▁ ▁Distribution ▁and ▁habitat ▁▁ ▁Qu erc us ▁al n ifolia ▁is ▁restricted ▁to ▁Tro odos ▁Mass if , ▁where ▁it ▁grows ▁on ▁ igne ous ▁ge ological ▁substr ate ▁at ▁an ▁alt itude ▁of ▁ 4 0 0 ▁to ▁ 1 8 0 0 m . ▁It ▁occup ies ▁dry ▁habit ats ▁in ▁association ▁with ▁P inus ▁brut ia ▁or ▁forms ▁dense ▁ma quis ▁in ▁mes ic ▁habit ats , ▁character ized ▁by ▁deep ▁forest ▁so ils . ▁ ▁E colog ical ▁importance ▁and ▁conservation ▁status ▁▁ ▁Golden ▁o ak ▁offers ▁soil ▁stabil isation ▁against ▁er os ion ▁due ▁to ▁its ▁ability ▁to ▁colon ize ▁st ony ▁and ▁rock y ▁s lop es . ▁In ▁its ▁distribution ▁area , ▁Qu erc us ▁al n ifolia ▁is ▁the ▁most ▁important ▁broad le aved ▁species ▁forming ▁pure ▁or ▁mixed ▁stands , ▁within ▁the ▁con ifer ▁( P inus ▁brut ia , ▁P inus ▁n ig ra ) ▁domin ated ▁for ests ▁of ▁Cy pr us . ▁Th ick ▁stands ▁of ▁Qu erc us ▁al n ifolia ▁in ▁mes ic ▁habit ats , ▁consider ably ▁modify ▁the ▁hum id ity ▁conditions ▁of ▁the ▁site ▁and ▁form ▁forest ▁so ils ▁with ▁" m ull " ▁hum us ▁favour ing ▁the ▁existence ▁of ▁sci oph il ous ▁her bal ▁species . ▁ ▁Like ▁other ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁o ak ▁genus , ▁Qu erc us ▁al n ifolia ▁forms ▁mut ually ▁benef icial , ▁e ct omy cor rh iz al ▁associations ▁with ▁various ▁fung i . ▁A