Title
South Central European altimontane species-rich mixed fir forests (Abies alba) with Picea abies, with Lonicera nigra, Rosa pendulina, Galium rotundifolium, Oxalis acetosella alternating with fir-beech forests and spruce forests
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Switzerland: north-western pre-Alps; Germany: Bavarian pre-Alps; Austria: Vorarlberg; (narrow at the northern and eastern margin of the Alps, not representable altitudinal range between about 1200 and 1400 m)
area frequency
6 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Switzerland: Dryopterido-Abietetum Ellenberg & Klötzli 1972, Equiseto-Abietetum Ellenberg & Klötzli 1972, Adenostylo-Abietetum Ellenberg & Klötzli 1972. Germany/Austria: Galio rotundifolii-Abietetum J. & M. Bartsch 1940, Oxali-Abietetum Mayer & Hofmann 1969, Luzulo-Abietetum Zukrigl 1973, Bazzanio-Piceetum Braun-Blanquet & Sissingh in Braun-Blanquet 1939.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Multi-layer spruce-fir forests, in areas also pure fir or pure spruce forests, with admixtures of other coniferous and deciduous tree species; The shrub layer is sometimes species-rich; the herb layer is species-rich with elements of the Fagetalia and Piceetalia as well as specific altimontane species; a well developed moss layer.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Abies alba predominating, with different admixture of Picea abies, Sorbus aucuparia, Fagus sylvatica, Acer pseudoplatanus, Larix decidua, Pinus sylvestris
Shrub layer
Young growth of tree species, Rubus idaeus, Lonicera nigra, Sambucus racemosa, Rosa pendulina
Herb layer
Oxalis acetosella, Galium rotundifolium, Homogyne alpina, Vaccinium myrtillus, Polygonatum verticillatum, Calamagrostis arundinacea, Calamagrostis villosa, Hieracium murorum, Prenanthes purpurea, Gentiana asclepiadea, Lycopodium annotinum, Huperzia selago, Maianthemum bifolium, Melampyrum sylvaticum, Luzula luzulina, Luzula sylvatica, Luzula luzuloides, Dryopteris dilatata, Blechnum spicant, Thelypteris phegopteris, Oreopteris limbosperma; on base-rich habitats: Valeriana tripteris, Cirsium erisithales, Mercurialis perennis, Carex digitata, Carex sylvatica, Sanicula europaea, Brachypodium sylvaticum; on moist habitats: Petasites albus, Adenostyles alliariae, Equisetum sylvaticum, Crepis paludosa, Circaea alpina, Deschampsia cespitosa, Stellaria nemorum, Athyrium filix-femina, Chaerophyllum hirsutum
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Hylocomium splendens, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Plagiochila asplenioides, Pleurozium schreberi, Ptilium crista- castrensis, Polytrichum formosum, Plagiomnium affine, Plagiomnium undulatum, Dicranum scoparium
Diagnostically important species
Abies alba, Picea abies; Lonicera nigra, Rosa pendulina; Oxalis acetosella, Galium rotundifolium, Homogyne alpina, Luzula luzulina, Luzula sylvatica
Ecological variants
a varied subcategorisation according to trophy, exposure and soil humidity, locally tall herb-rich.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
at the eastern edge of the central Alps there is a formation type with Soldanella hungarica subsp. major, and in the west a type with Veronica urticifolia, and sometimes Ranunculus serpens.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Alnetum incanae, Sphagno acutifolii-Piceetum, Equiseto sylvatici-Abietetum. In the west on more extreme dolomite sites Erico- as well as Rhododendro-Pinetum mugo (arboreae).
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
species-rich and species-poor beech- and mixed beech forests (F96, F110, F131, F133), xerophytic pine forests (K3), tree-rich raised bogs (S11).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
spruce and rarely pine plantations, Rubus idaeus-Sambucus racemosa scrub.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Pastures: Cynosurion cristati Tuexen 1947, short-grass meadows: short-grass meadows, yellow oatgrass meadows: Polygono-Trisetetum.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
only at lower altitudes are there potato, barley and oat fields.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
higher mountain country, particularly the northern and eastern pre-Alps and marginal Alps
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
montane-altimontane; 700-1400 m, in the west 800-1600 m
Geology (bedrock)
flysch-sandstone (Tertiary), limestone, dolomite (Cretaceous, Jurassic, Triassic)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
mesotrophic to podzolic brown soils and grey brown podzolic soils, mesotrophic lime brown soils, here and there similigley, brown soils-gley, often stone-rich; (orthic luvisols; dystric cambisols)
soil texture
sandy to clayey loam, stone-containing
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to periodically moist, here and there moist to wet
soil reaction
moderately to weakly acidic (neutral)
soil fertility
mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
VI4, VI(X)
average annual temperature
3,5-5 °C
average annual precipitation
1200-2000 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
11,5-14,5 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
-7 to -2,5 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
---
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
endangered; the fir has often been strongly displaced by cultivation and pollutant emission; middle-lying sites have often been transformed into pasture lands and meadows, and more rarely crop fields; some natural forest conservation areas.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
Fir-rich stands are worthy of protection, enclosed raised bogs; species worthy of protection: Clematis alpina, Huperzia selago, Lycopodium annotinum, Soldanella hungarica.
causes of endangerment
agricultural and forestry usage, particularly clear cutting; emissions, gnawing by wild animals.
required measures for protection and restitution
semi-natural forestry; establishment of complete reserves, regulation of wild animal populations.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Switzerland: St. Galler Upland: sector Säntis to Churfirsten, pre-Alps of Bern, northern border Alps. Austria: Gaden valley (Großes Walsertal, Vorarlberg, here on lime: national forest reserve), alternate area (Lower Austria/Styria), Glein- to Koralpe (Styria).
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
No details
Most important references (author, year)
Burger 1982; Ellenberg & Klötzli 1972; Ewald 1997; Frey 1995; Mayer 1963; Mayer 1974; Oberdorfer (Hrsg.) 1992; Ozenda 1993; Seibert 1968; Zukrigl 1973; Zukrigl 1992
Compiled by
K. Zukrigl with use of documents by F. Klötzli and U. Bohn
