F136: Cantabrian-Euscaldian beech forests (Fagus sylvatica) with Scilla lilio-hyacinthus, Helleborus viridis subsp. occidentalis, Cephalanthera rubra

Title

Cantabrian-Euscaldian beech forests (Fagus sylvatica) with Scilla lilio-hyacinthus, Helleborus viridis subsp. occidentalis, Cephalanthera rubra

Geographical distribution

Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)

a) Carici sylvaticae-Fagetum sylvaticae (Rivas-Martínez 1965) C. Navarro 1982 (= Melico-Fagetum cantabricum Rivas-Martínez 1964; Carici sylvaticae-Fagetum sylvaticae (Rivas-Martínez 1965) C. Navarro ex Pérez Carro & T. E. Díaz 1987); b) Epipactido helleborinis-Fagetum sylvaticae Rivas-Martínez (1962) 1983 (= Helleboro-Fagetum epipactidetosum Rivas-Martínez 1962).

Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)

Both units are often interdigitated with one another in a mosaic fashion. a) Two- to three-layered ombrophilous forests with thick-stemmed beeches, a few shrubs and a contiguous herb layer of shade-tolerant species; b) xerophytic or thermophilous beech forests with a moderately-tall tree layer, isolated shrubs and a herb layer with numerous geophytes and orchids of the genuses Epipactis and Cephalanthera. Geovicariant association of the Pyrenean Buxo-Fagetums which is distinguished by the absence of Pyrenean species such as Hippocrepis emerus, Quercus pubescens, Acer opalus, Abies alba etc..

Dominant and most frequent species in different layers

Diagnostically important species

Fagus sylvatica; Daphne laureola, Ruscus aculeatus; a) Scilla lilio-hyacinthus, Carex sylvatica, Corydalis cava, Veronica montana; b) Buxus sempervirens; Cephalanthera longifolia, Cephalanthera rubra, Epipactis helleborine, Primula veris subsp. columnae

Ecological variants

a) isopyretosum thalictroidis subassociation: beech forests on well-drained loamy soils (luvisols), particularly in dolinas with Isopyrum thalictroides in the Navarra-Alava region; veronicetosum montanae subassociation: beech forests on deep-soiled, very argilliferous soils of marl or marly limestone, which are relatively common in the region of Navarra and Cantabria-Euskadi; caricetosum brevicollis subassociation: beech forests on lighter soils and more snow-deficient sites than the former ones at the edges of dolinas in the Urbasa-Aralar region; seslerietosum albicantis subassociation in the northern part of the Picos de Europa with Sesleria albicans, Carex caudata and Helictotrichon cantabricum; pimpinelletosum siifoliae subassociation in karst regions in the eastern part of the Orocantabrian province and the southern parts of the Picos de Europa with Pimpinella siifolia;b) fagetosum sylvaticae subassociation as a xerophytic strain at Alava with Buxus sempervirens; laserpitietosum eliasii subassociation with an Orocantabrian, mostly south exposed distribution featuring Laserpitium eliasii, L. latifolium, Tanacetum corymbosum; aceretosum campestris subassociation in transitions to habitats of the Carici sylvaticae-Fagetum with numerous mesophytic species from the Navarra-Alava region without Buxus sempervirens, but with Acer campestre, Saxifraga hirsuta and Rosa arvensis.

Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)

See under point 'Ecological forms'.

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)

juniperus communis subsp. alpina-scrubs (C26), acid-soil oak and mixed oak forests (F14, F15), mixed oak-ash forests (F33), species-poor beech forests (F98), downy oak forests (G41), Quercus faginea-forests (G73), Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia-forests (J8, J11), open juniper and cypress woodlands (K28).

Land use, substitute communities

Site conditions of the mapping unit

Importance for nature protection

Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection

Most important references (author, year)

Díaz González & Fernández Prieto 1987; Díaz González & Fernández Prieto 1994a; García González 1990; Hernandez Hernandez 1987; Ladero Alvarez, Díaz González, Penas Merino, Rivas-Martínez & Valle Gutierrez 1987; Loidi Arregui 1987; Loidi Arregui & Bascones 1995; Lôpez Pacheco 1988; Lôpez Pacheco & Puente García 1987; Navarro Aranda 1982; Penas Merino, García González & Herrero Cembranos 1995; Perez Carro & Díaz González 1987; Perez Morales 1987; Rivas-Martínez 1962; Rivas-Martínez 1964; Rivas-Martínez 1973; Rivas-Martínez 1983; Rivas-Martínez 1987; Rivas-Martínez, Bascones, Díaz González, Fernández-González & Loidi Arregui 1991a; Rivas-Martínez, Bascones, Díaz González, Fernández-González & Loidi Arregui 1991b; Rivas-Martínez, Díaz González, Fernández Prieto, Loidi Arregui & Penas Merino 1984

Compiled by

V. Voggenreiter based on documents by S. Rivas-Martínez, A. Penas Merino and L. Herrero Cembranos, completed by J. Loidi