Title
Orocantabrian-Euscaldian oak forests (Quercus pyrenaica, partly Quercus robur) with Pyrus cordata, Linaria triornithophora, Luzula sylvatica subsp. henriquesii, Arenaria montana, Anemone trifolia subsp. albida, Crepis lampsanoides
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
North Spain: Cantabria, Basque country, Galicia, Asturia
area frequency
4 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
a) Melampyro pratensis-Quercetum pyrenaicae Rivas-Martínez ex Rivas-Martínez, T.E. Díaz, F. Prieto, Loidi & Penas 1984 (Euscaldian); b) Linario triornithophorae-Quercetum pyrenaicae Rivas-Martínez, T.E. Díaz, F. Prieto, Loidi & Penas 1984 (Orokantabrian).
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Moderately-high Quercus pyrenaica forests with additions of Quercus robur, Quercus petraea and their hybrids in various mixture ratios, locally with beech or birch. Due to the late appearance of leaves the stands let much light through for long periods. Frangula alnus, Crataegus monogyna and Pyrus cordata dominate in the shrub layer. The species-rich herb layer consists of acidophilous and mesotrophic, sometimes montane and Atlantic species.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Quercus pyrenaica predominating, admixed Quercus robur, Quercus petraea and hybrides, scattered Sorbus aria, Betula pubescens subsp. celtiberica, Castanea sativa (introduced), rarely Fagus sylvatica
Shrub layer
Erica arborea, Erica vagans, Crataegus monogyna, Pyrus cordata, Ulex europaeus; additionally in a) Ilex aquifolium, Sorbus torminalis, Viburnum lantana, Euonymus europaea, Juniperus communis, Ulex gallii subsp. gallii, Thymelaea ruizii, Ruscus aculeatus;
in b) Corylus avellana, Frangula alnus, Cytisus scoparius, Genista florida, Sorbus aucuparia
Lianas
Lonicera periclymenum, Hedera helix, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubia peregrina, locally Tamus communis
Herb layer
Acidophytes: Melampyrum pratense, Pteridium aquilinum, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Agrostis capillaris, Viola riviniana, Deschampsia flexuosa, Calluna vulgaris, Vaccinium myrtillus, Polypodium vulgare, Potentilla erecta, Carex pilulifera, Danthonia decumbens, Blechnum spicant, Holcus mollis, Teucrium scorodonia, Lathyrus montanus, Hypericum pulchrum, Luzula forsteri (incl. subsp. cantabrica); atlantic-subatlantic and west sub-Mediterranean, partly Iberian endemic species: Potentilla sterilis, Symphytum tuberosum subsp. tuberosum, Helleborus foetidus, Helleborus occidentalis, Potentilla montana, Conopodium majus, Daboecia cantabrica, Pulmonaria longifolia, Agrostis curtisii, Serratula tinctoria subsp. seoanei, Festuca paniculata, Omphalodes nitida, Anemone trifolia subsp. albida, Crepis lampsanoides, Aquilegia vulgaris subsp. dichroa, Arenaria montana, Simethis planifolia, Lithodora diffusa, Luzula sylvatica subsp. henriquesii, Physospermum cornubiense, Festuca heterophylla, Cruciata glabra, Linaria triornithophora, Luzula lactea, Ranunculus nigrescens, Asphodelus albus, Galium rotundifolium/scabrum; demanding species: Poa nemoralis, Milium effusum, Vicia sepium, Silene nutans, Brachypodium rupestre, Stellaria holostea, Viola reichenbachiana, Stachys officinalis, Hieracium murorum, Veronica chamaedrys, Euphorbia amygdaloides, Euphorbia dulcis, Melittis melissophyllum, Ranunculus nemorosus, Laserpitium latifolium
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Quercus pyrenaica, Pyrus cordata; Viburnum lantana; Blechnum spicant, Melampyrum pratense, Linaria triornithophora, Luzula sylvatica subsp. henriquesii, Arenaria montana, Anemone trifolia subsp. albida, Crepis lampsanoides
Ecological variants
Typical montane facies with Erica australis; thermophilous colline and submontane facies with Arbutus unedo or Genista falcata; primarily Quercus petraea and Quercus robur in cool moist climates.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
a) montane-submontane Cantabrian-Euscaldian acidophilous Quercus pyrenaica forests with a continental hue; b) Orocantabrian and Asturian-Galician mixed oak forests with a humid climate on oligotrophic silicate soils. Galician-Asturian strain with Quercus robur; Orocantabrian strain with Quercus petraea.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
