{"id":2278,"date":"2020-01-07T18:11:18","date_gmt":"2020-01-07T17:11:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/g3-guides.com\/\/\/matorrales\/"},"modified":"2025-12-14T14:03:23","modified_gmt":"2025-12-14T13:03:23","slug":"shrublands-in-andalusia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/g3-guides.com\/en\/blog\/shrublands-in-andalusia\/","title":{"rendered":"Shrublands in Andalusia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em><strong>Territories of temporary transition and surprises, extremely rich in the Iberian Peninsula.<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g3-guides.com\/\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/P1100867-e1579092392983.jpg\" class=\"lazyload\" alt=\"scrublands in Andalusia\" title=\"\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/g3-guides.com\/\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/P1100867-e1579092392983.jpg\" alt=\"scrublands in Andalusia\" title=\"\"><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Rockrose (Cistus spp) and broom (Spartium junceum), typical thickets in Andalusia, quickly colonize open spaces, such as this clearing created by a fire in a coastal pine forest of stone pines (Pinus pinea).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Shrublands form a <strong>type of vegetation dominated by shrubs<\/strong> and bushes, and develop <strong>prior to the establishment of tree species<\/strong>and the establishment of forests. This dynamic, known as ecological succession, usually occurs in plots where trees have been previously eliminated by extractive logging, clearing or overgrazing, not to mention fires.   <\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In other cases, ecological succession may be blocked at the shrub stage if local conditions prevent tree growth. This situation is observed for <strong>climatic reasons <\/strong><strong>in<\/strong><strong> high mountains<\/strong> (oro- and criomediterranean bioclimatic levels) or edaphological <strong>reasons <\/strong> in <strong>extremely dry soils or with high salinity<\/strong>.   <\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g3-guides.com\/\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/P1090344_1-e1580981496985.jpg\" class=\"lazyload\" alt=\"lavender (Lavandula stoechas)  \" title=\"\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/g3-guides.com\/\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/P1090344_1-e1580981496985.jpg\" alt=\"lavender (Lavandula stoechas)  \" title=\"\"><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Lavender (Lavandula stoechas) is an aromatic plant of the Labiatae family so typical of the Spanish scrubland. Floriferous, it attracts insects, especially bumblebees. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A list of shrub\/scrub-dominated vegetation in Andalusia:  <\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Piornales and juniper-sabinares<\/strong> (cushiony and creeping vegetation of high mountains).  <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Jarales, heaths and <\/strong><strong>canthuesales<\/strong> (siliceous scrublands)  <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Romerales and tomillares<\/strong> (basophilic scrub)  <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tall <strong>broom thickets<\/strong>  <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tamujares<\/strong> (Securigena tinctoria) in temporary streams in the Sierra Morena.  <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Coastal and inland <strong>salt marshes <\/strong>(halophilic vegetation)  <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"is-style-default has-accent-5-background-color has-background wp-block-paragraph\">The &#8220;<em><a href=\"https:\/\/personal.us.es\/maliani\/publicaciones\/J.Herrera.2004.LibroMonteMediterraneo.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mediterranean scrubland<\/a><\/em>&#8220;This is a popular expression used to identify the terrestrial ecosystem so typical of the Iberian Peninsula where <strong>forest and scrubland are intermingled<\/strong>. In Spain, foresters are known as &#8220;ingenieros de montes&#8221;. <\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g3-guides.com\/\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/IMG_0079-e1603403010286.jpg\" class=\"lazyload\" alt=\"nuns&#039; cushions on the Segura\" title=\"\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/g3-guides.com\/\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/IMG_0079-e1603403010286.jpg\" alt=\"nuns&#039; cushions on the Segura\" title=\"\"><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>The &#8220;cojines de las monjas&#8221; are typical of the Andalusian mountains and serve as a refuge for many insects, especially Orthoptera.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is worth mentioning the curious <strong>high mountain cushion vegetation<\/strong>, a type of vegetation typical of the Iberian southeast and also present in Sierra de Las Nieves, but not found in other European mountains.  <\/p>\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">I have devoted several weeks of summer to the <strong>orthopterans of Cazorla and Segura<\/strong>, whose rarest and most interesting species seem to appreciate the <strong>shelter of the<\/strong> spiny, darned <strong>blue spruce<\/strong> <strong>cushions<\/strong> &#8211; one of my favorite habitats! <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g3-guides.com\/\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/dog-walker-11.