Serras de Aire e Candeeiros Natural Park (PNSAC) is a
natural park in central west
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
. It occupies an area of and is the most important repository of
limestone
Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
formations in Portugal with a variety of geological formations associated with
karst topography such as caves (including
pit cave
A pit cave, shaft cave or vertical cave—or often simply called a pit (in the US) and pothole or pot (in the UK); jama in South Slavic languages scientific and colloquial vocabulary (borrowed since early research in the Western Balkan Dinaric ...
s),
sinkhole
A sinkhole is a depression or hole in the ground caused by some form of collapse of the surface layer. The term is sometimes used to refer to doline, enclosed depressions that are locally also known as ''vrtače'' and shakeholes, and to openi ...
s,
uvalas,
polje
A polje, also karst polje or karst field, is a large flat plain found in karstic geological regions of the world, with areas usually . The name derives from the Slavic languages and literally means 'field', whereas in English ''polje'' specific ...
s,
limestone pavement
A limestone pavement is a natural karst landform consisting of a flat, incised surface of exposed limestone that resembles an artificial pavement. The term is mainly used in the UK and Ireland, where many of these landforms have developed dis ...
s,
ponor
A ponor is a natural opening where surface water enters into underground passages; they may be found in karst landscapes where the geology and the geomorphology is typically dominated by porous limestone rock. Ponors can drain stream or lake wate ...
s, among others.
It was made a protected area in 1979 with the intend to protect the existing natural aspects and the architectonic and cultural heritage linked to the local populations.
Location
The park is located in the
central-west region of Portugal defining the border between the districts of
Leiria and
Santarém. It comprises part of the municipalities of
Alcanena,
Alcobaça,
Batalha,
Leiria,
Ourém
Ourém (), formerly known as Vila Nova de Ourém, is a municipality in the district of Santarém in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 45,932, in an area of 416.68 km2.
The municipality of Ourém contains two cities: Ourém (about 12,000 r ...
,
Porto de Mós,
Rio Maior
Rio Maior () is a municipality in the Santarém District in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 21,192, in an area of 272.76 km².
The present mayor is Isaura Morais of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the first woman to be elected mayor ...
,
Santarém and
Torres Novas
Torres Novas () is a Portuguese municipality in the district of Santarém, in the Médio Tejo of the Centro region. The population of the municipality was approximately 36,717 (from the 2011 census), with the city of Torres Novas (seat of the mu ...
.
PNSAC is mainly composed by mountain ranges (''Serras'') and
plateau
In geology and physical geography, a plateau (; ; ), also called a high plain or a tableland, is an area of a highland consisting of flat terrain that is raised sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side. Often one or more sides ...
s: The Serra de Aire () in the northeast; the Serra de Candeeiros () in the west, adjacent to Aire, between
Porto de Mós and
Rio Maior
Rio Maior () is a municipality in the Santarém District in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 21,192, in an area of 272.76 km².
The present mayor is Isaura Morais of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the first woman to be elected mayor ...
; the Santo António plateau in the centre and part of the
São Mamede plateau in the north.
Geomorphology
Orogeny
The park is located in the
Estremadura Limestone Massif, a geomorphological unit of Portugal where rocks from the
Jurassic
The Jurassic ( ) is a geologic period and stratigraphic system that spanned from the end of the Triassic Period million years ago (Mya) to the beginning of the Cretaceous Period, approximately Mya. The Jurassic constitutes the middle period of ...
flourish to a great extent. The massif was created by the distensive opening phases of the
Lusitanian Basin during the
Mesozoic
The Mesozoic Era ( ), also called the Age of Reptiles, the Age of Conifers, and colloquially as the Age of the Dinosaurs is the second-to-last era of Earth's geological history, lasting from about , comprising the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretace ...
and the alpine compressive regimes established from the end of the
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of ...
. The São Mamede Plateau and Serra de Aire are the result of a
rollover anticline
In structural geology, an anticline is a type of fold that is an arch-like shape and has its oldest beds at its core, whereas a syncline is the inverse of an anticline. A typical anticline is convex up in which the hinge or crest is the ...
.
Geology
With a vigorous and rugged landscape, the park has some of the most interesting geological formations in the country.
The nature park is evidenced both by its relief, as a prominent mass that rises about relative to its surroundings, and by its white, highly permeable
limestone
Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
s, which are dissolved by the relatively abundant rains, creating cracks where water infiltrates. These characteristics justify the absence of shallow
watercourse
A stream is a continuous body of surface water flowing within the bed and banks of a channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to by a variety of local or regional names. Long large streams a ...
s, and the presence, instead, of a vast network of
underground galleries, being perhaps one of the largest freshwater reservoirs in the country, giving rise to some important water courses, such as the
Alviela and
Lena
Lena or LENA may refer to:
Places
* Léna Department, a department of Houet Province in Burkina Faso
* Lena, Manitoba, an unincorporated community located in Killarney-Turtle Mountain municipality in Manitoba, Canada
* Lena, Norway, a village in ...
rivers.
Water, practically invisible on the surface, is the main erosive agent, contributing to some of the most interesting geological formations in the country, such as
pit cave
A pit cave, shaft cave or vertical cave—or often simply called a pit (in the US) and pothole or pot (in the UK); jama in South Slavic languages scientific and colloquial vocabulary (borrowed since early research in the Western Balkan Dinaric ...
s,
sinkhole
A sinkhole is a depression or hole in the ground caused by some form of collapse of the surface layer. The term is sometimes used to refer to doline, enclosed depressions that are locally also known as ''vrtače'' and shakeholes, and to openi ...
s,
uvalas,
polje
A polje, also karst polje or karst field, is a large flat plain found in karstic geological regions of the world, with areas usually . The name derives from the Slavic languages and literally means 'field', whereas in English ''polje'' specific ...
s,
limestone pavement
A limestone pavement is a natural karst landform consisting of a flat, incised surface of exposed limestone that resembles an artificial pavement. The term is mainly used in the UK and Ireland, where many of these landforms have developed dis ...
s,
ponor
A ponor is a natural opening where surface water enters into underground passages; they may be found in karst landscapes where the geology and the geomorphology is typically dominated by porous limestone rock. Ponors can drain stream or lake wate ...
s, etc...
