Abstract
Mata Nacional da Margaraça represents a rare example where the Atlantic climate influences the perpetuity of a small enclave of a previously widespread laurel forest. The higher relative humidity values (> 80%), which are almost constant all year long and the mild temperatures, rarely exceeding 30°C, even in the dry season (June to September), create an insular-like effect. The biological communities of Margaraça exhibit a transitory character. The forest is dominated by Quercus robur and Castanea sativa, yet Quercus suber, although less frequent, can also be found. The laurel species, such as Viburnum tinus, Ilex aquifolium, Laurus nobilis and the Portuguese endemic Prunus lusitanica ssp. lusitanica, relics from the ancient Portuguese Tertiary, comprise the understorey. The present work represents, to the best of our knowledge, the first regional macrofungal species list of the Mata da Margaraça published to date. The recent fires that occurred in the area have provided the opportunity to study the post-fire communities. The surveys were carried out in 2004 and later in 2018-2019. A total of 271 species were registered as belonging to Basidiomycota (≈ 80%) and Ascomycota (≈ 20%). The most represented Basidiomycota families were Russulaceae, Mycenaceae and Agaricaceae and the most represented Ascomycota families were Pyronemataceae and Pezizaceae. The new records to Portugal add up to a total of 88 species and another 116 species are new records to the province of Beira Litoral. Post-fire fungi account for 17 of the total of 271 species registered in these studies and most of these species are new to Portugal.
Highlights
Continental Portugal’s unique location – eastern border of the Atlantic Ocean – allows for the co-existence of two biogeographic regions with distinct bioclimatic features (Costa et al 1998)
The Mata Nacional da Margaraça (M.M.) represents a rare example where the Atlantic climate influences the perpetuity of a small enclave of a previously widespread laurel forest called Laurisilva within the landscape of the Serra do Açor, which largely has a Mediterranean climate
The most numbered Ascomycota families were Pyronemataceae and Pezizaceae, accounting for ≈ 50% of all Ascomycota species (Fig. 2). These species are greatly associated with forest ecosystems and some of them are post-fire species, such as Anthracobia macrocystis (Cooke) Boud., Peziza praetervisa Bres. and Pyronema omphalodes (Bull.) Fuckel
Summary
Continental Portugal’s unique location – eastern border of the Atlantic Ocean – allows for the co-existence of two biogeographic regions (the Eurosiberian region and the Mediterranean region) with distinct bioclimatic features (Costa et al 1998). Besides the predominant Mediterranean climatic influence in the country, there are, rare locations where the Atlantic influence supports the establishment and continuity of different plant communities, some of which are relics of ancient forests, dating back to the Miocene and Pliocene periods. The Mata Nacional da Margaraça (M.M.) represents a rare example where the Atlantic climate influences the perpetuity of a small enclave of a previously widespread laurel forest called Laurisilva within the landscape of the Serra do Açor, which largely has a Mediterranean climate. In 1982, the Serra do Açor became a protected landscape area (A.P.P.S.A.) to protect the M.M. Nowadays, the M.M. is included in the European Network of Biogenetic Reserves and is a Site of Community Importance (SCI) under the Nature 2000 network (PTCON00051). With a total area of 68 ha, the M.M. is a unique reserve of biodiversity and an important conservation site in Central Portugal
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