Title
Open thermophilous herb-rich pine forests (Pinus sylvestris) with Convallaria majalis, Hepatica nobilis, Melampyrum pratense, Melica nutans, Vincetoxicum hirundinaria, Anthericum ramosum on the Öland and Gothland islands on alvar limestone
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Sweden: on the islands Oland and Gothand
area frequency
3 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Seslerio-Pinetum Bjørndalen 1980a (lågörtfuruskog, kalkfuruskog).
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Mainly pure but open pine forests on shallow limestone soils, the herb layer of which is dominated by meso- to xerophytic herbs and grasses. On Gotland these forests are very open with a scattered stand construction and low productivity. The occurrence of numerous thermophilous calciphilous species as well as representatives of thermophilous fringes, short calcareous grasses and meadow steppes is characteristic; there is a high proportion of south-eastern floral elements.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Pinus sylvestris, scattered in the underwood Sorbus aucuparia, Sorbus intermedia, Sorbus hybrida, Sorbus rupicola, Populus tremula, Taxus baccata, Betula pubescens, Betula pendula
Shrub layer
Juniperus communis, Cotoneaster integerrimus, Crataegus laevigata, Rhamnus cathartica, Berberis vulgaris, Rosa majalis, Frangula alnus, Prunus spinosa, Ribes alpinum, Viburnum opulus, Corylus avellana
Herb layer
Sesleria caerulea, Calamagrostis varia, Festuca ovina, Poa angustifolia, Anthericum ramosum, Carex ericetorum, Carex digitata, Convallaria majalis, Epipactis helleborine, Geranium sanguineum, Hepatica nobilis, Melica nutans, Melica ciliata, Peucedanum oreoselinum, Scorzonera humilis, Thymus serpyllum, Vincetoxicum hirundinaria, Polygonatum odoratum, Fragaria vesca, Anemone nemorosa, Campanula persicifolia, Hieracium pilosella, Luzula pilosa, Melampyrum pratense, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Rubus saxatilis, Galium boreal, Galium verum, Asperula tintoria, Viola rupestris, Veronica spicata, Veronica officinalis
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Cetraria islandica, Cladina arbuscula, Cladina rangiferina, Cladonia spp.; Hylocomium splendens, Pleurozium schreberi
Diagnostically important species
Pinus sylvestris; Sesleria caerulea, Calamagrostis varia, Convallaria majalis, Hepatica nobilis, Melica nutans, Melica ciliata, Vincetoxicum hirundinaria, Anthericum ramosum, Geranium sanguineum, Thymus serpyllum, Hepetica nobilis, Viola rupestris, Asperula tinctoria
Ecological variants
Depending on location and soil depth there are very dry to intermittently dry and sometimes acidophilous formation types.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
No details
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
forest-free areas (alvars) with lichen-rich rock vegetation (Sedum acre, Sedum album, Thymus serpyllum, Melica ciliata, Anthericum ramosum, Artemisia campestris, Festuca ovina, Vincetoxicum hirundinaria, Cetraria islandica, Cladina arbuscula, Tortella tortuosa etc.), dry grasslands and xerophytic scrub (Juniperus communis, Prunus spinosa, Rhamnus cathartica); fens and lakes with sedge and bulrush reeds (Carex lasiocarpa, Carex elata, Cladium mariscus, Schoenus ferrugineus, Schoenus nigricans, Schoenus ferrugineus x nigricans, Eriophorum latifolium, Menynathes trifoliata etc.).
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
acidic-soil oak forests (F10), dune vegetation (P4), salt vegetation (P22), brown mires (S24).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Pioneer scrub with Juniperus communis and numerous broad-leaved woody plants.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Mostly grazed, calcareous short-grass meadows: Viscario-Avenetum pratensis (Mesobromion erecti), Koelerio-Phleion phleoides (cf. L1).
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
No details
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Plains with shallow soils and rocky parts.
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
lowland; 0-100 m
Geology (bedrock)
limestone (Silurian), moraines, sand, low-bog peats (Pleistocene, Holocene)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
humus carbonate soils, proto-humus carbonate soils, mesotrophic brown soils; (rendzic and lithic leptosols; dystric cambisols)
soil texture
loamy to clayey, rocky, locally gravely, sandy
soil moisture, water balance
dry to very dry
soil reaction
neutral to alkaline (pH 6,5-8)
soil fertility
lime-oligotrophic to mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
VI(VII), VIII(VI)2
average annual temperature
6-7 °C
average annual precipitation
500 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
16-17 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
-1 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
dry season in summer, strong winds.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Isolated semi-natural forest stands, sometimes regenerating and in the process of natural succession.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
Nearly-natural forests, scrubs, dry grasslands, lime-oligotrophic low bogs and lakes with numerous rare species and species worthy of protection.
causes of endangerment
Previous forest clearing and grazing.
required measures for protection and restitution
large-scale protection of representative vegetation complexes.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Sweden: Hall-Hangvar, Hejnum hällar (Gotland), Hornsjöomådet (Öland).
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
Sweden: Gotland, Öland
Most important references (author, year)
Bjørndalen 1980a; Bjørndalen & Brandrud 1989; Kielland-Lund 1967a; Kielland-Lund 1967b; Kielland-Lund 1973; Kielland-Lund 1981; Pettersson 1958
Compiled by
L. Påhlsson, completed by U. Bohn referring to Pettersson (1958)