Similarly to river dynamics, water is collected in low areas or in depressions (such as
polje
A polje, also karst polje or karst field, is a large flat plain found in karstic geological regions of the world, with areas usually . The name derives from the Slavic languages and literally means 'field', whereas in English ''polje'' specific ...
s) after infiltrating from higher surfaces, enriching the flood beds with sediments. After the wet season, these depressions are emptied, giving rise to fertile
terra rossa plains where maize, potatoes, vines are grown, a variety of other crops and even vegetable gardens, resulting in a mosaic of colors and textures with great seasonal dynamics.
The terrain is characteristically dry due to its
porosity
Porosity or void fraction is a measure of the void (i.e. "empty") spaces in a material, and is a fraction of the volume of voids over the total volume, between 0 and 1, or as a percentage between 0% and 100%. Strictly speaking, some tests measur ...
and the first settlements were dependent on terra rossa for their activities. Currently, with the population less dependent on agricultural and pastoral activities, there has been a dispersion of buildings in the landscape, both for housing and for support of other economic activities. This diversification of the economy is partly responsible for the abandonment of the most traditional activities.
Ecology
Flora
The natural park is part of the
Southwest Iberian Mediterranean sclerophyllous and mixed forests and hosts more than 600 different plant species.
The vegetation that characterizes the PNSAC is the result of the bioclimatic influences on the territory. There is a great wealth of species with a diversity of sizes and origin (from
Atlantic Europe, the
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western Europe, Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa ...
, the
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula (),
**
* Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica''
**
**
* french: Péninsule Ibérique
* mwl, Península Eibérica
* eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in southwestern Europe, def ...
and
North Africa
North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...
), rare and unique Portuguese species, paleoclimatic species, some even used for medicinal, culinary, aromatic or ornamental purposes.
Though floristically rich, the park has suffered dramatic changes over the years. The Alvados Depression is a clear example of this dynamism; at present its landscape is agrarian; however, centuries ago, at the time of its occupation by its first settlers, the area was a
marsh
A marsh is a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous rather than woody plant species.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p Marshes can often be found a ...
that was surrounded by oak groves, pine groves and
strawberry trees. Later, with the
romanization
Romanization or romanisation, in linguistics, is the conversion of text from a different writing system to the Roman (Latin) script, or a system for doing so. Methods of romanization include transliteration, for representing written text, a ...
, it became an
olive grove with grafts of
wild-olive.
The park has five main associated landscapes:
*The
shrublands, with typical Mediterranean scrub which include ''
Quercus coccifera
''Quercus coccifera'', the kermes oak, is an oak bush in the ''Ilex'' section of the genus. It is native to the Mediterranean region and Northern African Maghreb, south to north from Morocco to France and west to east from Portugal to Cyprus an ...
'', ''
Erica arborea
''Erica arborea'', the tree heath or tree heather, is a species of flowering plant (angiosperms) in the heather family Ericaceae, native to the Mediterranean Basin and Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania in East Africa. It is also cultivated as an o ...
'', ''
Erica scoparia
''Erica scoparia'', the green heather, is a shrubby species of heath in the flowering plant family Ericaceae. It is native to the western Mediterranean Basin in the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal), Northwest Africa (Morocco, Algeria and T ...
'', ''
Ulex
''Ulex'' (commonly known as gorse, furze, or whin) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae. The genus comprises about 20 species of thorny evergreen shrubs in the subfamily Faboideae of the pea family Fabaceae. The species are na ...
,
Cystus'', ''
Phillyrea latifolia'', ''
Phillyrea angustifolia'', ''
Rhamnus alaternus'', ''
Pistacia lentiscus'', ''
Olea oleaster
''Olea oleaster'', the wild-olive, has been considered by variou ...
'', ''
Lavandula stoechas
''Lavandula stoechas'', the Spanish lavender or topped lavender (U.S.) or French lavender (U.K.), is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, occurring natively in several Mediterranean countries, including France, Spain, Portugal, ...
'',
rosemary
''Salvia rosmarinus'' (), commonly known as rosemary, is a shrub with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, purple, or blue flowers, native to the Mediterranean region. Until 2017, it was known by the scientific name ''Rosmar ...
,
oregano,
bay laurel
''Laurus nobilis'' is an aromatic evergreen tree or large shrub with green, glabrous (smooth) leaves. It is in the flowering plant family Lauraceae. It is native to the Mediterranean region and is used as bay leaf for seasoning in cookin ...
, ''
Arbutus unedo
''Arbutus unedo'' is an evergreen shrub or small tree in the family Ericaceae, native to the Mediterranean region and western Europe. The tree is well known for its fruits, which bear some resemblance to the strawberry — hence the common na ...
'', ''
Daphne gnidium'', ''
Lonicera etrusca'', ''
Crataegus monogyna
''Crataegus monogyna'', known as common hawthorn, one-seed hawthorn, or single-seeded hawthorn, is a species of flowering plant in the rose family Rosaceae. It is native to Europe, northwestern Africa, and West Asia, but has been introduced in ...
