Anaga Mountains / La Laguna
Climate parameters on the island provide favourable condition for laurisilva forest to grow (air humidity, precipitation, temperature). These conditions are given in the northern expositions of the island on the altitude between 500 and 1500 m a.s.l. where clouds are being formed at this latitude. On the southern slopes of the island the opposite conditions (low humidity) makes it impossible to grow. During the recent glaciations the island provided niches where the laurisilva could survive, therefore it can be named tertiary forest.
From the ecological point of view the laurisilva has a special importance. Firstly it is the last remnant of this habitat that used to populate large areas and secondly it provides a vast biodiversity (higher density of species as continental Europe).
In the area of Anaga, which we visited, large amounts of laurel forest can be found. This Natural Park provides the special protection the forest requires in order to fulfil its valuable ecosystem functions.
It has to be mentioned that the area of Anaga represents one of three paleovolcanos spread across the island. Between Anaga and the Teide (youngest volcano) a basin was formed which in the recent past continuously filled up with sediments from both mountains and eventually facilitated the establishment of settlements (San Cristóbal de La Laguna). One of the factors that encouraged the foundation of the settlement was the presence of a lake within the basin. Due to human activities the lake gradually had to give way to pasture land use.
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