Title
Southwest Central European Luzula luzuloides-(sessile oak-)beech forests (Fagus sylvatica, Quercus petraea) with Abies alba
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
France: Vosges; Germany: western central Black Forest
area frequency
2 polygons .
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Luzulo-Fagetum Meusel 1937, colline-submontane form with Abies alba; (= Melampyro-Fagetum Oberdorfer 1957).
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Species–poor beech cathedral forests with scattered oaks, subatlantic species and added fir at higher altitudes. Shrub layer sparse; herb layer very interspersed.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Fagus sylvatica dominating, with alternating admixture of Quercus petraea, Quercus robur, Abies alba
Shrub layer
Ilex aquifolium, Sorbus aucuparia
Lianas
Lonicera periclymenum, Hedera helix
Herb layer
Luzula luzuloides, Carex pilulifera, Deschampsia flexuosa, Vaccinium myrtillus, Festuca altissima, Athyrium filix-femina, Dryopteris carthusiana, Teucrium scorodonia, Digitalis purpurea
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Polytrichum formosum, Dicranum scoparium, Dicranella heteromalla, Leucobryum glaucum, Atrichum undulatum, Rhytidiadelphus loreus
Diagnostically important species
Fagus sylvatica, Quercus petraea, Abies alba; Ilex aquifolium; Lonicera periclymenum, Teucrium scorodonia, Digitalis purpurea, Luzula luzuloides
Ecological variants
On the western side of the Vosges Abies alba is present at a greater proportion; form with Vaccinium myrtillus on relatively dry sites, variant of intermittently-moist soils with Pteridium aquilinum; form with Luzula sylvatica at precipitation-rich sites with optimal tree growth; form with Calamagrostis arundinacea on drier-warm slopes on loam.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
No details
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Acidic-soil, open Quercus petraea and Pinus sylvestris forests on shallow slopes and rock sites, Asperulo-Fagetum, Stellario-Alnetum at streams.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
pedunculate oak-hornbeam forests (F35), species-poor beech and fir-beech forests (F83, F93), species-rich beech forests (F110), downy oak forests (G39).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Low oak forest; Coniferous plantations with Picea abies (widespread), Pinus sylvestris, Pinus strobus, Pseudotsuga menziesii, partially with Betula pendula as a degradation stage, Abies alba stands; Cytisus scoparius heaths, Pteridium aquilinum stands.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Submontane grass meadows (Alchemillo-Arrhenatheretum), infertile fodder pastures (Alchemillo-Cynosuretum), silicate shortgrass meadows (Festuco-Genistetum sagittalis).
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Cereal (rye, oat) with Galeopsio-Aphanetum; buckwheat, root crops (potatoes, fodder plants) with Chenopodio-Oxalidetum,Holco-Galeopsietum tetrahit.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Lower upland locations and foothills
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
colline-submontane; 250-500 (-700) m
Geology (bedrock)
sandstone; granites, gneiss, crystal slate, (Triassic; Palaeozoic, Precambrian)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
acidic, base-poor brown soils and parabrown soils, partly podzolized, locally ranker; (stony dystric cambisols; dystric luvisols)
soil texture
loamy-sandy, partly stony
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to moderately dry
soil reaction
strongly to moderately acidic
soil fertility
oligotrophic, meso-oligotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
VI2
average annual temperature
7,5-10 EC
average annual precipitation
700-1200 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
17-19 EC
average temperature of the coldest month
0-1 EC
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
Distinct rainshadow climate on the eastside of the Vosges in opposite to the the luv-site in the west.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Semi-natural forests with a natural tree species composition are rare; mostly pure beech forests or coniferous plantations.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
Natural forest communities.
causes of endangerment
Forestry.
required measures for protection and restitution
Protection of representative semi-natural stands.
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)
Jacamon & Timbal 1976; Müller Th. & Oberdorfer 1974; Oberdorfer (Hrsg.) 1992; Timbal 1978; Timbal 1985a; Timbal 1985b
Compiled by
C. Hettwer based on documents by J.C. Rameau, vegetation maps of France (map 18: Metz, map 27: Nancy, map 28: Alsace) and Müller & Oberdorfer, U. Bohn
