Title
Galician-north Lusitanian hyperoceanic pedunculate oak forests (Quercus robur, partly Quercus pyrenaica, Quercus suber) with Laurus nobilis, Viburnum tinus, Pyrus cordata, Daboecia cantabrica, Andryala integrifolia
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
northwest Spain: Galicia, Asturia, Oviedo; northwest Portugal: Minho, Douro Litoral
area frequency
13 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
a) Rusco aculeati-Quercetum roboris Braun-Blanquet, P. Silva & Rozeira 1956 (in the western part); b) Blechno spicanti-Quercetum roboris Oberdorfer & R. Tüxen 1954 (in the northern part).
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Quercus robur forests with admixtures of Quercus pyrenaica, Castanea sativa (naturalized) and locally Quercus suber. Pyrus cordata, Corylus avellana, Ilex aquifolium and sometimes Laurus nobilis form the shrub layer. The herb layer is species-rich and features some Mediterranean taxa.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Quercus robur predominating, admixed Quercus pyrenaica, Castanea sativa (introduced); additionally in a) Quercus suber, Laurus nobilis; additionally in b) Betula pubescens subsp. celtiberica
Shrub layer
Laurus nobilis, Pyrus cordata, Ilex aquifolium, Corylus avellana, Frangula alnus, Pyrus pyraster, Erica arborea; additionally in a) Daphne gnidium, Viburnum tinus, Arbutus unedo, Prunus lusitanica, Phillyrea latifolia, Ruscus aculeatus
Lianas
a, b) Lonicera periclymenum, Hedera helix (incl. subsp. canariensis), Tamus communis, Rubia peregrina, Rubus fruticosus agg.
Herb layer
a, b) acidophytes: Pteridium aquilinum, Viola riviniana, Deschampsia flexuosa, Holcus mollis, Teucrium scorodonia, Lathyrus linifolius, Hypericum pulchrum, Ceratocapnos claviculata, Dryopteris aemula, Dryopteris affinis subsp. borreri, Blechnum spicant, Digitalis purpurea, Oxalis acetosella, Polypodium vulgare; atlantic and west sub-Mediterranean, partly Iberian endemic species: Pulmonaria montana, Saxifraga spathularis, Ulex minor, Saxifraga umbrosa, Pseudarrhenatherum longifolium, Daboecia cantabrica, Potentilla montana, Pulmonaria longifolia, Agrostis curtisii, Cirsium filipendulum, Omphalodes nitida, Anemone trifolia subsp. albida, Crepis lampsanoides, Aquilegia dichroa, Simethis planifolia, Lithodora diffusa, Cytisus grandiflorus, Luzula sylvatica subsp. henriquesii, Linaria triornithophora, Rumex papillaris, Genista falcata, Asplenium onopteris, Andryala integrifolia, Agrostis castellana, Polygonatum odoratum, Physospermum cornubiense, montane species: Polygonatum verticillatum
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Polytrichum formosum, Dicranum scoparium, Hypnum cupressiforme, Scleropodium purum, Atrichum undulatum, Thuidium tamariscinum, Mnium hornum
Diagnostically important species
Quercus robur, Quercus pyrenaica, Quercus suber, Laurus nobilis; Pyrus cordata, Viburnum tinus, Ruscus aculeatus; Rubia peregrina; Physospermum cornubiense, Blechnum spicant, Saxifraga spathularis, Viola riviniana, Daboecia cantabrica, Andryala integrifolia, Agrostis castellana, Asplenium onopteris, Genista falcata
Ecological variants
a1) Rusco-Quercetum quercetosum roboris (Violetosum rivinianae) as a typical subassociation;a2) Rusco-Quercetum quercetosum suberis as a thermocolline form with Mediterranean differential species such as Quercus suber, Laurus nobilis, Arbutus unedo, Smilax aspera, Rubia peregrina;b1) Blechno-Quercetum roboris lauretosum nobilis: thermocolline form with Laurus nobilis, Arbutus unedo, Smilax aspera;b2) Blechno-Quercetum pulmonarietosum longifoliae on base-richer soils with demanding species, e.g. Pulmonaria longifolia;b3) Blechno-Quercetum fagetosum sylvaticae in the submontane to montane belt in the cordilleras of northern Galicia and northern Asturia with a very rain-rich (oceanic) climate featuring Mediterranean and Eurosiberian elements (Fagus sylvatica, Polygonatum verticillatum).
