Title
Orocantabrian-northwest Iberian altimontane birch-sessile oak forests (Quercus petraea, Betula pubescens subsp. celtiberica) and birch forests (Betula pubescens subsp. celtiberica) with Saxifraga spathularis, Crepis lampsanoides, Doronicum carpetanum, Poa chaixii, Luzula sylvatica subsp. henriquesii
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Spain: western Cantabrian mountains (Provincia Orocantábrica, sector Galaico-Asturiano, sector Orensano-Sanabriense.); north portugal: sector Galaico-Português, sector Orensano-Sanabriense, sector Estrelense)
area frequency
23 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
a) Linario triornithophorae-Quercetum petraeae (Rivas-Martínez, Izco & Costa ex F. Navarro 1974) F. Prieto & Vázquez 1987, Luzulo henriquesii-Quercetum petraeae (F. Prieto & Vázquez 1987) T.E. Díaz & F. Prieto 1994; b) Luzulo cantabricae-Betuletum celtibericae Rivas-Martínez 1965; c) Saxifrago spathularidis-Betuletum celtibericae Rivas-Martínez 1981.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Three-layered birch-sessile oak and birch forests with some shrubs and acidophytic hemicryptophytes of a mainly west-Iberian distribution.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Quercus petraea, Betula pubescens subsp. celtiberica, Sorbus aucuparia, Taxus baccata
Shrub layer
Erica arborea, Ilex aquifolium, Cytisus scoparius, Corylus avellana
Lianas
Lonicera periclymenum, Rubus fruticosus agg.
Herb layer
Acidophytes: Deschampsia flexuosa, Vaccinium myrtillus, Melampyrum pratense, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Solidago virgaurea, Viola riviniana, Holcus mollis, Teucrium scorodonia, Dryopteris dilatata, Dryopteris affinis subsp. borreri, Blechnum spicant, Pteridium aquilinum, Polypodium vulgare, Oxalis acetosella; atlantic, partly Iberian endemic species: Ulex gallii, Saxifraga spathularis, Ceratocapnos claviculata, Crepis lampsanoides, Luzula sylvatica subsp. henriquesii, Genista florida, Doronicum carpetanum; more demanding species: Poa nemoralis, Dryopteris filix-mas, Stellaria holostea, Anemone nemorosa, Hieracium murorum, Euphorbia amygdaloides, Euphorbia dulcis; montane species: Polygonatum verticillatum, Poa chaixii, Valeriana montana
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Polytrichum formosum
Diagnostically important species
Quercus petraea, Betula pubescens subsp. celtiberica, Erica arborea, Ilex aquifolium; Luzula sylvatica subsp. henriquesii, Saxifraga spathularis, Crepis lampsanoides, Doronicum carpetanum, Poa chaixii, Blechnum spicant, Vaccinium myrtillus
Ecological variants
No details
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
b) Luzulo cantabricae-Betuletum celtibericae in the Cantabrian mountains; c) Saxifrago spathularidis-Betuletum celtibericae in the west Cantabrian mountains and in the Sierra da Estrêla.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Galio broteriani-Alnetum glutinosae; Salicetum lambertiano-salvifoliae; Fraxino angustifoliae-Quercetum pyrenaicae.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
Juniperus sibirica- and Cotoneaster integerrimus-scrubs (C25, C26), oak and mixed oak forests (F14, F15, F23, F24), mixed oak-ash forests (F33), species-poor beech forests (F98), species-rich beech forests (F138), Quercus pyrenaica-forests (G65), Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia-forests (J11).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Pine forestry;
a, b) broom scrub: Genistetum polygaliphyllo-obtusirameae, Cytiso cantabrici-Genistetum obtusirameae, Cytiso cantabrici-Genistetum polygaliphyllae, Cytiso scoparii-Genistetum polygaliphyllae, Cytisetum scopario-oromediterranei. Heaths: Daboecio cantabricae-Ulicetum cantabrici, Halimio alyssoidis-Ulicetum gallii, Daboecio cantabricae-Ericetum aragonensis, Erico umbellatae-Genistetum sanabrensis;
c) Broom scrub: Cytiso striati-Genistetum polygaliphyllae; Heaths: Junipero nanae-Ericetum aragonensis.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
a, b) Pastures: Merendero pyrenaicae-Cynosuretum cristati; Shortgrass meadows: Luzulo carpetanae-Pedicularietum sylvaticae, Capanulo herminii-Trifolietum alpini; Matgrass communities: Poo legionensis-Nardetum strictae, Galio saxatile-Nardetum strictae;
c) Shortgrass meadows: Campanulo herminii-Nardion strictae.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
---
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
Cirsion richteriano-chodati.
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
High-mountain regions, steep slopes and stabilised debris fans
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
a, b) altimontane; 1600-1800 m;
b) upper supra-Mediterranean line; 1400-1750 m
Geology (bedrock)
base-poor siliceous rock (Tertiary, Triassic; Silurian, Ordovician)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
ranker; shallow acidic mountain brown soils; (dystric leptosols; stony dystric cambisols)
soil texture
stony-grouany loam
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), V(VI), X
average annual temperature
6-12 EC
average annual precipitation
>1300 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
18-22 EC
average temperature of the coldest month
-2 to 2 EC
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
Humid climate.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Only preserved in small area fragments.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
More rare in Cantabria sind Betula pubescens subsp. celtiberica-forests.
causes of endangerment
Timber use, grazing, fire, road construction, winter sports.
required measures for protection and restitution
Preservation of semi-natural stands.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Portugal: Serra Amarela (Parque Natural do Gerês), Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês, Parque Natural da Serra da Estrêla; Spain: Laciana and Ancares, Lago de la Baña, Peña Trevinca, Caurel.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
No details
Most important references (author, year)
Díaz González & Fernández Prieto 1987; Díaz González & Fernández Prieto 1994a; Díaz González & Fernández Prieto 1994b; Fernández Prieto & Vázquez 1985(1987); García González 1990; Hernandez Hernandez 1987; Izco 1987; Ladero Alvarez, Díaz González, Penas Merino, Rivas-Martínez & Valle Gutierrez 1987; Lôpez Pacheco 1988; Lôpez Pacheco & Puente García 1987; Ortiz 1986; Penas Merino, García González & Herrero Cembranos 1995; Perez Morales 1987; Rivas-Martínez 1981; 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, J. Cross, A. Penas Merino and L. Herrero Cembranos, C. Pinto Gomes, J. Loidi, completed by J. Pallas
