Title
Dalmatian thermophilous beech forests (Fagus sylvatica) with Acer obtusatum, Sorbus aria, Sesleria autumnalis, Lathyrus venetus
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Italy: border to Slovenia; Slovenia: western part of the countrs; Croatia: Istria, Velebit, Svilaja, Dinara Planina, Biokovo; Bosnia-Herzegovina: western part of the country; Yugoslavia: Montenegro
area frequency
21 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Seslerio autumnalis-Fagetum M. Wraber ex Borhidi 1963.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Thermophilous beech forests with Central European and southeast European-Illyrian species. A relatively well-developed shrub layer; a herb layer dominated by Sesleria autumnalis as well as meso- and thermophilous species; a weakly developed moss layer.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Fagus sylvatica dominating, admixed Fraxinus ornus, Ostrya carpinifolia, Sorbus domestica, Sorbus aria, Acer pseudoplatanus, Acer obtusatum
Shrub layer
Euonymus verrucosa, Cornus mas, Laburnum alpinum, Ligustrum vulgare, Ruscus aculeatus, Daphne mezereum, Lonicera alpigena, Rosa arvensis, Crataegus monogyna, Crataegus laevigata, Viburnum lantana
Lianas
Clematis vitalba, Hedera helix, Tamus communis
Herb layer
Cyclamen purpurascens, Aremonia agrimonoides, Cardamine enneaphyllos, Cardamine trifolia, Lamium orvala, Geranium nodosum, Primula acaulis, Helleborus odorus, Crocus vernus subsp. vernus, Peucedanum austriacum, Melittis melissophyllum, Tanacetum corymbosum, Convallaria majalis, Campanula rapunculoides, Actaea spicata, Asarum europaeum, Salvia glutinosa, Symphytum tuberosum
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Homalothecium lutescens, Plagiothecium denticulatum, Neckera crispa, Porella platyphylla among others
Diagnostically important species
Fagus sylvatica, Sorbus aria, Ostrya carpinifolia, Fraxinus ornus, Acer obtusatum; Sesleria autumnalis, Lathyrus venetus, Lathyrus vernus subsp. gracilis, Melittis melissophyllum, Helleborus odorus
Ecological variants
No details
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
West-Slovenian strain with Anemone trifolia; Slovenian strain with Calamintha grandiflora and Sorbus domestica; a Piva strain (Montenegro) with Doronicum columnae; Ivčen strain (Montenegro) with Anemone apennina; Western Bosnian/Herzegovinian strain with Acer obtusatum.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Ostryo-Quercetum pubescentis, Seslerio-Ostryetum, Seslerio autumnalis-Quercetum pubescentis, Querco-Carpinetum betuli, Fagetum submontanum praedinaricum, Fagetum croaticum boreal montanum, Abieti-Fagetum dinaricum, Fagetum subalpinum dinaricum, Corydalo ochroleucae-Aceretum.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
subalpine vegetation (C37), montane spruce forests (D38), sessile oak-hornbeam forests (F65), species-poor (F87) and species-rich beech and mixed beech forests (F121, F142, F143, F158), sub-Mediterranean oak forests (G16, G19), hop-downy oak forests (G48, G51, G53, G54), Balkan pine forests (K6, K7), alder carrs (T1), alluvial forests (U15).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Low forest (Seslerio-Ostryetum), Pinus nigra forestry, Berberidion scrub.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Calcareous grassland: Danthonio-Scorzoneretum, Carici humilis-Centaureetum rupestris, Bromo-Seslerietum interruptae, Carici humilis-Seslerietum juncifoliae, Bromo-Brachypodietum pinnati.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
No details
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Higher mountainous country, and warm, mostly sun-exposed locations along the coastal Dinarides
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
(submontane), montane, (altimontane); (600)800-1000(1100) m
Geology (bedrock)
predominately limestone, further dolomite, flysch (Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous, Tertiary)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
base-rich, shallow limestone-brown soils, locally rendzines; (chromic calcaric cambisols; chromic eutric luvisols; rendzic leptosols)
soil texture
silty to clayey, mostly grouany-stony loam
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to moderately dry
soil reaction
weakly acidic, neutral
soil fertility
meso-eutrophic, eutrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
IV(V)a, VI(X)
average annual temperature
10-12 EC
average annual precipitation
1200-2000 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
18-22 EC
average temperature of the coldest month
-1 to 3 EC
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
Sites favoured by warmth.
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
No details
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Dakskobler 1991; Dakskobler 1996; Dakskobler 1997; Horvat 1950b; Horvat 1959; Horvat, Glavač & Ellenberg 1974; Marinček & Čarni 2002; Trinajstić 1970; Trinajstić 1972; Trinajstić 1974a; Trinajstić 1976; Trinajstić 1986; Zupančič & Puncer 1982
Compiled by
Z. Neuhäuslová based on documents by M. Zupan…i…, completed by U. Bohn
