The Azores temperate mixed forests is a

temperate broadleaf and mixed forests Temperate broadleaf and mixed forest is a temperate climate terrestrial habitat type defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature, with broadleaf tree ecoregions, and with conifer and broadleaf tree mixed coniferous forest ecoregions. These f ...

ecoregion An ecoregion (ecological region) or ecozone (ecological zone) is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than a bioregion, which in turn is smaller than a biogeographic realm. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of ...

of southwestern Europe. It encompasses the

Azores ) , motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace") , anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azores") , image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg , map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union , map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...

archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean. These volcanic islands are an autonomous region of

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

, and lie 1500 km west of the Portuguese mainland.

Geography

The Azores archipelago consists of nine main islands. The islands extend for more than 600 km (370 mi) in a northwest–southeast direction. The islands form three clusters. Flores and Corvo are to west;

Graciosa Graciosa Island () (literally "graceful" or "enchanting" in Portuguese) is referred to as the ''White Island'', the northernmost of the Central Group of islands in the Azores. The ovular Portuguese island has an area of , a length of and a width ...

Terceira Terceira () is a volcanic island in the Azores archipelago, in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the larger islands of the archipelago, with a population of 53,311 inhabitants in an area of approximately . It is the location ...

, São Jorge,

Pico Pico may refer to: Places The Moon * Mons Pico, a lunar mountain in the northern part of the Mare Imbrium basin Portugal * Pico, a civil parish in the municipality of Vila Verde * Pico da Pedra, a civil parish in the municipality of Ribeir ...

, and Faial are in the centre; and São Miguel, Santa Maria, and the

Formigas islets The Formigas Islets ( pt, Ilhéus das Formigas ; literally, ''Islets of the Ants''), sometimes referred to as the Formigas Bank, are a group of uninhabited rocky outcroppings in the eastern group of the Azores archipelago, an autonomous region ...

are to the east. São Miguel is the largest of the islands, and most populous. The islands arise steeply from the sea.

Mount Pico Mount Pico ( pt, Montanha do Pico) is a currently quiescent stratovolcano located on Pico Island, in the mid-Atlantic archipelago of the Azores. It is the highest mountain in Portugal, at above sea level, and is one of the highest Atlantic mount ...

(2,351 m) on Pico is the highest peak in the Azores.

Climate

The islands have a temperate maritime climate, moderated by the Gulf Stream. Frosts don't occur below 500 meters elevation. The average temperature is 21 °C in the summer months, and 14.5 °C in the winter.

Flora

Little natural vegetation remains in the lowlands. The evergreen fire tree (''

Myrica faya ''Myrica faya'' (firetree, faya or haya; syn. ''Morella faya'' (Ait.) Wilbur) is a species of '' Myrica'', native to Macaronesia (the Azores, Madeira, and the Canary Islands), and possibly also western coastal mainland Portugal. Description It ...

'') regrows on old lowland lava flows. Above 500 meters elevation there are enclaves of evergreen shrub forest, characterized by the trees ''

Laurus azorica ''Laurus azorica'', the Azores laurel or Macaronesian laurel, is a small, evergreen tree in the laurel family (Lauraceae), found only on the Azores island group in the North Atlantic. Description The Azores laurel is a small dioecious tree, grow ...

Juniperus brevifolia ''Juniperus brevifolia'', the Azores juniper, is a species of juniper, endemic to the Azores (on Corvo, Faial, Flores, Pico, Santa Maria, São Jorge, São Miguel, and Terceira), where it occurs at altitudes of , rarely up to . It is close ...

'', ''

Picconia azorica ''Picconia azorica'', locally known as pau-branco, is a species of ''Picconia'' common to the majority of islands of the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores, where it is endemic. It can grow to a medium-sized tree, though it is usually found in ...

'', and ''

Erica azorica ''Erica azorica'' ( Portuguese: ''urze'') is a species of heath endemic to the Azores ) , motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace") , anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azores") , image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg , map_alt= ...

''. Shrubs include Azorean holly (''Ilex perado'' subsp. ''azorica''), '' Viburnum treleasei'', and Azores blueberry (''Vaccinium cylindraceum''), a tall shrub with showy dark-pink flowers. ''

Clethra arborea ''Clethra arborea'', commonly known as the lily-of-the-valley-tree, is a flowering plant in the genus '' Clethra''. It is found in Macaronesia where it is native to Madeira, extinct in the Canary Islands, and considered an introduced species ...

