Pinar
Above the laurel forest and fayal-brezal zones on the northern slopes
(1,200–1,300 m above sea level), and above the upper limit of the
cardonal-tabaibal zone in the south-south-west (700–800 m above sea level),
the air becomes drier, sun exposure increases and diurnal and seasonal
temperatures are less uniform, with the possibility of some frosts and
snowfall during the winter, whilst the temperature contrasts between day and
night are also more pronounced. These are the climatic conditions in which
the Canary Island pine (Pinus canariensis) forests thrive, occupying a belt
extending up to an altitude of around 2,000 m. This altitudinal distribution
of the Canary Island pine determines its presence in the archipelago, with
the most extensive pine forests in the Canary Islands being found on the
islands of Tenerife, La Palma, El Hierro and Gran Canaria; La Gomera has
only scattered groups, whilst Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, with altitudes
barely exceeding 800 m, have no such forests at all.
On the other hand, the wind patterns are different, with the prevailing direction being north-westerly and the winds being dry; this results in a distinct selection of flora, which differs significantly from that of other ecosystems: there are species adapted to the cold and snow, an increase in plants with hairy surfaces and reduced leaves, etc.
The Canary Island pine can thrive in areas with little rainfall and does not require very deep soil to begin growing; it is fairly undemanding in terms of soil type, generally growing on more or less developed volcanic soils. The humification and mineralisation of the needles that fall from the tree is a slow process and, as a result, the soils are poor in organic matter and nutrients.
In terms of flora, the pine forest is species-poor, although it could be argued that this is due to ongoing human intervention: grazing dating back to the time of the indigenous peoples; intensive exploitation of pine timber since the time of the Conquest, which left large areas of Gran Canaria and Tenerife completely deforested; fires, etc. This results in significant selection pressure on the flora, which manifests itself in two main ways: on the one hand, most plants are confined to refuge areas away from livestock and fire, in rugged terrain; and on the other hand, the plants that continue to thrive in the pine forest are, for various reasons, resistant to fire or, in other cases, are not favoured by livestock.
In north-facing areas, where the Monteverde forest meets other vegetation types, a type of forest known as mixed pine forest occasionally forms, in which pines intermingle with shrubby species typical of the fayal-brezal: fayas (Morella faya), heathers (Erica arborea), holly (Ilex canariensis), etc.
The area originally covered by pine forests has shrunk considerably, as since the early days of the conquest of the islands they have been intensively exploited to obtain a wide range of products: timber, pitch, resins, pine needles, etc. The innermost part of the old pine trees – which is highly resinous, very hard and durable, and known as ‘tea’ – was used for carpentry and joinery (coffered ceilings, roof structures, doors, etc.) and was even exported to the mainland, where there are many buildings in which this fine timber was used. Another typical use of the pine forest was the production of pitch, obtained by burning pieces of ‘tea’ to extract its resin. This pitch, which was processed in kilns situated amongst the pine trees themselves, was used primarily for caulking ships, and also for medicinal purposes.
Flora
The Canarian pine forest is a dense woodland dominated entirely by the Canarian pine (Pinus canariensis), a robust, large-growing species that can exceed 50 metres in height, with abundant branching and long, needle-like leaves grouped in threes in tight clusters. Their needle-like shape minimises water loss during dry periods and protects them from frost in winter, enabling them to withstand very low temperatures for long periods. They have a very powerful and active root system, colonising and forming soil even in challenging terrain such as volcanic soil.
Like many conifers, it is a pyrophytic species, meaning that fire favours it over other species due to the high germination capacity of its seeds following a fire. Furthermore, the Canary Island pine has the distinctive ability to sprout from stumps, which enables it to regenerate the above-ground parts destroyed by fire. A major factor contributing to the Canary Island pine’s high resistance to fire is its thick, corky bark, which acts as a kind of protective armour for the heartwood.
