Title
Norman-Belgian (sessile oak-)beech forests (Fagus sylvatica, Quercus petraea) with Ilex aquifolium, Luzula sylvatica, partly Luzula forsteri
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
France: Normandy, Ile de France, Loiret (large-scaled in the west, scattered to the east); Belgium: Flanders; Netherlands: border region towards Belgium
area frequency
69 polygons .
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Ilici-Fagetum Noirfalise & Sougnez 1967, Fago-Quercetum Tüxen 1955 (Ilici-Fagion Braun-Blanquet 1966).
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Mainly beech forests with varying proportions of Quercus petraea. The stands have a relatively dense leaf canopy and a shrub layer in which Ilex aquifolium dominates and which can form dense, high shrubs. Undergrowth with sweet-grasses and acidophytic mosses on silicate substrate.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Fagus sylvatica dominating, admixed Quercus petraea, Quercus robur (rarely with its hybridogene variety species Quercus x rosacea), comparatively rarely Betula pendula, Populus tremula
Shrub layer
Ilex aquifolium, Sorbus aucuparia, Frangula alnus, Betula pendula, Populus tremula, Malus sylvestris and Mespilus germanica; on moist soils Betula pubescens
Lianas
Hedera helix, Lonicera periclymenum (both can be developed as lianas or can be restricted to the herb layer)
Herb layer
Vaccinium myrtillus, Deschampsia flexuosa, Luzula sylvatica, Luzula pilosa, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Holcus mollis, Carex pilulifera, Melampyrum pratense, Teucrium scorodonia, Hypericum pulchrum, Solidago virgaurea, Polypodium vulgare; auf moisten Standorten Molinia caerulea
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Dicranum scoparium, Hypnum cupressiforme, Polytrichum formosum, Thuidium tamariscinum, Leucobryum glaucum
Diagnostically important species
Fagus sylvatica, Quercus petraea; Ilex aquifolium (vitally and frequent); Digitalis purpurea, Luzula sylvatica; in moist climates Rhytidiadelphus loreus and Ceratocapnos claviculata
Ecological variants
- typical form ("vaccinietosum") corresponds to the preceding description. Their habitats are formed by oligotrophic and acidic brown earths.- form with Luzula sylvatica ("luzuletosum") is characteristic for fresh soils or shady slopes; Luzula sylvatica is accompanied by Dryopteris dilatata, D. carthusiana and other ferns. On brown earths and pseudogleyed para-brown earths.- moist form with Molinia caerulea ("molinietosum") on gleyed podluvisols and more heavily oligotrophic than the preceding forms. Molinia caerulea is accompanied by Blechnum spicant, Athyrium filix-femina and various hygrophytic Carex species. Quercus robur and Betula pubescens occur in this form in particular.- Form with Milium effusum ("milietosum" or “melicetosum”), Anemone nemorosa, Polygonatum multiflorum, Scrophularia nodosa, Oxalis acetosella and possibly Melica uniflora characterise acidic cambisols and luvisols with a mesotrophic tendency. Here, Corylus avellana and Carpinus betulus (within their range) can occasionally appear in the area.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
The Belgian vicariant in the colline belt is characterised by Maianthemum bifolium, various Hieracium species (Hieracium umbellatum, Hieracium lachenalii, Hieracium laevigatum and Hieracium sabaudum) and Convallaria majalis. Ilex aquifolium is clearly less common, in lower and middle parts of Belgium it is even rare.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
The loess loams rare in Armorican Normandy still harbour small islands of the Endymio-Fagetums (F65). In the Belgian range on these rare loamy small islands one finds either the Endymio-Carpinetum (F20), or in the French-Belgian mountains (Mont Noir, Mont Kemmel) the Endymio-Fagetum. On the other hand the Querco-Betuletum (F4) gains the upper hand in Flanders on small islands of the niveal-aeolic quaternary and podzoleised sands. The alder forests of wet locations (T1) belong in the Belgian range to the Carici elongatae-Alnetum and within the range of Armorican Normandy to the Carici laevigatae-Alnetum.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
coastal rocky heaths (E11, E12), soil-acidic oak forests (F4, F5, F6, F8), mixed oak-ash forests (F32), mixed oak-hornbeam forests (F34, F50), species-poor beech forests (F75), species-rich beech forests (F106, F111), downy oak forests (G37), dune vegetation (P6), birch carrs (T4), alluvial and moist forests (U8, U9, U24, U28).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Bocage with beech or sweet chestnut. Forestry: beech in state forests. Quercus robor, accompanied by the birch, is quite often the only dominant species in low forests. Castanea sativa and various conifer species were introduced by planting. The fir, Abies alba, was introduced long ago to high locations within Armorican Normandy ("Norman Alps"). Areas that have been clear cut have been overgrown by Digitalis purpurea and Epilobium angustifolium, whereby the former can survive under the leaf canopy of the forest. As soon as the leaf canopy becomes open or is very high up, Pteridium aquilinum or Rubus fruticosus overgrow everything and in so doing can form a facies in the herb layer.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
In Normandy mainly grazing and dairy production, based on the Normandy cow breed.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Within the Belgian range: open landscape in Flanders and otherwise agriculturally exploited landscape.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Plains and gentle hills
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
lowland, colline; to ca. 350 m
Geology (bedrock)
granites, quartz sands, slate, sandstone (Tertiary, Cretaceous, Cambrian, Ordovician, Precambrian)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
oligotrophic, acidic brown soils, pseudogleyed parabrown soils, gleyed gray-brown podzolic soil; (dystric cambisols; orthic and gleyic luvisols)
soil texture
sandy-loamy, often skeletal
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to moist
soil fertility
oligotrophic, oligo-mesotrophic (to mesotrophic)
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
V(IV)2, VI(V)2
average annual temperature
10-12 EC
average annual precipitation
600-900 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
July 16-17 EC
average temperature of the coldest month
January 3-7 EC
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
---
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
Clearing, timber harvesting, forestry.
required measures for protection and restitution
No details
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
France: Beautiful acidophytlous beech forests with Ilex exist in the forest of Cérisy and Velle-Cartier (Armorikan Normandy); Belgium: forest of Soignes near Brussels, forest of Meerdaal and Aachener Wald (F52°).
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
The heath of Oberkempen with Erica cinerea is protected by a state-owned nature reserve.
Most important references (author, year)
Botineau 1988; Durin, Géhu, Noirfalise & Sougnez 1967; Lemée 1937; Noirfalise 1984
Compiled by
A. Noirfalise, completed by R. Haveman
