Macaronesia: Difference between revisions
| Line 19: | Line 19: | ||
The islands of Macaronesia are [[volcano|volcanic]] in origin, and are thought to be the product of several geologic [[Hotspot (geology)|hotspot]]s. |
The islands of Macaronesia are [[volcano|volcanic]] in origin, and are thought to be the product of several geologic [[Hotspot (geology)|hotspot]]s. |
||
The [[climate]] of the Macaronesian islands ranges from [[Maritime temperate climate|Maritime Temperate]], [[mediterranean climate|Mediterranean]] and [[humid subtropical climate|Subtropical]] in the Azores and Madeira,[[mediterranean climate|Mediterranean]] in some Canary islands to [[arid climate|Arid]] in some Canary islands and in certain geologically older islands of the Canaries (Lanzarote, Fuerteventura), some islands in Madeira Archipelago (Selvagens) and Cape Verde (Sal, Boa Vista and Maio), or also[[SubTropical climate|sub-tropical]] in the younger islands of both southern archipelagos (Santo Antão, Santiago and Fogo in Cape Verde. The [[Portugal|Portuguese]] archipelagos of the [[Azores]] and [[Madeira]] have a generally cooler climate and higher rainfall than the [[Canary Islands|Canaries]] and [[Cape Verde]]. The ''[[laurisilva]]'' forests of Macaronesia are a type of mountain [[cloud forest]] with [[relict]] species of a [[vegetation type]] which originally covered much of the [[Mediterranean Basin]] when the [[climate]] of that region was more [[humidity|humid]]. The species have evolved to adapt to the islands conditions and many are [[endemic]]. |
The [[climate]] of the Macaronesian islands ranges from [[Maritime temperate climate|Maritime Temperate]], [[mediterranean climate|Mediterranean]] and [[humid subtropical climate|Subtropical]] in the Azores and Madeira, [[mediterranean climate|Mediterranean]] in some Canary islands to [[arid climate|Arid]] in some Canary islands and in certain geologically older islands of the Canaries (Lanzarote, Fuerteventura), some islands in Madeira Archipelago (Selvagens) and Cape Verde (Sal, Boa Vista and Maio), or also[[SubTropical climate|sub-tropical]] in the younger islands of both southern archipelagos (Santo Antão, Santiago and Fogo in Cape Verde. The [[Portugal|Portuguese]] archipelagos of the [[Azores]] and [[Madeira]] have a generally cooler climate and higher rainfall than the [[Canary Islands|Canaries]] and [[Cape Verde]]. The ''[[laurisilva]]'' forests of Macaronesia are a type of mountain [[cloud forest]] with [[relict]] species of a [[vegetation type]] which originally covered much of the [[Mediterranean Basin]] when the [[climate]] of that region was more [[humidity|humid]]. The species have evolved to adapt to the islands conditions and many are [[endemic]]. |
||
The islands have a unique [[biogeography]], and are home to several distinct plant and animal communities. The [[jumping spider]] genus ''[[Macaroeris]]'' is named after Macaronesia. None of the Macaronesian islands were part of a continent, so the native plants and animals reached the islands via long-distance dispersal. [[Laurel forest|Laurel-leaved forests]], called ''[[laurisilva]]'', once covered most of the Azores, Madeira, and parts of the Canaries between 400–1200 m altitude (the eastern Canaries and Cape Verde being too dry). These forests resemble the ancient forests that covered the [[Mediterranean]] basin and northwestern Africa before the cooling and drying of the [[ice age]]s. Trees of the genera ''[[Apollonias]]'', ''[[Clethra]]'', ''[[Dracaena (plant)|Dracaena]]'', ''[[Ocotea]]'', ''[[Persea]]'', and ''[[Picconia]]'', which are found in the Macaronesian laurel forests, are also known from fossil evidence to have lived around the Mediterranean before the ice ages. |
The islands have a unique [[biogeography]], and are home to several distinct plant and animal communities. The [[jumping spider]] genus ''[[Macaroeris]]'' is named after Macaronesia. None of the Macaronesian islands were part of a continent, so the native plants and animals reached the islands via long-distance dispersal. [[Laurel forest|Laurel-leaved forests]], called ''[[laurisilva]]'', once covered most of the Azores, Madeira, and parts of the Canaries between 400–1200 m altitude (the eastern Canaries and Cape Verde being too dry). These forests resemble the ancient forests that covered the [[Mediterranean]] basin and northwestern Africa before the cooling and drying of the [[ice age]]s. Trees of the genera ''[[Apollonias]]'', ''[[Clethra]]'', ''[[Dracaena (plant)|Dracaena]]'', ''[[Ocotea]]'', ''[[Persea]]'', and ''[[Picconia]]'', which are found in the Macaronesian laurel forests, are also known from fossil evidence to have lived around the Mediterranean before the ice ages. |
||
Revision as of 00:01, 29 March 2018
Macaronesia is a collection of four archipelagos in the North Atlantic Ocean off the coast of the continents of Europe and Africa. The Macaronesian islands belong to three countries: Portugal, Spain, and Cape Verde.[1][2][3] Politically, the islands belonging to Portugal and Spain are part of Europe. Biogeographically, Macaronesia is part of Africa, with the exception of the Azores, which is part of Europe.[4]
Etymology
The name is derived from the Greek words for "islands of the fortunate" μακάρων νῆσοι makárōn nêsoi, a term used by Ancient Greek geographers for islands to the west of the Straits of Gibraltar. Macaronesia is occasionally misspelled "Macronesia" in false analogy with Micronesia, an unrelated Pacific archipelago containing, among other nations, a country of the same name.
