Title
Galician-north Lusitanian oak forests (Quercus robur, Quercus pyrenaica) with Betula pubescens subsp. celtiberica, Cytisus striatus, Dryopteris aemula, Anemone trifolia subsp. albida, Omphalodes nitida
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
northwest Spain: Galicia; north portugal (sector Galaico-Portugués without the subsector Miñense)
area frequency
9 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Vaccinio myrtilli-Quercetum roboris P. Silva, Rozeira & Fontes 1950.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Dense mixed pedunculate oak forests with numerous shrubs, dwarf shrubs, perennial herbs and lianas; frequently containing birches.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Quercus robur predominating, with admixture of Quercus pyrenaica, Betula pubescens subsp. celtiberica, locally Ilex aquifolium
Shrub layer
Ilex aquifolium, Erica australis, Erica arborea, Ulex gallii, Cytisus striatus, Cytisus scoparius, Genista tridentata, Frangula alnus
Lianas
Hedera helix, Lonicera periclymenum, rarely Tamus communis
Herb layer
Acidophytes: Melampyrum pratense, Vaccinium myrtillus, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Viola riviniana, Deschampsia flexuosa, Veronica officinalis, Teucrium scorodonia, Lathyrus linifolius, Hypericum pulchrum, Luzula forsteri, partly Dryopteris affinis subsp. borreri; atlantic, partly Iberian endemic species: Ulex minor, Saxifraga spathularis, Pseudarrhenatherum longifolium, Daboecia cantabrica, Omphalodes nitida, Anemone trifolia subsp. albida, Eryngium duriaei, Ajuga occidentalis, Arenaria montana, Simethis planifolia, Luzula sylvatica subsp. henriquesii, Linaria triornithophora, Prunella grandiflora subsp. pyrenaica, Rumex papillaris, Genista florida; more demanding species: Galium rotundifolium, Primula acaulis, Lilium martagon, Silene nutans, Polygonatum odoratum, Clinopodium vulgare, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Euphorbia dulcis, Euphorbia amygdaloides, Melittis melissophyllum, Physospermum cornubiense, Hieracium sabaudum
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Quercus robur, Quercus pyrenaica, Betula pubescens subsp. celtiberica; Cytisus striatus; Vaccinium myrtillus, Teucrium scorodonia, Melampyrum pratense, Saxifraga spathularis, Anemone trifolia subsp. albida, Eryngium duriaei, Ajuga occidentalis, Omphalodes nitida, Luzula sylvatica subsp. henriquesii
Ecological variants
No details
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
No details
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Rusco aculeati-Quercetum roboris; Galio broteriani-Alnetum glutinosae; Salicetum lambertiano-salvifoliae; Fraxino angustifoliae-Quercetum pyrenaicae.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
acidophilous oak and mixed oak forests (F14, F24, F25), Quercus pyrenaica-forests (G65, G67), lowland and alluvial forests (U29).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Eucalyptus and pine-forestry; Ericaceae and gorse scrub (Daboecion cantabricae) with Ulex minor, Ulex gallii subsp. breoganii, Ulex europaeus, Daboecia cantabrica, Erica cinerea, Erica umbellata, Calluna vulgaris; forest mantle or scrub (Ulici europaei-Cytision striati) with Cytisus striatus, Cytisus scoparius, Cytisus multiflorus, Genista florida, Rubus lusitanicus, Adenocarpus complicatus, Erica arborea, Pteridium aquilinum; Heaths: Ulici europaei-Ericetum cinereae, Erico umbellatae-Ulicetum minoris.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Livestock meadows.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
No details
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Uplands
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
(submontane-) montane; 500-1300 m
Geology (bedrock)
base-poor siliceous rocks, granite, Silurian slate (Palaeozoic, Precambrian)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
oligotrophic partly podzolized brown soils, ranker; (stony humic and dystric cambisols; dystric leptosols)
soil texture
sandy-loamy, grouany, stony
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to moderately dry
soil reaction
strongly to moderately acidic
soil fertility
oligotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
V(VI), X
average annual temperature
6-12 EC
average annual precipitation
1000-1200 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
16-18 EC
average temperature of the coldest month
3-5 EC
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
Distinct humid climate.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Endangered.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
Nearly-natural forest stands.
causes of endangerment
Mainly fires, but also grazing and clearing.
required measures for protection and restitution
Strict protection of semi-natural stands, regeneration through cessation of use.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Portugal: Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
Portugal: Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês (broom heaths).
Most important references (author, year)
Bellot 1966; Peinado Lorca & Rivas-Martínez (Ed.) 1987; Rivas-Martínez 1987; Pinto da Silva, Rozeira & Fontes 1950
Compiled by
V. Voggenreiter based on documents by S. Rivas-Martínez (1987); A. Penas Merino and L. Herrero Cembranos; C. Pinto Gomes
