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The climate and ecology of land immediately surrounding the Mediterranean Sea is influenced by several factors. Overall, the land has a Mediterranean climate, with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. The climate induces characteristic Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub vegetation. Plant life immediately near the Mediterranean is in the Mediterranean Floristic region, while mountainous areas further from the sea supports the Sub-Mediterranean Floristic province. An important factor in the local climate and ecology of the lands in the Mediterranean basin is the elevation: an increase of elevation by causes the average air temperature to drop by 5 C/ 9 F and decreases the amount of water that can be held by the atmosphere by 30%. This decrease in temperature and increase in rainfall result in altitudinal zonation, where the land can be divided into life zones of similar climate and ecology, depending on elevation. Mediterranean vegetation shows a variety of ecological adaptations to hot and dry summer conditions. As Mediterranean vegetation differ both in species and composition from temperate vegetation, ecologists use special terminology for the Mediterranean altitudinal zonation: * Eu-mediterranean belt: 20- 16 °C (avg annual temperature) * Sub-mediterranean belt: 15- 12 °C * Hilly region: 11- 8 °C * Mountainous belt: 7- 4 °C * Alpine belt: 3- 0 °C * Subnival belt: 0- minus 4 °C Even within the Mediterranean Basin, differences in aridity alter the life zones as a function of elevation. For example, the wetter Maritime and Dinaric Alps have a ''North-Mediterranean'' zonation pattern, while the southern Apennine Mountains and the Spanish Sierra Nevada have a moderate ''Eu-Mediterranean'' zonation pattern. Finally, the drier Atlas Mountains of Africa and Taurus Mountains of the Near East have a ''Xero-Mediterranean'' pattern. Examples of each of these altitudinal zonation patterns is described below, by examining the climate and ecology of several locations around the Mediterranean Basin. ==Dinaric Alps of the Balkan Peninsula== An example of the wetter (or maritime) pattern comes from the Orjen range in the southeastern coastal Dinaric ranges of Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Above of elevation, the Orjen range lies in the Dinaric Mountains mixed forests ecoregion (as defined by the World Wildlife Fund).〔 This ecoregion is known for its humidity, compared to other mountain ranges of the Mediterranean.〔 Life zones in the Orjen range, with corresponding elevation ranges and indicator species are: * Eu-mediterranean (lower subtropical belt, ME=meridional) , Holm Oak (''Quercus ilex''), Kermes Oak (''Quercus coccifera''), Olive tree (''Olea europaea''). More humid habitats show Bay Laurel (''Laurus nobilis'') and Oleander (''Nerium oleander'') formations. * Supra-mediterranean (upper subtropical belt) , Macedonian Oak (''Quercus trojana'') and Oriental Hornbeam (''Carpinus orientalis''); above Turkey Oak (''Quercus cerris'') and Hungarian Oak or Italian Oak (''Quercus frainetto''). With more humidity: Forests of Sweet Chestnut (''Castanea sativa''), Downy Oak or Pubescent Oak (''Quercus pubescens'') and European Hophornbeam (''Ostrya carpinifolia Scop.''). * Oro-mediterranean (temperate zone, NE= Nemoral) , Forest of Common Beech (''Fagus sylvatica'') over calcareous soil. Dinaric calcareous block fir forest; European Silver Fir (''Abies alba''). * Alti-mediterranean (taiga zone, BO= Boreal); , European Beech (''Fagus sylvatica''), Bosnian Pine (''Pinus heldreichii''), Greek Maple (''Acer heldreichii'') at the Tree line. The less humid regions have ''Juniper'' (and for example: ''Iris orjenii'', ''Viola chelmea'') over ''Sesleria robusta'' grasses. * Cry-omediterranean (tundra zone, AL= Alpine); , Xerophytes. ''Trifolium'', ''Narcissus'', ''Gentiana nivalis'', ''Draba hoppeanae'', ''Androsace alpina''.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Life zones of the Mediterranean region」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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