Title
North Iberian oro-Mediterranean pine forests (Pinus sylvestris var. iberica) with Pinus uncinata, Vaccinium myrtillus, Calluna vulgaris on siliceous rocks
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Spain:
a) sector Ibérico soriano (Sierra de la Demanda, Sierra de Moncayo), b) Orocantábrico meridional
area frequency
4 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Vaccinio myrtilli-Juniperetum nanae Rivas-Martínez 1964.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Juniper scrub, in areas with scattered pines, mainly consisting of low nanophanerophytes and chamaephytes as well as isolated hemicryptophytes.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Pinus sylvestris var. iberica, Pinus uncinata
Shrub layer
Juniperus communis subsp. alpina, Cytisus oromediterraneus
Herb layer
Vaccinium myrtillus, Calluna vulgaris, Deschampsia flexuosa subsp. iberica
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Pinus sylvestris var. iberica; Juniperus communis subsp. alpina; Vaccinium myrtillus, Calluna vulgaris, Deschampsia flexuosa subsp. iberica
Ecological variants
No details
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
a) Juniperetosum nanae formation type in the Iberian-Sorian region, partially with Pinus sylvestris var. iberica or P. uncinata; b) Jasionetosum brevisepalae formation type in southern oro-Cantabria with a greater continental and Mediterranean influence and the differential species: Jasione crispa subsp. brevisepala, Phalacrocarpum oppositifolium, Hypericum richeri subsp. burseri.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
a) pioneer communities: Sedo brevifolii-Agrostietum truncatulae; debris communities: Galeopsidi carpetanae-Rumicetum suffruticosi, Cryptogrammo crispae-Dryopteridetum oreadis; b) stonecrop communities: Agrostio durieui-Sedetum pyrenaici, Sedo brevifolii-Sperguletum rimari; debris communities: Triseto hispidi-Rumicetum suffruticosi, Cryptogrammo crispae-Dryopteridetum oreadis, Cryptogrammo crispae-Silenetum gayanae, Cryptogrammo crispae-Ranunculetum cabrerensis.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
species-poor beech forests (F99), Quercus faginea-forests (G71, G74).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Plantations (in the Iberian-Sorian region).
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
meadows: Plantago penyalarensis-Festucetum ibericae on dry sites, Luzulo carpetanae-Pedicularietum sylvaticae on moist sites; psychroxerophilous pasture lands: Jasiono brevisepalae-Festucetum aragonensis.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
No details
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
mountains
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
a) oro-Mediterranean; 1750-2100 m;
b) subalpine; 1800-2100 m
Geology (bedrock)
base-deficient siliceous rock
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
subalpine-ranker; (leptosols; dystric cambisols)
soil moisture, water balance
fresh
soil fertility
oligotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
X
average annual temperature
a) 4-8 °C, b) 3-6 °C
average annual precipitation
a) >1400 mm, b) 1200 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
12-16 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
-3 to -1 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
very continental climate.
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
Fires, tourism.
required measures for protection and restitution
No details
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Spain: a) Sierras de Urbión and Neila; b) Sierra de Villabandín, N. de Palencia.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
---
Most important references (author, year)
García González 1990; Navarro Sánchez 1986; Penas Merino, García González & Herrero Cembranos 1995; Rivas-Martínez 1987
Compiled by
A. Penas Merino and L. Herrero Cembranos
