Title
Spruce-fir forests (Abies alba, Picea abies) with Galium rotundifolium, Oxalis acetosella, Luzula luzulina, Veronica urticifolia in the Inner Alps, partly with Luzula luzuloides-fir forests, locally with spruce forests
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
France; Switzerland; Italy; Austria; (dominating form of the montane altitude in the temperate continental interalpine area, opening out southwards in the west Alps, in France already on the latitude of Grenoble)
area frequency
35 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Adenostylo-Abietetum Kuoch 1954, Luzulo-Abietetum Oberdorfer 1957, Galio-Abietetum Wraber 1955, (syn. Piceetum montanum Braun-Blanquet 1939 p.p.), Oxali-Abietetum Mayer 1969, Bazzanio-Abietetum p.p., Luzulo niveae-Abietetum Gafta 1994, Pyrolo-Abietetum Oberdorfer ex Stoffler 1975, Calamagrostio villosae-Abietetum Ellenberg & Klötzli 1972, Melico-Piceetum Lingg 1986, Carici albae-Abietetum Ellenberg & Klötzli 1972.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Almost pure coniferous forests (Abies alba, Picea abies, occasional Pinus sylvestris, Larix decidua) with different numbers of layers: An insignificant shrub layer and depending on site and type a species-deficient to a moderately species-rich herb layer in which mostly acidophilous species dominate. Elements of the Fagetalia also occur and the moss layer is species-rich.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Abies alba, Picea abies, scattered Pinus sylvestris, Larix decidua, Betula pendula, locally also rarely Fagus sylvatica, on higher altitudes sometimes Pinus cembra
Shrub layer
Lonicera nigra
Herb layer
Oxalis acetosella, Galium rotundifolium (not generally), Luzula luzulina, Vaccinium myrtillus, Deschampsia flexuosa, Hieracium murorum, Calamagrostis arundinacea, Calamagrostis villosa, Veronica urticifolia, Athyrium filix-femina, Gymnocarpium dryopteris, Dryopteris dilatata, Senecio ovatus
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Hylocomium splendens, Dicranum scoparium, Polytrichum formosum, Eurhynchium striatum, Plagiothecium undulatum
Diagnostically important species
Abies alba, Picea abies; Lonicera nigra; Oxalis acetosella, Galium rotundifolium, Luzula sylvatica, Luzula luzulina, Luzula nivea, Veronica urticifolia, Veronica officinalis
Ecological variants
formation types with Melica nutans, Carex alba, Hepatica nobilis, Polygala chamaebuxus amongst others on carbonate rocks; also various formation types corresponding to the water balance, sometimes moist, sometimes tall herb-rich.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
In the western Alps the role of the fir over the spruce increases generally and forms its own altimontane fir belt above the beech belt in the outer mountain chains (Chartreuse, Vercors), above which a narrow ”subalpine” spruce forest follows. On Mt. Ventoux Picea is absent and instead Pinus uncinata follows; on Mt. Lachens an Abietetum of a low montane Buxo-Pinetum follows. The interalpine spruce-fir forests of the French (e.g. Tarantaise) and Swiss Alps resemble the east Alpine forests. The south Alpine formation type is characterised by Luzula nivea, Calamintha grandiflora, Laburnum alpinum and Melampyrum italicum.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
In the montane belt of the intermediate Alps sometimes alternating with Abieti-Fagetum on limestone (e.g. in the Tauernfenster), which is replaced higher up by an oreal ("subalpine") Piceetum; on extreme sites Calluno-Pinetum sylvestris Frey 1995.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
High mountain vegetation (A5), alpine grasslands (B43, B44), subalpine vegetation (C19, C20, C21, C22), spruce forests (D35), acidic-soil oak forests (F17), species-poor beech and mixed beech forests (F76, F87, F101), species-rich beech and mixed beech forests (F107, F129, F132, F133, F142), mixed downy oak forests (G39, G40, G48), pine forests (K1, K3).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
In the eastern Alps most stands have been transformed for almost pure spruce or spruce-larch-plantations. Forest replacement communities in the cultivated landscape: Epilobio-Salicetum capreae, Corylo-Populetum tremulae.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Arrhenatherion, Polygono-Trisetion, Cynosurion, Nardion.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
No details
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Valleys and mountain slopes in high-mountain regions
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
montane (-altimontane); 700(800)-1400 m (in the south up to 1600 m)
Geology (bedrock)
siliceous rocks (quarz-, granodiorite), minor part of carbonate rocks
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
oligo- to mesotrophic brown soils, podzole-brown soils, locally humus carbonate soils; (dystric cambisols, leptosols)
soil texture
sandy to clayey loam, partly stony
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to moist, locally moderately dry
soil reaction
strongly acidic to weakly acidic
soil fertility
oligotrophic to mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
VI(X)
average annual temperature
3,5-9 °C
average annual precipitation
700-1500 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
13-19 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
-7 to -0,5 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
relatively continental character of climate, often temperature-inversions.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Fir has frequently disappeared due to the practice of clear-felling. Only a few stands are still semi-natural, and are therefore worthy of protection.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
hill slope and spring swamps; Streptopus amplexifolius.
causes of endangerment
Pure spruce cultivation, gnawing by wild animals, clearing for agriculture, settlements, traffic, tourism.
required measures for protection and restitution
semi-natural silviculture, regulation of wild animal populations, strict protection of representative stands.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Switzerland: Prätigau, Obwalden; Austria: Kitzbühler Alps; Italy: Val Campelle, Val Cia, Val Cadino, Val Brenta (Trentino).
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
---
Most important references (author, year)
Ellenberg & Klötzli 1972; Frey 1995; Gafta 1994; Gensac 1967; Kuoch 1954; Mayer 1963; Mayer 1969; Mayer 1974; Ozenda 1966; Wagner 1989; Zukrigl 1973
Compiled by
K. Zukrigl with use of documents by H. Wagner, F. Klötzli, F. Pedrotti and Z. Neuhäuslová
