Title
Southeast Scandinavian herb-rich spruce forests (Picea abies), with Quercus robur, partly Pinus sylvestris, with Corylus avellana, Melica nutans, Convallaria majalis, Hepatica nobilis, Paris quadrifolia, partly in combination with wooded mires (Picea abies, Pinus sylvestris, Ledum palustre), in the coastal region and on islands with rocky pine forests (Pinus sylvestris) with Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Sweden: large-scaled in the south-eastern part of the country; Finland: south-west (Åland islands) and the coast west of Helsinki
area frequency
49 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
a) Lågörtskogstyper LÖ1, LÖm, LÖu, LÖs Malmström 1949; Oxalis-Myrtillus-type, Geranium-Oxalis-Myrtillus-type, Geranium-Myrtillus-type, Pyrola-type, Oxalis-Maianthemum-type, Geranium-Oxalis-Maianthemum-type, Geranium-Dryopteris-type Ilvessalo 1961, Kalela 1961, 1970; Melico-Piceetum typicum Kielland-Lund 1962; Vaccinium-Rubus-type, VRT, delvis Cajander & Ilvessalo 1921, Kujala 1979, Melica-Lathyrus-type (Perttula 1941), Jalas 1950, 1961; b) Vaccinio uliginosi-Pinetum Kleist 1929; peaty soil heath forest Ruuhijärvi 1960; Oxycocco-Pinetum (Myrfuruskog) Kielland-Lund 1981; c) Cladina-type C1T Cajander 1921, Ilvessalo 1937, 1960; Cladonio-Pinetum boreale Kielland-Lund 1967.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Relief- and site-determined vegetation complex of a) herb-rich oak-spruce forests, b) forest bogs, pine bog forests and c) rocky pine forests. Usually dominated by Picea abies together with Quercus robur and Betula pendula in the tree layer. The herb layer is formed from dwarf shrubs and low-growing herbs. On rocks in coastal areas, lichen-pine forests (c) form the characteristic vegetation.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
a) Picea abies, Pinus sylvestris, admixed Quercus robur, Tilia cordata, Betula pendula, Betula pubescens, locally Fraxinus excelsior;
b) Pinus sylvestris, Picea abies, Betula pubescens s. l.;
c) Pinus sylvestris, Betula pendula
Shrub layer
a) Corylus avellana, Frangula alnus, Sorbus aucuparia, Juniperus communis, Ribes alpinum;
b) Myrica gale, Ledum palustre
Herb layer
a) Brachypodium pinnatum, Calamagrostis arundinacea, Carex digitata, Melica nutans, Convallaria majalis, Paris quadrifolia, Viola riviniana, Hepatica nobilis, Geranium sylvaticum, Anemone nemorosa, Vaccinium myrtillus, Gymnocarpium dryopteris, Hieracium murorum, Lathyrus spp., Luzula pilosa, Maianthemum bifolium, Oxalis acetosella, Melampyrum sylvaticum, Deschampsia flexuosa, Rubus saxatilis, Trientalis europaea, Potentilla erecta;
b) Empetrum nigrum, Ledum palustre, Vaccinium uliginosum, Eriophorum vaginatum, Rubus chamaemorus;
c) Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Vaccinium vitis-idaea
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
a) Dicranum majus, Hylocomium splendens, Mnium spp., Pleurozium schreberi, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Plagiochila asplenioides, Brachythecium spp.;
b) Polytrichum commune, Sphagnum angustifolium, Sphagnum fuscum, Sphagnum capillifolium;
c) Cladonia spp., Dicranum spp.
Diagnostically important species
Picea abies; Corylus avellana; Melica nutans, Convallaria majalis, Hepatica nobilis, Paris quadrifolia, Oxalis acetosella, Calamagrostis arundinacea, Brachypodium pinnatum
Ecological variants
various trophic and humidity belts (see under the heading 'stand structure').
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 (D8, D15, D17), pine forests (D45, D48, D54), acidic-soil oak forests (F10), dune vegetation (P4), salt vegetation (P20, P22), tall sedge swamps (R1), raised bogs (S18/19, S8), brown mires (S24).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Coniferous plantations, pioneer forests, clear-cut communities (Epilobium angustifolium, Deschampsia flexuosa, Deschampsia cespitosa).
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Arrhenatherion, Cynosurion, short-grass meadows with Agrostis capillaris.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
No details
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Plains, hilly landscapes, fjord and lake coastal landscapes and islands
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
lowland, colline; 0-300 m
Geology (bedrock)
granite, gneiss (Precambrian), moraines, glaziofluviatile sediments (Pleistocene)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
a) mesotrophic brown soils, b) peat soils and podzole-gley, c) ranker; (eutric and vertic cambisols; dystric histosols; orthic podzols; dystric leptosols)
soil texture
sandy loam, partly clayey, peat, sand, rock
soil moisture, water balance
a) fresh to moderately dry, b) moist to peaty, c) very dry
soil reaction
strongly to moderately acidic
soil fertility
mesotrophic to oligotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
VI2, VI(VIII), VIII(VI)2, VIII(VII)1
average annual temperature
3-7 °C
average annual precipitation
500-700 °C
average temperature of the warmest month
15-17 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
-6 to -2 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
---
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Near-natural stands are still widespread.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
No details
causes of endangerment
No details
required measures for protection and restitution
Representative near-natural stands should be placed under protection.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Sweden: Kroppefjäll (Älvsborgs län), Fiby urskog (Uppsala län), Båtfors vid nedre Dalälven (Uppsala län), Tyresta (Stockholm's län), Ekerydsnäs, Tingsryd (Kronobergs län), Åsnenområdet (Kronobergs län).
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
---
Most important references (author, year)
Dahl, Gjems & Kielland-Lund 1967; Ilvessalo 1960; Jalas 1950; Kalela 1961; Kalela 1970; Kielland-Lund 1967a; Kielland-Lund 1967b; Kielland-Lund 1973; Kielland-Lund 1981; Kujala 1929; Malmström 1949; Perttula 1941; Ruuhijärvi 1960
Compiled by
L. Påhlsson, completed by U. Bohn
