Title
Atlantic mixed beech forests of the Charente Interieur and Champagne (Fagus sylvatica, Quercus petraea, Fraxinus excelsior), partly with Quercus pubescens, with Rubia peregrina, Ruscus aculeatus
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Small-scaled in west and north France: Charente Interieur, Montagne de Reims
area frequency
7 polygons .
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Rubio-Fagetum Roisin 1967.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Species-rich thermophilous mixed beech forests which reveal a greater proportion of Quercus pubescens particularly at warmer locations and at south-facing slopes.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Fagus sylvatica, Quercus petraea, Quercus pubescens, Fraxinus excelsior, Sorbus aria, Sorbus torminalis, Prunus avium
Shrub layer
Ruscus aculeatus, Daphne laureola, Cornus mas
Herb layer
Rubia peregrina, Carex montana, Teucrium montanum, Melica uniflora, Polygonatum odoratum, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Cephalanthera longifolia, Cephalanthera rubra, Arum italicum, Melittis melissophyllum
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Fagus sylvatica, Quercus pubescens; Rubia peregrina, Ruscus aculeatus
Ecological variants
No details
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
Northern vicariant at Reims with Senecio fuchsii.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
No details
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
soil-acidic oak forests (F6), oak-hornbeam forests (F34), species-rich beech forests (F106, F111), downy oak forests (G37), alder carrs (T1), alluvial forests (U25).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Pinus nigra and Pinus sylvestris plantations, currently also beech plantations.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Bromion erecti (Mesobromion) with Carex tomentosa, Koeleria pyramidata and Polygala amara.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
---
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
---
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Hilly country
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
colline
Geology (bedrock)
Tertiary sediments, Upper Jurassic, Cretaceous
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
rendzines; (rendzic leptosols)
soil moisture, water balance
No details
soil reaction
weakly acidic to weakly alkaline
soil fertility
mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
V2, V(IV)2, VI2
average annual temperature
10-12 EC
average annual precipitation
700-1000 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
18-19 EC
average temperature of the coldest month
1-3 EC
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
---
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Forests degraded by middle and low forest usage.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
No details
causes of endangerment
Forestry and agricultural use.
required measures for protection and restitution
No details
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
No details
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
No details
Most important references (author, year)
Bournerias & Lavergne 1979; Corillion & Guerlesquin 1974
Compiled by
C. Hettwer, U. Bohn based on documents by J.C. Rameau, vegetation map of France, maps: 17 (Châlons-sur-Marne), 44 (La Rochelle)