Archipelagos
Macaronesia consists of four main archipelagos. From north to south, these are:[4]
- Azores (Portugal)
- Madeira (Portugal), also including the Desertas Islands, Porto Santo Island, and the Selvagens Islands
- Canary Islands (Spain)
- Cape Verde
Geography and geology
The islands of Macaronesia are volcanic in origin, and are thought to be the product of several geologic hotspots.
The climate of the Macaronesian islands ranges from Maritime Temperate, Mediterranean and Subtropical in the Azores and Madeira, Mediterranean in some Canary islands to Arid in some Canary islands and in certain geologically older islands of the Canaries (Lanzarote, Fuerteventura), some islands in Madeira Archipelago (Selvagens) and Cape Verde (Sal, Boa Vista and Maio), or alsosub-tropical in the younger islands of both southern archipelagos (Santo Antão, Santiago and Fogo in Cape Verde. The Portuguese archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira have a generally cooler climate and higher rainfall than the Canaries and Cape Verde. The laurisilva forests of Macaronesia are a type of mountain cloud forest with relict species of a vegetation type which originally covered much of the Mediterranean Basin when the climate of that region was more humid. The species have evolved to adapt to the islands conditions and many are endemic.
The islands have a unique biogeography, and are home to several distinct plant and animal communities. The jumping spider genus Macaroeris is named after Macaronesia. None of the Macaronesian islands were part of a continent, so the native plants and animals reached the islands via long-distance dispersal. Laurel-leaved forests, called laurisilva, once covered most of the Azores, Madeira, and parts of the Canaries between 400–1200 m altitude (the eastern Canaries and Cape Verde being too dry). These forests resemble the ancient forests that covered the Mediterranean basin and northwestern Africa before the cooling and drying of the ice ages. Trees of the genera Apollonias, Clethra, Dracaena, Ocotea, Persea, and Picconia, which are found in the Macaronesian laurel forests, are also known from fossil evidence to have lived around the Mediterranean before the ice ages.
Conservation issues
Felling of the forests for timber and firewood, clearing vegetation for grazing and agriculture, and the introduction of foreign plants and animals by humans has displaced much of the original native vegetation.[when?] The laurisilva habitat has been reduced to small disconnected pockets. As a result, many of the endemic biota of the islands are now seriously endangered or extinct. Alien predators – in particular domestic and feral cats – are currently one of the most serious threats to the endemic fauna. Despite the fact that cats prey mostly on introduced mammals, such as rodents and rabbits, this feeding sustains a bigger feline population (thought to be a hyperpredation process), and has a further impact on the endemic reptiles and birds.[clarification needed][5]
In the European part of Macaronesia (Azores, Madeira and Canary Islands), conservation efforts include large areas protected by the Natura 2000 regulations of the European Union, since 2001. All in all, 5000 km² of land and sea are protected area in these three archipelagos.[6]
See also
References
- ^ Cape Verde, Country Profile at UCLA African Studies Center
- ^ Canary Islands - Spain
- ^ "Makavol 2010 Teneguia Workshop" (PDF). Avcan.org. Retrieved 2013-09-02.
- ^ a b Brummitt, R.K. (2001). World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions: Edition 2 (PDF). International Working Group on Taxonomic Databases For Plant Sciences (TDWG). p. 37. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-01-25. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Review on cats' diet on Macaronesian islands
- ^ "The Macaronesian Region". European Commission. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
External links
