Laurisilva from Madeira

Laurisilva from Madeira
UNESCO world heritage
	Inaccessible laurel forests on the north side of Madeira
National territory:	Portugal
Type:	nature
Criteria :	ix, x
Surface:	15,000 ha
Reference No .:	934
UNESCO region :	Europe and North America
	History of enrollment
Enrollment:	1999 (session 23)

Madeira Laurisilva is a protected area for the Laurisilva forest type ( laurel forest ) on the Portuguese island of Madeira . It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since December 2, 1999 .

flora

The laurel forest has subtropical plant species that were native to Europe and the Mediterranean region ( southern Europe , North Africa and southwest Asia ) in the climatically warmer Tertiary . While these plants disappeared in Europe during the Ice Ages and in the Mediterranean area during the last Ice Age, this plant community was able to survive partially on the Canary Islands as well as on Madeira and the Azores ( Macaronesian Islands ). The laurel forests of Madeira and the rest of Macaronesia, however, are not a reflection of the tertiary laurel forests of Europe and the Mediterranean. Due to the more diverse locations and the number of herbivores present, these were richer in species. In addition, some species with heavy, non-airworthy seeds did not "jump" onto the islands of Macaronesia . Oaks , storax trees , maples , magnolias , walnut trees and palm trees are missing on Madeira and the other Macaronesian islands . Of the 20 tree species that are characteristic of the Madeiran laurel forest, 16 species have fruits that are eaten by birds. The remaining four species have seeds that are so light that the wind can spread them.

geography

Madeira's laurel forest still covers around 20% of the island's area and thus has an area of around 150 square kilometers . As a mountain forest , it is located on the north side of the island at an altitude between 300 and 1300 meters and on the south side between 700 and 1200 meters.

vegetation

Due to the mist precipitation, the forests are very humid. The characteristic tree species include the Azores laurel ( Laurus azorica ), whose black, olive-shaped fruits are an essential part of the diet of the silver-necked pigeon; the Barbusano ( Apollonias barbujana ); the Canary Island holly ( Ilex canariensis ); the tree heather ( Erica arborea ); the Madeira Elderberry ( Sambucus lanceolata ) and the Madeira laurel ( Persea indica ), whose natural occurrence, like the Stinklorbeer ( Ocotea foetens is) in Madeira, the Canary Islands and the Azores limited and its close relatives, the native of America Avocado ( Persea americana ) counts. The gale tree ( Myrica faya ) is also an endemic species of Macaronesia. It was introduced to Hawaii by Portuguese emigrants towards the end of the 19th century and has proven to be a problematic neophyte that has a negative impact on the local biodiversity .

Ferns are mainly found in the undergrowth of the laurel forest . The rooting chain fern ( Woodwardia radicans ) is the largest species with fronds of up to two meters in length. The flowering plants of the laurel forest include celandine , maroon violets and woodland violets , which are still represented in Central Europe today. Of the stork beaks Madeira, however, has three endemic offer ways. These include the Madeira cranesbill ( Geranium maderense ), the anemone-leaved cranesbill ( Geranium palmatum and Geranium rubescens ). The first two cranesbill species have found distribution in Europe as ornamental plants .

Comparable laurel forests

Laurisilva in Madeira

Comparable laurel forests such as those on the Canary Islands as well as Madeira and the Azores can only be found in southern Spain and northern Africa ( northern Morocco , northern Algeria and northern Tunisia ), although the plant communities there have changed significantly due to human intervention. The laurel forests, which can be found in southern Spain and North Africa (northern Morocco, northern Algeria and northern Tunisia), for example, are also humid forests whose character types also have laurel-like leaves.

Web links

Commons : Laurisilva laurel forest of Madeira - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Laurisilva of Madeira on the UNESCO World Heritage Center website ( English and French ).
Madeira Laurel Forest on www.madeira-insel.de

Individual evidence

↑ Official names English Laurisilva of Madeira , French Forêt Laurifère de Madère , the German translation of the laurel forest "Laurisilva" of Madeira according to the World Heritage List. In: Unesco.de. Retrieved April 19, 2017 . contains as pleonasm both the original name Laurisilva and its German translation Lorbeerwald .

32.766666666667 -17Coordinates: 32 ° 46 ′ 0 ″ N , 17 ° 0 ′ 0 ″ W.

[1] Official names English Laurisilva of Madeira , French Forêt Laurifère de Madère , the German translation of the laurel forest "Laurisilva" of Madeira according to the World Heritage List. In: Unesco.de. Retrieved April 19, 2017 . contains as pleonasm both the original name Laurisilva and its German translation Lorbeerwald .