Title
Baetic oro-Mediterranean scrub (Juniperus communis subsp. hemisphaerica, Chamaespartium undulatum) with Genista versicolor on siliceous rocks
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Spain: Sierras Beticas: Sierra Nevada, Sierra de los Filabres
area frequency
2 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Genisto versicoloris-Juniperetum hemisphaerica Quézel 1953 corr. Rivas-Martínez, Fernández-González & Loidi 1999 (= Genisto baeticae-Juniperetum nanae Quézel 1953).
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Very dense crawling juniper scrub with brooms. Formerly may be with a pine tree layer that has now disappeared.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Shrub layer
Juniperus communis subsp. hemisphaerica, Genista versicolor, Chamaespartium undulatum, Cytisus oromediterraneus, Erinacea anthyllis, Arenaria pungens
Herb layer
Dianthus subacaulis subsp. brachyanthus, Thlaspi nevadense, Deschampsia flexuosa subsp. iberica, Senecio boissieri
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Juniperus communis subsp. hemisphaerica, Genista versicolor, Chamaespartium undulatum; Senecio boissieri
Ecological variants
Juniperetosum hemisphaericae (wind exposed locations on rocky sites); genistetosum versicoloris (on developed and mature soils with Genista versicolor); cytisetosum oromediterranei (on poor degraded soils of sunny locations with Cytisus oromediterraneus); juniperetosum sabinae (on base-rich soils above base-rich parent rocks with Juniperus sabina).
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
No details
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
brook bank vegetation: Sedo melanantheri-Saxifragetum alpiginae; sedge communities: Ranunculo alismoidis-Caricetum intricatae.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
alpine grasslands (B49), Quercus pyrenaica-forests (G69), meso-Mediterranean sclerophyllous forests (J7, J10).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Plantations with Pinus nigra subsp. salzmanii, Pinus sylvestris.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Pastures: Arenario granatensis-Festucetum indigestae, Artemisio glutinosae-Santolinetum rosmarinifoliae, Festucetum spadiceo-pseudoeskiae; meadows: Nardo strictae-Festucetum ibericae (on moist, unflooded soils); dwarf shrub communities: Ranunculo acetosellifolii-Vaccinietum uliginosii (on hydromorphic soils); Sideritido glacialis-Arenarietum pungentis.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
---
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
---
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
high-mountain regions
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
oro-Mediterranean; 1800-2700 m
Geology (bedrock)
siliceous rock (Palaeozoic)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
stony, acidic and base-poor brown soils and ranker; (stony dystric cambisols; leptosols)
soil texture
stony, sandy-loamy
soil moisture, water balance
fresh, moderately dry
soil reaction
very acidic to weakly acidic
soil fertility
oligotrophic to mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
X
average annual temperature
4-8 °C
average annual precipitation
600-1000 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
12-16 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
-2 to 2 °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
Afforestation.
required measures for protection and restitution
No details
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Spain: Sierra Nevada and Sierra de los Filabres.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
---
Most important references (author, year)
Gómez Mercado & Valle Tendero 1988; Martínez Parras, Peinado Lorca & Alcaraz Ariza 1987; Peinado Lorca & Rivas-Martínez (Ed.) 1987; Perez Raya 1987; Perez Raya, Lôpez Nieto, Molero Mesa & Valle Tendero 1990; Quézel 1953; Rivas-Martínez 1987
Compiled by
A. Penas Merino and L. Herrero Cembranos