'', ''
Rubia peregrina
''Rubia peregrina'', the common wild madder, is a herbaceous perennial plant species belonging to the bedstraw and coffee family Rubiaceae.
Etymology
The genus name ''Rubia'' derives from the Latin ' meaning "red", as the roots of some species ...
'', ''
Smilax aspera
''Smilax aspera'', with common names common smilax, rough bindweed, sarsaparille,Rubus ulmifolius
''Rubus ulmifolius'' is a species of wild blackberry known by the English common name elmleaf blackberry or thornless blackberry and the Spanish common name ''zarzamora''. It is native to Europe and North Africa, and has also become naturalized ...
''
*The humid oak and pine forests, featuring ''
Q. rotundifolia'', ''
Q. faginea'' and ''
Q. suber'', ''
Pinus pinaster
''Pinus pinaster'', the maritime pine or cluster pine, is a pine native to the south Atlantic Europe region and parts of the western Mediterranean. It is a hard, fast growing pine bearing small seeds with large wings.
Description
''Pinus pina ...
'', ''
Pinus pinea'', ''
Hedera hibernica
''Hedera hibernica'', common name Atlantic ivy, Boston Ivy or Irish ivy, is a woody vine native to the Atlantic coast of Europe.
Description
It is an evergreen climbing plant, growing to 20–30 m high where suitable surfaces (trees, cliffs, wa ...
'', ''
Viburnum tinus'', ''
Ruscus aculeatus
''Ruscus aculeatus'', known as butcher's-broom, is a low evergreen dioecious Eurasian shrub, with flat shoots known as cladodes that give the appearance of stiff, spine-tipped leaves. Small greenish flowers appear in spring, and are borne singly ...
'', ''
Pteridium aquilinum
''Pteridium aquilinum'' (bracken, brake or common bracken), also known as eagle fern, is a species of fern occurring in temperate and subtropical regions in both hemispheres. Originally native to Eurasia and North America, the extreme lightness o ...
'', one of the most representative vegetative formations in the park. ''
Q. pyrenaica'' is restricted to the centre of the park and ''Q. suber'' is uncommon due to its dislike for calcareous soils
*The
lithophyte
Lithophytes are plants that grow in or on rocks. They can be classified as either epilithic (or epipetric) or endolithic; epilithic lithophytes grow on the surfaces of rocks, while endolithic lithophytes grow in the crevices of rocks (and are als ...
plants, such as ''
Sedum forsterianum'', ''
Petrosedum sediforme'', ''
Sedum album'', ''
Coronilla glauca'', ''
Thymus zygis'', ''
Arabis sadina
''Arabis sadina'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae. It is endemic to Portugal.
Distribution and habitat
''Arabis sadina'' is endemic to the centre-west of Portugal, occurring in the districts of Leiria, Santarém, Li ...
'', ''
Rhamnus alaternus'', ''
Antirrhinum linkianum'', ''
Polypodium cambricum
''Polypodium cambricum'', the southern polypody, limestone polypody, or Welsh polypody, is a species of fern in the family Polypodiaceae, native to southern and western Europe where it grows on shady rocks, near the coasts of the Mediterranean ...
'', ''
Asplenium trichomanes
''Asplenium trichomanes'', the maidenhair spleenwort, is a small fern in the spleenwort genus ''Asplenium''. It is a widespread and common species, occurring almost worldwide in a variety of rocky habitats. It is a variable fern with several sub ...
'', ''
Asplenium ruta-muraria'', ''
Asplenium ceterach''
*The human-introduced
eucalyptus
''Eucalyptus'' () is a genus of over seven hundred species of flowering trees, shrubs or mallees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Along with several other genera in the tribe Eucalypteae, including '' Corymbia'', they are commonly known as e ...
forests,
olive groves and
pasture
Pasture (from the Latin ''pastus'', past participle of ''pascere'', "to feed") is land used for grazing. Pasture lands in the narrow sense are enclosed tracts of farmland, grazed by domesticated livestock, such as horses, cattle, sheep, or sw ...
s, which are commonly associated with
grasses
Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos and the grasses of natural grassland and species cultivated in lawns ...
such as ''
Koeleria vallesiana
''Koeleria vallesiana'', the Somerset hair grass, is a grass species of the genus ''Koeleria''. It grows in Europe, temperate Asia, and North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely withi ...
'', ''
Dactylis glomerata
''Dactylis Glomerata'' is the sixth studio album by Swedish doom metal band Candlemass, released in 1998. This was their first album released since their split in 1994.
The album was originally destined to be the second release by Candlemass m ...
'', ''
Melica minuta'', ''
Briza maxima
''Briza maxima'' is a species of the grass genus ''Briza''. It is native to Northern Africa, Western Asia and Southern Europe and is cultivated or naturalised in the British Isles, the Azores, Australasia, the western United States, Central and S ...
'', ''
Hordeum murinum
''Hordeum murinum'', commonly known as wall barley or false barley, is a species of grass.
Overview
''Hordeum murinum'' is quite widespread and common. It flowers during May through July in mainly coastal areas. In the British Isles it is absent ...
'', ''
Brachypodium phoenicoides'', ''
Bromus diandrus
''Bromus diandrus'' is a species of grass known by the common names great brome and "ripgut brome".
Description
This is a brome grass which is native to the Mediterranean but has been introduced to much of the rest of the world. It does best in ...
'', ''
Holcus lanatus'', ''
Lagurus ovatus'', ''
Helictochloa marginata'', ''
Euphorbia paniculata'', ''
Euphorbia characias'', ''
Convolvulus arvensis
''Convolvulus arvensis'', the field bindweed, is a species of bindweed that is rhizomatous and is in the morning glory family (Convolvulaceae), native to Europe and Asia. It is a climbing or creeping herbaceous perennial plant with stems growing ...