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
The Blechno spicanti-Quercetum roboris is distributed in northern Galicia and Asturia while the Rusco aculeati-Quercetum roboris occurs in southern Galicia and northern Portugal.E. Oberdorfer & R. Tuexen 1958 described two subassociations of the Blechno-Quercetum that may have a regional-climatic justification for their existence:b4) Blechno-Quercetum dryopteridetosum aemulae in northern Galicia and Asturia as western vicariants of the upper colline belt with Dryopteris aemula, Saxifraga umbrosa and Erica arborea;b5) Blechno-Quercetum hieracietosum umbellatae: vicariants from Oviedo with numerous Central European species, Betula pubescens subsp. celtiberica, Hieracium umbellatum and Potentilla erecta.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
At higher altitudes: Vaccinio myrtilli-Quercetum roboris, in valleys: Polysticho setiferi-Fraxinetum excelsioris, by streams: Senecio bayonensis-Alnetum glutinosae.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
coastal heaths (E14), mixed acidophilous oak forests (F23, F24), mixed oak-ash forests (F33), species-poor beech forests (F98), Quercus pyrenaica forests (G65, G67, G70), Quercus faginea subsp. broteroi-forests (G75), Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia-forests (J11), meso- and thermo-Mediterranean cork oak forests (J23, J35), dune vegetation (P9), lowland and alluvial forests (U30).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Eucalyptus-plantations; Pedunculate oak very often replaced by Castanea sativa in old cultivated forests (nowadays it has become naturalised in many Cantabrian regions and spontaneously reproduces). Particularly noteworthy substitute communities of the Galician-Asturian pedunculate oak forests include the tree-heather stands (Brezales) on podzolised and degraded soils. They arose as a result of repeated fires and afforestation with Pinus pinaster subsp. pinaster and harbour numerous Mediterranean Ibero-Atlantic elements of the Ericion umbellatae (Ulex minor, Genista triacanthos, Cistus psilosepalus) as well as the Daboecienion (Daboecia cantabrica, Pseudarrhenatherum longifolium).
Scrub with Arbutus unedo, Cytisus commutatus, C. scoparius, C. striatus, Erica arborea, Pteridium aquilinum, Rubus lusitanicus, Ulex europaeus. Broom scrub: Cytiso striati-Genistetum polygaliphyllae and Ulici europaei-Cytisetum ingrammii in western Galicia, Ulici europaei-Cytisetum striatii in eastern Galicia and Portugal, Cytisetum scoapario-striati in western Asturia.
Characterising heath communities: Ulicetum latebracteato-minoris, Erico umbellatae-Ulicetum minoris and Ulici-Ericetum cinereae cistetosum psilosepali. On deeper and fresh soils, tree-heather (Erica arborea) with Erica mackaiana, Ulex gallii, Daboecia cantabrica, Erica cinerea, Agrostis curtisii etc. (Ulici gallii-Ericetum mackaianae) develop.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Pastures with Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Helictotrichon sulcatum, Danthonia decumbens, Trifolium repens (Lino biennis-Cynosuretum cristati, Caro verticillati-Cynosuretum cristati).
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
No details
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
---
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Hilly country and uplands
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
colline to montane; 0 to 700 (1000) m
Geology (bedrock)
Siliceous rock: slate, sandstone, quartzite, granites (Palaeozoic: Silurian, Ordovician; Precambrian)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
Silicate soils in all expositions, but without hydromorphy or extended accumulation of stagnating water; moist ranker, moist brown soils, podzolized soils, peat mires; (stony humic and stony dystric cambisols; stony rankers)
soil texture
sandy, sandy-loamy
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to moderately dry
soil reaction
strongly to moderately acidic
soil fertility
oligotrophic, oligo-mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
IV(V), V(VI)
average annual temperature
12-14 EC
average annual precipitation
750-1500 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
17-19 EC
average temperature of the coldest month
7-9 EC
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
distinct humid climate.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Highly endangered, only very few semi-natural stands remain preserved; they require urgent protection, because they have not yet been placed under protection.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
All natural forest communities.
causes of endangerment
Grazing, fires, timber use, forestry.
required measures for protection and restitution
Establishment of protected areas with representative semi-natural stands.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Portugal: Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
---
Most important references (author, year)
Bellot 1966; Braun-Blanquet, Pinto da Silva & Rozeira 1956; Díaz González & Fernández Prieto 1987; Díaz González & Fernández Prieto 1994a; Díaz González & Fernández Prieto 1994b; Izco, Amigo & Guitian 1990; Mayor Lôpez, Díaz González & Fernández Prieto 1979; Peinado Lorca & Rivas-Martínez (Ed.) 1987; Rivas-Martínez 1987; Rivas-Martínez, Díaz González, Fernández Prieto, Loidi Arregui & Penas Merino 1984; Tüxen & Oberdorfer 1958
Compiled by
V. Voggenreiter based on documents by S. Rivas-Martínez (1987) and T.E. Díaz Gonzalez and F. Prieto (1994); Completion by A. Penas Merino and L. Herrero Cembranos; C. Pinto Gomes
