Thermophilic forests
Thermophilic forests constitute a special type of
vegetation characterized by their intermediate position between the shrub
communities of coastal areas (cardonal-tabaibal) and the large forests of
the montane zone (laurisilva, fayal-brezal, and pine forests).
Altitudinally, they occupy a narrow strip located approximately between 200–500 m above sea level, primarily on north-and east-facing slopes, and are almost absent from south- and southwest-facing slopes.
Climatically, they are characterized by moderate temperatures and moderate precipitation (an annual average of 15–18°C and 350–600 mm of annual rainfall). The influence of the trade winds and the proximity to the areas where the sea of clouds forms cause a gradual decrease in the amount of sunshine and a slight increase in humidity.
The environmental conditions of thermophilic forests favor the development of a type of forest composed of just a few tree species: the Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis), the dragon tree (Dracaena draco), the mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus), the juniper (Juniperus turbinata, ssp. canariensis), the wild olive (Olea guanchica), and the Atlantic pistachio (Pistacia atlantica), which occasionally form nearly monospecific communities, giving rise to what are known as palm groves, juniper groves, wild olive groves, mastic groves, etc.
The long-standing concentration of human populations in these areas, engaged in activities such as agriculture, grazing, and excessive logging, has greatly reduced the original distribution of these forests, so that their current occurrences are scarce, with very few examples of what this vegetation might have looked like in its natural state—as is the case with the juniper groves on the island of El Hierro, in the northwest of La Gomera, and some very small patches in the Afur area of Tenerife and on the island of La Palma; the mastic forests of Gran Canaria; the scattered almond groves in Tenerife, La Palma, and Gran Canaria; and the palm groves of La Gomera, Tenerife, La Palma, Fuerteventura, and Lanzarote.
As for what we might call “dragonales”—more or less dense clusters of dragon trees—they have almost completely disappeared from the Canary Islands’ landscape. The few natural groups of dragon trees that remain today are found on the island of Tenerife (Roque de Tierra and Roque de las Ánimas, in Anaga; Barranco del Infierno and Barranco de Las Carboneras), and on La Palma (El Palmar, Franceses, and Las Tricias, in Garafía; La Tosca, in Barlovento).
The importance and extent of thermophilic forests in the original vegetation of the Canary Islands is illustrated by the fact that even sparsely forested islands, such as Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, preserve, in addition to extensive populations of palm trees, small stands of adernos, lentiscos, marmulanos, almácigos, and mocanes, which confirm a wider distribution of this type of forest in the past. Over time, the excessive degradation of these forests has led to the formation of nearly monospecific shrublands of canary island St. John’s wort (Hypericum canariense), rockrose (Cistus monspeliensis), and, on the eastern islands, joraos (Asteriscus sericeus) and tojíos (Asteriscus intermedius).
Flora
Thermophilic forests are home to a large number of valuable species, many of which are endemic to the Canary Islands or the Macaronesian region. Some are also emblematic of the Canary Islands, such as the Canary Island palm (Phoenix canariensis), the dragon tree (Dracaena draco), and the juniper (Juniperus turbinata, ssp. canariensis).
The Canary Island palm can be found from the coast, on sandy or saline soils, up to elevations above 600 m above sea level, including riverbeds and ravine slopes, as it is a hardy and highly adaptable species that requires only a certain amount of soil moisture. The dragon tree is the most iconic tree of the Canary Islands, but today it is very rare in its natural state, and significant populations remain only in certain areas of Tenerife and northern La Palma (Buracas and La Tosca). The juniper is a small tree, but very hardy and with highly prized wood. It was once very abundant, and small groves of unique beauty still remain; the most spectacular is located in Sabinosa, on the island of El Hierro, where the wind has shaped these trees into twisted forms, and the largest and best-preserved grove is in Vallehermoso, on the island of La Gomera.
In addition to those mentioned above, other medium-sized, beautifully formed trees are characteristic of this vegetation, such as the wild olive (Olea guanchica), the mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus), and the Atlantic pistachio (Pistacia atlantica)—all of which are native to the current vegetation of the Mediterranean basin. In certain areas, the Canary Island marmulán (Sideroxylon canariensis) and the Canary Island peralillo (Maytenus canariensis) also occur. Some riverbeds and streams have healthy populations of the Canary Island willow (Salix canariensis). Alongside these grows a numerous and striking array of shrubs and herbaceous plants, such as the cliff mallow (Lavatera acerifolia), the ashwagandha (Withania aristata), the buckthorn (Rhamnus crenulata), the hierbamora (Bosea yervamora), the wild jasmine (Jasminum odoratissimum), Canarian St. John’s wort (Hypericum canariense), spiny Pericallis (Pericallis echinata), and jorao (Asteriscus sericeus), among others.
