Title
Atlantic-subatlantic mixed oak forests (Quercus robur, Quercus petraea, Sorbus torminalis, Castanea sativa) with Ilex aquifolium, Teucrium scorodonia, Luzula forsteri in the Massif Central foreland and in the Lower Dauphiné
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
France: western, northern and eastern foot of the Massif Central, Lower Dauphiné around Lyon
area frequency
12 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Teucrio scorodoniae-Quercetum petraeae Chouard 1925.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
The tree layer is dominated by oaks, and also by the naturalised Castanea sativa particularly in the southern parts of the unit. The shrub layer consists mostly of Ilex aquifolium and Sorbus aucuparia. The herb layer contains dwarf shrubs (heath and broom species), acidophilous grasses and herbs.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Quercus robur, Quercus petraea, frequently Castanea sativa (introduced), Sorbus torminalis interspersed, rarely Fagus sylvatica
Shrub layer
Young growth of trees, Ilex aquifolium, Sorbus aucuparia, Sorbus aria, Populus tremula, Malus sylvestris, Mespilus germanica, locally Carpinus betulus
Lianas
Hedera helix, Lonicera periclymenum, Rubus fruticosus agg.
Herb layer
Pteridium aquilinum, Melampyrum pratense, Solidago virgaurea, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Deschampsia flexuosa, Calluna vulgaris, Veronica officinalis, Teucrium scorodonia, Luzula forsteri, Vaccinium myrtillus, Polypodium vulgare, Convallaria majalis, Festuca heterophylla, Erythronium dens-canis
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Polytrichum formosum, Dicranum scoparium, Hypnum cupressiforme, Scleropodium purum, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus
Diagnostically important species
Quercus petraea, Sorbus torminalis, Castanea sativa; Ilex aquifolium; Teucrium scorodonia, Luzula forsteri, Festuca heterophylla, Erythronium dens-canis
Ecological variants
No details
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
The unit is well developed around the Massif Central (Marche, Limousin) up to the beech belt (F82) which starts at around 500 m. To the south, i.e. at the slopes of the Dordogne and the Lot, the proportion of Castanea sativa increases.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
At shady valley slopes the beech forest (F82) can descend to an altitude of about 400 m, i.e. to the oak forest belt. Alder-ash flood-plain forests line the smaller watercourses. Ponds are surrounded by a zone of acidic bogs with small sedges, rushes, Viola palustris, Hydrocotyle vulgaris, Carum verticillatum, Anagallis tenella, Scutellaria minor, Cirsium dissectum. Fens harbour Narthecium ossifragum, Menyanthes trifoliata, Drosera intermedia, Drosera rotundifolia, Lobelia urens, Eriophorum angustifolium, Eriophorum vaginatum and locally Carex paniculata.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
acidophilous mixed oak forests (F5, F7, F9), pedunculate oak-hornbeam forests (F36), sessile oak-hornbeam forests (F51, F52, F53), species-poor beech and fir-beech forests (F82, F92), species-rich beech and fir-beech forests (F129, F139), downy oak forests (G37, G39, G41), alluvial and moist forests (U8, U25, U27, U33).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Frequently utilised as low forest (with Betula pendula, Populus tremula), sometimes replaced by plantations of Scots pine or American conifers. Sweet chestnut forests are characteristic landscape elements whose undergrowth mainly consists of heath species and sometimes Erythronium dens-canis. Bocage with oaks.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Dry heaths with Ulex europaeus, Calluna vulgaris, Erica cinerea, Cytisus scoparius, Juniperus communis; wet heaths with Ulex minor, Erica tetralix and Molinia caerulea; above 400 m with Cytisus oromediterraneus. Semi-natural Scirpus sylvaticus-moist meadows with Fritillaria meleagris and/or Narcissus poeticus, and with unused land there is conversion to Salix atrocinerea scrub.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Cereal fields, mainly rye, potatoes and fodder plants.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Hilly country and mountains cut by valleys, sometimes basins or terraces
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
colline-submontane; 250-500 (600) m, below beech forest line
Geology (bedrock)
base-poor siliceous rocks: gneiss, crystal slate, interspersed with granites, magmatites and diorites (Late and Early Palaeozoic), Tertiary and Pleistocene sediments
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
acidic, base-poor brown soils and parabrown soils, partly weakly podzolized; (dystric cambisols; orthic luvisols; leptic podzoles)
soil texture
sandy, partly gravely
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)
V2, V(IV)1, VI1, VI(V)1
average annual temperature
11-12 EC
average annual precipitation
800-1000 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
July 18-19 EC
average temperature of the coldest month
January 1-4 EC
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
No details
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Only a few semi-natural stands are preserved.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
No details
causes of endangerment
Low forest usage, afforestation with introduced timbers, agricultural land usage.
required measures for protection and restitution
Preservation of the semi-natural stands, encouragement of indigenous tree species within the plantations.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
No details
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
No details
Most important references (author, year)
Botineau 1988; Chouard 1925; Dupias & Lavergne 1968; Lavergne 1969
Compiled by
A. Noirfalise; revised by J.R. Cross, J. Pallas, U. Bohn