''
*The riparian forests of ''
Ulmus minor
''Ulmus minor'' Mill., the field elm, is by far the most polymorphic of the European species, although its taxonomy remains a matter of contention. Its natural range is predominantly south European, extending to Asia Minor and Iran; its northern ...
'', ''
Sambucus nigra
''Sambucus nigra'' is a species complex of flowering plants in the family Adoxaceae native to most of Europe. Common names include elder, elderberry, black elder, European elder, European elderberry, European black elderberry and tramman (Isle ...
'', ''
Salix atrocinerea
''Salix atrocinerea'', commonly called grey willow or large gray willow, is a species of willow. It is a bush or small tree up to tall. As a pioneer species of willow, it quickly colonizes poor soils.
Distribution
The grey willow distribution ...
'', ''
Salix alba
''Salix alba'', the white willow, is a species of willow native to Europe and western and central Asia.Meikle, R. D. (1984). ''Willows and Poplars of Great Britain and Ireland''. BSBI Handbook No. 4. .Rushforth, K. (1999). ''Trees of Britain an ...
'', ''
Alnus glutinosa
''Alnus glutinosa'', the common alder, black alder, European alder, European black alder, or just alder, is a species of tree in the family Betulaceae, native to most of Europe, southwest Asia and northern Africa. It thrives in wet locations wh ...
'', ''
Tamarix gallica
''Tamarix gallica'', the French tamarisk, is a deciduous, herbaceous, twiggy shrub or small tree reaching up to about 5 meters high.
It is indigenous to Saudi Arabia and the Sinai Peninsula, and very common around the Mediterranean region. It i ...
'', ''
Fraxinus angustifolia'', very rare and degraded
Additionally, the park has 27 different species of
orchid
Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant.
Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowerin ...
, about 50% of all the species native to Portugal
and provides habitat for various calcerous flora that is uncommonly found in Portugal including: ''
Iris subbiflora'', ''
Paeonia broteri'', ''
Paeonia officinalis'', ''Jonopsidium abulense'', ''
Himantoglossum robertianum
''Himantoglossum robertianum'' is a species of flowering plant in the orchid family (Orchidaceae) native to the Mediterranean Basin.
Description
''Himantoglossum robertianum'' is a bulb, bulbous plant. It flowers from January to April. The bulb ...
'', ''
Orobanche latisquama'', ''
Petrosedum sediforme'', ''
Scrophularia sambucifolia'', ''
Antirrhinum linkianum'' ''
Teucrium chamaedrys
''Teucrium chamaedrys'', the wall germander, is a species of plant native to the Mediterranean regions of Europe and North Africa, and the Middle East as far as Iran.Dobignard, A. & Chatelain, C. (2012). Index synonymique de la flore d'Afrique d ...
'', ''
Salvia viridis'', ''Inula montana'', ''
Aristolochia pistolochia'', ''
Teucrium fruticans'', ''
Ophrys fusca'', ''
Phlomis lychnitis'', ''
Fritillaria lusitanica'' and some Portuguese
endemics such as ''
Silene longicilia'', ''
Arabis sadina
''Arabis sadina'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae. It is endemic to Portugal.
Distribution and habitat
''Arabis sadina'' is endemic to the centre-west of Portugal, occurring in the districts of Leiria, Santarém, Li ...
'', ''
Arrhenatherum pallens'', ''
Ulex jussiaei'', ''
Narcissus calcicola'', ''
Ulex airensis.'', ''
Saxifraga cintrana'' and a newly described species in Portugal, ''
Arenaria grandiflora'', which is currently only known to exist in the park.
Fauna
The distribution and biodiversity of mammals is in part due to bioclimatic and geoecological characteristics. The fauna was drastically affected by the human occupation of this territory, which devastated habitats and destroyed resources.
According to Alho (1997), a total of 204 species of
vertebrate
Vertebrates () comprise all animal taxa within the subphylum Vertebrata () (chordates with backbones), including all mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Vertebrates represent the overwhelming majority of the phylum Chordata, with c ...
s, of which 136 are birds, have been identified.
Mammals located in the park can be divided according to size into micromammals, mesomammals and large mammals.
Bats
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera.''cheir'', "hand" and πτερόν''pteron'', "wing". With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most bir ...
represent almost half of the mammal species in the park, with 21 known different species.
*The micromammals, present by the orders insectivores, chiropterans, and rodents include the
European hedgehog
The European hedgehog (''Erinaceus europaeus''), also known as the West European hedgehog or common hedgehog, is a hedgehog species native to Europe from Iberia and Italy northwards into Scandinavia and westwards into the British Isles.Harris, S ...
, the
greater white-toothed shrew
The greater white-toothed shrew (''Crocidura russula'') is a small insectivorous mammal found in Europe and North Africa. It is the most common of the white-toothed shrews. This species is found along the Mediterranean, Netherlands, Belgium, Irel ...
, the
Etruscan shrew
The Etruscan shrew (''Suncus etruscus''), also known as the Etruscan pygmy shrew or the white-toothed pygmy shrew, is the smallest known extant mammal by mass, weighing only about on average. (The bumblebee bat is regarded as the smallest mamma ...
, the
Iberian shrew, and the
Spanish mole
The Spanish mole (''Talpa occidentalis'') is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is found in Spain and Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland i ...
, the
house mouse, the
Algerian mouse, the
black rat, the
wood mouse
The wood mouse (''Apodemus sylvaticus'') is a murid rodent native to Europe and northwestern Africa. It is closely related to the yellow-necked mouse (''Apodemus flavicollis'') but differs in that it has no band of yellow fur around the neck, ha ...
