Title
North-east European open spruce woodlands (Picea obovata) with Betula pubescens subsp. czerepanovii, with mosses and dwarf shrubs (Pleurozium schreberi, Hylocomium splendens, Aulacomnium turgidum, Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium vitis-idaea), partly with lichens
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Russia: strip along the polar circle from the Kanin peninsula to the Ural, highest ranges of the Timan ridge
area frequency
57 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Picea obovata-Betula nana-Ledum palustre+Vaccinium uliginosum-Pleurozium schreberi+Hylocomium splendens-community; Picea obovata-Betula nana-Empetrum hermaphroditum+Vaccinium myrtillus-Pleurozium schreberi+ Hylocomium splendens-community.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
, usually multi-layered spruce forests with isolated birches in the second tree layer. Betula nana forms the shrub layer above the dwarf shrub-rich herb layer. The moss layer covers up to 90-95 % of the area, of which Pleurozium schreberi alone covers 50-60 %.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Picea obovata, Betula pubescens subsp. czerepanovii
Shrub layer
Betula nana, Salix glauca, Salix phylicifolia, Juniperus communis subsp. alpina
Herb layer
Vaccinium uliginosum, Ledum palustre, Vaccinium myrtillus, Empetrum hermaphroditum, Vaccinium vitis-idaea
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Pleurozium schreberi, Hylocomium splendens, Aulacomnium turgidum, Dicranum majus, Dicranum scoparium, Dicranum bergeri, Cladina arbuscula, Cladina stellaris, Cladina rangiferina
Diagnostically important species
Picea obovata, Betula pubescens subsp. czerepanovii, Pleurozium schreberi, Hylocomium splendens, Aulacomnium turgidum, Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium vitis-idaea
Ecological variants
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Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
One can distinguish two geographic variants depending on the structure of the undergrowth and the composition of the lower layers: In the northern variant, Betula nana is scattered in groups and the dwarf shrub layer consists of Vaccinium uliginosum and Ledum palustre. In the southern variant, Juniperus communis subsp. alpina, Salix glauca and Salix phylicifolia occur in the shrub layer. Vaccinium myrtillus and Empetrum hermaphroditum build up the herb layer, and additional cryptogams include: Polytrichum commune, Polytrichum strictum, Sphagnum capillifolium, Sphagnum girgensohnii, Cladina arbuscula, Cladina stellaris and Cladina rangiferina. At the middle and lower courses of the Sula, Larix sibirica is also an admixture.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Small-area incidences of north-east European (hemipsammophytic) spruce forests; larch forests in the Pečora region; aapa mires in small areas; palsa mires.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
arctic scrub-tundra (B22, B24, B25, B26, B27, B28, B32, B33), open birch and spruce woodlands (C3, C5), spruce forests (D1, D2, D3), salt vegetation (P17), palsa mires (S14), aapa mires (S16), transition bogs (S18/S19), south arctic alluvial scrubs (U1), alluvial forest (U3).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Scrub communities due to timber felling.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Winter pasture lands for reindeer.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
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settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
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Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
mountain slopes with shallow slopes of a mainly south-facing exposure in the regions of watersheds and river valleys
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
100-350 m
Geology (bedrock)
glacial (Pleistocene) and fluvioglacial (Pleistocene above Devonian, Cretaceous) sediments
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
in the upper layer gleyed, podzolic, partly wetted eluvial soils (Ignatenko 1979); (orthic and gleyic podzols)
soil moisture, water balance
moist, fresh
soil reaction
very acidic, acidic
soil fertility
oligotrophic, oligo-mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
VIII (IX)2
average annual temperature
-7 to -2 °C
average annual precipitation
300-550 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
July 11-12,5 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
January -22 to -17 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
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Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Greatly affected by wood-cutting and grazing.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
All nearly-natural stands are worthy of protection.
causes of endangerment
wood-cutting, grazing.
required measures for protection and restitution
Protection as well as careful maintenance of remnants.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Russia: Bol’šezemel’skaja tundra, on watersheds of middle and lower courses of the rivers Adz’va, Kolva, Laja, Šapkina and on right banks of the Sula, along western slopes of the northernmost part of the Timan ridge.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Gribova, Isačenko & Lavrenko (Red.) 1980; Ignatenko 1972; Ignatenko 1979
Compiled by
Z. Neuhäuslová based on documents by S.A. Gribova
