Biosphere Contents

6. Biomes

The Mediterranean biome forms in warm temperate regions with abundant winter rainfall, but dry summers

Hillside Riparian forest and mediterranean shrubland vegetation, on Monte Arcosu, Sardinia

Mediterranean vegetation, sometimes known as Chaparral, is a mixture of trees and shrubs, possessing hard broad evergreen leaves, and drought resistant herbs. The plant species which dominate in this biome vary according to region and local conditions. As well as around the Mediterranean sea, this biome is found in California, central Chile, South Africa and Western Australia. Although they occupy less than 5% of the Earth's land area, these regions contain almost 20% of the world's recorded plant diversity (Cowling 1996).

The pronounced summer dry season means that fires tend to be a regular feature of the ecosystem. Fire is an important component of the Mediterranean biome: many shrubs have fire resistant roots and following fire they will resprout rapidly. It has also been reported that fire plays a large role in the life cycle of some species, by stimulating flowering or seed germination.

Map of Mediterranean forest, woodland and scrub biome

What are the main characteristics of the Mediterranean biome?