Cork Oak (Scientific Name: Quercus Suber)
Cork Oak
Description:
Type~ Angiosperm.
Leaves~ The leaves are four to seven inches long with spiny lobes, oblong shape, and dark green color.
Bark~ The bark is a gray color, is “knobby”, and is also very thick.
Habitat~ The Cork Oak’s natural habitat is southwest Europe and northwest Africa, favors open areas in coastal and Mediterranean climates.
Co-exists~ The Cork Oak is found with other oak trees, stone and maritime pine trees, and wild olive trees. The Liberian lynx, Barbary deer, and Liberian Imperial eagle and are all endangered species that favor the Cork Oak.
Reproduction~ The Cork Oak produces acorns, is wind pollinated, and has both male and female flowers on the tree.
Ethnobotany:
The Cork Oak is mainly harvested for its bark. The bark is used for making corks, but uses also include flooring, furniture, and even shoes. This is because the bark is impermeable to liquids and is a great insulator. Cork Oak bark is considered to be sustainable because the bark regrows every 9 or so years and can be harvested again and again.
Current research:
There is research being done to see if bark harvesting affects the ability of a cork oak to survive a fire. Cork oaks are one of the top trees with their bark being harvested, and it turns out that it does affect their ability to survive. With a thick layer of bark (at least 4 cm) they are much more likely to survive than if they have a thin layer.
There is also research being done to determine if human factors are increasing or decreasing the number of Cork Oaks. There has been a sharp increase in the density of Cork Oaks in the past century, which raises the question of why. The results show that in fact humans have influenced the increased population of Cork Oaks over time as the demand for their bark has increased as well.
Some research has been done to discover how the Cork Oak really responds to bark harvesting. Once the bark is harvested the tree focuses on reproducing its bark instead of growth overall. When the bark regrows it is thinner which increases the vulnerability to fire. Also when the bark is removed the tree is more susceptible to pathogens and diseases. So while the tree survives, it may not thrive as well.
Creative Writing:
The Cork Oak stands tall above its surroundings. Its long, oblong leaves create a large canopy of shade. When you walk up close to its bark you notice it has a distinct texture. The bark looks sort of like a cork and is a little softer to the touch than other oak tree barks. This bark is specially used to make corks and sometimes flooring and furniture due to its properties. Once the bark is harvested, it spends at least nine years replacing it only to go through the same process again. This tree is home to many critters, even the Liberian Imperial eagle can be found in these trees, but you only see little birds flying about the branches. On most of the branches and on the ground you see many acorns, ready for squirrels to get. With the sun shining through the branches and the birds chirping above, you notice what unique tree the Cork Oak is.
Description:
Type~ Angiosperm.
Leaves~ The leaves are four to seven inches long with spiny lobes, oblong shape, and dark green color.
Bark~ The bark is a gray color, is “knobby”, and is also very thick.
Habitat~ The Cork Oak’s natural habitat is southwest Europe and northwest Africa, favors open areas in coastal and Mediterranean climates.
Co-exists~ The Cork Oak is found with other oak trees, stone and maritime pine trees, and wild olive trees. The Liberian lynx, Barbary deer, and Liberian Imperial eagle and are all endangered species that favor the Cork Oak.
Reproduction~ The Cork Oak produces acorns, is wind pollinated, and has both male and female flowers on the tree.
Ethnobotany:
The Cork Oak is mainly harvested for its bark. The bark is used for making corks, but uses also include flooring, furniture, and even shoes. This is because the bark is impermeable to liquids and is a great insulator. Cork Oak bark is considered to be sustainable because the bark regrows every 9 or so years and can be harvested again and again.
Current research:
There is research being done to see if bark harvesting affects the ability of a cork oak to survive a fire. Cork oaks are one of the top trees with their bark being harvested, and it turns out that it does affect their ability to survive. With a thick layer of bark (at least 4 cm) they are much more likely to survive than if they have a thin layer.
