Title
Sub-Pannonian-Illyrian Luzula luzuloides-(sessile oak-)beech forests (Fagus sylvatica, Quercus petraea agg.) with Deschampsia flexuosa, Melampyrum pratense, Hieracium murorum agg.
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Austria: southern Styria, Burgenland, Lower Austria (Bucklige Welt); northeast Slovenia; Croatia: Slavonia; Bosnia-Herzegovina: Majevica, Javor, Vitorog
area frequency
26 polygons .
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Luzulo-Fagetum Meusel 1937.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
beech cathedral forests, in the shrub layer mainly tree upgrowths. The herb layer is very species-poor and interspersed, the moss layer is sparse, and there are many fungi.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Fagus sylvatica dominating, interspersed Quercus petraea agg., Quercus robur, Castanea sativa
Shrub layer
Young growth of tree species, Sorbus aria, Corylus avellana, Frangula alnus, Crataegus monogyna, (Fraxinus ornus)
Herb layer
Luzula luzuloides, Deschampsia flexuosa, Hieracium murorum, Hieracium sabaudum, Hieracium racemosum, Hieracium lachenalii, Hieracium rotundatum, Calluna vulgaris, Chamaecytisus supinus, Festuca heterophylla, Melampyrum pratense
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Hypnum cupressiforme (at stem feet), Polytrichum formosum
Diagnostically important species
Fagus sylvatica, Quercus petraea, Castanea sativa; Luzula luzuloides, Luzula sylvatica subsp. sylvatica, Luzula forsteri, Melampyrum pratense subsp. commutatum, Hieracium rotundatum, Chamaecytisus supinus, Festuca heterophylla
Ecological variants
Various trophic and humidity forms.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
Fore-Alp strain with Cardamine trifolia, Hieracium rotundatum, pre-Dinaric strain with Calamintha grandiflora, Epimedium alpinum, middle-Balkan strain with Fagus sylvatica subsp. moesiaca, Luzula forsteri.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Carpino-Quercetum roboris, Lamio orvalae-Fagetum, Seslerio autumnalis-Fagetum, Abieti-Fagetum s. l., Luzulo-Abietetum, Oxali-Abietetum, Ostryo-Quercetum, Seslerio-Ostryetum, Genisto elatae-Quercetum s. l.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
dwarf pine scrubs (C37), fir- and mixed fir forests (D29), spruce forests (D38, D39), soil-acidic oak forests (F20), oak-hornbeam forests (F47, F58, F65), species-poor beech forests (F96), species-rich beech and mixed beech forests (F117, F120, F121, F133, F142, F143, F149, F150, F158), thermophilous mixed sessile oak forests (G6), hop-downy oak forests (G48), alluvial and moist forests (U9, U16, U17).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Frequently pine forestry, oak and sweet chestnut forests.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Matgrass communities (Nardetum s. l.).
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Potatoes, rye, oat, barley.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Hilly country, lower mountainous country
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
colline-submontane (to montane); 200-600 (1300) m
Geology (bedrock)
flysch, sandstone, slate, metamorphic and endogenetic rocks (Tertiary, 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; (stony dystric cambisols; dystric luvisols; podzoluvisols)
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to moderately dry
soil reaction
strongly to moderately acidic
soil fertility
oligotrophic, oligo-mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
VI2b, VI3c, VI(VII)
average annual temperature
7-10 EC
average annual precipitation
800-1500 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
17-19 EC
average temperature of the coldest month
-2,5 to 0 EC
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
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Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Only a few semi-natural stands remain preserved.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
Natural forest communities.
causes of endangerment
Forestry, clearing.
required measures for protection and restitution
Semi-natural silviculture, establishment of representative protected nature reserves.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Bucklige Welt (Lower Austria).
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Hartmann & Jahn 1967; Marinček & Zupančič 1979; Mayer 1974; Oberdorfer 1957; Oberdorfer (Hrsg.) 1992; Wallnöfer, Mucina & Grass 1993; Zukrigl 1973; Zupančič et al. 1986
Compiled by
K. Zukrigl under use of documents by M. Zupan…i…