, the
Lusitanian pine vole, the
Mediterranean pine vole, the
greater horseshoe bat
The greater horseshoe bat (''Rhinolophus ferrumequinum'') is an insectivorous bat of the genus '' Rhinolophus''. Its distribution covers Europe, Northern Africa, Central Asia and Eastern Asia. It is the largest of the horseshoe bats in Europe an ...
, the
Mehely's horseshoe bat
Mehely's horseshoe bat (''Rhinolophus mehelyi'') is a species of Insectivore, insectivorous bat in the family Rhinolophidae found in Southern Europe and parts of the Middle East. It is distributed in a narrow band around the Mediterranean Sea from ...
, the
lesser horseshoe bat, the
Mediterranean horseshoe bat
The Mediterranean horseshoe bat (''Rhinolophus euryale'') is a species of insectivorous
A robber fly eating a hoverfly
An insectivore is a carnivorous animal or plant that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which can ...
, the
Geoffroy's bat, the
Bechstein's bat
Bechstein's bat (''Myotis bechsteinii'') is a species of vesper bat found in Europe and western Asia, living in extensive areas of woodland.
Description
Bechstein's bat is a medium-sized and relatively long-eared bat. The adult has a long, fluf ...
, the
greater mouse-eared bat
The greater mouse-eared bat (''Myotis myotis'') is a European species of bat in the family Vespertilionidae.
Description
''Myotis myotis'' is a large bat with a long, broad muzzle and big, long ears. The body's dorsal side is brown to reddish-b ...
, the
Natterer's bat
Natterer's bat (''Myotis nattereri'') is a European vespertilionid bat with pale wings. It has brown fur tending to greyish-white on its underside. It is found across most of the continent of Europe, parts of the Near East and North Africa. It fe ...
, the
lesser mouse-eared bat, the
common pipistrelle
The common pipistrelle (''Pipistrellus pipistrellus'') is a small pipistrelle microbat whose very large range extends across most of Europe, North Africa, South Asia, and may extend into Korea. It is one of the most common bat species in the Brit ...
, the
serotine bat
The serotine bat (''Eptesicus serotinus''), also known as the common serotine bat, big brown bat, or silky bat, is a fairly large Eurasian bat with quite large ears. It has a wingspan of around and often hunts in woodland. It sometimes roosts ...
, the
common bent-wing bat, or the
European free-tailed bat
*The mesomammals are present by species of the order
lagomorpha
The lagomorphs are the members of the taxonomic order Lagomorpha, of which there are two living families: the Leporidae (hares and rabbits) and the Ochotonidae ( pikas). The name of the order is derived from the Ancient Greek ''lagos'' (λαγ ...
, which include the
European rabbit
The European rabbit (''Oryctolagus cuniculus'') or coney is a species of rabbit native to the Iberian Peninsula (including Spain, Portugal, and southwestern France), western France, and the northern Atlas Mountains in northwest Africa. It has b ...
and the
Granada hare
The Granada hare (''Lepus granatensis''), also known as the Iberian hare, is a hare species that can be found on the Iberian Peninsula and on the island of Majorca.
Subspecies
Three subspecies of the Granada hare are known, which vary in colour ...
*the large mammals group the
carnivore
A carnivore , or meat-eater (Latin, ''caro'', genitive ''carnis'', meaning meat or "flesh" and ''vorare'' meaning "to devour"), is an animal or plant whose food and energy requirements derive from animal tissues (mainly muscle, fat and other s ...
and
ungulate
Ungulates ( ) are members of the diverse clade Ungulata which primarily consists of large mammals with hooves. These include odd-toed ungulates such as horses, rhinoceroses, and tapirs; and even-toed ungulates such as cattle, pigs, giraffes, ...
orders and are represented by the
European badger
The European badger (''Meles meles''), also known as the Eurasian badger, is a badger species in the family Mustelidae native to almost all of Europe. It is classified as least concern on the IUCN Red List as it has a wide range and a large stab ...
, the
beech marten
The beech marten (''Martes foina''), also known as the stone marten, house marten or white breasted marten, is a species of marten native to much of Europe and Central Asia, though it has established a feral population in North America. It is li ...
, the
Eurasian otter
The Eurasian otter (''Lutra lutra''), also known as the European otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter, and Old World otter, is a semiaquatic mammal native to Eurasia. The most widely distributed member of the otter subfamily (Lutrinae) of th ...
, the
least weasel, the
European polecat
The European polecat (''Mustela putorius''), also known as the common polecat, black polecat, or forest polecat, is a species of mustelid native to western Eurasia and North Africa. It is of a generally dark brown colour, with a pale underbell ...
, the
red fox, the
common genet, the
Egyptian mongoose, the
Iberian lynx
The Iberian lynx (''Lynx pardinus'') is a wild cat species endemic to the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe. It is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. In the 20th century, the Iberian lynx population had declined because of overhun ...
, the
European wildcat
The European wildcat (''Felis silvestris'') is a small wildcat species native to continental Europe, Scotland, Turkey and the Caucasus. It inhabits forests from the Iberian Peninsula, Italy, Central and Eastern Europe to the Caucasus. Its fur i ...
and the domestic
donkey
Among the several migratory and resident bird species the most common are the
short-toed snake eagle
The short-toed snake eagle (''Circaetus gallicus''), also known as the short-toed eagle, is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, buzzards and harriers. The genus n ...
, the
common buzzard, the
common cuckoo
The common cuckoo (''Cuculus canorus'') is a member of the cuckoo order of birds, Cuculiformes, which includes the roadrunners, the anis and the coucals.
This species is a widespread summer migrant to Europe and Asia, and winters in Africa. I ...
