of Australian South-west (Forests and undergrowth) as in the South (Hammers out and wood)
in the Néarctique: the Californian Chapparal and its wooded areas
in the Néotropique: the Chilean Matorral
in Palearctic: in the Mediterranean basin (forests and maquis)

These zones are located in Latitude S of about 30 at 45° and correspond to a moderate Climat hot which corresponds to the transition between the subtropical climates and the climates moderated in general.

Climate

Of the be S heats and dry, even canicular, of the Winter S rather soft and sometimes wet rythment this hard climate for the local Vegetation which has and know to adapt.
One observes an annual pluviometry of about 300 with 800mm according to the latitude and the exposure, with higher figures for the mountainous regions of the back country (by ex the Cevennes: + of 2000 mm to the Aigoual Mount).
the Mediterranean Climat is also characterized by Orage S spontaneous, torrential, occurring most of the time at the end of the summer and lasting the autumn, which can pour a very large quantity of Eau in very little time and thus cause low registers Inondation S (about 400 mm even more: 730 mm in 24:00 with Anduze (gard) from September 8th to 9th 2002). These Orage S occurs after long periods of dryness and heat wave, when the still hot water of the Mediterranean (21° with 26°) evaporates, creating hot air and very wet entering in direct conflict with the first descents of cold air on the Central Europe. An inevitable thermal shock occurs, favourable with the formation of " super-cellules" stormy often stationary from where sometimes impressive office pluralities.
Characteristic: in the Western Mediterranean, the pluviometric maximum is reached at the time of the transition be - Hiver whereas in the Eastern Mediterranean it is more spring.
the Ensoleillement is very important in these areas, more than 2500 hours per annum, but that goes hand in hand with a scarcity of the days of Pluie, less than 100 in general.
the arid season lasts 3 to 4 months in general and is located in be.
the Température annual average is of 15-20°c. The thermal Amplitude is there about 12 with 15°C, that is to say quasi exceptional Gelée S except in the immediate future postpones country of the Mediterranean coasts of north where it can even snow in winter.
Another characteristic of the Mediterranean Climat is the presence of strong winds and rapids the such Tramontane, the mistral, the Sirocco or the Bora. In fact Vent S continental powerful and dry of northern sector (for the Mistral) fall down on the coasts taking speed in the bottleneck that constitutes, for example, the valley of the Rhone, between the Massif Central and the Alps, to start violent Tempête S on the Littoral or in Mer, reinforcing the feeling of cold in winter.

Vegetation

The Mediterranean vegetation comprises a big number of annual plants which achieving their vegetative cycle often before and after the summer. The very many xerophilous plants also, adapted by the possession of reserves in the bulbs, the limitation of perspiration by reduction of the surface of the sheets, by stomata which are closed at the hottest hours… Lignification due to the strong luminosity is very widespread. The grounds are very often limestones, of karstyques type (supporting the streaming and the fast disappearance of water surface from where this aspect often " aride" landscape) which can sometimes develop on red grounds rich in kaolinic clay and tinted by the hematite, which are relics of the Quaternaire where moisture was accentuated.

The Mediterranean forest was very attacked by the man since millenia in particular by fire allowing the conquest of new agricultural territories and the intensive breeding of capridés. Thus the " forest originelle" , wetter, primarily made up of white oaks only remains of pieces. Today, according to the type of dominant vegetation one can differentiate:

the forest of Holm oak (or Yeuse) ( Quercus ilex ), which develops on all the provided substrates which they are relatively dry. It is a basic forest slope, most of the time on limestone. It can however reach higher altitudes (with the Pic Saint-Wolf for example or on the southern slopes of the mountains to the surroundings of 700m). The shrubby stage comprises Pistachier S ( Pistachia terebentthus ) and ( Pistachia Lentiscus), the Caroubier, the Laurier, the Sumac ( Rhus ) the Fillaire ( Phyllyrea angustifolia ), the Thym, rosemary, the cane-apple bush the Kermes oak ( Quercus will coccifera ), the Genévrier, officinal Romarin, the Érable of Montpellier, the Pin of Alep, the pine " parasol" or " pignon" , the maritime pine, cypresses, the Cistuses, the glaucous coronille of Montpellier, the Lavender ( Lavandula stoechas ), etc…

the forest of Cork oak ( Quercus suber ), on siliceous grounds and wetter climate, often not easily penetrable as in the Massive of the Moors. Accompany the Maritime pine ( Pinus maritima ), the Pin of Alep ( Pinus halepensis ), the Pistachier ( Pistachia Lentiscus ), the Myrte, of the Ciste S, the Lavande, the Callune ( Calluna vulgaris ).

In the Mediterranean medium, one finds 2 large types of vegetable layers: the arborescent layer as well as the layer shrubby and under-shrubby which forms only one here, the herbaceous layer is in general absent.
But one also has 3 great types of vegetable formations: the maquis, the Scrubland and the Pine forest which allow 3 organizations completely different from the landscape " fermés" or " ouverts"
What allows the differentiation of these 3 vegetations is the aridity but especially the nature of the grounds, the maquis being established on siliceous grounds and the scrubland on drier grounds and Calcaire S. the pine forest, which developed considerably since the beginning of the 20th century and the abandonment of the grounds can be found practically everywhere, the Pin of Alep being, in particular, a species very invading with fast development.

Environment of the maquis type

Equivalences with the maquis

In the other areas known as of Mediterranean climate, the maquis with its local equivalent:

In California, one calls it the biome Chaparral ,
In Australia, it is named Mallee ,
With the Chile, Mattoral ,
In South Africa, it was baptized Fynbos .

Generally one can observe there bushy Plantes, thorny, and odorous which adapted to the rigor of this climate, and one can distinguish some exoticisms locally:

With the Chile, one listed nearly 1500 endemic plants with this biome of which number of Cactées.
In Australia one finds there the xeric flora of the bush like certain varieties of Eucalyptus.

Environment of the scrubland type

The Garrigue is the degraded shape of the oak grove of Holm oak ( Quercus ilex ), it occupies the grounds limestones and diluted and the shrubby vegetation is less dense there.

The raised Strate is in general absent, or then lower than the Forêt known as of the maquis.

The plants which push in the scrubland have to adapt to the climate and on the dry ground of these areas, the xériques plants were thus favoured.

Among the shrubby vegetation one can notice in particular:

the Kermes oak, average height 1,5 meters, it took the place of the higher layers in general.
the Ciste
the Thym
the Romarin

the under-shrubby layer is occupied here by:

Of the Sage S
of the Lavender S
of the Hysope
of the flowers such as the Crocus, the iris or the Tulip.

The scrubland being a medium of permanent degradation, its final state is thus the Steppe.

It carries out the junction between the sclerophyllous forest and the herbaceous steppes.

Fauna

One finds there many Insecte S (Coléoptère ténébrionide, Sauterelle S, cricket S…)

the reptiles are not strokes about it either, because one can observe many species of Lézard S but also of the Gecko S and Grenouille S.

the majority of these small species as well as the small mammals adopted a night activity or of hiding.

One finds there many Oiseau X, of which many which became particular with this biome.

One can quote of many kinds of eagle S as well as small Rapace S the such Busard and vultures such as the Vautour or the Condor.
Of the small birds also found refuge in these areas, in particular in Hammers out Australian.

the Mammifère S also have their place, various types of Rongeur S are present in this medium, of the Marsupiaux the such Opossum are visible in Chile and in Australia, the large mammals of these areas the such ass, the Chèvre or the Mouton from now on are domesticated, but one still finds there Sanglier S or wild pigs.

See too

Maquis (Leitartikel)
Scrubland (Leitartikel)

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