Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Preface
- Part I Introduction
- Part II Historical background
- Part III Biogeography of taxa
- 7 Invasive plants of the Mediterranean Basin
- 8 Invasive vascular plants of California
- 9 Introduction of plants into the mediterranean-type climate area of Chile
- 10 Introduced plants of the fynbos biome of South Africa
- 11 Invasive plants of southern Australia
- 12 Life cycles of some Mediterranean invasive plants
- 13 Invasion processes as related to succession and disturbance
- 14 Is fire an agent favouring plant invasions?
- 15 Plant invasion and soil seed banks: control by water and nutrients
- 16 Invasion by annual brome grasses: a case study challenging the homoclime approach to invasions
- 17 Patterns of Pleistocene turnover, current distribution and speciation among Mediterranean mammals
- 18 Introduced mammals in California
- 19 Ecology of a successful invader: the European rabbit in central Chile
- 20 Mammals introduced to the mediterranean region of South Africa
- 21 Mammals introduced to southern Australia
- 22 Invasions and range modifications of birds in the Mediterranean Basin
- 23 Invasions in the mediterranean avifaunas of California and Chile
- 24 Birds introduced to the fynbos biome of South Africa
- 25 Species of introduced birds in mediterranean Australia
- Part IV Applied aspects of mediterranean invasions
- Part V Overview
- Index of scientific names
- Subject index
9 - Introduction of plants into the mediterranean-type climate area of Chile
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 December 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Preface
- Part I Introduction
- Part II Historical background
- Part III Biogeography of taxa
- 7 Invasive plants of the Mediterranean Basin
- 8 Invasive vascular plants of California
- 9 Introduction of plants into the mediterranean-type climate area of Chile
- 10 Introduced plants of the fynbos biome of South Africa
- 11 Invasive plants of southern Australia
- 12 Life cycles of some Mediterranean invasive plants
- 13 Invasion processes as related to succession and disturbance
- 14 Is fire an agent favouring plant invasions?
- 15 Plant invasion and soil seed banks: control by water and nutrients
- 16 Invasion by annual brome grasses: a case study challenging the homoclime approach to invasions
- 17 Patterns of Pleistocene turnover, current distribution and speciation among Mediterranean mammals
- 18 Introduced mammals in California
- 19 Ecology of a successful invader: the European rabbit in central Chile
- 20 Mammals introduced to the mediterranean region of South Africa
- 21 Mammals introduced to southern Australia
- 22 Invasions and range modifications of birds in the Mediterranean Basin
- 23 Invasions in the mediterranean avifaunas of California and Chile
- 24 Birds introduced to the fynbos biome of South Africa
- 25 Species of introduced birds in mediterranean Australia
- Part IV Applied aspects of mediterranean invasions
- Part V Overview
- Index of scientific names
- Subject index
Summary
The true mediterranean–climate zone of Chile can be divided phy siographically into four regions: the Cordillera de Los Andes in the east with numerous peaks over 5000 metres; the Cordillera de la Costa in the west with peaks that seldom rise over 1000 metres; between these two ranges lie a series of graben known as the ‘Depresion Intermedia’ or Central Valley. The fourth region is the littoral fringe, a narrow coastal strip of step–like marine terraces, sea cliffs, stacks, headlands, dunes and beaches bordering the Pacific Ocean.
The natural vegetation of the arid and semi-arid zones of central Chile comprises perennials of mostly evergreen sclerophyllous shrubs and succulents, and annuals which appear after the onset of winter rains and complete their life cycles during the short wet season.
The matorral vegetation is centred in the summer-dry region of central Chile extending from 32° to 30° S latitude (di Castri, 1981) and along an altitudinal gradient from the coast to 2000 metres. The coastal scrub, occupying ocean bluffs and ocean-facing lower slopes up to 300 metres altitude, is formed mostly by chamaephytes such as Baccharis concava, B. macraei, Haplopappus foliosus, Schinuspolygamus and Senna candolleana. Among the phanerophytes the dominant species are Pouteria splendens, Peumus boldus, Schinus latifolius, Lithrea caustica and Flourensia thurifera (Montenegro et al., 1981). The dune vegetation is characterised by the presence of Puya chilensis, Eryngiumpaniculatum, Bahia ambrosioides, Chenopodium paniculatum, Centaurea chilensis, Scirpus nodosus, Poa lanuginosa, Festuca tunicata and several species of Oenothera (V.Poblete, personal communication).
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- Biogeography of Mediterranean Invasions , pp. 103 - 114Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1991
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