Title
East Irish-British oak forests (Quercus robur, Quercus petraea), mostly with Betula pubescens, Ilex aquifolium, with Blechnum spicant, Conopodium majus, Hyacinthoides non-scripta
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Ireland: eastern highlands; Great Britain: North Ireland, Scotland, Isle of Man, northwest England, Wales, southwest England (Dartmoor)
area frequency
34 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
W11 Quercus petraea-Betula pubescens-Oxalis acetosella woodland (Rodwell 1991); W17 Quercus petraea-Betula pubescens-Dicranum majus woodland, typical, Anthoxanthum and Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus sub-community (Rodwell 1991); Galio saxatilis-Quercetum Birse & Robertson 1976.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Mostly a closed tree layer, consisting of oak trees (usually Quercus petraea, locally Quercus robur and hybrids) and birches (mostly Betula pubescens, sometimes Betula pendula and hybrids). Frequently lower than 15 m, at exposed sites sometimes also much shorter. The shrub layer is very variable regarding its height and degree of coverage, on better quality soils it features Sorbus aucuparia, Ilex aquifolium and Corylus avellana, locally with Juniperus and Populus tremula. A dense herb layer with a high proportion of dwarf shrubs (Vaccinium myrtillus, Calluna vulgaris), and frequently grasses and herbs also predominate.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Quercus petraea, Betula pubescens, Quercus robur, Betula pendula
Shrub layer
Ilex aquifolium, Sorbus aucuparia, Populus tremula, Corylus avellana
Lianas
Lonicera periclymenum, Hedera helix
Herb layer
Pteridium aquilinum, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Agrostis capillaris, Viola riviniana, Deschampsia flexuosa, Vaccinium myrtillus, Calluna vulgaris, Potentilla erecta, Veronica officinalis, Holcus mollis, Rubus fruticosus agg., Lonicera periclymenum, Teucrium scorodonia, Hedera helix, Primula acaulis, Galium saxatile, Luzula sylvatica, Blechnum spicant, Oreopteris limbosperma, Luzula pilosa, Rubus idaeus, Veronica chamaedrys, Oxalis acetosella, Agrostis vinealis
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Polytrichum formosum, Dicranum scoparium, Hypnum cupressiforme, Dicranella heteromalla, Pohlia nutans, Pleurozium schreberi, Scleropodium purum, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Plagiothecium denticulatum, Lophocolea bidentata, Thuidium tamariscinum, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Eurhynchium striatum, Plagiomnium undulatum, Hylocomium splendens, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Plagiothecium undulatum, Dicranum majus, Mnium hornum, Eurhynchium praelongum
Diagnostically important species
Quercus petraea; Pteridium aquilinum, Calluna vulgaris, Galium saxatile, Blechnum spicant, Luzula sylvatica, Vaccinium myrtillus; Dicranum majus, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Plagiothecium undulatum
Ecological variants
On better quality soils occasionally Fraxinus excelsior (drifting of seeds from planted stands) as well as forms with Hyacinthoides non-scripta.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
In the west on better quality soils there is sometimes a distinctively oceanic form with Hyacinthoides non-scripta, many ferns and a great variety of mosses (transcending to F1). In the east of Scotland a boreal form with Trientalis europaea and Luzula pilosa. The Irish stands are usually more species deficient.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Zonings or mosaics with local Carpinion forests on base-richer soils, Alno-Ulmion forests on wetter, base-rich soils and Betulion pubescentis forests on wet, base-poor soils.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
birch forests (C16), pine forests (D50), coastal and mountain heaths (E5), coastal heaths (E7, E11), acidophilous oak forests (F1), oak-ash forests (F28, F29, F32), dune vegetation (P5, P6), salt vegetation (P18), blanket bogs (S6, S7), raised bogs (S8), vegetation of degraded lowland-raised bogs (T7), alluvial and moist forests (U7, U23).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Low forest (particularly of oak), plantations of softwoods (especially foreign), birch stands from secondary successions; Ulici-Sarothamnion scrub.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Grazing (today mostly sheep, formerly rather cattle and other grazing animals). Nardo-Galion and Cynosurion grassland. Intensive grassland on better quality soils. Burning off and extensive grazing encourage heaths as substitute vegetation. Pteridium aquilinum on deeper soils often as dense stands.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
For most cereal species the climate is too moist. Formerly, however, oat (Avena sativa) was frequently cultivated.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
Chenopodietea, Artemisietea, Stellarietea and Plantaginetea communities in the environs of small settlements and isolated agricultural holdings.
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Marginal areas of the highlands of Great Britain and the eastern part of Ireland with slightly to strongly inclined slopes as well as at the edges of river valleys.
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
lowland (to submontane); mostly below 200 m, locally up to 400 m
Geology (bedrock)
base-poor rocks: among others slate, sandstone, granites and metamorphic rocks (Palaeozoic, Precambrian)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
ranker, acidic and podzolized brown soils, podzoles with mull-like mor or raw humus layers; (dystric and gleyic cambisols; dystric luvisols; orthic podzols)
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to moist, (often moist by high precipitation)
soil fertility
oligotrophic, oligo-mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
VI2, VI3a, VI(V)1, VI(V)2, VI(X)
average annual temperature
7-10 EC
average annual precipitation
700-3000 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
July 14-16 EC
average temperature of the coldest month
February 0-5 EC
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
160-220 days of rain per year; distinct temperature and precipitation gradient from boreal to oceanic climate conditions especially in central Scotland.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Many stands degraded by heavy grazing. Because of the lack of oak, residual stands have developed as birch stands.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
Bryophyte-rich forests of special importance in transition to mapping unit F1. Stands on richer soils, representing the transition of oceanic formations (with Hyacinthoides non-scripta) to boreal formations (with Trientalis europaea), also have a high value of protection and recreation. In larger forest stands there are different ecological formations. Floristic rarities: Goodyera repens, Sematophyllum demissum and Sematophyllum micans.
causes of endangerment
Grazing, clearing, heavy recreational use, spreading of Rhododendron ponticum in moist areas, transformation into coniferous plantations.
required measures for protection and restitution
Enclosures with stable fences to protect against livestock and game damage.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Ireland: Gendalough, Vale of Clara, Glen of the Downs, Co. Wicklow, Derrycrag Co. Galway. (all nature reserves); Great Britain: Bovey Valley, Roudsea, Coed Tremadoc, Coedydd Aber, Borrowdale Woodlands, Dinnet Oakwood, Loch Lomond, Taymish, Morrone Birkwoods, Wyre Forest.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Birse 1980; Birse 1984; Birse & Robertson 1976; Crampton 1911; Kelly 1975; Kelly 1981; Kelly & Moore 1975; Klötzli 1970; McVean & Ratcliffe 1962; Moss 1911a; Peterken 1981; Rodwell (Ed.) 1991a; Tittensor & Steele 1971
Compiled by
J.S. Rodwell; J.R. Cross, completed by J. Pallas
