Title
Pyrenean Pinus uncinata-forests, alternating with Rhododendron scrub (Rhododendron ferrugineum), dwarf shrub communities and Juniperus communis subsp. alpina-scrub mainly on siliceous rock
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Spain: Pyrenees; France: Pyrenees
area frequency
6 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Rhododendro ferruginei-Pinetum uncinatae Rivas-Martínez 1968, Arctostaphylo uvae-ursi-Pinetum uncinatae Rivas-Martínez 1968.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Relatively closed, chionophilous Pinus uncinata forests with a dense undergrowth of Rhododendron ferrugineum, occasionally dwarf shrub communities without a tree layer.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Shrub layer
Rhododendron ferrugineum, Sorbus chamaemespilus, Juniperus communis subsp. alpina, Rosa pendulina, Cotoneaster integerrimus
Herb layer
Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium uliginosum, Calluna vulgaris, Pyrola minor, Homogyne alpina, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca eskia, Oxalis acetosella, Nardus stricta, Hypericum richeri subsp. burseri, Dryopteris expansa, Orthilia secunda, Moneses uniflora
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Pinus uncinata; Rhododendron ferrugineum, Juniperus communis subsp. alpina, Sorbus chamaemespilus; Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Vaccinium myrtillus Vaccinium uliginosum, Calluna vulgaris, Homogyne alpina
Ecological variants
different substrates and humidity belts.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
In the eastern Pyrenees with Genista purgens.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
In snow-rich areas Homogyno-Abietetum, Junipero-Arctostaphyletum; Carici curvulae-Empetretum hermaphroditi.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
alpine grasslands (B48), fir forests (D30), species-rich beech forests (F138), Pyrenean pine forests (K4, K5).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
With degradation an outspreading of dwarf shrub communities with Rhododendron ferrugineum, Calluna vulgaris, Vaccinium myrtillus, Rubus idaeus, Hypericum richeri subsp. burseri.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
meadows and pastures with Nardus stricta, Carex sempervirens subsp. graniteica, Festuca eskia, Trifolium alpinum, Ranunculus pyrenaeus (Carici graniteicae-Festucetum eskiae); Dryado octopetali-Salicetum pyrenaicae (in the upper subalpine belt); Helictotricho sedenensis-Bellardiochloetum violaceae (xerophytic).
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
---
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
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Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
high-mountain regions, especially at weakly inclined and snow-deficient slopes
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
subalpine; 1600-2400 m
Geology (bedrock)
siliceous rocks (Palaeozoic)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
podzoles, gley-podzoles, ranker, subalpine humus carbonate soils, acidic, base-deficient brown soils with raw humus layer; (leptic and gleyic podzols; dystric cambisols; dystric leptosols)
soil texture
stony; grouany, sandy-loamy
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to moderately dry, locally periodically moist
soil reaction
strong to moderately acidic
soil fertility
oligotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
X
average annual temperature
3-6 °C
average annual precipitation
600 to 1400 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
9-12 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
-4 to -2 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
Frosts are possible during the whole year above all in the upper soil horizon. Snow-rich winters with long remaining snow covers (November to the end of May) and very low temperatures (to -30 °C), in summer partly very dry with high insolation.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
damaged to a small degree.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
No details
causes of endangerment
tourism, fire, clear cutting, grazing.
required measures for protection and restitution
Protection of representative stands.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
No details
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Braun-Blanquet 1948; Folch I Guillèn 1981; Folch I Guillèn & Franquesa 1984; Nègre 1970; Peinado Lorca & Rivas-Martínez (Ed.) 1987; Rameau 1996a; Rivas-Martínez 1968; Rivas-Martínez 1987; Rivas-Martínez, Bascones, Díaz González, Fernández-González & Loidi Arregui 1991b; Vigo Bonada 1979
Compiled by
V. Voggenreiter based on documents by S. Rivas-Martínez; A. Penas Merino and L. Herrero Cembranos, revised by U. Bohn referring to Rameau (1996, Tome 4)
