Today we are going to talk about a type of tree that is well known and that is a very beloved symbol for its strength and duration. It's about the oak. It is a magnificent tree that has a broad, irregularly shaped crown. When there is a group of oaks that form a forest, it is known by the name of oak grove. The characteristics of the novelty make them differentiate themselves from other types of forests made up of other tree species.
In this article we are going to tell you all the characteristics and importance of the oak forest.
Key features
As you might expect, an oak grove is made up of mostly oaks. There are also other species that coexist with it and that have important functions for the ecosystem. An oak is quite a loved tree as it has great strength and very good longevity. It has a fairly wide crown with an irregular shape. It is recognized by the naked eye since its bark is gray in color and has cracks. The main branches can develop into twisted and gnarled shapes.
Its leaves have between 5 and 7 pairs of globules that form a typical outline. The upper surface of the leaves is dark green, while the underside is paler. When the leaves are young they usually have a layer of fine hairy hairs recurring on the underside. This is a good indicator to know the age of the leaves apart from the size of the degree of development. As for its fruits, they are known as acorns and are produced in clusters of long stems. These clusters that have long stems are known by the name of peduncles. Sky that grows in good conditions can reach a height of 45 meters.
Oak grove and phenology
Phenology is nothing more than the study of the states of the life cycle of an individual. That is, the time in which they develop their organs, the modifications to develop and reproduction. In the case of oak groves, geology focuses on the study of the flowering season, fruit development, vegetative growth, etc. Oak flowers appear between the months of May and June when temperatures start to rise for the summer. When they have finished this summer period, the acorns begin to ripen. They reach full maturity in October. This is the reason why acorns abound during this month.
These fruits are rich in tannins and starch and they serve as food for small mammals and birds. For example, squirrels and bluebirds are important animals for the expansion of an oak grove. And it is that they are in charge of dispersing the acorns far from the trees and they bury them for later consumption. Many of these acorns finish before being consumed report a new oak. This is how, thanks to animals, tile and squirrels, an oak grove can expand over the years.
The oaks belonging to an oak forest that are younger are usually more vulnerable to insect predation and that is, although their development takes place quite quickly, but it slows down at 100-200 years of age. Once they reach these ages their growth slows down. When they have reached this life, their diameter continues to increase but at a very slow rate. As we have mentioned before, the oak forest is composed of oaks whose longevity is very high. These are trees that they are capable of living a long duration that goes between 500 years and 700 years. Despite this, numerous living beings that are 1.200 years old have been found.
Oak forest habitat and distribution area
There are numerous oak groves around the world that have a habitat where they can grow preferentially. The common oak is widespread in much of Europe with the exception of the extreme north and some areas of the Mediterranean. Keep in mind that you need some conditions for its development such as it is a higher degree of humidity and temperature not so warm. When we analyze an oak grove, we see that the dominant tree is deciduous. It occurs in rainforest forest areas and can grow on a wide range of soil types. Despite this, most oaks can be found in soils that are more fertile and heavy.
This type of tree needs a large amount of organic matter to be able to develop a large amplitude and a thick trunk. It also needs litter to protect its roots and feed. Regarding the degree of threat, it is classified as a kind of least concern on the IUCN red list. Its presence is quite common and widespread.
Threats and conservation
As expected, a tree that can be exploited by humans, such as oak and its valuable acorns, can become worrisome when threatened. Although it is regarded as a kind of minor concern, oak forests have decreased between 30-40% in the last 60 years as a result of replanting conifers, land conversion for grazing, overgrazing of sheep and deer, and inadequate management of natural lands.
There are numerous uses this from the to the lands where the oak exists and the human being does not always manage the environments correctly. Another aspect that causes the degradation of the oak forest is the decline of the old regrowth technique. And it is that this technique is introduced in increasingly shady pine forests, causing the acorns to not be able to germinate in good conditions. Many oak forests have a skewed age structure as young trees are not able to regenerate in time. This can cause problems for many rare species that depend on the oldest oaks.
Since old trees move there are no trees in the vicinity that have a suitable one so that the entire community is at risk. We have already seen in various articles that ecosystems are based on a very fine ecological balance. An action plan has been created for the protection of the oak forest habitat and the plants, animals and fungi that are associated with this oak are also conserved as they are of international importance.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about the oak forest its characteristics