Title
Oriental beech forests (Fagus sylvatica subsp. orientalis) of Talysh mountains with Hedera pastuchowii, Ilex hyrcana, Danae racemosa, alternating with deciduous broad-leaved forests (Quercus castaneifolia, Acer velutinum, Alnus subcordata)
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Azerbaijan: Talysch-mountains
area frequency
5 polygons .
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
No details
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Highly-productive, three-layered, almost pure oriental beech forests with small additions of other tree types. In the lower tree layer Taxus baccata is occasionally present. Shrub layer with Hyrcanian species, and the herb layer is herb-, grass- and fern-rich.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Fagus sylvatica subsp. orientalis (as high as 1300 m ü. NN), with different admixture of Carpinus betulus, Tilia begoniifolia, Acer cappadocicum, Acer velutinum, Taxus baccata, Quercus castaneifolia
Shrub layer
Danae racemosa, Ilex hyrcana, Buxus hyrcana, Rubus hirtus
Herb layer
Festuca drymeja, Galium odoratum, Dryopteris filix-mas, Brachypodium sylvaticum, rare regional-specific species: Dryopteris raddeana, Scilla caucasica, Primula heterochroma, Paeonia mlokosewitschii, Polygonatum orientale, on moist sites Ranunculus villosus, on rocks Silene schafta, Sedum lencoranicum
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Fagus sylvatica subsp. orientalis, Acer velutinum, Quercus castaneifolia, Danae racemosa, Ilex hyrcana, Buxus hyrcana, Frangula grandiflora; Dryopteris raddeana, Primula heterochroma, Paeonia mlokosewitschii, Scilla caucasica, Cephalanthera caucasica, Viola sieheana, Digitalis nervosa, further regionally specific species: Pyrus boissieriana, Pyrus grossheimii, Pyrus hyrcana, Carpinus schuschaensis
Ecological variants
Moist forms in valleys (Alnus subcordata, Pterocarya pterocarpa) and ravines.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
Only altitudinal differentiation, at higher altitudes the Hyrcanian species disappear.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Further down hornbeam-oriental beech forests and mixed Quercus castaneifolia forests with Acer velutinum, Parrotia persica and Zelkova carpinifolia continue on, while higher up Quercus macranthera scrub forest connects.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
Caucasian mixed hornbeam- oak forests (F170), Hyrcanian hygro-thermophytic mixed oak forests (H2, H3), mountain-Stipa steppes (M11), thorn-cushion vegetation (N8).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Forestry
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Pastures.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
---
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
---
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Very varied mountainous relief: north exposed mountain slopes and shady ravines
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
montane to altimontane; (600) 900-1800 m
Geology (bedrock)
sediment and eruptive rocks (Tertiary)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
different formations of brown mountain-forest soils; (eutric cambisols; locally leptosols)
soil texture
loamy, sandy-loamy, mostly stone-rich
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to moist
soil reaction
moderately acidic to neutral
soil fertility
meso-eutrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
X
average annual temperature
6-12 EC
average annual precipitation
(650) 800-1300 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
18-22 EC
average temperature of the coldest month
-5 to -1,2 EC
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
Unevenly distributed yearly precipitation: moist autumn and winter, dry and warm summer. The dryness of the climate grows with the rising sea level.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Northern outliers of the widespread Hyrcanian beech forests that have their distribution strongholds in the Elburs mountains of northern Iran. Forest stands damaged by timber harvesting and forest grazing; they have important soil and water protective functions, and are of great importance for nature conservation (relict forests, numerous endemics).
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
Endemic species and relict occurences on the Talysch-mountains: Ilex hyrcana, Buxus hycana, Taxus baccata.
causes of endangerment
Clearing, timber harvesting, forest grazing.
required measures for protection and restitution
The remnants of the Hyrcanian beech forests should be safeguarded in a large "Hyrcanian nature reserve".
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Azerbaijan: nature reserve Girkan.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
---
Most important references (author, year)
Grossgejm 1926; Grossgejm 1948; Lebedev 1941; Prilipko 1954
Compiled by
Z. Neuhäuslová based on documents by A.G. Doluchanov and Ju.R. Šeljag-Sosonko
