Title
East Pyrenean fir-beech forests (Fagus sylvatica, Abies alba) with Luzula nivea, Luzula sylvatica
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
France: eastern Pyrenees (Roussillon); Spain: sector Pirenaico oriental (Gerona)
area frequency
9 polygons .
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Luzulo niveae-Fagetum sylvaticae (Susplugas 1942) Braun-Blanquet 1952 (Fagetum sylvaticae Susplugas 1942; Helleboro occidentalis-Fagetum sylvaticae moehringietosum trinervis O. Bolós 1957; Fageto-Deschampsietum Lapraz 1966); Deschampsio-Fagetum Lemée 1959.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Mostly tall-growing forests with dominant beech, now and again with fir, and very rarely with a shrub layer. Herb layer interspersed, consisting primarily of acidophytes.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Fagus sylvatica dominating, locally with Abies alba
Shrub layer
Cytisus scoparius, Genista pilosa, Corylus avellana
Herb layer
Vaccinium myrtillus, Deschampsia flexuosa, Luzula nivea, Luzula sylvatica, Veronica officinalis, Lathyrus linifolius, Viola riviniana, Pteridium aquilinum, Hieracium murorum, Prenanthes purpurea, Senecio cacaliaster, Polygonatum verticillatum
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Fagus sylvatica, Abies alba; Deschampsia flexuosa, Luzula nivea, Luzula sylvatica, Veronica officinalis, Lathyrus linifolius, Senecio cacaliaster, Polygonatum verticillatum
Ecological variants
Form with Moehringia trinerva
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)
Rock communities of the Asplenienalia billotii-obovati, debris vegetation of the Galeopsietalia segetum, forests of the Scillo-Fagenion.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
Pinus uncinata-forests (C23, C24), soil-acidic oak forests (F26), downy oak forests (G41), holm oak forests (J15), pine forests (K4, K5).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Scrub: Prunello-Sarothannetum scopariae, Lamio-Rubetum, heaths: Violo-Callunetum.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Meadows, pastures: Trisetario-Heracleetum pyrenaici, Vulpio-Trifolietum.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Agriculture.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
High mountains with steep mountain slopes, block debris fans
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
montane; 900-1500 m
Geology (bedrock)
siliceous rocks, among others slate (Silurian to Cambrian)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
acidic, base-poor brown soils; mull-like mor-ranker; (stony humic and dystric cambisols; dystric leptosols)
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to moderately dry
soil reaction
strongly to moderately acidic
soil fertility
oligo-mesotrophic, mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
IV(V)3, IV(VI), X
average annual temperature
6-12 EC
average annual precipitation
600 to >1600 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
13-17EC
average temperature of the coldest month
-1 to 2 EC
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
Subhumid.
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
No details
required measures for protection and restitution
No details
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
France: partly rich in Taxus baccata (Forèt de Sorède).
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Bolòs de 1957; Carreras, Carrillo, Font, Ninot, Soriano & Vigo Bonada 1995; Folch I Guillèn 1976; Folch I Guillèn 1981; Folch I Guillèn & Franquesa 1984; Gruber 1978; Lapraz 1966; Peinado Lorca & Rivas-Martínez (Ed.) 1987; Rivas-Martínez 1987; Rivas-Martínez, Bascones, Díaz González, Fernández-González & Loidi Arregui 1991a
Compiled by
A. Penas Merino and L. Herrero Cembranos; C. Hettwer based on documents by J.-C. Rameau
