Title
Dinaric Picea omorika-forests with Daphne blagayana
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
border region between Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia: Drina valley
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Piceetum omorikae Tregubov 1941, Goodyero-Piceetum omorikae, Daphno blagayanae-Piceetum omorikae Fukarek 1950, Erico-Piceetum omorikae Matović 1980.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Relict-endemic spruce mixed forests with a very narrow distribution area on steep, rocky slopes. Dominant Picea omorika with additions of Pinus nigra, Pinus sylvestris, Picea abies, Fagus sylvatica and Acer pseudoplatanus, and locally also Abies alba and Alnus glutinosa. Usually well developed and species-rich shrub layer. Herb layer with dwarf shrubs, grasses and particularly herbs; combination of acidophilous coniferous forest and basiphilous Fagetalia species, under which numerous Illyrian/Balkan species are included. The moss layer is well developed with dominating weakly acidophilous species.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Picea omorika predominating, admixed Pinus nigra, Pinus sylvestris, Pinus abies, Fagus sylvatica s. l., Acer pseudoplatanus, locally Abies alba, Alnus glutinosa
Shrub layer
Rosa pendulina, Lonicera xylosteum, Lonicera alpigena, Daphne mezereum, Spiraea chamaedryfolia, Rhamnus alpina subsp. fallax, locally Ostrya carpinifolia, Fraxinus ornus
Herb layer
Daphne blagayana, Vaccinium myrtillus, Luzula sylvatica, Orthilia secunda, Goodyera repens, Hieracium rotundatum, Gentiana asclepiadea, Prenanthes purpurea, Lathyrus vernus, Euphorbia amygdaloides, Calamagrostis varia, Erica carnea, Valeriana montana, Aremonia agrimonoides, Festuca drymeja, Genista januensis, Arato scopoliana, Epimedium alpinum, Cardamine trifolia, Doronicum columnae, Dianthus petraeus, Athamantha turbith subsp. haynaldii, Primula veris subsp. columnae, Edraianthus graminifolius, Sesleria rigida, Asarum europaeum, Lilium martagon, Hepatica nobilis, Cirsium erisithales, Galium schultesii
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Hylocomium splendens, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Dicranum scoparium, Ctenidium molluscum, Eurhynchium striatum, Peltigera aphthosa
Diagnostically important species
Picea omorika, Pinus nigra, Picea abies, Fagus sylvatica subsp. moesiaca; Daphne blagayana; Hieracium rotundatum, Goodyera repens, Erica carnea., Calamagrostis varia, Aremonia agrimonoides
Ecological variants
Depending on site: from rocks above block debris to moist ravines with Alnus glutinosa.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
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Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Fagetum montanum illyricum; Abieti-Fagetum moesiacum, Fagetum altimontanum moesiacum.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
species-poor and species-rich beech- and mixed beech forests (F89, F151), bitter oak forests (G19), black pine forests (K13).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Pioneer forests with Sambucus nigra, Sambucus racemosa, Salix caprea, Betula pendula, Populus tremula, Pinus nigra, Pinus sylvestris; wood-cut communities with Telekietum speciosae, Calamagrostitetum epigei, Epilobium angustifolium stands.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
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arable land (characteristic weed communities)
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settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
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Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
steep limestone rocks, block and debris slopes, ravines
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
montane-altimontane; (800) 1000-1300 (1600) m
Geology (bedrock)
limestone predominating (Jurassic, Triassic); isolated serpentine
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
humus carbonate soils, shallow, stone-rich carbonate-brown soils, ranker; (rendzic leptosols; chromic and dystric cambisols)
soil texture
rock, block debris with humus layer
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to moderately dry, locally moist
soil reaction
moderately to weakly acidic
soil fertility
oligotrophic to mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
X
average annual temperature
6-9 °C
average annual precipitation
1000-1300 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
16-19 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
-4 to -2 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
Temperate continental climate with dry seasons in summer.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Picea omorika as a weakly competitive species is limited to more extreme sites and in the last decades has lost some of its natural distribution range to clear-felling and fire.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
Relict-endemic forest communities highly worthy of protection.
causes of endangerment
Wood cutting, fires.
required measures for protection and restitution
Increase in the amounts of deadwood lying around, so that the rejuvenation of Picea omorika can be promoted. Strict protection of all semi-natural stands.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Yugoslavia (Serbia): Tara-national park.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Fukarek 1950; Horvat, Glavač & Ellenberg 1974; Tregubov 1941
Compiled by
M. Zupančič; completed by U. Bohn, C. Hettwer referring to Horvat, Glavač & Ellenberg 1974
