Title
Podolian-Moldavian thermophilous hornbeam-pedunculate oak forests (Quercus robur, Quercus petraea, Carpinus betulus) with Viburnum lantana, Sorbus torminalis, Carex pediformis subsp. rhizodes
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Ukraine: Podolian and Dnjestr hilly countries; Republic of Moldavia: Moldavian hilly country
area frequency
71 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Tilio Carpinetum Traczyk 1962, Carici pilosae-Carpinetum Neuhäusl & Neuhäuslová-Novotná 1964 p.p., Quercetum podolicum Szafer 1935 p.p.Syntaxonomical conception of the unit is not yet fully clear and must be regarded temporary. Especially its relation to F41 and the demarcation of the respective units are to be examined crirically.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Shaded, 30 m tall and 80-120 year-old forests (85-100 % degree of coverage) with a stratified tree layer dominated by Quercus robur, sometimes also Quercus petraea, and with very infrequent admixtures of Acer pseudoplatanus, Ulmus glabra, Prunus avium, Tilia cordata, and in the lower tree layer Carpinus betulus. The shrub layer is very weakly developed with only a few individual specimens; the herb layer is sparse (15-35 %) and nemoral species dominate there. The moss layer is very weakly developed or entirely absent.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Quercus robur, Quercus petraea, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ulmus glabra, Tilia cordata, Carpinus betulus
Shrub layer
Corylus avellana, Cornus sanguinea, Daphne mezereum, Euonymus verrucosa, Euonymus europaea
Herb layer
Carex pilosa, Carex pediformis subsp. rhizodes, Stellaria holostea, Lamium galeobdolon, Aegopodium podagraria, Oxalis acetosella, Athyrium filix-femina
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Quercus robur, Carpinus betulus, Tilia tomentosa, Sorbus torminalis; Viburnum lantana, Ligustrum vulgare; Melica picta, Carex pediformis subsp. rhizodes, Stellaria holostea, Laser trilobum
Ecological variants
No details
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
Sorbus torminalis and Tilia tomentosa only in the south and southwest of the range. In the south there are thermophilous southern European (Ligustrum vulgare, Rhamnus cathartica) and sub-Mediterranean species (Viburnum lantana, Staphylea pinnata, Cornus mas, Melica picta, Carex pediformis subsp. rhizodes, Scutellaria altissima, Laser trilobum). In the north and northwest there are boreal species (Oxalis acetosella, Maianthemum bifolium, Trientalis europaea, Luzula pilosa, Lysimachia vulgaris).
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
In Podolia: small-sized occurrences of East European open pedunculate oak forests (Quercus robur) with steppe species (Caragana frutex, Prunus tenella, Brachypodium pinnatum) on valley slopes; in the republic of Moldovia (Kodry): oak-beech and oak forests (Quercus petraea); small patches of meadow steppes (Stipa capillata, Stipa pennata, Bothriochloa ischaemum, Teucrium pannonicum, Scutellaria verna, Jurinea tyraica) on limestone in the region surrounding the middle course of the Dniester.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
mixed oak-hornbeam forests (F41, F42a, F43, F61, F62), species-rich beech forests (F125), forest steppes (L2, L3), steppes (M1).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Low and middle forest; frequently monocultures.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Sometimes very rarely xerothermic grassland as extensive (sheep) grazing meadows.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Crop fields (wheat, sugar beets, corn), orchards.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Flat locations on plateaus, shallow peaks in the hills
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
colline; 210-380 m
Geology (bedrock)
olian (Pleistocene above Cretaceous) and fluviatile (Pleistocene above Tertiary) sediments
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
light grey and grey, weakly to moderately humic, occasionally weakly podzolized forest soils; (orthic greysems; haplic phaeozems)
soil moisture, water balance
moist to dry/fresh
soil reaction
acidic to neutral
soil fertility
mesotrophic, meso-eutrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
VI1, VI(VII)1, VII1a
average annual temperature
6-8 EC
average annual precipitation
560-750mm
average temperature of the warmest month
July 18-20 EC
average temperature of the coldest month
January -6 to -3 EC
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
---
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Hornbeam-pedunculate oak forests are very endangered mostly as small remnants. Protection of semi-natural remnants is desirable.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
Rare species: Euonymus nana, Lilium martagon, Lunaria rediviva, Listera ovata, Cephalanthera damasonium, Cephalanthera longifolia, Cephalanthera rubra, Neottia nidus-avis, Epipactis helleborine, Epipactis purpurata, among others In Moldavian hornbeam-oak forests Sorbus torminalis, Dryopteris filix-mas, Athyrium filix-femina, Actaea spicata, Paris quadrifolia, Lathyrus venetus, Lathyrus latifolius among others are called rare speciest. Occurrence of eastern outposts of Cotinus coggygria.
causes of endangerment
Clearing, transformation into agriculturally used land.
required measures for protection and restitution
Protection of semi-natural remnants is desirable.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Ukraine: nature reserve Zapovedniki Kanevskij; Republic of Moldavia: Kodry, Redenskij les.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
---
Most important references (author, year)
Gejdeman 1952; Grin’ 1977
Compiled by
Z. Neuhäuslová based on documents by Ju.R. Šeljag-Sosonko, completed by W. Matuszkiewicz
