Title
(Spruce-)fir-beech forests (Fagus sylvatica, Abies alba, Picea abies) with Cardamine heptaphylla, locally with spruce forests (Picea abies), fir forests (Abies alba) and sycamore-beech forests (Fagus sylvatica, Acer pseudoplatanus) in the west Alps and Jura
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
France: Jura, western marginal Alps (Dauphiné, Savoyen); Switzerland: Jura-highlands, northwestern marginal Alps (Alps of Bern and Glarn)
area frequency
6 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
a) Aceri-Fagetum J. & M. Bartsch 1940, Abieti-Fagetum polystichetosum Ellenberg & Klötzli 1972 (syn.: Saxifrago rotundifoliae-Fagetum Zukrigl 1989); b) fir- and spruce forests: Galio rotundifolii-Abietetum Wraber 1959, Veronico latifoliae-Piceetum Ellenberg & Klötzli 1972.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
a) Sycamore beech forests with scattered spruce and mountain ash or mixed sycamore-beech-spruce forests; beeches are mostly gnarled or sabre formed, often only 15-20 m tall. At the upper forest line and in particularly wind exposed locations the trees remain crippled and only reach a few metres in height. The fir is largely replaced by the spruce. The opulent and usually fully covering fern- and tall-forb-rich herb layer is characteristic. Mosses are poorly represented on the ground, but do occur together with lichens on the trees.b) spruce forests with additions of fir and sycamore as well as a dwarf-shrub-rich herb layer that also includes more demanding species.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
a) Fagus sylvatica, Acer pseudoplatanus, Picea abies, Sorbus aucuparia, (Abies alba);
b) Picea abies, isolated Abies alba, Acer pseudoplatanus, Sorbus aucuparia
Shrub layer
Sorbus aucuparia, Lonicera nigra, Lonicera alpigena, Rubus idaeus, Rosa pendulina
Herb layer
a) montane tall forb: Adenostyles alliariae, Cicerbita alpina, Petasites albus, Prenanthes purpurea, Polygonatum verticillatum, Rumex arifolius, Senecio nemorensis agg., Senecio ovatus, Saxifraga rotundifolia, Ranunculus lanuginosus, Ranunculus platanifolius, Viola biflora, Chaerophyllum hirsutum subsp. villarsii, Aconitum lycoctonum subsp. vulparia; Dryopteris filix-mas, Galium odoratum, Phyteuma spicatum, Paris quadrifolia, Primula elatior, Lamium montanum, Carex sylvatica; indicators of moisture: and other mesophilous species: Deschampsia cespitosa, Athyrium filix-femina, Stellaria nemorum;
b) Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Hieracium murorum, Maianthemum bifolium, Melampyrum sylvaticum, Veronica urticifolia, Oxalis acetosella, Dryopteris filix-mas, Dryopteris dilatata, Prenanthes purpurea, Polygonatum verticillatum
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
b) Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Hylocomium splendens, Pleurozium schreberi
Diagnostically important species
Fagus sylvatica, Acer pseudopletanus, Picea abies; a) Cardamine heptaphylla, Adenostyles alliariae, Cicerbita alpina, Saxifraga rotundifolia, Rumex arifolius; b) Veronica urticifolia, Vaccinium myrtillus, Homogyne alpina, Melampyrum sylvaticum
Ecological variants
Forms of different trophy, soil moisture, water balance: and exposure, sometimes on block debris and rocky sites.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
Chaerophyllum form of the Alps.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Adenostylo glabrae-Abieti-Fagetum, Calamagrostio villosae-Abietetum, Homogyno-Piceetum, Adenostylo-Piceetum, Asplenio-Abieti-Piceetum.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
larch-pine forests (C19), Pinus uncinata-forests (C21, C22), fir- and mixed fir forests (D29), spruce forests (D35), sessile oak-hornbeam forests (F51, F52, F53), species-rich beech and mixed beech forests (F110, F118, F129, F130, F131, F141), downy oak forests (G39, G40, G41), grey alder forests (U27).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
In parts there are still beech dominated forests, but spruce and fir plantations are common.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
High altitude meadows (Cynosurion, Poion alpinae), grass meadows (Polygono-Trisetion).
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
----
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
Subalpine vegetation on manured patches of ground ("Lägerflur“, Rumicion alpini).
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Marginal alps, high locations on uplands
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
altimontane-subalpine; (900)1000-1500(1700) m
Geology (bedrock)
limestone, dolomite (Cretaceous, Jurassic, Triassic); molasse (Old Tertiary), base-rich fir rock (Precambrian)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
mountain-rendzines and base-rich mountain-brown soils; (rendzic, eutric and cambic leptosols; (stony) eutric cambisols)
soil texture
silty to clayey loam, mostly grouany, stony
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to moderately dry, locally moist
soil reaction
moderately acidic to neutral
soil fertility
mesotrophic to meso-eutrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
VI(X)3, X(IV), X(VI)
average annual temperature
3-6 EC
average annual precipitation
900-1200 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
12-15 EC
average temperature of the coldest month
-5 to -2 EC
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
Stagnation sites, air moisture:.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Numerous semi-natural stands still exist.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
No details
causes of endangerment
Transformation into coniferous plantations, emissions.
required measures for protection and restitution
Preservation of all semi-natural stands, semi-natural forestry.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Switzerland: Vanil Noir, Rochers de Naye.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
No details
Most important references (author, year)
Ellenberg & Klötzli 1972; Frey 1995; Moor 1952; Oberdorfer (Hrsg.) 1992
Compiled by
K. Zukrigl and U. Bohn under use of documents by O. Hegg and F. Klötzli