, the
Eurasian hoopoe
The Eurasian hoopoe (''Upupa epops'') is the most widespread species of the genus '' Upupa''. It is a distinctive cinnamon coloured bird with black and white wings, a tall erectile crest, a broad white band across a black tail, and a long narrow ...
, the
great spotted woodpecker, the
crested lark
The crested lark (''Galerida cristata'') is a species of lark widespread across Eurasia and northern Africa. It is a non-migratory bird, but can occasionally be found as a vagrant in Great Britain.
Taxonomy and systematics
The crested lark was ...
, the
woodlark
The woodlark or wood lark (''Lullula arborea'') is the only extant species in the lark genus ''Lullula''. It is found across most of Europe, the Middle East, western Asia and the mountains of north Africa. It is mainly resident (non- migratory) ...
, the
Eurasian skylark
The Eurasian skylark (''Alauda arvensis'') is a passerine bird in the lark family, Alaudidae. It is a widespread species found across Europe and the Palearctic with introduced populations in New Zealand, Australia and on the Hawaiian Islands. ...
, the
red-rumped swallow
The red-rumped swallow (''Cecropis daurica'') is a small passerine bird in the swallow family. It breeds in open hilly country of temperate southern Europe and Asia from Portugal and Spain to Japan, India, Sri Lanka and tropical Africa. The India ...
, the
white wagtail
The white wagtail (''Motacilla alba'') is a small passerine bird in the family Motacillidae, which also includes pipits and longclaws. The species breeds in much of Europe and the Asian Palearctic and parts of North Africa. It has a toehold in ...
, the
Eurasian wren
The Eurasian wren (''Troglodytes troglodytes'') or northern wren is a very small insectivorous bird, and the only member of the wren family Troglodytidae found in Eurasia and Africa (Maghreb). In Anglophone Europe, it is commonly known simply a ...
, the
European robin
The European robin (''Erithacus rubecula''), known simply as the robin or robin redbreast in Great Britain & Ireland, is a small insectivorous passerine bird that belongs to the chat subfamily of the Old World flycatcher family. About in len ...
, the
black redstart, the
European stonechat
The European stonechat (''Saxicola rubicola'') is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a subspecies of the common stonechat. Long considered a member of the thrush family, Turdidae, genetic evidence has placed it and its relat ...
, the
blue rock thrush, the
Sardinian warbler
The Sardinian warbler (''Curruca melanocephala'') is a common and widespread typical warbler from the Mediterranean region. Like most ''Curruca'' species, it has distinct male and female plumages. The adult male has a grey back, whitish underpart ...
, the
Eurasian blackcap
The Eurasian blackcap (''Sylvia atricapilla''), usually known simply as the blackcap, is a common and widespread typical warbler. It has mainly olive-grey upperparts and pale grey underparts, and differences between the five subspecies are sm ...
, the
Iberian chiffchaff, the
short-toed treecreeper, the
Red-billed chough
The red-billed chough, Cornish chough or simply chough ( ; ''Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax''), is a bird in the crow family, one of only two species in the genus '' Pyrrhocorax''. Its eight subspecies breed on mountains and coastal cliffs from the w ...
, the
carrion crow
The carrion crow (''Corvus corone'') is a passerine bird of the family Corvidae and the genus ''Corvus'' which is native to western Europe and the eastern Palearctic.
Taxonomy and systematics
The carrion crow was one of the many species or ...
, the
spotless starling, the
common linnet
The common linnet (''Linaria cannabina'') is a small passerine bird of the finch family, Fringillidae. It derives its common name and the scientific name, ''Linaria'', from its fondness for hemp seeds and flax seeds—flax being the English ...
, the
cirl bunting
The cirl bunting ( ), (''Emberiza cirlus''), is a passerine bird in the bunting family Emberizidae, a group now separated by most modern authors from the finches, Fringillidae.
It breeds across southern Europe, on the Mediterranean islands an ...
or the
corn bunting
The corn bunting (''Emberiza calandra'') is a passerine bird in the bunting family Emberizidae, a group now separated by most modern authors from the finches, Fringillidae. This is a large bunting with heavily streaked buff-brown plumage. The se ...
.
Although lacking any water courses, the park has a surprising amount of
amphibians, 13 species are known, which include the
marbled newt
The marbled newt (''Triturus marmoratus'') is a mainly terrestrial newt native to western Europe. They are found in the Iberian Peninsula and France, where they typically inhabit mountainous areas.
Habitat and distribution
The marbled newt is ty ...
, the
Iberian ribbed newt, the
western spadefoot, the
common midwife toad, the
Iberian painted frog
The Iberian painted frog (''Discoglossus galganoi'') is a species of frog in the family Alytidae (formerly Discoglossidae). It is found in Portugal and Spain, where its natural habitats are temperate forests, temperate shrubland, Mediterranean-t ...
, the
Mediterranean tree frog
The Mediterranean tree frog (''Hyla meridionalis''), or stripeless tree frog, is a species of frog found in south-west Europe and north-west Africa. It resembles the European tree frog, but is larger (some females are up to long), has longer h ...
, the
Iberian frog, the
Perez's frog, the
common parsley frog, the
common toad
The common toad, European toad, or in Anglophone parts of Europe, simply the toad (''Bufo bufo'', from Latin ''bufo'' "toad"), is a frog found throughout most of Europe (with the exception of Ireland, Iceland, and some Mediterranean islands), in ...
, among others.
Unlike water courses, underground galleries are vast and a number os
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...
species inhabits these spaces, among them are ''
Nesticus lusitanicus'', ''
Trechus machadoi'', ''
Trechus gamae'', ''
Trechus lunai'' in the
Troglofauna
Troglofauna are small cave-dwelling animals that have adapted to their dark surroundings. Troglofauna and stygofauna are the two types of subterranean fauna (based on life-history). Both are associated with subterranean environments – troglofa ...
