Title
Subatlantic Luzula luzuloides-fir-beech forests (Fagus sylvatica, Abies alba) with Ilex aquifolium, Prenanthes purpurea
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
France: Morvan, Vosges; Germany: Black Forest
area frequency
4 polygons .
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Luzulo-Fagetum Meusel 1937, montane form; Luzulo-Fagetum with Abies alba Oberdorfer 1957.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Tall-growing fir-beech forest with changing proportions of the major tree species. The growth of the beech is much better due to the cooler and moister climate in mountainous locations compared to the colline-submontane form. The shrub and herb layers are sparsely developed.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Fagus sylvatica predominating, with alternating admixture of Abies alba, (Picea abies, introduced to the Black Forest)
Shrub layer
Sorbus aucuparia, Sambucus racemosa, Ilex aquifolium, Frangula alnus, Lonicera nigra, Ribes alpinum
Lianas
Rubus fruticosus, (Hedera helix)
Herb layer
Festuca altissima, Prenanthes purpurea, Dryopteris dilatata, Phegopteris connectilis, Digitalis purpurea, Senecio ovatus, Luzula sylvatica, Luzula luzuloides, Vaccinium myrtillus, Carex pilulifera, Deschampsia flexuosa, Galium saxatile, Veronica officinalis, Oxalis acetosella; in rich formations: Anemone nemorosa, Galium odoratum, Viola reichenbachiana, Galium rotundifolium
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Polytrichum formosum, Dicranum scoparium, Hylocomium splendens
Diagnostically important species
Fagus sylvatica, Abies alba; Ilex aquifolium; Luzula luzuloides, Vaccinium myrtillus, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca altissima, Prenanthes purpurea, Digitalis purpurea
Ecological variants
The following habitat forms can be distinguished: subassociation of Vaccinium myrtillus on comparatively dry, oligotrophic and acidic sites with a typical variant showing moderate tree growth on distinctively dry sites (here the fir often recedes) and a variant with Oxalis acetosella on fresher sites (fir more strongly represented); typical subassociation on moderately dry to moderately fresh sites; subassociation with Luzula sylvatica on fresh humid-air sites; subassociation with Festuca altissima on markedly fresh sites; subassociation with Valeriana tripteris on rocky slope sites in the Vosges; subassociation with Calamagrostis arundinacea in warm, south to west exposed locations.
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)
The natural habitats of the spruce are almost completely restricted to podzoles (Hylocomio-Piceetum) in glacier kettles of the upper Fechttal; open common (Scots) pine stands on gravelly, sun-exposed, steep slopes above sandstone in the Vosges. Hardwood ravine forests consisting of Acer spp., Tilia platyphyllos, Ulmus glabra, Lunaria rediviva, Centaurea montana, Lilium martagon and Adenostyles alliariae. Galio-Abietetum, Galio odorati-Fagetum; Luzulo-Abietetum, Bazzanio-Piceetum; raised bog communities of mountainous country, sometimes with Pinus rotundata.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
fir forests (D24), species-poor beech and mixed beech forests (F82, F83, F86, F94), species-rich beech and fir-beech forests (F110, F129, F131).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Mainly spruce forestry, as well as Douglas-fir forestry, pine forestry, and sometimes fir stands; forest clearing vegetation: Epilobion angustifolii.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Grassland farming in the agriculturally used valleys; with extensive use: dwarf shrub heaths and matgrass communities (Polygalo-Nardetum); with intensive use: fodder meadows: Poo-Trisetetum; pastures: Alchemillo-Cynosuretum.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Chenopodio-Oxalidetum, altitudinal form (Galeopsio-Chenopodietum), Galeopsio-Alchemilletum; potato cultivation: Holco-Galeopsietum tetrahit; rye, oat: Galeopsio-Aphanetum.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Silicate uplands
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
(submontane) montane; Vosges: Lothringian side: 400 to 1000 m, Alsatian side: 500 to 1000 m
Geology (bedrock)
sandstone, grauwacke (Triassic, Permian); crystal gneiss, granites (Palaeozoic, Precambrian); Pleistocene sediments (bluff formation)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
acidic, base-poor brown soils and parabrown soils, rarely podzole, partly pseudogleyed, mull-like mor-humus; (stony dystric cambisols; orthic luvisols)
soil texture
sandy to loamy, partly stony
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to moderately dry, partly stagnating moist
soil reaction
strongly to moderately acidic
soil fertility
oligotrophic, oligo-mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
VI2, VI8d, VI9c, X
average annual temperature
6-10 EC
average annual precipitation
700-1500 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
July 16-19 EC
average temperature of the coldest month
January -2 to 1 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 are still preserved, often pure beech stands.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
Natural forest communities.
causes of endangerment
Transformation of semi-natural forests into coniferous plantations; changes in economic use; alteration of habitats.
required measures for protection and restitution
Protective measures of different types are necessary in order to ensure preservation. Usage must take second place to protection.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
11. localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Germany: BW Flüh, BW Conventwald, BW Wehratal (Baden-Württemberg).
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Jacamon & Timbal 1976; Oberdorfer (Hrsg.) 1992; Timbal 1978; Timbal 1985a; Rameau 1996c
Compiled by
A. Noirfalise; U. Bohn
