What is the vegetation of the oceanic climate?

The vegetation of the oceanic climate is usually lush

The oceanic climate, also called the maritime climate, brings together certain conditions that make many plants form beautiful forests and jungles. The rains are abundant throughout the year, and although the temperatures are rather cool, this allows countries like Spain to enjoy incredible vegetation.

Beech, oak, ash, and many, many other trees are the owners of these landscapes. But, Where do we find the vegetation of the oceanic climate?

What are the characteristics of the oceanic climate?

First of all, it is always good to remember what was learned at school and/or institute about this climate, since it will also make it easier for us to better understand how plants live. Well, of the oceanic climate it must be said that, as its name indicates, is heavily influenced by the sea. What this does is regulate temperatures, thus preventing them from being extreme.

Therefore, although it can be cool, or even cold in winter, it is not frigid. In fact, it is usual that there is a difference of no more than 10ºC between the coldest and the warmest temperature. In addition, it is also important to add that the humidity is very high, also as a consequence of the proximity of the ocean.

Where do we have it?

The oceanic climate in the world

Image – Wikimedia/Beck, HE, Zimmermann, NE, McVicar, TR, Vergopolan, N., Berg, A., & Wood, E. F

It is a type of climate It is found in countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany, France, northern Spain, eastern Australia, and in different parts of the coast of South America..

In any case, it is important to clarify that there are two types of oceanic climate: the typical, the humid mountain, the oceanic Mediterranean and the subpolar oceanic climate. Let's see how they are:

  • Typical ocean climate: It is located between 40 and 60º latitude, and it is a climate in which the rains are abundant during the year, except in summer when it usually rains less. Even so, about 1000mm of precipitation can fall per year. The average annual temperature is between 7 and 14ºC.
  • humid mountain climate: it has the same characteristics as the typical one, but with the difference that it is from the mountains.
  • Mediterranean oceanic climate: it is a type of oceanic climate characterized by having rather dry and warm summers.
  • subpolar oceanic climate: It is located relatively close to the poles, for which the winters are quite cold, with an average temperature of up to -3ºC.

What is the vegetation of the oceanic climate like? examples

And now that we know what the characteristics of this type of climate are, we can talk about the plants that have adapted to living in those conditions. Here we find several types of forests: deciduous, mountain, and laurel. Therefore, there are a wide variety of species that need cool but not extreme temperatures and rainfall throughout the year, such as the following:

Birch (Betula)

birches are trees

El birch It is a deciduous tree native to Europe and North America. It is a plant native to humid temperate forests, where can reach heights between 10 and 30 meters. In addition, it has the characteristic of having a whitish bark, because it is very ornamental.

Maples (Acer)

Maples are deciduous plants

The arces They are a set of trees and shrubs that live in the temperate regions of the world. Although not all of them live in areas with an oceanic climate, most species do, such as the Acer pseudoplatanus, acer opalus, Acer palmatum, or the Acer platanoides. All of them have deciduous leaves that fall in autumn-winter.

Poplar (Populus)

Poplars are deciduous trees

Image - Flickr / Matt Lavin

El poplar, or poplar, is a deciduous tree native to the northern hemisphere that reaches a maximum height of 30 meters. It develops a more or less straight trunk, which usually branches at a short distance from the ground.

hazel (Hazelnut corylus)

The hazel is a deciduous tree

Image - Wikimedia / H. Zell

El hazel It is a tree, also deciduous, native to temperate and humid forests. It can measure up to 15 meters in height, and has an irregular crown. The fruit is the hazelnut, which finishes ripening in autumn.

Chestnut (Castanea sativa)

Chestnut is a deciduous tree

Image - Flickr / Andreas Rockstein

El brown It is a deciduous tree native to the northern hemisphere, where it lives in temperate regions. It reaches a maximum height of 35 meters, and it is a plant that produces edible fruits: the chestnut.

Horse Chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum)

The Horse Chestnut is a deciduous tree and very tall

El horse chestnut or false chestnut is a large tree, which can measure 30 meters high and a width of 5-6 meters. Its leaves are also large, since they can measure about 30 centimeters wide. It is native to the Balkan forests.

Dicksonia (Balantium antarcticum)

Dicksonia antarctica is a tree fern

Image - Flickr / Jungle Rebel

La dicksonia It is a tree fern native to the humid temperate rainforests of Australia. Reaches 15 meters in height, and develop leaves -called fronds- up to 3-4 meters long. These are green and perennial, although over time they die.

Is (Fagus sylvatica)

The beech is a deciduous tree

Image - Flickr / Peter O'Connor aka anemoneprojectors

El beech It is a deciduous tree that grows forming forests called beech forests or beech forests in the north of the Iberian Peninsula and in other parts of Europe as well as the south of England. It is very slow growing, but can reach 30 meters in height or more. In addition, it has a life expectancy of 250 years.

Oak (Oak)

The Quercus robur is a large tree

Image - Wikimedia / Jean-Pol GRANDMONT

While there are many oaks that live in places with an oceanic climate, we have listed the Oak because it is one of the most common. It is found in the north of the Iberian Peninsula, and in much of Europe and the United Kingdom. It reaches 40 meters in height, and has green leaves, which fall in winter. It usually shares habitat with beeches.

Linden (Tilia)

The linden is a tree of oceanic climate

Image - Wikimedia / Waugsberg

The Linden They are deciduous trees typical of the northern hemisphere. They reach a maximum height of 40 meters, and can live for several centuries (some have reached 900 years). Its growth rate is slow.

The vegetation of the oceanic climate is very diverse.


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