Editing Iberian Peninsula (section)

==Ecology==

===Forests===
{{Main|Forests of the Iberian Peninsula}}
[[File:Lince Ibérico Doñana.jpg|thumb|upright|An Iberian lynx]]
The woodlands of the Iberian Peninsula are distinct [[ecosystem]]s. Although the various regions are each characterized by distinct vegetation, there are some similarities across the peninsula.

While the borders between these regions are not clearly defined, there is a mutual influence that makes it very hard to establish boundaries and some species find their optimal habitat in the intermediate areas.

The endangered [[Iberian lynx]] (''Lynx pardinus'') is a symbol of the Iberian mediterranean forest and of the fauna of the Iberian Peninsula altogether.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://metode.cat/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bookexsituvargas2009_3.pdf|pages=XI & 527|title=Conservación Ex situ del Lince Ibérico: Un Enfoque Multidisciplinar|publisher= Fundación Biodiversidad|year=2009}}</ref>

A new ''[[Podarcis]]'' lizard species, ''[[Podarcis virescens]]'', was accepted as a species by the Taxonomic Committee of the ''Societas Europaea Herpetologica'' in 2020. This lizard is native to the Iberian Peninsula and found near rivers in the region.

===East Atlantic flyway===
The Iberian Peninsula is an important stopover on the East Atlantic [[flyway]] for birds migrating from northern Europe to Africa. For example, [[curlew sandpiper]]s rest in the region of the [[Bay of Cádiz]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=Migration pattern of Curlew Sandpipers Calidris ferruginea on the south-western coastline of the Iberian Peninsula|first=Francisco|last=Hortas|author2=Jordi Figuerols|url=http://www.ebd.csic.es/jordi/Hortas06.pdf|access-date=7 December 2008|year=2006|journal=International Wader Studies|volume=19|pages=144–147|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081217014308/http://www.ebd.csic.es/jordi/Hortas06.pdf|archive-date=17 December 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In addition to the birds migrating through, some seven million wading birds from the north spend the winter in the estuaries and wetlands of the Iberian Peninsula, mainly at locations on the Atlantic coast. In [[Galicia (Spain)|Galicia]] are [[Ría de Arousa]] (a home of [[grey plover]]), Ria de [[Ortigueira]], Ria de Corme and Ria de Laxe. In Portugal, the [[Aveiro Lagoon]] hosts [[pied avocet]], the [[common ringed plover]], grey plover and [[little stint]]. [[Ribatejo Province]] on the [[Tagus]] supports pied avocet, grey plover, [[dunlin]], [[bar-tailed godwit]] and [[common redshank]]. The [[Sado River|Sado Estuary]] holds dunlin, [[Eurasian curlew]], grey plover and common redshank. The [[Algarve]] hosts [[red knot]], [[common greenshank]] and [[Ruddy turnstone|turnstone]]. The [[Guadalquivir Marshes]] region of [[Andalusia]] and the Salinas de [[Cádiz]] are especially rich in wintering wading birds: [[Kentish plover]], common ringed plover, [[sanderling]], and [[black-tailed godwit]] in addition to the others. And finally, the Ebro delta is home to all the species mentioned above.<ref>{{cite journal|first=Jesus|last=Dominguez|title=Distribution of estuarine waders wintering in the Iberian Peninsula in 1978–1982|journal=Wader Study Group Bulletin|year=1990|volume=59|pages=25–28|url=http://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/iwsgb/n059/p00025-p00028.pdf}}</ref>