Title
Sessile oak-hornbeam forests (Carpinus betulus, Quercus petraea) on siliceous soils with Castanea sativa in the west Alps
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
France: Tarentaise, upper course of the Isère as far as Grenoble
area frequency
2 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Small-scaled local community, not yet syntaxonomically defined.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Three-layered mixed forests of hornbeam, sessile oak, sweet chestnut and sometimes spruce. The participation of Picea abies causes an additional soil acidification. Castanea sativa was introduced, and has spread out over 2000 years and colonised various base-rich habitats. The intermediary status of the community is emphasised by the fact that both acid and base indicators can be found next to one another.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Carpinus betulus, Quercus petraea, Castanea sativa (introduced), locally Picea abies, Fagus sylvatica, Populus tremula, Betula pendula
Shrub layer
Corylus avellana, Ilex aquifolium, Crataegus laevigata
Lianas
Lonicera periclymenum, Hedera helix
Herb layer
Pteridium aquilinum, Luzula nivea, Luzula forsteri, Carex montana, Lathyrus linifolius, Teucrium scorodonia, Euphorbia amygdaloides, Hieracium murorum
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Carpinus betulus, Quercus petraea, Castanea sativa; Ilex aquifolium; Luzula nivea, Luzula forsteri, Carex montana, Lathyrus linifolius, Teucrium scorodonia
Ecological variants
No details
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
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Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Buxo-Quercetum on limestone, Quercus petraea forests on pseudogleyed soils of alluvial terraces.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
fir and mixed fir forests (D29), species-poor beech forests (F95), species-rich beech forests (F132), downy oak forests (G39), alluvial and moist forests (U27).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Chestnut forests, Pinus strobus and Pinus sylvestris plantations, Juglans regia cultivations.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
No details
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
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settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Lower slopes and valley locations at the edges of high-mountain regions (Alps)
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
colline-submontane; ca. 200-500 m
Geology (bedrock)
sandstone, Lias-slate (Cretaceous, Jurassic), talus, boulder covers rich in silicate (Pleistocene)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
easily eluviated acidic brown soils, ranker; (dystric cambisols; dystric leptosols)
soil moisture, water balance
fresh
soil fertility
oligo-mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
X(IV), X(VI)
average annual temperature
6-10 EC
average annual precipitation
1100-1500 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
July 18-20 EC
average temperature of the coldest month
January -1 to 0 EC
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
No details
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
No details
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
No details
causes of endangerment
No details
required measures for protection and restitution
No details
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
France: west slope Chaîne de Belledonne.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Ozenda 1983; Pautou (Red.) 1978; Richard & Pautou 1982
Compiled by
C. Hettwer referring to the vegetation map of France, map 54 and after Richard & Pautou 1982
