Title
South Ural herb-rich pine forests (Pinus sylvestris) with Larix sibirica, Betula pendula, with Chamaecytisus ruthenicus, Seseli libanotis
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Russia: southern Ural, southern part of the central Ural and western outliers
area frequency
11 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
No details
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
In the tree layer Pinus sylvestris is dominant and there are admixtures of Larix sibirica and Betula pendula (canopy closure 60-70 %). With an age of 100-200 years the pines reach a height of 20-22 m. The shrub undergrowth is loose to moderately dense (20-40 % degree of coverage), the herb layer is densely closed (60-90 % degree of coverage). The occurrence of steppe and meadow steppe species is typical. The moss layer is weakly developed (10-30 % degree of coverage).
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Pinus sylvestris, admixed Larix sibirica, Betula pendula
Shrub layer
Chamaecytisus ruthenicus, Sorbus aucuparia, Rosa acicularis
Herb layer
Calamagrostis arundinacea, Rubus saxatilis, Fragaria vesca, Galium boreal, Solidago virgaurea, Trifolium lupinaster, Geranium pseudosibiricum, Bupleurum longifolium subsp. aureum, Dactylis glomerata, Melica nutans, Seseli libanotis, Filipendula vulgaris, Dracocephalum ruyschiana
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Pleurozium schreberi, Ptilium crista-castrensis, Dicranum polysetum, Dicranum scoparium, Polytrichum juniperinum
Diagnostically important species
Pinus sylvestris, Larix sibirica; Chamaecytisus ruthenicus; species of steppes and meadow steppes: Seseli libanotis, Filipendula vulgaris, Dracocephalum ruyschiana
Ecological variants
No details
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)
meadow steppe communities, steppe shrub stands (Spiraea crenata, Caragana frutex).
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
fir-spruce forests (D20, D22, D23), pine forests (D58, D60), lime-pedunculate oak forests (F73, F74), forest steppes (L6).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
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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
high plains and weakly inclined slopes, sometimes plateaux and slopes of watersheds
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
submontane-montane; 400-650 m
Geology (bedrock)
sandstone, slate (Permian, Carboniferous)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
weakly podzolic and leached grey forest soils; (orthic luvisols, dystric podzoluvisols, lithic orthic greyzems)
soil texture
loamy, sandy-loamy
soil moisture, water balance
fresh
soil reaction
moderately acidic
soil fertility
mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
VII(VIII), VIII(VI)4, VIII1
average annual temperature
1-2 °C
average annual precipitation
500 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
July 19-20 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
January -16 to -15 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
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Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
No details
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
No details
causes of endangerment
Forest clearing, forest fires.
required measures for protection and restitution
No details
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Russia: Plateau Zilairskoe in Bashkir.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Vasil’ev 1929
Compiled by
Z. Neuhäuslová based on documents by P.L. Gorčakovskij