'', a Madeiran native introduced to the islands by humans, has become common in the evergreen forests. Diverse highland peat bogs are found on the islands of Flores and Terceira.

Fauna

There are 36 species of birds that breed on the islands. The

Azores bullfinch The Azores bullfinch (''Pyrrhula murina''), also known as the São Miguel bullfinch, or locally in Portuguese as the ''priolo'', is a threatened passerine bird in the true finch family. It is endemic to São Miguel Island, in the Azores archipel ...

or Priolo (''Pyrrhula murina'') is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

. The Azores have three native mammals, all bats – the

greater mouse-eared bat The greater mouse-eared bat (''Myotis myotis'') is a European species of bat in the family Vespertilionidae. Description ''Myotis myotis'' is a large bat with a long, broad muzzle and big, long ears. The body's dorsal side is brown to reddish-b ...

(''Myotis myotis''), the Madeira pipistrelle (''Pipistrellus maderensis'') and the endemic

Azores noctule The Azores noctule (''Nyctalus azoreum'') is a species of bat found in the dry forests of the Azores. It is the only species of mammal endemic to the Azores. It has been recorded on most of the islands of the Azores, and remains common on some b ...

(''Nyctalus azoreum''). The islands have no native land mammals.

Conservation and threats

The Azores were discovered and settled by Portuguese mariners in the 15th century. Prior to settlement the islands were mostly covered in forest. The settlers cleared most of the islands' forests for agriculture and pasture. Domesticated cattle, sheep, and goats were introduced to the islands, along with the

brown rat The brown rat (''Rattus norvegicus''), also known as the common rat, street rat, sewer rat, wharf rat, Hanover rat, Norway rat, Norwegian rat and Parisian rat, is a widespread species of common rat. One of the largest muroids, it is a brown o ...

(''Rattus norvegicus''), black rat (''R. rattus''), Western European house mouse (''Mus musculus domesticus''),

European hedgehog The European hedgehog (''Erinaceus europaeus''), also known as the West European hedgehog or common hedgehog, is a hedgehog species native to Europe from Iberia and Italy northwards into Scandinavia and westwards into the British Isles.Harris, S ...

(''Erinaceus europaeus''),

European rabbit The European rabbit (''Oryctolagus cuniculus'') or coney is a species of rabbit native to the Iberian Peninsula (including Spain, Portugal, and southwestern France), western France, and the northern Atlas Mountains in northwest Africa. It has b ...

(''Oryctolagus cuniculus''), least weasel (''Mustela nivalis''), and ferret (''M. putorius furo''). The introduced herbivores altered the island's ecology through grazing, and the introduced predators preyed on native species, particularly birds and their eggs, which were unadapted to predation. Exotic plants originally introduced for timber, windbreaks, and garden plants, including Japanese red cedar (''Cryptomeria japonica''), Australian cheesewood (''Pittosporum undulatum''), kahili ginger (''Hedychium gardnerianum''), ice plant (''Carpobrotus edulis''), '' Gunnera tinctoria'', bigleaf hydrangea (''Hydrangea macrophylla'') and the

Madeiran ) , anthem = ( en, "Anthem of the Autonomous Region of Madeira") , song_type = Regional anthem , image_map=EU-Portugal_with_Madeira_circled.svg , map_alt=Location of Madeira , map_caption=Location of Madeira , subdivision_type=Sovereign st ...

native ''

'', have spread into wild areas where they displace native plants and alter habitat for native animals. The Azores bullfinch relies on a few native plants for food – Azores blueberry and Azorean hawkbit (''Leontodon filii'') in August and September, and Azorean holly in March and April. Loss of these food plants contributed to the species' declining population. Between 2003 and 2008 an EU-funded project removed exotic species and replanted native food plants in the Pico da Vara/Ribeira do Guilherme Special Protection Area on São Miguel, and the local Azores bullfinch population subsequently rebounded.BirdLife International (2010). "Habitat restoration has led to the recovery of the Azores Bullfinch". Accessed 16 September 2020.

Protected areas

620 km² (26%) of the ecoregion is in protected areas. Another 20% is forested and outside protected areas.

External links

References

{{Paleartic temperate broadleaf and mixed forests Ecoregions of Portugal Environment of the Azores Macaronesia Palearctic ecoregions Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests Biota of the Azores