Title
East Euxinian oak and hornbeam-oak forests (Quercus iberica, Carpinus orientalis, Carpinus betulus), alternating with hornbeam-chestnut-Oriental beech forests (Fagus sylvatica subsp. orientalis, Castanea sativa, Carpinus betulus) with evergreen understorey
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Russia: coast of the Black Sea; Georgia: lower mountain slopes of the Colchis
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Quercetum orientali carpinosum, Quercetum graminosum, Quercetum inodoro-hypericosum, Quercetum pontico-azaleosum, Quercetum arboreo-ericosum, Quercetum pontico-rhododendrosum, Quercetum nudum all Maleev 1936, Carpineto-Quercetum festucosum, Castanaeto-Quercetum festucosum, Querceto-Carpinetum azaleosum, Castanaeto-Quercetum azaleosum, Carpineto-Quercetum arctostaphylosum, Castanaeto-Quercetum arctostaphylosum all Machatadze 1964.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Complex consisting of forest communities of different structure and species assemblage (depending on relief, microclimate etc.) with dominance of two main forms: a) on sun-sided and dry slopes oak, oriental hornbeam-oak and hornbeam-oak forests; b) on more shaded slopes and in more humid areas forests with dominant Carpinus betulus, Castanea sativa and Fagus sylvatica subsp. orientalis (20-30 m tall). The shrub layer is often dense (2-3 m high, for (b) with an evergreen undergrowth); the herb layer in forests without a dense undergrowth is species-rich with a relatively high proportion of regional endemics.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
a) Quercus iberica (15-20 m), Carpinus orientalis (5-10 m), Carpinus betulus, with admixture of Acer cappadocicum, Sorbus torminalis, Fraxinus excelsior;
b) Fagus sylvatica subsp. orientalis (20-30 m), Castanea sativa, Carpinus betulus, with admixture of Tilia begoniifolia, Acer platanoides, Acer pseudoplatanus, Quercus hartwissiana
Shrub layer
a) Cotinus coggygria (dry sites), Rhododendron luteum, locally Erica arborea;
b) Rhododendron ponticum, Prunus laurocerasus, Ilex colchica, locally Staphylea colchica, Buxus colchica, Taxus baccata
Lianas
b) Smilax excelsa, Hedera colchica, Hedera helix
Herb layer
Festuca drymeja, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Lathyrus laxiflorus, Achillea biserrata, Dorycnium graecum, Campanula rapunculoides subsp. cordifolia, Carex flacca subsp. serrulata, Carex digitata, Cephalanthera longifolia, Epimedium colchicum, Vicia cassubica, Dictamnus gymnostylis;
b) Trachystemon orientalis, Dryopteris affinis subsp. borreri, Dryopteris dilatata, Polystichum setiferum, Matteuccia struthiopteris, Dioscorea caucasica, Leptopus colchicus, Aristolochia iberica, Aristolochia pontica
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Quercus iberica, Carpinus orientalis, Carpinus betulus, Castanea sativa; Staphylea colchica, Osmanthus decorus; Hedera colchica; Hypericum xylosteifolium, Epimedium colchicum, Dioscorea caucasica, Leptopus colchicus, Aristolochia iberica, Aristolochia pontica
Ecological variants
Different forms depending on altitude, exposure, slope inclination and parent rock (cf. points 'Scientific Names' and 'Stand Structure').
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
The above stated diagnostically important species are characteristic above all for the north-west part of the range (west of 42° E). Further to the east Epimedium colchicum, Dioscorea caucasica, Aquilegia gegica, Gentiana paradoxa, Satureja bzybica are already absent. Endemic species of the eastern part: Campanula letschchumensis, Scabiosa colchica, Sempervivum charadze, Parietaria kemulariae, Muscari alpanicum. In the forests of Cape Picunda Mediterranean species occur (Erica arborea, Arbutus andrachne).
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Locally two-layered forests with a loose upper tree layer (hornbeam, lime, ash, beech amongst others) and a dense layer of Buxus colchica that is 4-8 m tall. Forests in ravines often feature Buxus colchica and Taxus baccata (particularly on limestone substrates). Forests on confluvial terraces and on the banks of streams feature Alnus barbata and Pterocarya pterocarpa; rock fissure and block debris vegetation.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
fir- and mixed fir forests (D32), Oriental beech forests (F163, F164), Caucasian mixed hornbeam-oak forests (F167), hygro-thermophilous mixed broad-leaved forests (H1), xerophytic pine forests (K24).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Low and shrub forests, "Hudewald“ (woodlands developed as a result of the practice of forest grazing since the middle ages).
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Meadows.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Tea and citrus amongst other plantations, cereal fields, vineyards.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Sea-facing mountain slopes, sometimes with a highly structured relief
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
colline-submontane (to montane); 200 500-(750) m
Geology (bedrock)
slate, sandstone, limestone, conglomerates of different age, in the south also volcanic rocks (Tertiary, Cretaceous, Jurassic)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
brown mountain-forest soils with transitions to leached yellow soils and red earth, yellow-brown forest soils, humus-carbonate soils (rendzines); (humic cambisols; chromic luvisols; rendzic leptosols)
soil texture
loamy-sandy, loamy, clayey, partly stone-rich
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to dry
soil reaction
weakly acidic to neutral
soil fertility
mesotrophic, meso-eutrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
V, VI(IV), X
average annual temperature
11-14 EC
average annual precipitation
1950-2000 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
August 21-24 EC
average temperature of the coldest month
January 4-6 EC, on more dry slopes 1-4 EC
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
Xerothermous to humid referring to exposure, slope inclination and site.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
The natural vegetation has been destroyed almost everywhere or is at least greatly degraded. Remnants of semi-natural forests at poorly accessible sites that are barely suitable for agriculture; many plant communities are not protected and in great danger.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
Endemic species are especially worthy of protection; relict occurrences in the Caucasus: Taxus baccata.
causes of endangerment
Timber harvesting, grazing, transformation into agriculturally useful areas.
required measures for protection and restitution
Designation of additional conservation areas for the remnants of semi-natural vegetation.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Georgia: nature reserve Picunda-Mjussera and Pschu-Gumista; stands in the limestone mountains of Abkhazskaya (east and west of the valley Kodora) as well as in Megrelien, Imeretien and Le…chum are especially worthy of protection.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
No details
Most important references (author, year)
Doluchanov 1974b; Grossgejm 1948; Kolakovskij 1961; Maleev 1936; Sachokia 1980
Compiled by
Z. Neuhäuslová based on documents by A.G. Doluchanov