Under favourable conditions, the canopy develops extensively and the pine forest forms a cover that allows little light to penetrate. This, combined with the nutrient-poor soil, results in very sparse undergrowth. Excluding areas where the forest borders other habitats – where elements characteristic of those habitats are introduced into the pine forest – only a handful of species thrive in this hostile environment. One such species is rockrose (Cistus symphytifolius), which colonises the ground well after fires and is very common in somewhat open pine forests. Also common are various species of thyme (Miromeria spp.) and lotus (Lotus spp.), the blue echium of La Palma (Echium webbi), the chahorras (Sideritis dasygnaphalla and Sideritis oroteneriffae), wild rosalitos (Pterochepalus dumetorum and Pterocephalus porphyranthus), the palomera (Pericallis lanata), wild oregano (Bystropogon origanifolius), etc. In the sunniest areas, the broom (Chamacytisus proliferus) and the codeso (Adenocarpus foliolosus) are found. The herbaceous vegetation is also very sparse, although occasionally one comes across a flower as beautiful as the pine forest orchid (Orchis canariensis).
In very small areas of Tenerife’s pine forests grows the ‘pico paloma’ (Lotus berthelotii), a beautiful endemic species at risk of extinction, which produces striking orange or reddish flowers shaped like a claw or a bird’s beak.
At the upper limits of the pine forests grows an iconic species of Canarian flora: the Canarian cedar (Juniperus cedrus), a tree of majestic stature which, due to its prized timber, was highly sought after in times gone by. It thrives in sheltered locations in the Cañadas del Teide and is found in abundance only on the peaks bordering the Caldera de Taburiente on the island of La Palma, particularly on the steep cliffs within it; it is very rare on La Gomera and Gran Canaria. On the steep cliffs within the Caldera de Taburiente, there are some old specimens which may bear witness to a time when it shared dominance with the pine forest.
The presence of saprophytic and mycorrhizal fungi is one of the most important features of the pine forest, as they play a vital role in the decomposition of pine needles. There is a vast and varied array of fungi of all kinds to be found in the Canary Islands’ pine forests, particularly between October and February, including species such as Telephora terrestris, Coltricia perennis, Clavulina rugosa, Hydnellum ferrugineum, Suillus bellinii, Boletus edulis, Boletus reticulatus, Cantharellus cibarius, Russula delica, Russula albonigra, Russula acrifolia, Russula cessans, Collybia dryophilla, Collybia butyracea, Cystoderma terrei, Helvella lacunosa, Rhizopogon obtextus, Tricholoma terreum, Amanita muscaria, Amanita gemmata, etc.
Some lichens can also be found in the pine forests, such as Pseudevernia furfuracea, Parmelia saxatilis, Platismatia glauca, Evernia prunastri, Lethariella canariensis, Ramalinetum subgeniculatae, etc. And in the more humid areas, certain bryophytes appear, such as Hypnum uncinulatum, Dicranowesia cirrrata, Frullania teneriffae, Grimmia trichopylla, Pterogonium gracile, etc.
Fauna
The fauna of the pine forest is not very diverse, with small invertebrates predominating. These are scarce on the forest floor but abundant in the pine trees, where they find a greater variety of habitats.
Birds are the most striking group within the pine forest’s fauna. Among them, the blue chaffinch (Fringilla teydea) stands out; it is endemic to the Canary Islands, with populations living in the pine forests of Tenerife (ssp. teydea) and Gran Canaria (ssp. polatzeki). It feeds mainly on insects and pine seeds, and builds its nest high up in these trees.
The blue tit (Parus caeruleus) and the great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocops major) are two other birds closely associated with pine forests, whilst the common buzzard (Buteo buteo), the canary (Serinus canarius), the chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) and the red-billed chough (Phyrrhocorax phyrrhocorax) (found exclusively on the island of La Palma) are common in these forests but also inhabit other ecosystems.
The mammals are represented by the long-eared bat (Plecotus teneriffae) and the forest bat (Barbastella barbastellus).
