Title
Southeast Scandinavian pedunculate oak forests (Quercus robur), partly with Corylus avellana, with Melica nutans, Poa nemoralis, Carex digitata
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
focussed on southeast Sweden; south Norway, Denmark (not shown on the map)
area frequency
21 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Melico-Quercetum Bjørnstad 1971, (syn.: Quercus robur-Melica spp. type 2.2.3.2. Påhlsson 1994).
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Quercus robur dominates in the tree layer, shrubs reach only a low degree of coverage (Crataegus, Frangula). The herb layer is well developed and rich in herbs and prevernal bloomers (Anemone), the thinned moss layer consists of only a few species.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Quercus robur, (Quercus petraea, Betula pendula)
Shrub layer
Young growth of trees, Populus tremula, Sorbus aucuparia, Tilia cordata, Crataegus monogyna, Frangula alnus, Corylus avellana, Juniperus communis, Viburnum opulus, Rosa canina
Lianas
Lonicera periclymenum,
Herb layer
More demanding differential species: Melica nutans, Viola riviniana, Lathyrus linifolius, Carex digitata, Poa nemoralis, Dryopteris filix-mas, Fragaria vesca, Convallaria majalis, Anemone nemorosa, Melampyrum pratense, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Solidago virgaurea, Deschampsia flexuosa, Veronica officinalis, Potentilla erecta, Carex pilulifera, Molinia caerulea, Succisa pratensis, Dryopteris dilatata, Holcus mollis, Luzula sylvatica, Luzula pilosa, Luzula multiflora, Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Festuca ovina, Maianthemum bifolium, Trientalis europaea, Rubus saxatilis, Pyrola rotundifolia, Polypodium vulgare, Oxalis acetosella, Vicia sepium, Carex pallescens, Hieracium murorum, Hieracium fuscocinereum
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Polytrichum formosum, Dicranum scoparium, Hypnum cupressiforme, Lophocolea heterophylla, Plagiothecium denticulatum, Plagiomnium affine, Plagiochila asplenioides, Plagiothecium undulatum, Brachythecium velutinum, Eurhynchium praelongum, Grimmia hartmanii, Isothecium myosuroides
Diagnostically important species
Quercus robur; Tilia cordata, Corylus avellana; Melica nutans, Carex digitata, Poa nemoralis, Viola riviniana, Dryopteris filix-mas, Anemone nemorosa
Ecological variants
On clay-rich, moderately dry soils a Corylus avellana-rich form occurs with Convallaria majalis, Oxalis acetosella and Ranunculus ficaria.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
---
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Ulmo-Tilietum, Equiseto-Fraxinetum, Alno-Fraxinetum.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
spruce forests (D15, D16, D17), pine forests (D53, D54), acidophilous oak forests (F8), mixed oak-hornbeam forests (F37), species-poor beech forests (F79), species-rich beech forests (F107), dry grassland (L1), dune vegetation (P4), salt vegetation (P22), Sphagnum fuscum-raised bogs (S18/19), lime-rich brown mires (S24).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Spruce forestry.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Infertile grassland.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
No details
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Plains and hills
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
lowland, colline; 0-100 m (locally up to 200 m)
Geology (bedrock)
Siliceous rock (granites); (Cambrian, Ordovician; Precambrian)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
acidic, shallow brown soils; ((lithic) dystric and vertic cambisols)
soil texture
sand, grouan, silt, locally clay
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to moderately dry
soil fertility
oligo-mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
VI2, VI(VII), VIII(VI)2
average annual temperature
6-7 EC
average annual precipitation
500-700 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
16-18 EC
average temperature of the coldest month
-2 to 0 EC
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
No details
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Heavily decimated semi-natural forests; arisen in part from former grassland areas after abandonment of usage; in many cases considered as worthy of protection.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
Pulmonaria angustifolia, Vicia pisiformis.
causes of endangerment
Clearing for agricultural usage, transformation into coniferous forestry.
required measures for protection and restitution
Well developed semi-natural stands should be placed under protection.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Sweden: Kungs-Barkarö vid Mälaren (Västmanland), Stora Rängen-Järnlunden (Östergötland), Visingsö-Östra Vätterstranden (Jönköpings län), Strömsrum-Alsterån (Kalmar län), Mittlandsskogen Öland, Gö (Blekinge).
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
No details
Most important references (author, year)
Bjørnstad 1971; Diekmann 1994; Kielland-Lund 1973; Påhlsson (Ed.) 1994; Sissingh 1970; Sjögren 1964
Compiled by
J.R. Cross based on documents by L. Påhlsson, completed by J. Pallas