Fungi are very rare in this habitat; the most common species are Pisolithus tinctorius and Calvatia lilacina. Although not abundant, the lichen flora includes a variety of species, such as Xanthoria parietina, Ramalina hierrensis, Teloschistes flavicans, Heterodermia leucolema, etc.
Fauna
The fauna of thermophilic forests includes few species exclusive to this zone, and most of them are found in both the lower arid areas and the montane forests.
Numerous birds find shelter and food in the palm groves. The blackbird (Turdus merula) and the raven (Corvus corax) feed on the dates, while the blue tit (Parus caeruleus) catches insects in the crevices of the trunks. The long-eared owl (Asio otus) frequently uses the palm trees for nesting. Juniper trees are also a food source for the raven; by eating their fruits or galbuli, the raven helps disperse these trees, since the seeds must first pass through the digestive tract of these animals in order to germinate properly.s.
Other birds, such as the common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), the rock pigeon (Columba livia), and the single-colored swift (Apus unicolor), nest on the steep cliffs of the ravines. And many more can still be seen, such as the turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur), the Junonia dove (Columba junoniae), the rock pigeon (Columba livia), the yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis), the Barbary partridge (Alectoris barbara), and insectivorous birds such as the canary (Serinus canaria), the common chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita), the blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla), the black-headed warbler (Sylvia melanocephala), etc. Some, such as the gray wagtail (Motacilla cinerea), are associated with specific microhabitats, such as streams and willow groves, while most are found not only in this type of forest but also move through nearby habitats such as the cardonal-tabaibal or the Monteverde.
Reptiles are scarce, with the most abundant being lizards (Gallotia galloti, Gallotia stehlini...), skinks (Chalcides sexlineatus), and tarantulas (Tarentola delalandii).
Among the most common insects and invertebrates are grasshoppers (Oedipoda canariensis and Acrotylus insubricus), the piteras spider (Cyrtophora citricola), the Vanessa butterfly (Vanessa vulcania), the rhinoceros beetle (Oryctes nasicornis), and the cochineal (Dactylopius coccus).
Altitudinally, they occupy a narrow strip located approximately between 200–500 m above sea level, primarily on north-and east-facing slopes, and are almost absent from south- and southwest-facing slopes.
Climatically, they are characterized by moderate temperatures and moderate precipitation (an annual average of 15–18°C and 350–600 mm of annual rainfall). The influence of the trade winds and the proximity to the areas where the sea of clouds forms cause a gradual decrease in the amount of sunshine and a slight increase in humidity.
The environmental conditions of thermophilic forests favor the development of a type of forest composed of just a few tree species: the Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis), the dragon tree (Dracaena draco), the mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus), the juniper (Juniperus turbinata, ssp. canariensis), the wild olive (Olea guanchica), and the Atlantic pistachio (Pistacia atlantica), which occasionally form nearly monospecific communities, giving rise to what are known as palm groves, juniper groves, wild olive groves, mastic groves, etc.
The long-standing concentration of human populations in these areas, engaged in activities such as agriculture, grazing, and excessive logging, has greatly reduced the original distribution of these forests, so that their current occurrences are scarce, with very few examples of what this vegetation might have looked like in its natural state—as is the case with the juniper groves on the island of El Hierro, in the northwest of La Gomera, and some very small patches in the Afur area of Tenerife and on the island of La Palma; the mastic forests of Gran Canaria; the scattered almond groves in Tenerife, La Palma, and Gran Canaria; and the palm groves of La Gomera, Tenerife, La Palma, Fuerteventura, and Lanzarote.
As for what we might call “dragonales”—more or less dense clusters of dragon trees—they have almost completely disappeared from the Canary Islands’ landscape. The few natural groups of dragon trees that remain today are found on the island of Tenerife (Roque de Tierra and Roque de las Ánimas, in Anaga; Barranco del Infierno and Barranco de Las Carboneras), and on La Palma (El Palmar, Franceses, and Las Tricias, in Garafía; La Tosca, in Barlovento).