, and ''
Proasellus lusitanicus'' in the
Stygofauna.
The park has around 17 species of reptiles, which include the
spiny-footed lizard, the
common wall gecko, the
Carbonell's wall lizard, the
Iberian wall lizard, the
Spanish psammodromus
''Psammodromus hispanicus'', the Spanish psammodromus, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae.
It is found in France, Portugal, and Spain.
Its natural habitats are Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, temperate grassland, sandy shores, ...
, the
Algerian psammodromus, the
ocellated lizard
The ocellated lizard or jewelled lizard (''Timon lepidus'') is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae (wall lizards). The species is endemic to southwestern Europe.
Common names
Additional common names for ''T. lepidus'' include eyed liza ...
, the
Lataste's viper, the
horseshoe whip snake, the
viperine water snake, the
southern smooth snake, the
ladder snake
The ladder snake (''Zamenis scalaris'') is a species of non-venomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to southwestern Europe.
Distribution
The geographic range of the ladder snake includes Portugal, Spain, southern France ...
or the
Montpellier snake
Fish recorded in the park include the
Iberian nase and ''
Achondrostoma oligolepis''.
Climate
The park has a
Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...
, with mild, rainy winters and cool to hot, dry summers but variations in temperature, precipitation and
insolation occur throughout the region. Areas closer to the
Atlantic
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...
in the west have warm summers (with average summer highs around ) whilst areas that border the
Ribatejo
The Ribatejo () is the most central of the traditional provinces of Portugal, with no coastline or border with Spain. The region is crossed by the Tagus river (''Ribatejo'' translates to "upper Tagus", or more precisely, "up the Tagus" relativ ...
to the east tend to have hot summers (with average summer highs around . Altitude also plays a role. At altitudes above , precipitation is plenty, with values above per year, but can go down to at lower altitudes.
Average temperature ranges from at the top of Serra de Aire, to at the lower plains.
The prevailing N-NW winds carry air masses loaded with moisture that cause intense fog and strong winter rainfall.
As summer approaches, the
Azores High
The Azores High also known as North Atlantic (Subtropical) High/Anticyclone or the Bermuda-Azores High, is a large subtropical semi-permanent centre of high atmospheric pressure typically found south of the Azores in the Atlantic Ocean, at the Ho ...
moves further north. Clear skies become more frequent and rain is scarce between July and August.
Fog is very common in winter, and in the summer, fog created by the
marine layer
A marine layer is an air mass that develops over the surface of a large body of water, such as an ocean or large lake, in the presence of a temperature inversion. The inversion itself is usually initiated by the cooling effect of the water on th ...
can move from the Atlantic to the interior, but usually evaporates by midday. Average
relative humidity
Humidity is the concentration of water vapor present in the air. Water vapor, the gaseous state of water, is generally invisible to the human eye. Humidity indicates the likelihood for precipitation, dew, or fog to be present.
Humidity dep ...
is very high in the winter and values in the summer can have extreme variations, often below 40% during the day and above 80% at night. Temperatures at night are generally cool year-round but the high humidity along an absence of wind can make it more pleasant. Insolation varies between 2300 hours in the northwest mountains (south of
Porto de Mós) and 2650 hours in the east.
In general, Serra dos Candeeiros receives a larger influence from the
Atlantic
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...
, whereas Serra de Aire has a more Mediterranean influenced climate.
Natural heritage
Karst landscapes
There are over 130 identified caves in the park.
Some notable cave complexes include the Mira de Aire Caves, the Alvados Caves, the
Almonda spring caves (including the
Cave of Aroeira) and the Algar do Pena.
Other notable geological formations include:
*
Polje
A polje, also karst polje or karst field, is a large flat plain found in karstic geological regions of the world, with areas usually . The name derives from the Slavic languages and literally means 'field', whereas in English ''polje'' specific ...
of Minde-Mira de Aire, a great karst depression and
Ramsar wetland
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of Ramsar sites (wetlands). It is also known as the Convention on Wetlands. It i ...
located between the towns of
Minde and
Mira de Aire, which floods with some frequency during the winter.
*
Alviela karst spring
A karst spring or karstic spring is a spring (outflow of groundwater) that is part of a karst hydrological system.
Description
Because of their often conical or inverted bowl shape, karst springs are also known in German-speaking lands as a ''T ...
and the Ribeira dos Amiais
ponor
A ponor is a natural opening where surface water enters into underground passages; they may be found in karst landscapes where the geology and the geomorphology is typically dominated by porous limestone rock. Ponors can drain stream or lake wate ...
*Fórnea, a
natural amphitheatre formed by temporary springs
*Arrimal Lagoons,
sinkhole
A sinkhole is a depression or hole in the ground caused by some form of collapse of the surface layer. The term is sometimes used to refer to doline, enclosed depressions that are locally also known as ''vrtače'' and shakeholes, and to openi ...
s with naturally waterproofed bottoms with clays and other sediments
*
Rio Maior
Rio Maior () is a municipality in the Santarém District in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 21,192, in an area of 272.76 km².
The present mayor is Isaura Morais of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the first woman to be elected mayor ...
salt pans, known at least since 1177, the only inland salt pans in Portugal, created by an underground gallery that passes through a
rock salt
Halite (), commonly known as rock salt, is a type of salt, the mineral (natural) form of sodium chloride ( Na Cl). Halite forms isometric crystals. The mineral is typically colorless or white, but may also be light blue, dark blue, purple, pi ...
field
Field may refer to:
Expanses of open ground
* Field (agriculture), an area of land used for agricultural purposes
* Airfield, an aerodrome that lacks the infrastructure of an airport
* Battlefield
* Lawn, an area of mowed grass
* Meadow, a grass ...
and feeds a well.
