Title
Middle Ural spruce-fir forests (Abies sibirica, Picea obovata) with Pinus sibirica, with dwarf shrubs, herbs and tall-herbs (Aconitum lycoctonum, Cacalia hastata, Crepis sibirica
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Russia: northern and central Ural
area frequency
4 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Abietum oxalidoso-linnaeani-dryopteridosum, Abietum myrtillosum, Abietum austriaci-dryopteridosum, Abietum aconitosum ( all Gorčakovskij 1954).
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Four-layered spruce-fir forests. Picea obovata and Abies sibirica are the main components of the tree layer, although the spruce is usually dominant. The tree height is 15-24 m. Additions of Pinus sibirica (10-30 % of the phytomass) and a normally densely closed tree layer (70-90 % degree of coverage). The shrub undergrowth is sparse (degree of coverage < 10 %). Species assemblage and development of the dwarf-shrub-rich herb and moss layers vary depending on soil trophy and degree of coverage of the tree layer. On rich soils, where the degree of coverage of the tree layer is higher, dwarf shrubs prevail, while ferns, thermophilous taiga herbs, Pyrolaceae species and club moss plants also occur. The moss layer is almost completely closed, but on richer soils the role of heliophilous grasses and herbs increases. The following formation types prevail: a) Vaccinium myrtillus-rich, b) small-fern-rich (Gymnocarpium dryopteris) with Oxalis acetosella, c) tall fern-rich Dryopteris dilatata and d) Aconitum lycoctonum subsp. lycoctonum and Cacalia hastata-rich types. The moss layer (Hylocomium splendens, Pleurozium schreberi etc.) is more or less well developed in all formation types.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Picea obovata, Abies sibirica, with admixture of Pinus sibirica
Shrub layer
Sorbus aucuparia subsp. sibirica, Lonicera xylosteum, Daphne mezereum, Rosa acicularis, Ribes hispidulum, Rubus idaeus, Juniperus communis
Herb layer
a) Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Linnaea borealis;
b) Gymnocarpium dryopteris, Phegopteris connectilis;
c) Dryopteris dilatata, Oxalis acetosella, Maianthemum bifolium, Trientalis europaea, Goodyera repens, Pyrola minor, Pyrola rotundifolia, Moneses uniflora, Orthilia secunda, Lycopodium annotinum, Diphasiastrum complanatum, d) Aconitum lycoctonum subsp. lycoctonum, Cacalia hastata, Calamagrostis arundinacea, Milium effusum, Paris quadrifolia, Geranium sylvaticum, Ranunculus acris subsp. borealis, Crepis sibirica
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Hylocomium splendens, Pleurozium schreberi, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Ptilium crista-castrensis, Plagiomnium drummondii
Diagnostically important species
Abies sibirica, Picea obovata, Pinus sibirica; Aconitum lycoctonum subsp. lycoctonum, Cacalia hastata
Ecological variants
dwarf-shrub-rich, fern-rich and tall herb-rich formation types.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
No details
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
small area incidences of northern and middle Uralian montane-subalpine birch-krummholz forest.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
mountain tundras (B39), spruce and birch open woodlands (C6), spruce forests (D9, D10, D11, D12, D13), spruce-fir forests (D22), pine forests (D45, D47, D51, D58).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
secondary birch stands (Betula pubescens) on clearings. Their proportions increase with increasing anthropogenic influence.
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
Valleys, basins and lower parts of weakly inclined slopes
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
colline-submontane to montane; 350-1000 m
Geology (bedrock)
Palaeozoic (among others Carboniferous, Silurian, Ordovician, basic rocks) and Precambrian
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
stony, podzole soils, weakly podzoled, humus-rich brown soils; (lithic dystric podzoluvisols, lithic humic cambisols)
soil texture
sandy loam, mostly stony
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to moist
soil reaction
strong to moderately acidic
soil fertility
oligo-mesotrophic, mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
VIII1, VIII2, VIII(VI)4
average annual temperature
0-1 °C
average annual precipitation
700-800 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
July Å17 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
January Å -17 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
---
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
The forests play an important water and soil protecting role and are relatively well preserved.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
---
causes of endangerment
Forest clearing, timber exploitation.
required measures for protection and restitution
No details
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
No details
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
No details
Most important references (author, year)
Gorčakovskij 1954
Compiled by
Z. Neuhäuslová based on documents by P.L. Gorčakovskij
