Title
Atlantic-subatlantic Luzula sylvatica-(sessile oak-)beech forests (Fagus sylvatica, Quercus petraea) of the Massif Central with Ilex aquifolium, Luzula forsteri, Euphorbia hyberna, partly with Castanea sativa
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
France: large-scaled in the Massif Central, Burgund, Nivernais
area frequency
11 polygons .
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Ilici-Fagetum Braun-Blanquet 1967 Euphorbio hybernae-Fagetum ass. nov.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
beech forests with small proportions of Quercus petraea and Castanea sativa in the tree layer, shrub layer sparse, herb layer interspersed with oligo- and mesotrophic, in part Atlantic species.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Fagus sylvatica predominating, interspersed Quercus petraea, Castanea sativa (introduced)
Shrub layer
Sorbus aucuparia, Sorbus aria, Corylus avellana, Ilex aquifolium, Sambucus racemosa, Rubus idaeus
Lianas
Hedera helix, Lonicera periclymenum
Herb layer
Vaccinium myrtillus, Maianthemum bifolium, Deschampsia flexuosa, Veronica officinalis, Luzula sylvatica, Luzula forsteri, Oxalis acetosella, Galium saxatile, Lathyrus linifolius, Blechnum spicant, Thelypteris phegopteris, Ceratocapnos claviculata, Euphorbia hyberna, Doronicum austriacum, Doronicum pardalianches, on mesotrophic soils: Melica uniflora, Milium effusum, Scilla bifolia, Mycelis muralis, Conopodium majus, isolated Hordelymus europaeus, Prenanthes purpurea, Polygonatum verticillatum
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Fagus sylvatica; Ilex aquifolium; Luzula forsteri, Ceratocapnos claviculata, Euphorbia hyberna. In contrast to the Ilici-Fagetum of the Amorikan Normandy Doronicum-species appear as differential species (Doronicum austriacum, Doronicum pardalianches).
Ecological variants
Form with Vaccinium myrtillus on granites and magmatites, form with Milium effusum or Melica uniflora on crystalline slates and gneisses.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
Northwest strain with Ceratocapnos claviculata, Montagne Noir with Mediterranean elements.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
No details
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
soil-acidic mixed oak forests (F7, F9, F16), mixed oak-hornbeam forests (F36, F51, F52, F53), species-poor fir-beech forests (F92, F93), species-rich beech forests (F110, F111, F139, F140), mixed downy oak forests (G37, G38, G39, G41, G42), alluvial forests (U8), alder-ash forests (U25).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Primarily pine plantations with Pinus sylvestris, Pinus nigra subsp. laricio; Pioneer forests with Sorbus aucuparia and Sorbus aria.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Dry Calluna vulgaris, Erica cinerea, Genista pilosa, Vaccinium myrtillus, Pteridium aquilinum, Deschampsia flexuosa heaths; wet Ulex minor, Genista anglica and Nardus stricta heaths. These heaths take the place of old expansive pastures. Meadows and pastures.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Mixed cultivation (rye, buckwheat, potatoes and fodder plants).
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Hilly and lower mountainous country
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
colline-submontane
Geology (bedrock)
gneiss, crystal slate, magmatite, granites; basic siliceous rock, tuffs (Tertiary, Palaeozoic, Precambrian)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
acidic brown soils and parabrown soils, partly pseudogleyed; ((stony) dystric cambisols; dystric and gleyic luvisols)
soil moisture, water balance
fresh, locally periodically moist
soil reaction
strongly to moderately acidic
soil fertility
oligotrophic, oligo-mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
V(IV)1, V2, VI1, X
average annual temperature
9-11 EC
average annual precipitation
1000-1200 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
July 15-17 EC
average temperature of the coldest month
January 0-2 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
No details
required measures for protection and restitution
No details
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
No details
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Lavergne 1969; Dupias & Lavergne 1968; Rameau 1996b
Compiled by
A. Noirfalise, completion based on documents by Rameau
