Title
Pre-Ural fir-spruce forests (Picea obovata, Abies sibirica) partly with Tilia cordata, with dwarf shrubs, herbs and ferns (Linnaea borealis, Lathyrus vernus, Actaea spicata, Asarum europaeum, Dryopteris dilatata, Gymnocarpium dryopteris)
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Russia: large-scaled in the raised, to the northern Ural connecting part of the central Russian lowland between Kama and Volga
area frequency
45 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.)
Four-layered forest stand whose tree layer is dominated by Picea obovata; an important role (up to 40 % of the phytomass) is also played by Abies sibirica. Trees aged 120-130 years are on average 22-24 m in height. Small additions of Betula pubescens and Populus tremula. Occasionally with Tilia cordata, mostly in shrub form, sometimes also in the lower tree layer (10-12 m high). The shrub undergrowth is open (10-30 % degree of coverage). The dwarf-shrub-rich herb layer is well developed (50-70 % degree of coverage) and consists mainly of boreal forest species. The occurrence of nemoral broad-leaved species is typical. The moss layer is loose (20-35 % degree of coverage), occurring particularly at tree bases, on low elevations and on decomposed timber. There are 2 main formation types for these forests: a) a dwarf-shrub-rich type with mainly boreal species, b) a herb-rich type with Uralian-Siberian tall herbs. For both formation types the occurrence of nemoral broad-leaved species is characteristic.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Picea obovata, Abies sibirica, isolated Betula pubescens, Populus tremula
Shrub layer
Tilia cordata, Rosa acicularis, Rosa majalis, Lonicera xylosteum, Frangula alnus, Sorbus aucuparia
Herb layer
a) Dryopteris dilatata, Dryopteris carthusiana, Dryopteris filix-mas, Gymnocarpium dryopteris, Oxalis acetosella, Trientalis europaea, Maianthemum bifolium, Linnaea borealis, Rubus saxatilis, Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium vitis-idaea;
b) Lathyrus vernus, Angelica sylvestris, Aconitum lycoctonum subsp. lycoctonum, Luzula pilosa, Actaea spicata, Stellaria holostea, Asarum europaeum, Pulmonaria obscura; Uralian-Siberian species: Carex macroura, Cacalia hastata, Bupleurum longifolium subsp. aureum, Calamagrostis obtusata, Crepis sibirica, Delphinium elatum
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Hylocomium splendens, Pleurozium schreberi, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Ptilium crista-castrensis
Diagnostically important species
Picea obovata, Abies sibirica; Dryopteris dilatata, Dryopteris carthusiana, Dryopteris filix-mas, Actaea spicata, Stellaria holostea, Asarum europaeum, Pulmonaria obscura, Carex macroura, Calamagrostis obtusata, Cacalia hastata
Ecological variants
typical and herb-rich types.
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)
spruce forests (D4, D5, D8, D10, D20, D21, D22), pine forests (D45, D47, D48, D49, D55, D56), alder carrs (T1), birch carrs (T4), moist and alluvial forests (U3, U5, U6, U10).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Secondary stands with Betula pubescens, Populus tremula.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
No details
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
No details
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
: weakly undulating hill country
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
colline; 240-320 m
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
brown soils, podzole-like soils; (eutric podzoluvisols)
soil texture
loam to loamy sand
soil moisture, water balance
fresh
soil fertility
mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
VIII1, VIII(VI)1, VIII(VI)3
average annual temperature
0-1 °C
average annual precipitation
600-650 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
July 15-16 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
January -16 to -15 °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)
Forests are occasionally preserved in a relatively natural state, but are sometimes considerably damaged and in various stages of succession.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
---
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: in the region between Kama and Vjatka.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Gorčakovskij 1956
Compiled by
Z. Neuhäuslová based on documents by P.L. Gorčakovskij
