Mediterranean thermophilous deciduous woodland
Quick facts
Red List habitat type | code RLG1.7b |
---|---|
Threat status | |
Europe | Least Concern |
EU | Least Concern |
Relation to |
|
Source | European Red List habitat factsheet |
European Red List of habitats reports | |
European Red List of habitats (Excel table) |
Summary
Quercus ithaburensis subsp. macrolepis (Kotschy) Hedge and Yaltirik (Valonia oak) is a subspecies of the broadly distributed East Mediterranean deciduous oak species Quercus ithaburensis Decne (mount Thabor’s oak), that is confined to continental Greece and some Greek islands (surviving as relict isolated trees or in scattered localities as the dominant species in open woodland), in Southeastern Italy, in Southern Albania (forming important pure and mixed forests up to 800-900 m a.s.l.) and in Turkey. The relict Quercus macrolepis stands in Salento (S Italy), appear to have been derived from planted stock, but are treated here as semi-natural woodlands. Most stands occur on shallow soils, perhaps because of the absence of competition from rival trees but also maybe because of preferential felling of the oak on deeper better soils. It can grow on a variety of terrain types and soils up to 700m and beyond, but growth is better where the local climate is semi-arid with warmer winters. Often the canopy is pure but there can be some other deciduous oaks such as Q. frainetto, Q. coccifera or Q. pubescens, Pinus pinea. In some cases the overall effect is of a phrygana, at higher altitudes a grassland with trees, but a common feature in many stands is the prominence of a variety of therophytes, maybe because of the long history of disturbance of the landscapes. Agroforestry and specifically silvopastoralism is a traditional land use system in parts of continental and insular Greece where livestock breeders use the valonia oak forests (Quercus ithaburensis subsp. macrolepis) for grazing and the collection of acorns. Valonia oak regeneration is affected by livestock grazing and tree canopy cover. Very low regeneration is observed in various distances from the sheep and goat sheds where livestock is intensively grazing in the surrounding area. On the other hand, tree regeneration is strongly related to the tree canopy cover, whereas new seedlings are observed under trees due to the favorable micro-environmental conditions.
Indicators of quality:
- No forest exploitations (if applicable, mainly azonal types with high nature value)
- Natural composition of canopy
- Structural diversity/ complexity with (semi)natural age structure or completeness of layers
- Typical flora and fauna composition of the region
- Presence of old trees and a variety of dead wood (lying or standing) and the associated flora, fauna and fungi
- Presence of natural disturbance such as treefall openings with natural regeneration
- Long historical continuity (ancient woodland) with high species diversity
- Survival of larger stands of forest without anthropogenic fragmentation and isolation (to support fauna which need large undisturbed forests)
- Absence of non-native species in all layers (flora & fauna)
- No man-induced very high population levels of grazing animals (sheep, goats, cows)
Threat status
Synthesis of Red List assessment
EU | |
Red List Category | Red List Criteria |
Least Concern | - |
Europe | |
Red List Category | Red List Criteria |
Least Concern | - |
Confidence in the assessment
Pressures and threats
- Agriculture
- Cultivation
- Intensive grazing
- Abandonment of pastoral systems, lack of grazing
- Livestock farming and animal breeding (without grazing)
- Sylviculture, forestry
- Forestry clearance
- Removal of dead and dying trees
- Forest exploitation without replanting or natural regrowth
- Grazing in forests/ woodland
- Geological events, natural catastrophes
- Fire (natural)
Habitat restoration potential
Trends in extent |
|
Average current trend in quantity |
|
Increasing ![]() |
Stable ![]() |
EU28 | EU28+ |
Trends in quality |
|
Average current trend in quality |
|
Increasing ![]() |
Stable ![]() |
EU28 | EU28+ |
Conservation and management needs
List of conservation and management needs
- Measures related to agriculture and open habitats
- Maintaining grasslands and other open habitats
- Measures related to forests and wooded habitats
- Restoring/Improving forest habitats
- Adapt forest management
- Measures related to spatial planning
- Manage landscape features
- Measures related to hunting, taking and fishing and species management
- Regulation/Management of hunting and taking
- Specific single species or species group management measures
Distribution
Geographic occurrence and trends
EU28 | Present or presence uncertain | Current area of habitat (Km2) | Recent trend in quantity (last 50 years) | Recent trend in quality (last 50 years) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Greece (mainland and other islands) | Present | 299 | Increasing | Increasing |
Italy mainland | Present | 1.5 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Crete | Present | 299 | Increasing | Increasing |
East Aegean | Present | 299 | Increasing | Increasing |
EU28 + | Present or presence uncertain | Current area of habitat (Km2) | Recent trend in quantity (last 50 years) | Recent trend in quality (last 50 years) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Albania | Present | unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
Extent of Occurrence, Area of Occupancy and habitat area
Extent of Occurrence (EOO) (Km2) | Area of Occupancy (AOO) | Current estimated Total Area | Comment | |
---|---|---|---|---|
EU28 | 12.95 | 39 | 300.5 | The map attached below is wrong. The map for Greece should be corrected and corrected (in this EUNIS habitat unit two Annex I habitats should be included: 9310 + 9350) and include all the occurrences |
EU28+ | 39 | unknown |
EOO = the area (km2) of the envelope around all occurrences of a habitat (calculated by a minimum convex polygon).
Characteristic species
Species scientific name | English common name | Species group |
---|---|---|
Pinus pinea | Conifers | |
Asparagus acutifolius | Flowering Plants | |
Asphodelus aestivus | Flowering Plants | |
Cardamine hirsuta | Flowering Plants | |
Chrysopogon gryllus | Flowering Plants | |
Cistus creticus | Flowering Plants | |
Dactylis glomerata | Flowering Plants | |
Galium aparine | Flowering Plants | |
Origanum vulgare | Flowering Plants | |
Phillyrea latifolia | Flowering Plants | |
Pistacia terebinthus | Flowering Plants | |
Prunus spinosa | Flowering Plants | |
Pyrus amygdaliformis | Flowering Plants | |
Quercus ithaburensis | Flowering Plants | |
Quercus macrolepis | Flowering Plants | |
Ruscus aculeatus | Flowering Plants | |
Urginea maritima | Flowering Plants |
Legal status
Relation to other habitat types mentioned in legal instruments
Vegetation types
Relation to vegetation types (syntaxa)
Not availableOther classifications
Classification | Code | Habitat type name | Relationship type |
---|---|---|---|
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200711 | G1.7 | Thermophilous deciduous woodland | narrower |