Title
Atlantic-subatlantic Melica uniflora- or Galium odoratum- and Milium effusum-beech forests (Fagus sylvatica) in combination with Cephalanthera-beech forests (Fagus sylvatica)
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
South Belgium: from the Belgium Calestienne in the west (basin of the Viroin) as far as to the Maas in the east (basin od the Lesse and the Lomme); France: Brie, Champagne, Nivernais; Germany: Weser between Beverungen and Bodenwerder, Ith
area frequency
14 polygons .
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
a) Melico-Fagetum Tüxen 1960; b) Carici-Fagetum Moor 1952.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Complex consisting of mesophilous (a) and thermophilous (b) beech forests growing on lime and/or loess with a relatively well developed shrub layer and a luxuriant herb layer.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Fagus sylvatica, b) mixed tree species: Acer campestre, Acer pseudoplatanus, Tilia platyphyllos, Fraxinus excelsior, Sorbus torminalis, Sorbus aria, Carpinus betulus, Ulmus minor
Shrub layer
b) Young growth of trees; further Lonicera xylosteum, Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna, Corylus avellana, Cornus sanguinea, Cornus mas, Rhamnus cathartica, Laburnum anagyroides, Prunus mahaleb, Viburnum lantana, Ligustrum vulgare, Rosa arvensis, Daphne mezereum, Euonymus europaea, occassionally Buxus sempervirens, Pyrus cordata, Cytisophyllum sessilifolium, Colutea arborescens, Coronilla coronata, Juniperus communis
Herb layer
a) mesophilous species: Arum maculatum, Ornithogalum pyrenaicum, Carex sylvatica, Viola reichenbachiana, Polygonatum multiflorum, Milium effusum, Dryopteris filix-mas, Mercurialis perennis, Melica uniflora, Melica nutans, Hordelymus europaeus, Galium odoratum, Galium sylvaticum, Neottia nidus-avis, Anemone nemorosa;
b) thermophilous species: Helleborus foetidus, Polygonatum odoratum, Vincetoxicum hirundinaria, Campanula persicifolia, Primula veris, Scilla bifolia (rare), Cephalanthera longifolia, Cephalanthera damasonium, Epipactis atrorubens, Orchis mascula, Orchis purpurea
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Fagus sylvatica, b) Sorbus torminalis; Cornus mas, Ligustrum vulgare, Buxus sempervirens; Ornithogalum pyrenaicum and Narcissus pseudonarcissus are locally character species of the Melico-Fagetum in the west; Taxus baccata and Daphne laureola are character species of the Carici-Fagetum.
Ecological variants
This is a complex of eutrophic beech forests, growing on lime whereby in Belgium the Melico-Fagetum dominates to the north of the Marne and the Carici-Fagetum to the south of this river.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
To the south of the Marne there are thermophilous relict forests with Quercus petraea, Quercus pubescens, Prunus mahaleb, Colutea arborescens, Cytisophyllum sessilifolium, Coronilla coronata, Geranium sanguineum, Polygonatum odoratum, Carex digitata, Carex montana, Carex flacca, Rubus saxatilis and Tanacetum corymbosum.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Enclaves of a Querco-Carpinetum with Quercus robur; the Mespilo-Quercetum (F3) in Brie forms an enclave between the Aube and the Seine on sandy podzoluvisols; on shady slopes above lime debris soils there is Fraxino-Aceretum with Fraxinus excelsior, Acer pseudoplatanus, Acer platanoides, Tilia platyphyllos, Asplenium scolopendrium, Actaea spicata, Lunaria rediviva. Only habitat of the Quercetum pubescentis (Han-sur-Lesse).
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
soil-acidic oak forests (F6), oak-hornbeam forests (F34, F36, F50, F52), species-poor and species-rich beech forests (F82, F83, F106, F107, F110, F112), mixed downy oak forests (G39), alder carrs (T1), alluvial and moist forests (U24).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Low forests, plantations of common (Scots) pine in the old "Savarts", especially around Reims, transformation of forest areas into agriculturally useful regions; Prunus mahaleb scrub.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Pastures; on lime-rich substrate grasslands that were preceded by the "Savarts" of “Infertile Champagne”, with Brachypodium pinnatum, Bromus erectus, Laserpitium latifolium, Teucrium chamaedrys and Teucrium montanum.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Cereal cultivation, vineyards with various grape varieties from which champagne is made.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Slightly undulating plains; typical, open landscape (Importance of the word "Champagne"); Karst region
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
colline-submontane
Geology (bedrock)
limestone (Cretaceous, Upper Jurassic, Devonian)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
rendzines, shallow lime-rich brown soils; (rendzic leptosols; lithic eutric and calcic cambisols)
soil texture
loamy to clayey, partly stony
soil moisture, water balance
fresh, moderately dry to dry
soil fertility
mesotrophic, meso-eutrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
V(IV)2, VI(V)1, VI2
average annual temperature
8-11 EC
average annual precipitation
600-900 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
July 20-22 EC
average temperature of the coldest month
January 1-2 EC
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
---
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
For 50 years conservation stands up for the protection of calcareous shortgrass meadows and their surrounding with many rare plant species.
causes of endangerment
Low forest usage, clearing, agricultural use.
required measures for protection and restitution
Protection and regeneration of semi-natural remnants.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
South Belgium: park of Lesse and Lonme, reserve of Viroin; France: Brie, Champagne, Nivernais.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
Calcareous shortgrass meadows and adjacing communities in regions mentioned above.
Most important references (author, year)
Bournerias & Lavergne 1979; Dierschke 1989; Hettwer 1999
Compiled by
A. Noirfalise, U. Bohn
