Title
South Scandinavian pine forests (Pinus sylvestris) with Melica nutans, Carex digitata, Hepatica nobilis, Convallaria majalis on carbonate rocks
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
South Norway: Langesandsfjord, north-west of the Oslo fjord
area frequency
6 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
a) Melico-Pinetum Marker 1969 (syn.: Convallario-Pinetum Bjørndalen 1980), Melico-Piceetum pinetosum Kielland-Lund 1981; b) Ulmo-Tilietum Kielland-Lund in Seibert 1969.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
The Melico-Pinetum as well as the Convallario-Pinetum is distributed on shallow soils above calcareous rock in not excessively humid areas. Typical for this forest community is the mixture of acidophilous coniferous forest species, lime-associated thermophilous plants and demanding species of the Querco-Fagetea. In the open and weakly growing forest stands the common (scots) pine dominates, while on deeper soiled and fresher sites the spruce also appears. In the undergrowth numerous drought-resistant and sometimes thermophilous woody plants grow. The Ulmo-Tilietum is associated with warm, base-rich sites of lowlands and microclimatically favourable valley slopes. Combinations of Ulmus glabra, Tilia cordata, Acer platanoides and Fraxinus excelsior as well as other characteristic species of the Fagetalia.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
a) predominating Pinus sylvestris, locally admixed Picea abies, Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus robur, Quercus petraea, Populus tremula, Sorbus aucuparia, Sorbus meinichii, Sorbus subpinnata, Sorbus rupicola, Sorbus norvegica, Betula pubescens;
b) Ulmus glabra, Tilia cordata, Acer platanoides, Fraxinus excelsior
Shrub layer
a) Juniperus communis, Frangula alnus, Rhamnus cathartica, Corylus avellana, Viburnum opulus, Rosa villosa, Berberis vulgaris, Cotoneaster integerrimus, Daphne mezereum;
b) Corylus avellana, Lonicera xylosteum, Viburnum opulus, Prunus avium
Herb layer
a) Convallaria majalis, Melica nutans, Carex digitata, Hepatica nobilis, Geranium sanguineum, Polygonatum odoratum, Festuca ovina, Epipactis atrorubens, Fragaria vesca, Calamagrostis epigejos, Lotus corniculatus, Hypochaeris maculata, Galium boreal, Origanum vulgare, Antennaria dioica, Pimpinella saxifraga, Laserpitium latifolium, Succisa pratensis; Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Calluna vulgaris, Deschampsia flexuosa, Potentilla erecta, Solidago virgaurea, Melampyrum pratense, Lathyrus linifolius, Rubus saxatilis, Viola riviniana, Pteridium aquilinum;
b) Actaea spicata, Hepatica nobilis, Viola mirabilis, Lathyrus vernus, Melica nutans, Dryopteris filix-mas, Anemone nemorosa, Carex digitata
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
a) Tortella tortuosa, Ctenidium molluscum, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Hylocomium splendens, Pleurozium schreberi, Dicranum scoparium, Rhytidium rugosum;
b) Eurhynchium angustirete, Eurhynchium praelongum, Brachythecium velutinum, Brachythecium populeum, Plagiomnium cuspidatum, Plagiochila asplenioides
Diagnostically important species
Pinus sylvestris, Sorbus meinichii, Sorbus subpinnata among others; Berberis vulgaris, Cotoneaster integerrimus; Melica nutans, Convallaria majalis, Carex digitata, Hepatica nobilis, Festuca ovina, Geranium sanguineum, Polygonatum odoratum; b) Ulmus glabra, Tilia cordata, Acer platanoides; Actaea spicata, Lathyrus vernus, Viola mirabilis, Sanicula europaea, Hepatica nobilis, Dryopteris filix-mas
Ecological variants
a) xerophilic variant with dominance of Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Festuca ovina or Briza media, as well as much Convallaria majalis, Geranium sanguineum, Polygonatum odoratum and Tortella tortuosa; b) acidophilous variant with dominating Calluna vulgaris, as well as much Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Deschampsia flexuosa and Viola riviniana; c) herb-rich variant with dominating Convallaria majalis, as well as much Melica nutans, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Hepatica nobilis, Viola riviniana and Rubus saxatilis; d) mesophilous variant with dominating Molinia caerulea, Briza media or Inula salicina.
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)
Alno incanae-Fraxinetum, Equiseto-Fraxinetum, Melico-Piceetum typicum, Vaccinio-Pinetum. Sedum acre pioneer communities on shallow soils, calcareous dry grasslands (Poo alpinae-Anthyllisetum vulnerariae), thermophilous fringe communities (Rhytido rugosae-Geranietum sanguinei).
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
south-boreal spruce forests (D4, D7, D8), hemi-boreal mixed broad-leaved-spruce forests (D15).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Pioneer and succession stages after clear felling; Prunetalia scrub.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
thermophilous fringes, e.g. Inuletum salicinae (Trifolio-Geranietea), calcareous short grass meadows (Brometalia erecti); oat-grass meadows (Arrhenatheretum elatioris).
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
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settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
Within this unit there are many settlements and an increasing expansion of cities.
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Limestone hills and ridges with different substrate coverings:
a) on limestone ridges with shallow soils;
b) on deeper-soil debris sediments on slopes
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
colline; to 300 (400) m
Geology (bedrock)
carbonate rocks (Cambrian, Silurian), on slopes disaggregation scree and rock scree, in lowland postglacial marine clay sediments (Pleistocene, Holocene)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
a) Proto-humus carbonate soils and humus carbonate soils; b) base-rich brown soils with high biological activity; (lithic and rendzic leptosols; eutric cambisols)
soil texture
loam, stone-rich
soil moisture, water balance
a) dry to moderately dry, b) fresh
soil reaction
neutral to alkaline, locally moderately acidic
soil fertility
a) lime-mesotrophic, b) eutrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
VI2, VI(VIII), VIII(VI)2
average annual temperature
5-6 °C
average annual precipitation
600-1000 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
16-18 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
-3 to -1 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
Distinct dryness possible in early summer.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
a) greatly endangered by the expansion of cities and settlements.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
Nearly-natural stands of lime-pine forests.
causes of endangerment
settlement, developments.
required measures for protection and restitution
Well preserved stands should be protected in representative vegetation complexes.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Norway: reserves: Hovedøya and Malmøya in Oslo; Langøya and Frierflauene in Telemark; Ringerike.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Bjørndalen 1980a; Kielland-Lund 1965; Kielland-Lund 1971; Kielland-Lund 1973; Kielland-Lund 1981; Marker 1969; Sunding 1963; Sunding 1965
Compiled by
O. Vevle, completed by U. Bohn referring to Bjørndalen (1980), Marker 1969
