Title
North Iberian relict supra-Mediterranean beech forests (Fagus sylvatica) with Ilex aquifolium, Saxifraga hirsuta, Galium rotundifolium, Stellaria holostea, Luzula sylvatica subsp. henriquesii
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Spain: Sierra de la Demanda, Sierra de Moncayo (north Iberian mountains), Berg Ayllón in the Sierra de Guadarrama
area frequency
9 polygons .
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Galio rotundifoliae-Fagetum sylvaticae ilicetosum aquifolii (Braun-Blanquet 1967) Rivas-Martínez et al. 1991 (= Ilici aquifolii-Fagetum sylvaticae Braun-Blanquet 1967).
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Closed beech forests of moderate growth height, with Ilex aquifolium occasionally scattered in the shrub layer. Herb layer interspersed and comparatively species-deficient. Relict beech forest outposts from the more precipitation-rich Atlantic period of the postglacial epoch.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Fagus sylvatica dominating, isolated Betula pubescens subsp. celtiberica
Shrub layer
Ilex aquifolium, Rubus idaeus
Herb layer
Vaccinium myrtillus, Erica vagans, Galium rotundifolium, Festuca heterophylla, Saxifraga hirsuta, Deschampsia flexuosa, Oxalis acetosella, Veronica officinalis, Luzula sylvatica subsp. henriquesii, Poa nemoralis, Stellaria holostea
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Fagus sylvatica, Ilex aquifolium; Galium rotundifolium, Festuca heterophylla, Saxifraga hirsuta, Luzula sylvatica subsp. henriquesii
Ecological variants
Subassociation helleboretosum occidentalis on base-rich soils with the neutro-basiphilous species Helleborus viridis subsp. occidentalis, Galium odoratum, Melica uniflora, Mercurialis perennis, Carex sylvatica, Sanicula europaea.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
Typical form on Mt. Ayllón; Subassociation ilicetosum aquifolii in the region of Moncayo with Deschampsia flexuosa subsp. iberica, Vaccinium myrtillus and Erica vagans.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Luzulo forsteri-Quercetum pyrenaicae, Festuco-Quercetum pyrenaicae.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
pine forests (C27, C28), Quercus pyrenaica-forests (G64, G66), Quercus faginea-forests (G71, G74), Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia-forests (J6, J9).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Pinus sylvestris plantations, broom scrub (Cytiso scoparii-Genistetum polygaliphyllae with Genista florida, Cytisus scoparius, Erica arborea, Pteridium aquilinum as well as Genisto floridae-Ericetum arboreae in the Moncayo), bramble scrub.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Heaths: Genisto pilosae-Ericetum aragonensis on degraded and podzoleised soils with Erica australis, Genista pilosa, Erica vagans, Calluna vulgaris; shortgrass meadows: Luzulo carpetanae-Nardetum strictae on drier sites; Erodio castellanae-Festucetum microphyllae on fresher sites; manured meadows: Festuco amplae-Cynosuretum cristati, rarely Malvo moschatae-Arrhenatheretum elatioris.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Hardly present.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
Ruderal communities with Carduus carpetanus.
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Uplands and high mountains, highly inclined slopes
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
supra-Mediterranean; 900-1800 m
Geology (bedrock)
sandstone among others silicate rocks, molasses (Tertiary, Cretaceous)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
mostly stony, acidic, base-poor brown soils; (stony humic and dystric cambisols)
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to moderately dry
soil reaction
strongly to weakly acidic
soil fertility
oligotrophic, oligo-mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
IV6, X
average annual temperature
8-13 EC
average annual precipitation
600-1600 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
16-21 EC
average temperature of the coldest month
2 to 3 EC
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
High summer precipitation.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Mainly young forest stands.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
Southernmost beech forests of the Iberian peninsula with relict character, especially worthy of protection.
causes of endangerment
Timber harvesting, forestry (forest conversion).
required measures for protection and restitution
Maintenance and strict protection of semi-natural stands.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Spain: Demanda: Valle de Oja, Valle le Najerilla, Puerto de Piqueras, Puerto de la Quseron (Ayllón).
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
No details
Most important references (author, year)
Loidi Arregui, Biurrun Galarraga & Herrera Gallastegui 1997; Loidi Arregui, Díaz González & Herrera Gallastegui 1997; Navarro Sánchez 1986; Navarro Sánchez 1989; Peinado Lorca & Rivas-Martínez (Ed.) 1987; Rivas-Martínez 1987; Rivas-Martínez, Bascones, Díaz González, Fernández-González & Loidi Arregui 1991a; Rivas-Martínez, Bascones, Díaz González, Fernández-González & Loidi Arregui 1991b
Compiled by
V. Voggenreiter based on documents by S. Rivas-Martínez; A. Penas Merino and L. Herrero Cembranos; J. Loidi