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-125 lazyload\" title=\"\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1349\" height=\"95\" src=\"https:\/\/g3-guides.com\/\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/dog-walker-11.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-125\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g3-guides.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/dog-walker-11.png 1349w, https:\/\/g3-guides.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/dog-walker-11-380x27.png 380w, https:\/\/g3-guides.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/dog-walker-11-800x56.png 800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1349px) 100vw, 1349px\" \/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Mediterranean forest is rich in shrubs that occasionally form patches of vegetation within the forests: <strong>mastic <\/strong><em>(Pistacia<\/em> <em>lentiscus<\/em>), <strong>myrtle <\/strong><em>(Myrtus<\/em> <em>communis<\/em>), etc.  <\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g3-guides.com\/\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/P1200318-e1603403122434.jpg\" class=\"lazyload\" alt=\"Yellow flowering of brooms and broom trees\" title=\"P1200318\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/g3-guides.com\/\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/P1200318-e1603403122434.jpg\" alt=\"Yellow flowering of brooms and broom trees\" title=\"P1200318\"><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Brooms and brooms offer an abundant and fragrant flowering.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Iberian Peninsula is an important point of <strong>diversity for shrub legumes<\/strong>. Many of these plants have <g id=\"gid_1\">spectacular blooms and <\/g><g id=\"gid_2\">are excellent sources of nectar<\/g> <g id=\"gid_3\">and pollen<\/g> useful for <g id=\"gid_4\">floriferous insects<\/g> such as butterflies, bees and beetles. These plant thickets serve as <g id=\"gid_5\">hiding places <\/g>for many <g id=\"gid_6\">insects <\/g>such as mantids and cicadas, and for many birds such as the<g id=\"gid_8\">Sardinian<\/g> <g id=\"gid_7\">Warbler <\/g><g id=\"gid_9\">(Sylvia <\/g><g id=\"gid_10\">melanocephala<\/g>). In the coastal scrub of the dunes, highlight the brooms, shrubs used by <strong>chameleons <\/strong><em>(Mediterranean <\/em><em>chameleon<\/em><em>(Chamaeleo <\/em><em>chamaeleo<\/em>) to hide.     <\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g3-guides.com\/\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/IMG_8449-e1603403899476.jpg\" class=\"lazyload\" alt=\"(halophilic) vegetation of continental salt marshes\" title=\"\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/g3-guides.com\/\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/IMG_8449-e1603403899476.jpg\" alt=\"(halophilic) vegetation of continental salt marshes\" title=\"\"><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Coastal and inland <strong>salt marshes <\/strong>in Grenada<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Vegetation adapted to <strong>saline conditions (halophilic plants)<\/strong> appears far from the coast when the soil is in contact with salty streams or the <strong>former seabed<\/strong> (Guadalquivir channel). In these conditions, an <g id=\"gid_2\">unexpected diversity of shrubs<\/g> can be found, although these plants are generally difficult to identify. These continental marshes, of great interest and not infrequent in <strong>Eastern Andalusia<\/strong>, give rise to landscapes rare in Europe, evoking the great plains of Central Asia.  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Territories of temporal transition and surprises, extremely rich in the Iberian Peninsula. Shrublands in Andalusia, Scrubs &amp; schrubs (Matorral ecosystems).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":26589,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[594],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2278","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ecosystems-in-andalusia"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/g3-guides.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2278","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/g3-guides.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/g3-guides.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g3-guides.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g3-guides.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2278"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/g3-guides.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2278\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g3-guides.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26589"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/g3-guides.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2278"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g3-guides.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2278"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g3-guides.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2278"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}