Title
Pelagonian beech and fir-beech forests (Fagus sylvatica, Abies borisii-regis) with Silene multicaulis, Lathyrus alpestris, Doronicum orientale
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Greece: Thessaly, Macedonia (Pieria-mountains in the north as far as to the Pilion-mountains in the south, Chalkidike)
area frequency
11 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
a) Lathyro alpestris-Fagetum Bergmeier 1990, b) Orthilio secundae-Fagetum Bergmeier 1990, Galium odoratum-Fagus-community, Cardamine graeca-Fagus-community, Rubus canescens-Fagus-community (Bergmeier & Dimopoulos 1999, 2001).
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
beech or beech-fir high forests (cathedral forests in their mature stage up to 30-35 m high) with occasional, sparse additions of Pinus nigra and Acer pseudoplatanus, and a minor to absent shrub layer; only in clearings are their tree upgrowths with a high degree of coverage. The herb layer is as a rule sparse (< 5 % covering to almost absent, "naked" form at the dry boundary of the beech forests), while in eutrophic habitats it is thicker. There is a high proportion of Balkan species.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Fagus sylvatica s. l., Abies borisii-regis, locally with Pinus nigra subsp. pallasiana, Acer pseudoplatanus, in lower altitudes Ostrya carpinifolia, Fraxinus ornus, Acer hyrcanum
Shrub layer
Young growth of trees, a) Ilex aquifolium, Daphne laureola, Euonymus latifolius, locally Buxus sempervirens
Lianas
a) Hedera helix, Rubus hirtus
Herb layer
a+b) Galium rotundifolium, Luzula sylvatica, Hieracium murorum agg., Pteridium aquilinum, Mycelis muralis, Neottia nidus-avis, Poa nemoralis, Aremonia agrimonoides, Potentilla micrantha, Prenanthes purpurea;
a) predominately basiphilous species: Galium odoratum, Cardamine bulbifera, Viola reichenbachiana, Sanicula europaea, Fragaria vesca, Festuca drymeja, Lathyrus laxiflorus, Lathyrus alpestris, Lathyrus venetus, Cyclamen hederifolium, Physospermum cornubiense, Primula acaulis, Cephalanthera rubra, Calamintha grandiflora, Luzula forsteri, Doronicum orientale;
b) predominately acidophilous species: Orthilia secunda, Vaccinium myrtillus, Veronica officinalis, Monotropa hypopitys, Luzula luzuloides, Deschampsia flexuosa
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Dicranum scoparium, Hypnum cupressiforme, Fissidens taxifolius, Plagiochila porelloides, Polytrichum formosum, Isothecium alopecuroides
Diagnostically important species
Fagus sylvatica s. l., Abies borisii-regis; a) Lathyrus alpestris, Lathyrus laxiflorus, Festuca drymeja, Doronicum orientale, Cyclamen hederifolium, Physospermum cornubiense; b) Orthilia secunda, Vaccinium myrtillus, Monotropa hypopitys
Ecological variants
Various altitudinal and trophic stages: on crystalline limestone at high altitudes (Olympus) a Cardamine graeca-Fagus association, at lower altitudes (Olympus, Athos) a Fraxinus ornus form of the Lathyro alpestris-Fagetum; at higher altitudes and on silicate and ophioliteic rocks Orthilio-Fagetum; Orthilio-Fagetum in the Pieria mountain range with Luzula luzuloides (southern limit), and further to the south more Abies borisii-regis; in the Lathyro alpestris-Fagetum there are thermophytes such as Campanula spatulata subsp. spruneriana, Trifolium pignantii (encroaching from G21).
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
On Chalkidiki at lower altitudes there are also forms with Fagus sylvatica subsp. orientalis.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Ravine and alluvial forests (Tilia tomentosa, Aesculus hippocastanum, Alnus glutinosa, Ostrya carpinifolia, Carpinus betulus); Quercus frainetto forests, pine forests (Pinus sylvestris, Pinus nigra).
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
alpine grassland (B55), subalpine vegetation (C40), pine forests (D63), Balkan oak forests (G26, G28), holm oak forests (J22), black pine forests (K15).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Low forests; cleared, scrub-rich stands; after forest grazing: Juniperus communis-Quercus coccifera-Berberis cretica secondary scrub or extensive Pteridium aquilinum aggregations.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Calcareous and fir shortgrass meadows.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
---
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
High mountains: slopes, plateaus, valley incisions
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
(submontane), montane-altimontane; (420) 600-1900 m
Geology (bedrock)
siliceous rock, flysch (Palaeozoic, Tertiary), calcareous rock, partly cristal (Jurassic, Triassic)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
base-rich and base-poor, acidic brown soils with mull or mull-like mor-humus, limestone-brown soils, mull and mull-like mor-rendzines; (eutric and dystric cambisols; rendzic leptosols)
soil texture
loamy, often stony
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to moderately dry
soil reaction
strongly acidic to neutral
soil fertility
oligo-mesotrophic to eutrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
IV3a, IV4, IV(VI)
average annual temperature
8-10 EC
average annual precipitation
650-800 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
20-24 EC
average temperature of the coldest month
0-3 EC
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
Moderately winter-cold, snow-rich montane climate (snow-cover from Dezember to May referring to the altitudinal hight).
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Numerous stands are still quite well preserved.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
Nearly-natural forest stands are especially worthy of protection.
causes of endangerment
Forest grazing, low forest management, uncontrolled forestry.
required measures for protection and restitution
Cessation of use, protection of semi-natural stands, regeneration of disrupted stands, semi-natural silviculture.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Greece: Pieria-mountains, Theassalian Olymp, Kato Olimbos-mountains (Lower Olymp), Ossa-mountains, Pilion-mountains, Athos.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Barbéro & Quézel 1976; Bergmeier 1990; Bergmeier & Dimopoulos 2001; Dafis 1969; Habeck & Reif 1994; Raus Th. 1980; Reif & Löblich-Ille 1999
Compiled by
Th. Raus and E. Bergmeier, completed by U. Bohn
