Mediterranean maquis and arborescent matorral

This habitat includes the evergreen sclerophyllous or lauriphyllous shrub vegetation with a more or less closed canopy structure (maquis), the low, sparse, garrigue-like silicicolous maquis of western Mediterranean, as well as the communities of low arborescent cover and with a usually thick, high evergreen shrub stratum, occurring in the Mediterranean biogeographical zone. Maquis and arborescent matorral may represent pre-forest communities, replacement stages of the climax forests, or permanent communities on xeric sites. High maquis includes scrub of Arbutus spp., Erica spp., Juniperus spp., Phillyrea spp. and low maquis includes communities of Cistus spp., Erica spp., Genista spp., Lavandula spp. Primary matorral occurs on ecologically marginal sites, but more often this habitat is derived from degraded broad-leaved evergreen, thermophillous deciduous or conifer forests. Juniperus spp., Ziziphus spp., Laurus nobilis and Quercus coccifera may codominate. The habitat includes a broad variety of plant communities and so, it does not exhibit any specific ecological preference. It mostly occurs in the thermo- to meso-Mediterranean belts but it extends from the intermediate between tropical and Mediterranean zones (scrub steppes of the arid Iberian, North Africa, Anatolia and central Cyprus) to the supra-Mediterranean zone (Cistus ladanifer shrublands of the Iberian peninsula and southern France). The habitat does not show any relationship with one specific substrate and it is found on acid (e.g. Ericion arboreae; Arbuto unedonis-Laurion nobilis), decalcified (e.g. Cistus laurifolius maquis) and alkaline soils. Grazing and fire are two of the most influential factors shaping the habitat’s physiognomy, acting at varying and usually contradictive ways. Cistus monspeliensis maquis can be favoured from fire events and may dominate the landscape after fires. On the other hand, fire in Juniperus ssp. arborescent matorrals can be a big threat to the habitat due to the low resistance to and poor recovery from fire of Juniperus species. With increasing summer aridity and human pressure, maquis resembles to garrigues as they become low and sparse. Moreover low, garrigues-like maquis are rather frequent in fire-prone regions. This habitat, besides the primary, edaphic- or climatic-controlled stands at marginal sites, has a strong plagioclimax character and so, its occurrence and quality mainly depends on the occurrence of low to intermediate disturbances at an acceptable periodicity.

Indicators of quality:

• Dense horizontal and vertical vegetation structure
• No indication of overgrazing 
• Absence of active secondary succession towards forest ecosystems (absence of trees)
• Absence of grass encroachment
• Species richness of the stands
• Absence of invasive species
• Absence or low cover of ruderal species

Low levels of soil compactness, well developed Ah soil horizon and  are good indicators of absence of over grazing that can result to degradation towards garrigues. On the other hand, the level of tree and grass encroachment and, generally, presence and abundance of a given set of typical species or functional traits (i.e. morphological, physiological and life history characteristics) can be used as proxy indicators of biodiversity levels and succession stage. Absence of invasive and/or ruderal taxa should be also considered as indication of good habitat quality.

Synthesis of Red List assessment

Confidence in the assessment

Pressures and threats