There is also research being done to determine if human factors are increasing or decreasing the number of Cork Oaks. There has been a sharp increase in the density of Cork Oaks in the past century, which raises the question of why. The results show that in fact humans have influenced the increased population of Cork Oaks over time as the demand for their bark has increased as well.
Some research has been done to discover how the Cork Oak really responds to bark harvesting. Once the bark is harvested the tree focuses on reproducing its bark instead of growth overall. When the bark regrows it is thinner which increases the vulnerability to fire. Also when the bark is removed the tree is more susceptible to pathogens and diseases. So while the tree survives, it may not thrive as well.
Creative Writing:
The Cork Oak stands tall above its surroundings. Its long, oblong leaves create a large canopy of shade. When you walk up close to its bark you notice it has a distinct texture. The bark looks sort of like a cork and is a little softer to the touch than other oak tree barks. This bark is specially used to make corks and sometimes flooring and furniture due to its properties. Once the bark is harvested, it spends at least nine years replacing it only to go through the same process again. This tree is home to many critters, even the Liberian Imperial eagle can be found in these trees, but you only see little birds flying about the branches. On most of the branches and on the ground you see many acorns, ready for squirrels to get. With the sun shining through the branches and the birds chirping above, you notice what unique tree the Cork Oak is.
Works Cited:
Cork Oak (Quercus Suber). (1987). Retrieved 10 1, 2013, from Rainforest Alliance: http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/kids/species-profiles/cork-oak
SelecTree: Cork Oak, Quercus Suber. (1995). Retrieved 10 1, 2013, from Urban Forest Ecosystems Institute: http://selectree.calpoly.edu/treedetail.lasso?rid=1263
Catry, ,. X., Moreira, F., Pausas, J. G., Fernandes, P. M., Rego, F., Cardillo, E., & Curt, T. (2012). Cork Oak Vulnerability to Fire: The Role of Bark Harvesting, Tree Characteristics and Abiotic Factors. Plos ONE, 7(6), 1-9. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0039810
Silva, J. S., & Catry, F. F. (2006). Forest fires in cork oak ( Quercus suber L.) stands in Portugal. International Journal Of Environmental Studies, 63(3), 235-257. doi:10.1080/00207230600720829
Urbieta, I. R., Zavala, M. A., & Marañón, T. (2008). Human and non-human determinants of forest composition in southern Spain: evidence of shifts towards cork oak dominance as a result of management over the past century. Journal Of Biogeography, 35(9), 1688-1700. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2699.2008.01914.x
Graça, O., & Augusta, C. (n.d). Review: How resilient is Quercus suber L. to cork harvesting? A review and identification of knowledge gaps. Forest Ecology And Management, 270257-272. doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2012.01.025
Cork Oak (Quercus Suber). (1987). Retrieved 10 1, 2013, from Rainforest Alliance: http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/kids/species-profiles/cork-oak
SelecTree: Cork Oak, Quercus Suber. (1995). Retrieved 10 1, 2013, from Urban Forest Ecosystems Institute: http://selectree.calpoly.edu/treedetail.lasso?rid=1263
Catry, ,. X., Moreira, F., Pausas, J. G., Fernandes, P. M., Rego, F., Cardillo, E., & Curt, T. (2012). Cork Oak Vulnerability to Fire: The Role of Bark Harvesting, Tree Characteristics and Abiotic Factors. Plos ONE, 7(6), 1-9. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0039810
Silva, J. S., & Catry, F. F. (2006). Forest fires in cork oak ( Quercus suber L.) stands in Portugal. International Journal Of Environmental Studies, 63(3), 235-257. doi:10.1080/00207230600720829
Urbieta, I. R., Zavala, M. A., & Marañón, T. (2008). Human and non-human determinants of forest composition in southern Spain: evidence of shifts towards cork oak dominance as a result of management over the past century. Journal Of Biogeography, 35(9), 1688-1700. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2699.2008.01914.x
Graça, O., & Augusta, C. (n.d). Review: How resilient is Quercus suber L. to cork harvesting? A review and identification of knowledge gaps. Forest Ecology And Management, 270257-272. doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2012.01.025