Title
South Polish-pre-Carpathian lime-pedunculate oak-hornbeam forests (Carpinus betulus, Quercus robur, Tilia cordata) with Fagus sylvatica, with Carex pilosa, Hepatica nobilisa = lowland-colline type; b = colline-submontane type
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
a) Poland: southern and southeastern part of the country, Upper Silesia; Czech Republic: northeast Moravia; Ukraine: southwestern part of the country (Galicia, region of Lemberg);
b) Poland: northern and northeastern Carpathian foreland
area frequency
20 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Tilio-Carpinetum Traczyk 1962, south Polish-pre-Carpathian race (so far mostly called "small-Polish race" in the Polish literature). It is probable, that also the Carici pilosae-Carpinetum R. & Z. Neuhäusl 1964, could at least be partly identified with the submontane form of our unit (F42b); Carici-Quercetum Neuhäusl in Mikyška et al. 1968.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Three- to four-layered mixed deciduous forests with frequent Quercus robur, occasionally also Quercus petraea, Tilia cordata and Carpinus betulus. In the eastern part of the Silesian lowland and in the southern Polish hills also Fagus sylvatica and/or Abies alba as secondary tree types. The shrub layer (particularly in anthropogenically influenced stands) is well developed (usually a 20-60-80% coverage), and is formed especially from species of the tree layer and Corylus avellana. The herb layer is species-rich (mostly 70-90 % coverage), features many demanding herbs, in poorer forms also grasses, and is moderately to tightly occluded. The moss layer is usually only weak, occasionally with larger patches of Atrichum undulatum, Plagiomnium affine or acidophilous moss species.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
a) Quercus robur, Carpinus betulus, Tilia cordata, Quercus petraea, Populus tremula, Sorbus aucuparia, Betula pendula, Abies alba (locally); additionally b) Fagus sylvatica, in some formations Abies alba as an important accompagnying tree species
Shrub layer
species of the tree layer; Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Daphne mezereum, Euonymus verrucosa, Euonymus europaea, Rubus idaeus, Lonicera xylosteum, in degraded stands also Frangula alnus, Sambucus nigra
Lianas
Hedera helix (mostly only vegetativ at stems as high as to an altitude of medium snow covering)
Herb layer
Stellaria holostea, Dactylis polygama, Carex pilosa, Galium schultesii, Galium odoratum and many other Fagetalia and Querco-Fagetea species (Anemone nemorosa, Aegopodium podagraria, Asarum europaeum, Corydalis solida, Hepatica nobilis; Lamium galeobdolon, Polygonatum multiflorum, Primula elatior); differential species of the regional association: Euonymus verrucosa, Isopyrum thalictroides, Melampyrum nemorosum, Ranunculus cassubicus; in soil-rich stands Anemone ranunculoides, Corydalis cava, Ranunculus ficaria, Gagea lutea, in moist formations also Festuca gigantea, Circaea lutetiana, Stachys sylvatica, in mesotraphent formations often Calamagrostis arundinacea, Convallaria majalis, Luzula luzuloides (in b), Hieracium sabaudum, Vaccinium myrtillus
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Atrichum undulatum, Polytrichum formosum
Diagnostically important species
Ass.ch/d.: Carex pilosa, Cruciata glabra, Euonymus verrucosa, Galium schultesii, Isopyrum thalictroides, Ranunculus cassubicus. alliance ch.: Carpinus betulus, Tilia cordata, Stellaria holostea, Dactylis polygama, Melampyrum nemorosum. Differential species of the race: Fagus sylvatica, Abies alba, Euphorbia amygdaloides (only in b). highly present order/class ch.: Acer pseudoplatanus, Actaea spicata, Aegopodium podagraria, Anemone nemorosa, Asarum europaeum, Carex digitata, Carex sylvatica, Atrichum undulatum, Corylus avellana, Daphne mezereum, Dryopteris filix-mas, Galium odoratum, Hepatica nobilis, Lathyrus vernus, Melica nutans, Milium effusum, Paris quadrifolia, Poa nemoralis, Polygonatum multiflorum, Pulmonaria obscura, Sanicula europaea, Viola reichenbachiana. Highly present accompagnying species: Ajuga reptans, Athyrium filix-femina, Dryopteris carthusiana, Fragaria vesca, Hedera helix, Luzula pilosa, Maianthemum bifolium, Mycelis muralis, Oxalis acetosella, Quercus robur, Sorbus aucuparia, Veronica chamaedrys
Ecological variants
As a genuine climatic-zonal community the Tilio-Carpinetum is characterised in general (and particularly this strain) by a very broad habitat amplitude; correspondingly, this unit can also be subdivided into several subunits that are easy to differentiate floristically; the most important – apart from the typical "pure" subassociation - are: T.-C. calamagrostietosum with Calamagrostis arundinacea, Vaccinium myrtillus etc. (mesotrophic, weakly acidophilous, in a), T.-C. luzuletosum with Luzula luzuloides, Polygonatum verticillatum (mesotrophic, weakly acidophilous, in b), T.-C. stachyetosum with Stachys sylvatica, Festuca gigantea and other hygrophilous Alno-Ulmion species, T.-C. corydaletosum with Corydalis cava, Allium ursinum and other demanding spring geophytes.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
Two altitudinal forms: a colline form (a) - without its own differentiating species; a submontane form (b) with differentiating species: Senecio ovatus, Gentiana asclepiadea, Polygonatum verticillatum, Prenanthes purpurea, Rubus hirtus, Salvia glutinosa.The submontane form (F42b) is distributed in the Carpathian foothills, ascends in the lower belt of the Carpathians to 600m, or in exceptional cases 700 m and is gradually replaced by beech forests (mostly F135).
