Title
South Scandinavian dwarf shrub-rich pine forests (Pinus sylvestris), partly with Picea abies, with lichens, mosses and herbs (Cladina rangiferina, Cladina spp., Pleurozium schreberi, Melampyrum pratense, Vaccinium vitis-idaea), partly alternating with pine and spruce mires
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
South Norway: Vest- and Aust-Agder, Ringerike, Østerdalen; south Sweden: south boreal zone; Finland: hemi-boreal zone, south coast
area frequency
14 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
a) Cladonio-Pinetum (Cajander 1921) Kielland-Lund 1967; b) Vaccinio-Pinetum Cajander 1921; c) Barbilophozio-Pinetum Kielland-Lund & Sissingh 1939 em. Kielland-Lund 1967; d) Oxycocco-Pinetum Kielland-Lund 1981; Finland: mostly Calluna- and Vaccinium-forest types.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
see D45
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Pinus sylvestris, with admixture of Picea abies, Betula pubescens s. l.
Shrub layer
Juniperus communis
Herb layer
a-d) Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Calluna vulgaris, Calamagrostis epigejos;
d) Vaccinium oxycoccos, Andromeda polifolia, Rubus chamaemorus
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
a-c) Cladina arbuscula, Cladina rangiferina, Cladina stellaris, Cladonia gracilis, Cladonia uncialis, Cladonia squamosa, Cetraria islandica; Pleurozium schreberi, Dicranum scoparium, Dicranum fuscescens, Dicranum polysetum, Ptilium crista-castrensis, Hylocomium splendens, Stereocaulon paschale;
d) Sphagnum fuscum, Sphagnum capillifolium, Sphagnum rubellum, Aulacomnium palustre
Diagnostically important species
Pinus sylvestris; Cladina rangiferina, Pleurozium schreberi, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Vaccinium myrtillus, Melampyrum pratense
Ecological variants
see under the point 'Scientific Name'
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
No details
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Forests: Melico-Piceetum pinetosum, Eu-Piceetum myrtilletosum, Chamaemoro-Piceetum, Ulmo-Tilietum; scrub of the Prunetalia spinosae; fringe communities of the Trifolio-Geranietea; concentric raised bog.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
birch forests (C9, C13, C15), spruce forests (D4, D7, D8, D16), pine forests (D45), raised bogs (S18/19).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Pine plantations; pioneer and succession stages after clear cutting with Betula spp., Populus tremula, Sorbus aucuparia.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
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arable land (characteristic weed communities)
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settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Hilly country (glaciofluvial morainal hills, eskers and sand sediments)
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
lowland-colline; mostly below 400 m
Geology (bedrock)
granite, gneiss (Precambrian); moraines, till or sand
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
podzole; (orthic podzols)
soil texture
sandy, gravely, locally rocky
soil moisture, water balance
dry to fresh
soil reaction
strongly acidic
soil fertility
oligotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
VIII(VI)2, VIII(VI)3b
average annual temperature
1-6 °C
average annual precipitation
600-750 mm (Finland); 900-1300 mm (Norway)
average temperature of the warmest month
July 15-17 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
February -8 to 0 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
Cold-air lake.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Not endangered in Norway and in Finland.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
Pine and spruce bog forests.
causes of endangerment
d) drainage, peat excavation.
required measures for protection and restitution
Protection of representative stands.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
No details
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Cajander 1909; Kalela 1961; Kalela & Kaliola (Ed.) 1973; Kielland-Lund 1973; Kujala 1961; Kuusipalo 1985; Oksanen & Ahti 1982
Compiled by
O. Vevle; Hähmet-Ahti and Karttunen
