Title
Pre-Ural herb-rich fir-spruce forests (Picea obovata, Picea abies x Picea obovata, Abies sibirica), in understorey with Tilia cordata, Ulmus glabra and broad-leaved forest herb species (Lathyrus vernus, Asarum europaeum, Galium odoratum)
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Russia: large-scaled insular between Volga/Vetluga and western slope of the central Ural
area frequency
54 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 upper tree layer consists mainly of Picea obovata and hybrids of Picea obovata and Picea abies as well as Abies sibirica (degree of coverage up to 40-50 %). The spruce reaches a height of 25 m in 120-130 year old stands with a canopy closure of 60-80 %. The occurrence of Tilia cordata and Ulmus glabra in the undergrowth is typical. In basins the lime can reach 12-15 m in height. The degree of coverage of the shrub layer is 20-30 %. The herb layer is well developed (60-80 % degree of coverage) with dominant boreal species and additional elements of nemoral broad-leaved forests. The moss layer reaches a coverage of 20-30 %. From the south to the north, the proportion of lime and elm as well as other nemoral broad-leaved tree species decreases gradually.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Picea abies x Picea obovata, Picea obovata, Abies sibirica, in the underwood Tilia cordata, Ulmus glabra
Shrub layer
Prunus padus, Lonicera xylosteum, Sambucus racemosa, Viburnum opulus, Rubus idaeus
Herb layer
Oxalis acetosella, Maianthemum bifolium, Trientalis europaea, Linnaea borealis, Pyrola rotundifolia, Pyrola minor, Athyrium filix-femina, Dryopteris filix-mas, Lathyrus vernus, Asarum europaeum, Galium odoratum, Pulmonaria obscura, Ajuga reptans
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Hylocomium splendens, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Ptilium crista-castrensis
Diagnostically important species
Picea obovata, Picea abies x Picea obovata, Abies sibirica, Tilia cordata, Ulmus glabra; Lonicera xylosteum, Viburnum opulus; Lathyrus vernus, Asarum europaeum, Galium odoratum among others nemoral broad-leaved forest species
Ecological variants
apart from the dominant herb-rich oxalis formation types there are Athyrium filix-femina and Aegopodium podagraria types.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
No details
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
it occurs adjacent to and closely interdigitates with pre-Uralian eastern boreal spruce fir forests (D12). Small incidences of alder carrs, east European meadow steppe lands (Koeleria glauca, Phleum phleoides, Adonis vernalis, Filipendula vulgaris, Veronica spicata).
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
spruce and fir-spruce forests(D8, D12, D21, D22), pine forests (D47, D48, D49, D51, D55, D56), lime-pedunculate oak forests (F70, F72, F73), forest steppes (L6), birch carrs (T4), alluvial forests (U3, U6, U10).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
spruce plantations, secondary birch and asp stands (Betula pendula, Betula pubescens, Populus tremula), sometimes with Tilia cordata.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
mesophilous meadows.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
No details
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Plains and moderately inclined slopes
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
100-400 m
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
weakly humus podzolic soils, gray-brown podzolic soil; (eutric podzoluvisols; orthic luvisols)
soil moisture, water balance
fresh
soil reaction
moderately acidic
soil fertility
mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
VIII1, VIII(VI)4, VII(VIII)
average annual temperature
0,8-1,5 °C
average annual precipitation
500-600 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
July 16-18 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
January -16 to -15,5 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
---
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
No details
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 of Sylvinskij krjaž (southern Permian).
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
No details
Most important references (author, year)
Igošina 1964
Compiled by
Z. Neuhäuslová based on documents by P.L. Gorčakovskij