The importance and extent of thermophilic forests in the original vegetation of the Canary Islands is illustrated by the fact that even sparsely forested islands, such as Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, preserve, in addition to extensive populations of palm trees, small stands of adernos, lentiscos, marmulanos, almácigos, and mocanes, which confirm a wider distribution of this type of forest in the past. Over time, the excessive degradation of these forests has led to the formation of nearly monospecific shrublands of canary island St. John’s wort (Hypericum canariense), rockrose (Cistus monspeliensis), and, on the eastern islands, joraos (Asteriscus sericeus) and tojíos (Asteriscus intermedius).
Flora
Thermophilic forests are home to a large number of valuable species, many of which are endemic to the Canary Islands or the Macaronesian region. Some are also emblematic of the Canary Islands, such as the Canary Island palm (Phoenix canariensis), the dragon tree (Dracaena draco), and the juniper (Juniperus turbinata, ssp. canariensis).
The Canary Island palm can be found from the coast, on sandy or saline soils, up to elevations above 600 m above sea level, including riverbeds and ravine slopes, as it is a hardy and highly adaptable species that requires only a certain amount of soil moisture. The dragon tree is the most iconic tree of the Canary Islands, but today it is very rare in its natural state, and significant populations remain only in certain areas of Tenerife and northern La Palma (Buracas and La Tosca). The juniper is a small tree, but very hardy and with highly prized wood. It was once very abundant, and small groves of unique beauty still remain; the most spectacular is located in Sabinosa, on the island of El Hierro, where the wind has shaped these trees into twisted forms, and the largest and best-preserved grove is in Vallehermoso, on the island of La Gomera.
In addition to those mentioned above, other medium-sized, beautifully formed trees are characteristic of this vegetation, such as the wild olive (Olea guanchica), the mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus), and the Atlantic pistachio (Pistacia atlantica)—all of which are native to the current vegetation of the Mediterranean basin. In certain areas, the Canary Island marmulán (Sideroxylon canariensis) and the Canary Island peralillo (Maytenus canariensis) also occur. Some riverbeds and streams have healthy populations of the Canary Island willow (Salix canariensis). Alongside these grows a numerous and striking array of shrubs and herbaceous plants, such as the cliff mallow (Lavatera acerifolia), the ashwagandha (Withania aristata), the buckthorn (Rhamnus crenulata), the hierbamora (Bosea yervamora), the wild jasmine (Jasminum odoratissimum), Canarian St. John’s wort (Hypericum canariense), spiny Pericallis (Pericallis echinata), and jorao (Asteriscus sericeus), among others.
Fungi are very rare in this habitat; the most common species are Pisolithus tinctorius and Calvatia lilacina. Although not abundant, the lichen flora includes a variety of species, such as Xanthoria parietina, Ramalina hierrensis, Teloschistes flavicans, Heterodermia leucolema, etc.
Fauna
The fauna of thermophilic forests includes few species exclusive to this zone, and most of them are found in both the lower arid areas and the montane forests.
Numerous birds find shelter and food in the palm groves. The blackbird (Turdus merula) and the raven (Corvus corax) feed on the dates, while the blue tit (Parus caeruleus) catches insects in the crevices of the trunks. The long-eared owl (Asio otus) frequently uses the palm trees for nesting. Juniper trees are also a food source for the raven; by eating their fruits or galbuli, the raven helps disperse these trees, since the seeds must first pass through the digestive tract of these animals in order to germinate properly.s.
Other birds, such as the common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), the rock pigeon (Columba livia), and the single-colored swift (Apus unicolor), nest on the steep cliffs of the ravines. And many more can still be seen, such as the turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur), the Junonia dove (Columba junoniae), the rock pigeon (Columba livia), the yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis), the Barbary partridge (Alectoris barbara), and insectivorous birds such as the canary (Serinus canaria), the common chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita), the blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla), the black-headed warbler (Sylvia melanocephala), etc. Some, such as the gray wagtail (Motacilla cinerea), are associated with specific microhabitats, such as streams and willow groves, while most are found not only in this type of forest but also move through nearby habitats such as the cardonal-tabaibal or the Monteverde.
Reptiles are scarce, with the most abundant being lizards (Gallotia galloti, Gallotia stehlini...), skinks (Chalcides sexlineatus), and tarantulas (Tarentola delalandii).
Among the most common insects and invertebrates are grasshoppers (Oedipoda canariensis and Acrotylus insubricus), the piteras spider (Cyrtophora citricola), the Vanessa butterfly (Vanessa vulcania), the rhinoceros beetle (Oryctes nasicornis), and the cochineal (Dactylopius coccus).
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