Title
South Scandinavian Deschampsia flexuosa-(oak-)beech forests (Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, partly Quercus petraea) with Maianthemum bifolium, Vaccinium myrtillus, Lonicera periclymenum
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
small-scaled in southeast Norway; south Sweden (Halland-Scania); Denmark: large-scaled in Jutland
area frequency
21 polygons .
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Deschampsio-Fagetum Passarge 1956, Deschampsio-Fagetum myrtilletosum et athyrietosum Kielland-Lund 1981; Fagus sylvatica-Deschampsia flexuosa-Vaccinium myrtillus type (Påhlsson 1994).
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Moderately to well-growing, closed beech forests. The beech is usually monodominant. The stands have a cathedral forest character and are shrub-deficient, the herb layer in the spring is fresh green, and in the late summer and autumn it is brilliantly brown due to fallen leaves. In open places beech saplings form colonies. The herb and moss layer is in general thinned and species deficient.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Fagus sylvatica dominating, isolated interspersed Picea abies, Quercus robur, Quercus petraea
Shrub layer
young growth of beech, isolated Sorbus aucuparia
Lianas
Lonicera periclymenum
Herb layer
Deschampsia flexuosa, Agrostis capillaris, Veronica officinalis, Maianthemum bifolium, Vaccinium myrtillus, Carex pilulifera, Luzula pilosa, Luzula sylvatica, Polypodium vulgare, Gymnocarpium dryopteris, Phegopteris connectilis, Trientalis europaea, Pteridium aquilinum; rich formations with Anemone nemorosa, Carex digitata, Dryopteris filix-mas, Melica nutans, Convallaria majalis, Viola riviniana, Poa nemoralis, Solidago virgaurea, Milium effusum
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Plagiothecium laetum, Polytrichum formosum, Dicranum majus, Leucobryum glaucum
Diagnostically important species
Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur; Lonicera periclymenum; Maianthemum bifolium, Luzula pilosa, Luzula sylvatica, Deschampsia flexuosa, Vaccinium myrtillus, Trientalis europaea, Carex digitata, Melica nutans, Viola riviniana
Ecological variants
The Deschampsio-Fagetum can be divided into two subassociations: - myrtilletosum: on ridges and upheavals, with the differential species: Vaccinium myrtillus, Trientalis europaea, Luzula sylvatica, Melampyrum sylvaticum, Polypodium vulgare, Dicranum scoparium, Plagiothecium laetum, Brachythecium reflexum, Leucobryum glaucum; - athyrietosum: in moister depressions, valleys etc. with the differential species: Athyrium filix-femina, Mycelis muralis; locally there are richer forms with Anemone nemorosa, Carex digitata, Deschampsia cespitosa, Milium effusum, Festuca altissima, Equisetum pratense, Cardamine bulbifera, Hieracium vulgatum, Hieracium murorum, Lathyrus linifolius, Moehringia trinervia, Rubus saxatilis, Dryopteris dilatata
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)
Dentario-Fagetum; Melico-Piceetum; Alno incanae-Fraxinetum.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
spruce forests (D15), coastal heaths (E10), soil-acidic oak forests (F8, F10), hornbeam forests (F37), species-rich beech forests (F107), dune vegetation (P5), salt vegetation (P22), raised bogs (S8), alder carrs (T1), moist forests (U28).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Coniferous forestry (Picea abies, Pinus sylvestris); Betula pendula, Populus tremula pioneer trees; Frangula alnus, Rubus fruticosus scrub.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
No details
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Extensive areas of arable land.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
Extensive expansion of urbanised areas (particularly at the western side of the Oslo fjord).
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Mildly undulating to hilly landscape
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
lowland (boreo-nemoral lowland); to 150 m
Geology (bedrock)
Pleistocene sediments (sands, ground-, end moraines) above different rocks (Precambrian, Cretaceous)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
podzoles with raw humus, base-poor parabrown soils; (orthic and humic podzols; dystric and gleyic luvisols)
soil texture
sand, lightly loamed sand, partly gravely
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to moderately dry, locally periodically moist
soil reaction
strongly to moderately acidic
soil fertility
oligotrophic to oligo-mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
VI1, VI2, VI(VIII)
average annual temperature
5-6 EC; Denmark: 7,5-8,5 EC
average annual precipitation
500-1000 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
(16)17-18 EC
average temperature of the coldest month
(-2) -1 to 0 EC
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
Partly compact snow blanket in winter.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Only small semi-natural stands are preserved. Some stands are protected in nature reserves and private parks. In Norway, Sweden and Denmark the beech forests are located at their northern distribution limit. It is a quite widespread forest type in southern Sweden, but without protection they are frequently transformed into spruce plantations. In Denmark there are scattered incidences within smaller and larger forests as well as in the agricultural landscape.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
All natural forest communities.
causes of endangerment
Agriculture, forestry.
required measures for protection and restitution
Strict protection of representative forest stands, semi-natural silviculture.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Sweden: Söderåsen, Scania (National park planned), Hallandsåsen, Scania, Ryssberget Scania/Blekinge.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Böcher 1969; Bornebusch 1923–1925; Diekmann 1994; Diekmann, Eilertsen, Fremstad, Lawesson & Aude 1999; Hofsten & Hesjedal 1976; Kielland-Lund 1973; Kielland-Lund 1981; Korsmo 1974–1976; Lawesson 2000; Lindgren 1970; Lindquist 1931; kland 1988; Påhlsson (Ed.) 1994; Sissingh 1970
Compiled by
U. Bohn based on documents by O. Vevle, L. Påhlsson, P. Vestergaard and literature
