Title
South Ural tall-herb-rich mixed spruce-fir forests (Abies sibirica, Picea obovata, Picea abies x Picea obovata) with broad-leaved trees (Acer platanoides, Ulmus glabra, Tilia cordata) with Cacalia hastata, Cicerbita uralensis, Knautia tatarica, Aconitum lycoctonum
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Russia: south Ural
area frequency
3 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 tall herb-rich spruce fir mixed forests with broad-leaved tree species. The upper tree layer (20-27 m high) is formed from Abies sibirica and spruce (Picea obovata, Picea abies x Picea obovata). In the secondary tree layer, Tilia cordata (15-16 m high), Ulmus glabra (12-14 m), Acer platanoides (to 10 m high) and under unfavourable edaphic conditions elm and maple grow only in shrub form or as low to 3 m high small trees. The degree of coverage of the tree layer is 60-90 %. The shrub layer is open (degree of coverage < 10 %). The herb layer is species-rich with a usually varying degree of coverage: In open stands tall herbs are present, while in closed stands Oxalis acetosella, sciophilous ferns and low perennials and sedges occur. Mosses cover only 10-15 % of the surface and grow particularly on putrefying timber and at the bases of trees.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Abies sibirica, Picea obovata, Picea abies x Picea obovata, in the underwood Acer platanoides, Ulmus glabra, Tilia cordata, Betula pubescens, Populus tremula, Ulmus glabra
Shrub layer
Lonicera xylosteum, Sambucus racemosa, Daphne mezereum, Crataegus sanguinea, Rosa acicularis, Rubus idaeus, Sorbus aucuparia, Salix caprea
Herb layer
Uralian-Siberian tall herbs and sedges: Cacalia hastata, Aconitum lycoctonum subsp. lycoctonum, Cicerbita uralensis, Knautia tatarica, Carex macroura, Carex pediformis subsp. rhizodes; boreal forest species: Oxalis acetosella, Dryopteris dilatata, Gymnocarpium dryopteris, Maianthemum bifolium, Trientalis europaea; nemoral forest species: Dryopteris filix-mas, Ajuga reptans
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Hylocomium splendens, Hylocomium pyrenaicum, Plagiomnium drummondii, Ptilium crista-castrensis
Diagnostically important species
Abies sibirica, Picea obovata, Picea abies x Picea obovata, Acer platanoides, Ulmus glabra, Tilia cordata; Crataegus sanguinea, Rosa acicularis, Lonicera xylosteum; Cacalia hastata, Knautia tatarica, Cicerbita uralensis
Ecological variants
typical, tall herb- and fern-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)
No details
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
east-boreal spruce-fir forests (D22), Uralian pine forests (D58, D59), lime-pedunculate oak forests (F72, F73, F74), forest steppes (L6), alluvial forests (U12).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
No details
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
Uplands and foothills, shallow slopes and mountain ridges
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
submontane-montane; 400-800 m
Geology (bedrock)
Palaeozoic (Permian, Devonian, Carboniferous) and Precambrian
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
base-rich, grey and dark grey forest soils; (eutric podzoluvisols, orthic luvisols, lithic orthic greyzems)
soil texture
sandy-loamy to clayey
soil moisture, water balance
fresh
soil reaction
moderately acidic
soil fertility
meso-eutrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
VIII1
average annual temperature
1 °C
average annual precipitation
650-800 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
July Å18 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
January Å -15 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
---
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
These forests are relatively stable regarding anthropogenic influences and have hardly been altered.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
No details
causes of endangerment
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required measures for protection and restitution
establishment of representative conservation areas.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Russia: Ufimskoe plato (north of Ufa).
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Gorčakovskij 1954; Gorčakovskij 1956; Gorčakovskij 1968; Krašenninikov & Kučerovskaja-Rožanec 1941
Compiled by
Z. Neuhäuslová based on documents by P.L. Gorčakovskij