Among the invertebrates, there are many endemic species linked, in one way or another, to the pine tree itself. Feeding on the leaves is the pine caterpillar, which is the caterpillar of the butterfly Calliteara fortunata, whilst living amongst the cracked bark is a weevil of the genus Brachyderes, which has different subspecies in the pine forests of various islands, such as Brachyderes rugatus on the island of La Palma. Living off dead wood are xylophagous insects such as the wood wasp (Sirex noctilio), the pine longhorn beetle (Arhopalus pinetorum), the painted pine beetle (Buprestis bertheloti), and the blue-banded beetle (Temnoscheila caerulea). As for the butterflies found in pine forests, notable species include the wolf moth (Maniota justina), the fortunata moth (Calliteara fortunata) and the brown satyr (Hypparchia wyssii), which has three different subspecies depending on the island. Among the arachnids is the yellow pine spider (Olius canariensis).
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On the other hand, the wind patterns are different, with the prevailing direction being north-westerly and the winds being dry; this results in a distinct selection of flora, which differs significantly from that of other ecosystems: there are species adapted to the cold and snow, an increase in plants with hairy surfaces and reduced leaves, etc.
The Canary Island pine can thrive in areas with little rainfall and does not require very deep soil to begin growing; it is fairly undemanding in terms of soil type, generally growing on more or less developed volcanic soils. The humification and mineralisation of the needles that fall from the tree is a slow process and, as a result, the soils are poor in organic matter and nutrients.
In terms of flora, the pine forest is species-poor, although it could be argued that this is due to ongoing human intervention: grazing dating back to the time of the indigenous peoples; intensive exploitation of pine timber since the time of the Conquest, which left large areas of Gran Canaria and Tenerife completely deforested; fires, etc. This results in significant selection pressure on the flora, which manifests itself in two main ways: on the one hand, most plants are confined to refuge areas away from livestock and fire, in rugged terrain; and on the other hand, the plants that continue to thrive in the pine forest are, for various reasons, resistant to fire or, in other cases, are not favoured by livestock.
In north-facing areas, where the Monteverde forest meets other vegetation types, a type of forest known as mixed pine forest occasionally forms, in which pines intermingle with shrubby species typical of the fayal-brezal: fayas (Morella faya), heathers (Erica arborea), holly (Ilex canariensis), etc.
The area originally covered by pine forests has shrunk considerably, as since the early days of the conquest of the islands they have been intensively exploited to obtain a wide range of products: timber, pitch, resins, pine needles, etc. The innermost part of the old pine trees – which is highly resinous, very hard and durable, and known as ‘tea’ – was used for carpentry and joinery (coffered ceilings, roof structures, doors, etc.) and was even exported to the mainland, where there are many buildings in which this fine timber was used. Another typical use of the pine forest was the production of pitch, obtained by burning pieces of ‘tea’ to extract its resin. This pitch, which was processed in kilns situated amongst the pine trees themselves, was used primarily for caulking ships, and also for medicinal purposes.
Flora
The Canarian pine forest is a dense woodland dominated entirely by the Canarian pine (Pinus canariensis), a robust, large-growing species that can exceed 50 metres in height, with abundant branching and long, needle-like leaves grouped in threes in tight clusters. Their needle-like shape minimises water loss during dry periods and protects them from frost in winter, enabling them to withstand very low temperatures for long periods. They have a very powerful and active root system, colonising and forming soil even in challenging terrain such as volcanic soil.
Like many conifers, it is a pyrophytic species, meaning that fire favours it over other species due to the high germination capacity of its seeds following a fire. Furthermore, the Canary Island pine has the distinctive ability to sprout from stumps, which enables it to regenerate the above-ground parts destroyed by fire. A major factor contributing to the Canary Island pine’s high resistance to fire is its thick, corky bark, which acts as a kind of protective armour for the heartwood.
Under favourable conditions, the canopy develops extensively and the pine forest forms a cover that allows little light to penetrate. This, combined with the nutrient-poor soil, results in very sparse undergrowth. Excluding areas where the forest borders other habitats – where elements characteristic of those habitats are introduced into the pine forest – only a handful of species thrive in this hostile environment. One such species is rockrose (Cistus symphytifolius), which colonises the ground well after fires and is very common in somewhat open pine forests. Also common are various species of thyme (Miromeria spp.) and lotus (Lotus spp.), the blue echium of La Palma (Echium webbi), the chahorras (Sideritis dasygnaphalla and Sideritis oroteneriffae), wild rosalitos (Pterochepalus dumetorum and Pterocephalus porphyranthus), the palomera (Pericallis lanata), wild oregano (Bystropogon origanifolius), etc. In the sunniest areas, the broom (Chamacytisus proliferus) and the codeso (Adenocarpus foliolosus) are found. The herbaceous vegetation is also very sparse, although occasionally one comes across a flower as beautiful as the pine forest orchid (Orchis canariensis).
