Holm oak and holm oak forests: An introduction

Why should we study the Mediterranean evergreen forests of holm oak (Quercus ilex L.)? Besides the pursuit of knowledge, two major reasons can be put forward. First, holm oak forests are a dominant type of vegetation in a transition zone between temperate forests, mostly dominated by deciduous trees and the scrublands (maquis, chaparral, phrygana, etc.) that herald the tropical regions. In this transition zone, plants have had to cope with a selective pressure resulting from a double stress - winter cold and summer drought - that has determined their morphological and ecophysiological evolutive responses. One of our aims is to provide an insight into the features of holm oak as related to environmental factors and in comparison with other tree types (broadleaved deciduous hardwoods, needle-leafed conifers)