Title
Open birch woodlands (Betula pubescens subsp. czerepanovii) with Picea obovata, Pinus sylvestris, Sorbus aucuparia subsp. glabrata, with lichens, dwarf shrubs and herbs (Cladina spp., Cornus suecica, Vaccinium myrtillus, Empetrum hermaphroditum, Carex globularis) with Calluna vulgaris on the Kola peninsula
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Russia: western and central part of the Kola peninsula, north Carelia
area frequency
30 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Betuletum empetroso-myrtillosum, Betuletum hylocomioso-cladinosum, Betuletum cladinosum, Betuletum herbosum (Empetro-Betuletum pubescentis Nordhagen1943).
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Birch forests with regular participation of Picea obovata, Pinus sylvestris and shrubs. The herb layer consists of numerous dwarf shrubs and individual grasses and herbs. In addition to numerous lichen species, some mosses are also present.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Betula pubescens subsp. czerepanovii, admixed Picea obovata, Pinus sylvestris
Shrub layer
Sorbus aucuparia subsp. glabrata, Juniperus communis, Salix caprea, Salix phylicifolia
Herb layer
Calluna vulgaris, Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium uliginosum, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Cornus suecica, Ledum palustre, Empetrum hermaphroditum; Carex globularis, Deschampsia flexuosa, Epilobium angustifolium, Trientalis europaea, Luzula pilosa, Solidago virgaurea, Linnaea borealis
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Pleurozium schreberi, Dicranum fuscescens, Polytrichum juniperinum, Polytrichum piliferum, Polytrichum commune, Hylocomium splendens, Dicranum scoparium; Cladina rangiferina, Cladina mitis, Cladina stellaris, Cladonia deformis, Cladonia ecmocyna, Cladonia uncialis, Cladonia amaurocraea, Nephroma arcticum, Peltigera aphthosa
Diagnostically important species
Betula pubescens subsp. czerepanovii, Picea obovata, Pinus sylvestris; Vaccinium myrtillus, Calluna vulgaris, Carex globularis
Ecological variants
---
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
---
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Frequently alternating with spruce forests (Piceetum empetroso-myrtillosum, Piceetum hylocomioso-cladinosum, Piceetum herbosum) and pine forests (Pinetum empetroso-myrtillosum, Pinetum hylocomioso-cladinosum, Pinetum fruticosum).
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
mountain tundras (B36), alpine dwarf shrub vegetation (B42), spruce forests (D2), pine forests (D42, D43, D44), aapa mires (S15).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Scrub resulting from forest clearing.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
---
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
---
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
---
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
moraine landscape
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
250-500 m
Geology (bedrock)
silicate basement rocks (Precambrian granite, gneiss, granulite), covered by Pleistocene moraine sediments of different thickness
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
ferrum-humus podzole with thin raw humus layer; (stony orthic podzols; lithic leptosols)
soil texture
loamy-sandy, stony
soil moisture, water balance
moist, fresh
soil reaction
acidic, weakly acidic
soil fertility
oligotrophic to mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
VIII, VIII(IX)
average annual temperature
-1 to 0 °C
average annual precipitation
400-800 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
12-14 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
-13 to -10 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
---
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
No details
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
No details
causes of endangerment
forest clearing.
required measures for protection and restitution
Prohibition of wood-cutting, particularly in river valleys.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Russia: Lappland-reserve.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
---
Most important references (author, year)
Durov (Ed.) 1971; Trešnikov 1985
Compiled by
S.S. Cholod