Paleontology and archaeology
The park contains two
Middle Jurassic tracksites: the
sauropod footprints of Serra de Aire and the dinosaur footprints of Vale de Meios. Both are the oldest known dinosaur footprints in the
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula (),
**
* Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica''
**
**
* french: Péninsule Ibérique
* mwl, Península Eibérica
* eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in southwestern Europe, def ...
. The Serra de Aire tracksite is one of the few sites in the world where Middle Jurassic sauropod dinosaur tracks can be found. The Vale Florido
biostromes have fossilized
coral
Corals are marine invertebrates within the class Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact colonies of many identical individual polyps. Coral species include the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and ...
and
algae.
Ammonites
Ammonoids are a group of extinct marine mollusc animals in the subclass Ammonoidea of the class Cephalopoda. These molluscs, commonly referred to as ammonites, are more closely related to living coleoids (i.e., octopuses, squid and cuttl ...
,
belemnites,
brachiopods
Brachiopods (), phylum Brachiopoda, are a phylum of trochozoan animals that have hard "valves" (shells) on the upper and lower surfaces, unlike the left and right arrangement in bivalve molluscs. Brachiopod valves are hinged at the rear end, wh ...
,
bivalves and
ichnofossil
A trace fossil, also known as an ichnofossil (; from el, ἴχνος ''ikhnos'' "trace, track"), is a fossil record of biological activity but not the preserved remains of the plant or animal itself. Trace fossils contrast with body fossils, ...
s have been discovered in a
stratum in Barranco de Zambujal. The Jurassic Beach of São Bento, discovered in 2003, has a variety of fossilized
echinoderms. The
Cave of Aroeira near the park has the earliest recorded human trace in Portugal, along with deer, equids, rhinoceros, bear, a large bovid, a caprid, and a Testudo tortoise. Squeletal remains of
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene ( , often referred to as the ''Ice age'') is the geological epoch that lasted from about 2,580,000 to 11,700 years ago, spanning the Earth's most recent period of repeated glaciations. Before a change was finally confirmed in ...
brown bear
The brown bear (''Ursus arctos'') is a large bear species found across Eurasia and North America. In North America, the populations of brown bears are called grizzly bears, while the subspecies that inhabits the Kodiak Islands of Alaska is ...
s have also been discovered in Algar do Vale da Pena, near the village of Moita do Poço. A
Chalcolithic
The Copper Age, also called the Chalcolithic (; from grc-gre, χαλκός ''khalkós'', "copper" and ''líthos'', "stone") or (A)eneolithic (from Latin '' aeneus'' "of copper"), is an archaeological period characterized by regular ...
dolmen that was Christianized into a chapel still remains close to a church in
Alcobertas. There are also Roman remains, notably a road in Alqueidão da Serra,
Porto de Mós which dates between the centuries I BC and I AD.
Vale de Meios 1.jpg, Theropod
Theropoda (; ), whose members are known as theropods, is a dinosaur clade that is characterized by hollow bones and three toes and claws on each limb. Theropods are generally classed as a group of saurischian dinosaurs. They were ancestrally c ...
footprint in Vale de Meios
Equinodermes 2.jpg, Sea urchin
Equinodermes 1.jpg, Crinoid
Crinoids are marine animals that make up the class Crinoidea. Crinoids that are attached to the sea bottom by a stalk in their adult form are commonly called sea lilies, while the unstalked forms are called feather stars or comatulids, which are ...
Img 8737 Pegadas de Dinossáurios da Serra de Aire.jpg, Sauropod footprints of the Serra de Aire Natural Monument
AlcobertasDolmen.JPG, Christianized dolmen of Alcobertas
Porto de Mós- 5.jpg, Roman road of Alqueidão da Serra
Threats
Even though a protected nature area was created to protect the existing natural aspects and architectonic heritage, the construction of
quarries
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine in which dimension stone, rock, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, gravel, or slate is excavated from the ground. The operation of quarries is regulated in some jurisdictions to reduce their envir ...
and
wind turbines
A wind turbine is a device that converts the kinetic energy of wind into electrical energy. Hundreds of thousands of large turbines, in installations known as wind farms, now generate over 650 gigawatts of power, with 60 GW added each year. Wi ...
have increased since then, placing many of the local fauna and flora at risk. Every year, dozens of birds and bats are killed by the blades of wind turbines and severe numbers of reptile and amphibian species are
roadkilled.
Some measurements taken to prevent this include the investment in
nature tourism, scientific investigation and agriculture, particularly biological farming.
Views of the park from urban centers
View from Torres Novas towards Serras de Aire e Candeeiros.jpg, East side of Serra de Aire as seen from the castle of Torres Novas
Torres Novas () is a Portuguese municipality in the district of Santarém, in the Médio Tejo of the Centro region. The population of the municipality was approximately 36,717 (from the 2011 census), with the city of Torres Novas (seat of the mu ...
Basílica de Nossa Senhora do Rosário - Fátima - Portugal (31672255052).jpg, West side of Serra de Aire as seen from Fátima
Alcanena - Portugal (5979765746).jpg, Southeast view of Serra de Santo António from Alcanena
Alcobaça - Portugal (2327895724).jpg, West side view of Serra de Candeeiros from Alcobaça
References
External links
Serras de Aire e Candeeiros Nature ParkParque Natural das Serras de Aire e CandeeirosSerras de Aire e Candeeiros- In Portuguese
{{Authority control
Nature parks in Portugal