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Fraxino-Alnetum (particularly in a), Molinio arundinaceae-Quercetum; small sized incidences of alder carrs, sedge fens (Carex diandra, Carex lasiocarpa, Carex omskiana, Phragmites australis, Calliergonella cuspidata).
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
a) pine forests (D54), acidophilous mixed oak forests (F12, F20), mixed oak-hornbeam forests (F41, F42b, F55, F56, F61), species-poor beech forests (F96), species-rich beech and mixed beech forests (F110, F119, F125, F134), thermophilous oak forests (G1), alluvial and moist forests (U9, U24); b) acidophilous mixed oak forests (F12), mixed oak-hornbeam forests (F42a, F61), species-rich beech and mixed beech forests (F135), alluvial forests (U9).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Often afforested with pine or degraded to low forest; Sambuco-Salicion scrub; forest clearing vegetation of the Fragarion-Alliance (mostly Arctietum nemorosi, rarely also Atropetum belladonnae); forest clearing and fringe communities of the Trifolion medii (very often Vicietum sylvatico-dumetorum, Trifolio-Agrimonietum, Alliario-Chaerophylletum temuli etc.).
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Grass meadows (Arrhenatheretum elatioris) and permanent pastures (Lolio-Cynosuretum).
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Primarily arable land, in moister locations also grassland; mostly wheat/beet fields, fodder and industrial plants, fruits and vegetables; typical weed communities are: Lamio-Veronicetum politae with root crops and Vicietum tetraspermae (on lime soils often Caucalidion lappulae communities) with cereals. At higher submontane altitudes (with "b") the community common to both root crop and cereal fields, i.e. the Geranio-Silenetum gallicae Kornaś (1955) 1968, appears.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
Highly typical ruderal communities: Leonuro-Arctietum, Tanaceto-Artemisietum, on warmer sites also Onopordetum acanthii, Sisymbrietum sophiae, Urtico-Malvetum, Lolio-Plantaginetum etc.; nitrophilous ruderal communities of the Glechometalia hederaceae R.Tx. in R.Tx. & Brun-Hool 1975 (in a); trampled vegetation communities (Prunello-Plantaginetum).
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
a) most common in the hills (flat locations, also slopes of different exposures);
b) undulating plateaus in the foothills; loess landscapes are favoured; moderately high, not submerged floodplain terraces
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
a) colline; 250-400 m;
b) colline, submontane; up to 600 (700) m
Geology (bedrock)
a) eolian, fluviatile, fluvioglacial and glacial sediments (Pleistocene above Tertiary); base-rich substrates of different kind;
b) fine-grained river sediments (Holocene); loams and loamy sands, bluff formation-like dusty fine sands (Pleistocene); chalky clay, limestone of different ages, flysch-sandstone and conglomerates (Tertiary, Cretaceous)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
Typical are eutrophic brown soils and parabrown soils, lessivé-soils with indicated pseudogley-processes (in moister formations) as well as brown rendzines and humus-carbonate soils. More poor formations on oligotrophic or crypto-podzolized brown soils with mull-like duff mull; moist formations on browned gley-soils influenced by underground water; (eutric cambisols; orthic and gleyic luvisols; leptosols)
soil texture
fine-grained, silty and dusty loamy sands, sandy loams and lighter loams
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to moist
soil reaction
weakly acidic to neutral
soil fertility
meso-eutrophic, eutrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
VI1, VI8c
average annual temperature
7-8 EC
average annual precipitation
650-850 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
July a) 17-19 EC; b) 18-19 EC
average temperature of the coldest month
January a) -3 to -2 EC; b) -5 to -3,5 EC
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
Cool moderate, in the whole still suboceanic tinged climate, but with starting subcontinental influence (moderated by submontane locality).
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
The semi-natural vegetation is greatly endangered. The community has survived for the most part only in small forest remnants or enclaves; larger forest areas are very rare. All semi-natural stands are worthy of protection as biogenetic reserves.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
a) species worthy of protection: Daphne mezereum, Lilium martagon, Primula elatior.
causes of endangerment
Transformation into non-indigenous monocultures, pine afforestation, increasing general environmental pollution.
required measures for protection and restitution
Cultivation of natural tree species, establishment of more natural plantations.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Czech Republic: a) nature reserve ŠilhéÍovice northeast of Hlu…ín; hilly country ðulovská pahorkatina, Dolní Skorošice near Javorník; in Poland only in a few nature reserves; to be mentioned are "Niepo»omice" and "Ojców"-National park near Krakow, "Muszyna" in central Beskides, some protected areas in the Lublin hilly country, the National park "Roztocze" among others
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
---
Most important references (author, year)
Matuszkiewicz & Matuszkiewicz 1985; Medwecka-Kornaś 1952; Neuhäusl 1963a; Neuhäusl 1963b; Moravec, Husová, Neuhäusl & Neuhäuslová-Novotná 1982; Neuhäusl & Neuhäuslová-Novotná 1971; Neuhäusl & Neuhäuslová-Novotná 1972b
Compiled by
W. Matuszkiewicz; R. Neuhäusl and Z. Neuhäuslová
