The deciduous forest evokes the beauty of seasons better than any other landscape. But behind this idyllic image lies a highly efficient habitat, an ecosystem designed to miximize the short favorable periods of temperate latitudes. Here the use of available nutrients must be maximal during the warmer months and the whole system goes into a dormancy that inevitably marks its dynamic.
Despite the forest suffers the harshness of winter, the rest of the year enjoys excellent coneitions for plant growing. The explosion of life in spring is one of the greatest spectacles of nature, a miracle that deserves to be seen in all its glory. Its favorable climate provides the development of highly diverse plant communities and a number of animal species not minor. Some of the most majestic animals of our wildlife, like the wolf, the bear or the capercaillie, found shelter in the deciduous forests of northern Spain. The richness of diciduous forests reaches its climax in the lands with most favorable lithology. Here monospecific formations give way to mixed forests, displaying the highest diversity of tree species to be found in our latitudes.
In sub-Mediterranean areas, however, the su-Mediterranena mixed forest flowers, a forest exclusive of the Mediterranean Basin. In these formations, mixing Atlantic and Mediterranean species, some tree species have adopted a unique strategy: the marcescence. Indeed, as a fusion of styles, the leaves of these trees do not fall until spring regrowth, despite suffering the same translocation of nutrients than deciduous species. This is a phenomenon shrouded of mistery, whose actual meaning is unknown at this time. Entering the realm of puer speculation, it is believed to avoid the winter growth of shade-intolerant species, which in this climate could develop at the colder months, or that this delay in the leaves falling until periods of high microbial activity may optimize the recycling of nutrients. Anywy, apart from its originality, these formations undeniably shelter an amazing zoological and botanical wealth.
The mystery and magic of forests has inspired the popular imagination since ancient times, giving birth to countless myths and legend and nurturing the culture of the different peninsular peoples. At the same time, forests are the protagonists of the most beautiful stories, and have evoked feelings of peace and harmony to all who venture into their midst. This attraction of human beings into the forest, almost visceral, should be the basis of our respect. We must not destroy what is part of ourselves. If we do, we will lose our identity and we have given up, well, our own dignity.
Habitat Types of Community Interest (Habitat Directive) included in this section
EUROSIBERIAN SCRUBLANDS
- 4020.- Temperate Atlantic wet heaths with Erica ciliaris and Erica tetralix (302010, 302020).
BROADLEAF DECIDUOUS AND MARCESCENT FORESTS
- 9120.- Atlantic acidophilous beech forests with Ilex sp. and sometimes also Taxus sp. in the shrublayer (Quercion robori-petraeae o Ilici-Fagenion) (811010, 812010).
- 9130.- Aspergulo-Fagetum beech forests.
- 9150.- Medio-European limestone beech forests of the Cephalanthero-Fagion (815010).
- 9160.- Sub-Atlantic and Medio-European oak or oak-hornbeam forest of the Carpinion betuli.
- 9180.- Tilio-Acerion forests of slopes, screes and ravines (818010).
- 91B0.- Termophilous Fraxinus angustifolia woods (81B010, 81B020, 81B030).
- 91E0.- Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior (Alno-Padion, Alnion incanae, Salicion albae) (81E010, 81E020).
- 92A0.- Salix alba and Populus alba galleries (82A010, 82A020, 82A030,82A040, 82A050, 82A060, 82A070).
- 9230.- Galicio-Portuguese oak woods with Quercus robur and Quercus pyrenaica (823010, 823020).
- 9240.- Quercus faginea and Quercus canariensis Iberian forests (824010, 824020, 824030, 824040).
- 9260.- Castanea sativa woods (826010, 826020, 826030).
EVERGREEN FORESTS
- 9380.- Forests of Ilex aquifolium (838010, 838020).
- 9580.- MediterraneanTaxus baccata woods.
Additional information about Eurosiberian forests of the Iberian Peninsula
- Eurosiberian forests.
