The montado landscapes of Alentejo: Identification of threatened Mediterranean landscapes in southern Portugal

Montado landscapes are agro-silvo-pastoral systems where pastures and crops occur under the canopy of trees. They are specific to the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula. In Alentejo, two types of montado with different origins, geographic distribution, and economy can be distinguished: the Holm Oak Montado and the Cork Oak Montado. Changes in Alentejo's socioeconomic situation have led to montados, until recently the most profitable land use for the poor soils of the region, being currently in danger of extinction either by abandonment or substitution. This thesis seeks to identify the structure, dynamic evolution, and possible future of montados. It demonstrates, within an historical perspective, that these landscapes can assume different forms, corresponding to varying degrees of intensity and uses. Therefore, the preservation of their productive, ecological, and cultural values necessitates redefinition of their form in relation to the evolving socioeconomic context