No details
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
Juniperus sibirica- and Cotoneaster integerrimus-scrubs (C25), oak and mixed oak forests (F14, F23, F25), mixed oak-ash forests (F33), species-poor beech forests (F98), species-rich beech forests (F136), Quercus pyrenaica-forests (G65, G66), Quercus faginea-forests (G73), Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia-forests (J8, J11), open Juniperus thurifera woodlands (K28), lowland and alluvial forests (U29).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Quercus pyrenaica-low forests for charcoal production; Castanea sativa plantations; Broom scrub: Genestion polygaliphyllae with Genista florida, Cytisus scoparius, Adenocarpus complicatus, Erica arborea, Pteridium aquilinum; Cytiso scopari-Genistetum polygaliphyllae at montane altitudes, Cytiso cantabrici-Genistetum polygaliphyllae at altimontane altitudes of the Orocantabrian region; Ulici europaei-Cytisetum striati in Galicia. Pioneer forests: Frangulo alni-Pyretum cordati.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Heaths of the Daboecenion cantabricae (large extent, mainly arisen as a result of fire action) with Erica australis, Erica cinerea, Erica vagans, Daboecia cantabrica, Calluna vulgaris, Genista tridentata, Halimium lasianthum subsp. alyssoides and Luzula lactea;
a) Vaccinio myrtilli-Ulicetum gallii, Daboecio cantabricae-Ulicetum cantabrici;
b) Daboecio-Ericetum aragonensis (northern Orocantabrian region), Genistello tridentatae-Ericetum aragonensis (middle Orocantabrian region), Ulici-Ericetum vagantis (Galicia). Shortgrass meadows with Danthonia decumbens, Jasione montana, Polygala vulgaris, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis durieui, Sedum anglicum subsp. pyrenaicum (Merendero pyrenaicae-Cynosuretum cristati), as well as Lino-Cynosuretum cristati.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
---
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Mountainous country
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
(submontane to) montane; 600-800 (1200) m
Geology (bedrock)
Siliceous rock (Cretaceous; Carboniferous; Devonian; Silurian; Ordovician; Cambrian)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
ranker; acidic, base-poor brown soils; (dystric leptosols; stony dystric cambisols)
soil texture
sandy-loamy, partly stony
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)
IV(VI), X
average annual temperature
6-12 EC
average annual precipitation
900 to >1400 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
18-22 EC
average temperature of the coldest month
3-5 EC
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
Humid-hyperhumid ombro climate with distinct summerly Mediterranity.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Some well preserved stands are present or have slowly regenerated due to the recession of wood cutting over the last decades.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
Malvo moschatae-Arrhenatheretum bulbosi; some endemic species as well as Linaria trionithophora.
causes of endangerment
Forestry, grazing, fire.
required measures for protection and restitution
No details
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Spain: Parque Nacional de los Picos de Europa, Parque Natural de Izki (Basque country).
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
No details
Most important references (author, year)
Díaz González & Fernández Prieto 1994a; Díaz González & Fernández Prieto 1994b; Fernández Prieto & Vázquez 1985(1987); Herrera Gallastegui 1995; Ladero Alvarez, Díaz González, Penas Merino, Rivas-Martínez & Valle Gutierrez 1987; Loidi Arregui 1983a; Loidi Arregui 1983b; Loidi Arregui, Biurrun Galarraga & Herrera Gallastegui 1997; Loidi Arregui, Díaz González & Herrera Gallastegui 1997; Peinado Lorca & Rivas-Martínez (Ed.) 1987; Penas Merino, García González & Herrero Cembranos 1995; Rivas-Martínez 1987; Rivas-Martínez, Díaz González, Fernández Prieto, Loidi Arregui & Penas Merino 1984
Compiled by
V. Voggenreiter based on documents by S. Rivas-Martínez; completion by A. Penas Merino and L. Herrero Cembranos; J. Loidi