In very small areas of Tenerife’s pine forests grows the ‘pico paloma’ (Lotus berthelotii), a beautiful endemic species at risk of extinction, which produces striking orange or reddish flowers shaped like a claw or a bird’s beak.
At the upper limits of the pine forests grows an iconic species of Canarian flora: the Canarian cedar (Juniperus cedrus), a tree of majestic stature which, due to its prized timber, was highly sought after in times gone by. It thrives in sheltered locations in the Cañadas del Teide and is found in abundance only on the peaks bordering the Caldera de Taburiente on the island of La Palma, particularly on the steep cliffs within it; it is very rare on La Gomera and Gran Canaria. On the steep cliffs within the Caldera de Taburiente, there are some old specimens which may bear witness to a time when it shared dominance with the pine forest.
The presence of saprophytic and mycorrhizal fungi is one of the most important features of the pine forest, as they play a vital role in the decomposition of pine needles. There is a vast and varied array of fungi of all kinds to be found in the Canary Islands’ pine forests, particularly between October and February, including species such as Telephora terrestris, Coltricia perennis, Clavulina rugosa, Hydnellum ferrugineum, Suillus bellinii, Boletus edulis, Boletus reticulatus, Cantharellus cibarius, Russula delica, Russula albonigra, Russula acrifolia, Russula cessans, Collybia dryophilla, Collybia butyracea, Cystoderma terrei, Helvella lacunosa, Rhizopogon obtextus, Tricholoma terreum, Amanita muscaria, Amanita gemmata, etc.
Some lichens can also be found in the pine forests, such as Pseudevernia furfuracea, Parmelia saxatilis, Platismatia glauca, Evernia prunastri, Lethariella canariensis, Ramalinetum subgeniculatae, etc. And in the more humid areas, certain bryophytes appear, such as Hypnum uncinulatum, Dicranowesia cirrrata, Frullania teneriffae, Grimmia trichopylla, Pterogonium gracile, etc.
Fauna
The fauna of the pine forest is not very diverse, with small invertebrates predominating. These are scarce on the forest floor but abundant in the pine trees, where they find a greater variety of habitats.
Birds are the most striking group within the pine forest’s fauna. Among them, the blue chaffinch (Fringilla teydea) stands out; it is endemic to the Canary Islands, with populations living in the pine forests of Tenerife (ssp. teydea) and Gran Canaria (ssp. polatzeki). It feeds mainly on insects and pine seeds, and builds its nest high up in these trees.
The blue tit (Parus caeruleus) and the great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocops major) are two other birds closely associated with pine forests, whilst the common buzzard (Buteo buteo), the canary (Serinus canarius), the chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) and the red-billed chough (Phyrrhocorax phyrrhocorax) (found exclusively on the island of La Palma) are common in these forests but also inhabit other ecosystems.
The mammals are represented by the long-eared bat (Plecotus teneriffae) and the forest bat (Barbastella barbastellus).
Among the invertebrates, there are many endemic species linked, in one way or another, to the pine tree itself. Feeding on the leaves is the pine caterpillar, which is the caterpillar of the butterfly Calliteara fortunata, whilst living amongst the cracked bark is a weevil of the genus Brachyderes, which has different subspecies in the pine forests of various islands, such as Brachyderes rugatus on the island of La Palma. Living off dead wood are xylophagous insects such as the wood wasp (Sirex noctilio), the pine longhorn beetle (Arhopalus pinetorum), the painted pine beetle (Buprestis bertheloti), and the blue-banded beetle (Temnoscheila caerulea). As for the butterflies found in pine forests, notable species include the wolf moth (Maniota justina), the fortunata moth (Calliteara fortunata) and the brown satyr (Hypparchia wyssii), which has three different subspecies depending on the island. Among the arachnids is the yellow pine spider (Olius canariensis).
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