Severe drought effects on Mediterranean woody flora in Spain

The severe drought in 1994 damaged the woody flora of central and southern Spain (80% of the 190 studied sites presented drought-damaged species). In 1996, after a wet year, 67% of the sites were still affected. Different degrees of damage and recovery were found among different functional types (trees or shrubs), and genera of different evolutionary history (Mediterranean or pre Mediterranean). The Mediterranean genera, mostly shrubs evolved under Mediterranean climate conditions, i,e., later than 3.2 M years ago in the Pliocene, were more damaged by the drought than the earlier evolved pre-Mediterranean genera, mostly trees. However, the Mediterranean genera were more resilient and recovered much better after the following wet year.