Title
Pre-Ural hygrophilous pine-spruce forests (Picea obovata, Pinus sibirica) with Abies sibirica, with dwarf shrubs, herbs and bog mosses (Chamaedaphne calyculata, Calamagrostis langsdorffii, Filipendula ulmaria, Sphagnum warnstorfii)
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Russia: western pre-Ural along the upper courses of Pečora, Kolva, Višera, Vyčegda in the intermediate current area and in the river valleys
area frequency
26 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
No details
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
The tree layer consists of Picea obovata with small additions of Pinus sibirica, Betula pubescens, Pinus sylvestris and Larix sibirica. In the lower tree layer Alnus incana and Salix caprea are sporadic. Degree of coverage of the tree layer is 40-70 %, spruce and pine are usually not more than 14-15 m high. In the stands many trees are dead or with dead treetops. The shrub layer is weakly developed. The mosaic-like dwarf-shrub-rich herb layer covers 50-80 % of the surface; their species composition is heterogeneous and consists of those from bogs, boreal forests and moist forest meadows. The soil surface is hummocky. Boreal forest species grow on hummocks, small elevations and at the bases of trees. The moss layer is well developed and covers 70-80 % of the surface; sphagnum species prevail. On hummocks and at tree bases one finds green mosses. To the north the trees reduce in height and the stand becomes more open. Pine spruce forests with Filipendula ulmaria and Sphagnum species prevail while forests with Vaccinium myrtillus and Polytrichum commune are less frequent.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Picea obovata, with admixture of Pinus sibirica, Abies sibirica, Betula pubescens, Larix sibirica, Alnus incana, Salix caprea
Shrub layer
Sorbus aucuparia subsp. sibirica, Rosa acicularis, Juniperus communis
Herb layer
Calamagrostis langsdorffii, Cirsium heterophyllum, Filipendula ulmaria, Equisetum palustre, Veratrum lobelianum, Potentilla palustris, Rubus chamaemorus, Carex globularis, Chamaedaphne calyculata, Ledum palustre, Linnaea borealis, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Trientalis europaea, Oxalis acetosella, Maianthemum bifolium, Equisetum sylvaticum
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Sphagnum girgensohnii, Sphagnum warnstorfii, Sphagnum russowii, Sphagnum centrale, Sphagnum angustifolium, Polytrichum commune; Pleurozium schreberi, Hylocomium splendens, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus
Diagnostically important species
Picea obovata, Pinus sibirica, Abies sibirica, Larix sibirica; Calamagrostis langsdorffii, Filipendula ulmaria, Chamaedaphne calyculata, Sphagnum spp.
Ecological variants
No details
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
No details
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
oligotrophic to eutrophic mires, valley spruce forests, valley willow scrub (Salix viminalis, Salix triandra).
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
spruce forests (D4, D5, D9, D10, D12, D13), spruce-fir forests (D14), pine forests (D45, D47), raised bogs (S3), transition bogs (S20), brown mires (S23).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Pine spruce forests, secondary stands with frequent Alnus incana and Pinus sylvestris.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
No details
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
Springs and headwaters of rivers
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
lowland-colline; 180-240 m
Geology (bedrock)
fluviatile sediments and mires (Pleistocene, Holocene above Permian); Palaeozoic (Permian, Silurian, Ordovician)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
stagno-, peaty soil-, fen gley; (gleyic podzols; dystric gleysols; histosols)
soil texture
sand, loamy sand, peaty soil, peat
soil moisture, water balance
wet, peaty-swampy
soil reaction
strongly to moderately acidic
soil fertility
oligo-mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
VIII1, VIII2, VIII(VI)3
average annual temperature
-1 °C
average annual precipitation
500 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
July 16-17 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
January Å -18 °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)
No details
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
No details
causes of endangerment
Forest clearing, forest fires.
required measures for protection and restitution
No details
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Russia: Zapovednik Pečoro-Ilyčskij.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Judin 1954
Compiled by
Z. Neuhäuslová based on documents by P.L. Gorčakovskij
