Monteverde (literally - "green mountain") - a belt of evergreen deciduous forests of the western and central Canary Islands , located at an altitude of 400-1500 m above sea level under constant exposure to the trade winds (northern sectors of the islands of Tenerife , Homer , Palma , Jerro , Gran Canaria ) Similar communities are also common in the Azores and Madeira . This community and many of its species are relics of the Tertiary time .
| Monteverde | |
|---|---|
 Laurel forests in Los Tilos ( Palma ) | |
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| A country |
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Content
Composition
Monteverde in the Canary Islands is based on laurel forests (“laurisilva” / “laurisilva”) dominated by four species from the Laurel family ( Lauraceae ): Canarian laurel ( Laurus novocanariensis ), Apollonias barbusana , fetid ocotea, or thilla ( Ocotea indoetetens ) and ( Persea indica ). Under ecotonic conditions, in the zone of contact with pine forests from the Canary pine , felling and in the marginal parts of the trade winds form communities with the dominance of two more evergreen species: heather tree ( Erica arborea ) and birch ( Myrica faya ). These communities received the local name “Fayal-Brezal” ( Spanish: fayal-brezal ). Almost all of the tree species mentioned are relics of the almost extinct Tertiary Mediterranean flora , whose species dominated southern Europe and North Africa about 15-40 million years ago.
In addition to the dominant species, other species of trees are included in Monteverde: honey euphorbia ( Euphorbia mellifera ), Canarian holly ( Ilex canariensis ), Portuguese bird cherry ( Prunus lusitanica subsp. Hixa ), broadleaf holly ( Ilex platyphylla ), Visnea mocanera , Salix canix canariensis ), glandular gland ( Rhamnus glandulosa ). Of the low shrubs and grasses, Canary geranium ( Geranium canariense ), Canary zedronella ( Cedronella canariensis ), St. John's wort ( Hypericum grandifolium ), Woodwardia radicans fern, Viburnum rigidum , Rhizocarpaceae corycus Rubus ulmifolius ), Canarian bindweed ( Convolvulus canariensis ), Canary , or "Canary bell" ( Canarina canariensis ), Isoplexis canariensis , tree gesnuinia ( Gesnouinia arborea ) [1] .
Environmental Aspect
Only relatively small tracts of evergreen forests have survived since man settled on the Canary Islands . Forests were cut down for firewood, building material and land for agricultural purposes on such a scale that, for example, on the island of Gran Canaria only 1% of the forest area of Monteverde was preserved, and on the relatively prosperous island of Tenerife this figure does not exceed 10%, but continues to decline . In many places, deforestation has led to significant soil erosion . Most laurel forests are now protected, including the most well-preserved site on Mount Garakhonay in the central part of the island of Homer , which received the status of a national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site .
Gallery
Persea Indian ( Persea indica )
Bay of Azores ( Laurus azorica )
Erica arborea
Voskovnitsa ( Myrica faya )
Canary Cedronella ( Cedronella canariensis )
Fern Woodwardia radicans
Canarina , or "Canary bell" ( Canarina canariensis )
Isoplexis canariensis
Notes
- ↑ Bramwell, D. and Bramwell, Z. (2001) Wild flowers of the Canary Islands. 2nd ed. Editorial Rueda SL, Madrid, Spain ISBN 84-7207-129-4 .