This book presents a detailed map of the Vegetation Series and Bioclimatic Belts that shape the high volcanic landscape of Tenerife. El Teide, part of the National Park of the same name, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site on June 28, 2007. It is also a protected natural monument, encompassing the Teide-Pico Viejo volcanic complex, a large Vesuvian-type stratovolcano that has remained dormant since the Narices del Teide eruption in 1798, although the fumaroles that regularly emit from its crater show that it remains active. Mount Teide is the third highest and most voluminous volcanic structure on Earth, following Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea in Hawaii. It is the highest elevation in both the Canary Islands and Spain. Its formation began approximately 170,000 years ago after the giant landslide destroyed a previous, even larger volcanic edifice.
This book serves as an illustrated guide to the flora of Teide National Park. It provides taxonomic details, chorological distribution, and comprehensive cartography of species within the protected area. Information on endemicity, flowering and fruiting phenology, biotype, pollination, and dispersal mechanisms is included. Each species entry features a description of its genus and species, habitat, phytosociology, conservation status, threat categories, available germplasm banks, uses, and references. High-quality photographs highlight key identification traits. Additionally, the book includes a study of the main vegetation units of Tenerife's high-altitude landscape, mapping both Vegetation Series and Bioclimatic Belts. This book is an indispensable resource for botanists, ecologists, and conservationists, offering a wealth of knowledge on Tenerife's unique high-mountain ecosystem. It is particularly valuable for researchers and students in botany and ecology, providing a thorough understanding of the island's vegetation dynamics and conservation challenges. As part of a series dedicated to the study of natural landscapes, this volume is a must-have for academic libraries and institutions focused on biodiversity and environmental preservation.
Victoria Eugenia Martín Osorio is Professor at the University of La Laguna, on the island of Tenerife, Canary Islands. She studied a degree in Biology in the Plants specialty at the University of Málaga and obtained a Ph.D. in Environmental Analysis, Impact Studies and Land Management with the research work entitled "Study of the Flora and Vegetation of the Grazalema Natural Park, Cadiz, Málaga". At the University of Málaga she carried out research work in international projects such as the LUCDEME "Fight against the desertification of the Mediterranean" or the "Cartography of the habitats of the Natura 2000 Network of the European Union" for Andalusia.
Beatriz Hernández Bolaños is Geographer and Doctor from the University of La Laguna. Her Doctoral Thesis focused on the study of the Flora and Vegetation of the Teide National Park. She has collaborated in several research projects on the Endangered Flora of the Canary Islands. Wolf-Hermann Wildpret Martín is Biologist from the Albert-Ludwigs University of Freiburg, Germany and has studied a Master's degree in Plant Ecology and Biodiversity in the same University. He has collaborated in several research projects related to the conservation of Flora and Vegetation in Germany and the Canary Islands. Currently belongs to Biodiversity, Macroecology & Biogeography Research Group, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Göttingen, Germany. Wolfredo Wildpret de la Torre is Professor Emeritus of the University of La Laguna. Doctor Honoris Causa from the Leibniz University of Hannover, Germany and winner of the Canary Islands Prize for Research and Innovation from the Canary Islands Government. He was the founder of the Faculty of Biology of the University of La Laguna and has dedicated his entire professional life to the study of the Flora and Vegetation of the Canary Islands.
