Laurel forests in Tenerife, Canary Islands .1. The site, stand structure and stand leaf area distribution

Stand structure and leaf area distribution of a laurel forest in the Agua Garcia mountains of Tenerife are described. The site is situated at 820 m a.s.l., faces NNE, and has a humid mediterranean climate. Summer droughts are mitigated by relatively high air humidity and clouds. The natural mixed hardwood forest is composed of six major tree species: Laurus azorica (Seub.) Franco, Persea indica (L.) Spreng, Myrica faya Ait., Erica arborea L. and two species of Ilex (I. platyphylla Webb & Berth. and I. canariensis Poivet.). The experimental stand had a density of 1693 trees ha(-1), a basal area of 33.7 m(2)ha(-1), and a cumulated volume of above-ground parts of trees of 231 m(3) ha(-1) with a corresponding dry mass of 204 ton ha(-1). Diameters at breast height ranged from 6 to 46 cm. Mean concentration of plant dry mass per volume was 1.17 kg m(-3). The vertical pattern of leaf area distribution in individual trees fro all tree species was characterized by a Gaussian-like curve. Stand leaf area index was 7.8. These evergreen, broad-leaved (laurisilva or lucidophyllous) forests represent a relic forest that was widespread in the Mediterranean region some 20 million years ago. Our data illustrate some of the structural characteristics of this historically widespread forest type.