Title
Piedmontese-Insubrian beech and fir-beech forests (Fagus sylvatica, Abies alba) with Luzula nivea, Luzula pedemontana
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Italy: Piedmont; Switzerland: Tessin; (distributed unit at the eastern slope of the west Alps)
area frequency
9 polygons .
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Luzulo pedemontanae-Fagetum Oberdorfer & A. Hofmann 1967, Luzulo niveae-Fagetum Ellenberg & Klötzli 1972.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Mostly three-layered, species deficient beech forests, at lower altitudes with Quercus petraea and Castanea sativa. In the herb layer there are grasses, gramineous species and dwarf shrubs frequently set the tone; in Tessina only a few eutaxic, gnarled beech forests often with a striking alpine rose undergrowth and a distinctive dwarf-shrub layer. Mosses are insignificant.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Fagus sylvatica dominating, locally admixed Abies alba, Quercus petraea, Castanea sativa
Shrub layer
Sorbus aucuparia, Rubus idaeus, isolated Ilex aquifolium, regionally Rhododendron ferrugineum
Herb layer
Luzula pedemontana, Luzula nivea, Deschampsia flexuosa, Vaccinium myrtillus, Hieracium murorum, Blechnum spicant, Oxalis acetosella, Veronica urticifolia, Prenanthes purpurea, Athyrium filix-femina, Dryopteris filix-mas, Gymnocarpium dryopteris, Thelypteris phegopteris
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Polytrichum formosum
Diagnostically important species
Fagus sylvatica; Luzula pedemontana, Luzula nivea, Deschampsia flexuosa, Blechnum spicant, Prenanthes purpurea, Veronica urticifolia
Ecological variants
Fern-rich form with high soil moisture, water balance and air humidity, thermophilous form with Cytisus nigricans etc.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
in Switzerland a poorly growing form with Rhododendron ferrugineum.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Salvio glutinosae-Fraxinetum, tall-forb-rich Streptopo-Fagetum.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
larch-pine forests (C19), spruce-fir forests (D29), soil-acidic oak forests (F17), species-rich beech and mixed beech forests (F129), downy oak forests (G40).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
At lower altitudes beech- chestnut-oak forest; spruce forestry, Sarothamnus scrub.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Festuca-Agrostis grassland, Calluna heaths.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Potatoes, fruit.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
High mountains, southwest marginal Alps
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
montane to altimontane; 570-1500 m
Geology (bedrock)
base-poor siliceous rocks (Palaeozoic)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
oligitrophic brown soils, pozolized brown soils (to podzoles); (dystric cambisols; leptic podzols)
soil texture
sandy-loamy, silty
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to moderately dry
soil reaction
moderately to strongly acidic
soil fertility
oligotrophic, oligo-mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
IV5(X), V2
average annual temperature
7,5-12 EC
average annual precipitation
1000 to >2000 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
16-21 EC
average temperature of the coldest month
-2 to 3 EC
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
Summerly droughts at lower sites.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Natural forests only fragmentarily preserved in poorly accessible locations.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
All nearly-natural remnant forests are worthy of protection.
causes of endangerment
Intensification of forestry, formerly charcoal production, many areas cleared, transformation into coniferous plantations.
required measures for protection and restitution
Preservation of the semi-natural stands, semi-natural silviculture, regulation of game stocks.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Italy: somevalleys in Piedmont; Switzerland: Gamborogno, Valcolla, Rasa/Palagnedra in the Centovalli ob. Maggietal.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Ellenberg & Klötzli 1972; Ist. Piante Legno Ambiente (Ed.) 1981; Montacchini, Caramiello-Lomagno, Forneris & Piervittori 1982; Oberdorfer & Hofmann 1967
Compiled by
K. Zukrigl under use of documents by Z. Neuhäuslová, F. Pedrotti, F. Klötzli
