Title
East Pyrenean and pre-Pyrenean xerophytic Pinus uncinata-forests with Pulsatilla alpina, Cotoneaster integerrimus and Juniperus communis subsp. hemisphaerica on carbonate rocks
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Spain, France: easter and southern Pyrenees
area frequency
6 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
a) Arctostaphylo uvae-ursi-Pinetum uncinatae Rivas-Martínez 1968; b) Pulsatillo alpinae-Pinetum uncinatae Vigo 1974.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
up to 20 m high, more or less dense coniferous woods with an open shrub as well as a dense herb and moss layer whose degree of coverage lies between 90 and 100 %.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Pinus uncinata, Pinus sylvestris var. pyrenaica
Shrub layer
Cotoneaster integerrimus, Juniperus communis subsp. hemisphaerica; additionally in b) Daphne mezereum, Buxus sempervirens, Amelanchier ovalis
Herb layer
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi; additionally in a) Vaccinium uliginosum subsp. microphyllum, Vaccinium myrtillus, Calluna vulgaris, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca eskia, Pulsatilla alpina subsp. apiifolia; additionally in b) Festuca gautieri, Sesleria albicans, Pulsatilla alpina subsp. font-queri, Valeriana montana, Polygala calcarea, Ranunculus nemorosus, Hepatica nobilis, Cruciata glabra
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Hylocomium splendens, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus
Diagnostically important species
Pinus uncinata, Juniperus communis subsp. Hemisphaerica; a) Arctostaphylos uva-ursi; b) Pulsatilla alpina subsp. font-queri, Festuca gautieri
Ecological variants
regarding a), Pinetosum uncinatae: on base-poor soils in the subalpine belt; vaccinietosum microphylli: cold sites in the upper subalpine belt with Vaccinium uliginosum subsp. microphyllum; dryadetosum octopetali: in the upper subalpine belt on calcareous substrates with Dryas octopetala, Valeriana globulariifolia; festucetosum scopariae: mountain spurs and southern slopes over a base-rich substrate with Festuca gautieri; rhamnetosum alpinae: thermophilous and basiphilous form in the lower subalpine belt with Rhamnus alpina, Festuca gautieri; juniperetosum sabinae: rocky xerophilic sun-exposed limestone sites in the subalpine more continental belt with Juniperus sabina; ericetosum vagantis: decalcified soils in the hyperhumid climate of the lower subalpine belt of the western Pyrenees with Vaccinium myrtillus, Erica vagans.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
No details
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
No details
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
alpine grasslands (B48), fir forests (D30), species-poor fir-beech forests (F100), pine forests (K4, K5).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Plantations;
b) wood-cut communities: Atropetum belladonae in sunny, nitrogen-rich areas; fringing communities: Epilobietum montani-angustifolii; tall-herb communities: Valeriano-Aconitetum pyrenaicae.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Cattle and sheep pasture grounds:
a) acidophilous pasture lands: Carici graniteicae-Festucetum eskiae, Hieracio-Festucetum paniculatae; matgrass communities: Selino pyrenaei-Nardetum strictae.
b) Teucrio-Astragaletum catalaunici at sunny dry sites, Alchemillo-Festucetum nigrescentis on deep soils, Festucetum scopariae at sunny sites of the upper subalpine zone.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
---
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
stony steep mountain slopes, particular of a southern exposure
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
subalpine; 1500-2500 m
Geology (bedrock)
a) indifferent;
b) limestone
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
brown ranker; (dystric, calcaric and lithic leptosols; cambisols)
soil texture
stony, sandy-loamy
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to dry
soil reaction
weakly acidic to neutral; a) acidic
soil fertility
oligotrophic, oligo-mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
X
average annual temperature
4-7 °C
average annual precipitation
900 to 1400 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
10-13 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
-4 to -2 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
snow-rich winters, sites becoming clear of snow, humid, hyperhumid.
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
Grazing, tourism, ski sports.
required measures for protection and restitution
Protection of representative areas in nature reserves.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
No details
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
---
Most important references (author, year)
Braun-Blanquet 1948; Carreras, Carrillo, Font, Ninot, Soriano & Vigo Bonada 1995; Carrillo & Ninot 1992; Folch I Guillèn 1981; Folch I Guillèn & Franquesa 1984; Loidi Arregui, Biurrun Galarraga & Herrera Gallastegui 1997; Loidi Arregui, Díaz González & Herrera Gallastegui 1997; Peinado Lorca & Rivas-Martínez (Ed.) 1987; Rivas-Martínez 1968; Rivas-Martínez 1987; Rivas-Martínez, Bascones, Díaz González, Fernández-González & Loidi Arregui 1991b; Vigo Bonada 1974
Compiled by
A. Penas Merino and L. Herrero Cembranos
