Title
Galium odoratum-(fir-)beech forests (Fagus sylvatica, Abies alba) with Poa stiriaca, Knautia drymeia, Cyclamen purpurascens in the southeast Alps
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Austria: Styria north of Graz
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Poo stiriacae-Fagetum Zukrigl 1973, Brachypodium-formation.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Growthy forests dominated by beech with a one-layered, cathedral-like construction. Added fir and spruce, and occasionally sycamore, ash or elm. In the shrub layer there is ample beech rejuvenation, and occasionally upgrowths of other trees (bird cherry, hornbeam, lime) and Fagetalia shrubs. A species-rich herb layer (25-50 % coverage) with demanding, mesophilous and thermophilous, and sometimes also acidophilous grasses, sedges and herbs, including some Illyrian species (Peltaria alliacea, Vicia oroboides, Pulmonaria stiriaca, Tephroseris longifolia).
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Fagus sylvatica dominating, admixed Abies alba, Picea abies, isolated Acer pseudoplatanus, Fraxinus excelsior, Ulmus glabra
Shrub layer
Young growth of trees, additionally Prunus avium, Tilia platyphyllos, Carpinus betulus, Corylus avellana, Daphne mezereum, isolated Sambucus nigra, Lonicera xylosteum
Lianas
Clematis vitalba, Hedera helix
Herb layer
Poa stiriaca, Salvia glutinosa, Lathyrus vernus, Poa nemoralis, Bromus ramosus, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Campanula trachelium, Cyclamen purpurascens, Actaea spicata, Mercurialis perennis, Gentiana asclepiadea, Carex digitata, Euphorbia amygdaloides
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Fissidens taxifolius, Eurhynchium striatum, Atrichum undulatum, Tortella tortuosa, Ctenidium molluscum, Hypnum cupressiforme, Plagiochila asplenioides
Diagnostically important species
Fagus sylvatica, Abies alba; Poa stiriaca, Cyclamen purpurascens, Knautia drymeia, Salvia glutinosa, Prenanthes purpurea, Veronica urticifolia, Lathyrus vernus, Mercurialis perennis; geographic differential species: Peltaria alliacea, Tephroseris longifolia, Vicia oroboides, Calamagrostis varia, Cirsium erisithales
Ecological variants
In addition to the typical form there are xerophytic and thermophilous forms (Poo stiriacae-Fagetum seslerietosum, P.-F. cephalantheretosum) on dry and warm sun-facing slopes; fresh to moist forms (P.-F. petasitetosum albae) on seeping wet shaded slopes; a fern-rich form (P. -F- asplenietosum) on shaded, humid limestone debris slopes.
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)
Asperulo-Fagetum, Luzulo-Fagetum.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
soil-acidic oak forests (F21), sessile oak-hornbeam forests (F58, F65), species-poor beech and fir-beech forests (F87, F96), species-rich fir-beech forests (F142).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Forestry with Picea abies, Pinus sylvestris, Larix decidua.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
No details
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
No details
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Lower mountainous country, high-mountain foothills
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
submontane-montane; 500-900 (1100) m
Geology (bedrock)
limestone, dolomite, carbonaceous mixed rocks (limestone phyllite, limestone slate), limestone-silicate-talus (Palaeozoic, Mesozoic)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
base-rich, deep colluvial limestone-brown soils, more rarely mull-humus carbonate soil, pseudo-humus carbonate soil, terra fusca; (eutric cambisols; rendzic leptosols)
soil texture
loam, partly clayey, often stony, locally rocky
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to moderately dry
soil reaction
moderately acidic to neutral
soil fertility
meso-eutrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
VI3c
average annual temperature
6,0-8,5 EC
average annual precipitation
800-1200 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
15-19 EC
average temperature of the coldest month
-3,5 to -1,5 EC
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
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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
Austria: region north of Graz.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
No details
Most important references (author, year)
Zukrigl 1973
Compiled by
U. Bohn after K. Zukrigl (1973, S. 218-227, Tab. IX)
