Title
West Euxinian sessile oak-Balkan oak forests (Quercus frainetto, Quercus iberica, partly with Quercus hartwissiana) with Mespilus germanica, Sesleria alba
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Bulgaria: northern slope of Istranca-mountains; Turkey: eastern Thracia
area frequency
2 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
1. Quercus polycarpa- and Quercus frainetto-community Bondev 1991.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Middle to well-growing oak forests with a well-developed herb layer and a shrub layer developed according to the site and/or degree of coverage of the tree layer.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Quercus frainetto, Quercus iberica, with different admixture of Quercus hartwissiana, Quercus cerris, Carpinus betulus, Carpinus orientalis, Castanea sativa, Sorbus torminalis, Sorbus domestica, Fraxinus ornus, Acer campestre
Shrub layer
Crataegus monogyna, Rosa canina, Mespilus germanica, Cornus mas, Daphne pontica; additionally Turkey: Phillyrea latifolia, Arbutus unedo, Erica arborea, Erica manipuliflora, Spartium junceum, Hypericum calycinum, Ruscus aculeatus, Ruscus hypoglossum
Lianas
Hedera helix, Rubia peregrina; additionally Turkey: Smilax excelsa
Herb layer
Brachypodium sylvaticum, Brachypodium pinnatum, Lathyrus niger, Cyclamen coum, Sesleria alba, Salvia forskahlii, Genista carinalis; additionally Turkey: Epimedium pubigerum, Pteridium aquilinum, Stellaria holostea, Viola odorata, Primula acaulis subsp. rubra, Trachystemon orientalis
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Hypnum cupressiforme, Racomitrium canescens
Diagnostically important species
Quercus frainetto, Quercus iberica, Carpinus betulus, Mespilus germanica, Crataegus monogyna, Daphne pontica, Hypericum calycinum; Sesleria alba
Ecological variants
Types on lime-containing soils with Quercus hartwissiana, Carpinus orientalis.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
No details
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
---
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
sessile oak-hornbeam forests (F69), Oriental beech forests (F161, F162), Balkan oak-bitter oak forests (G24), downy oak-bitter oak forests (G33), Oriental hornbeam-downy oak forests (G60), kermes oak forests (J34), dune vegetation (P13).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Low forest, Pinus nigra- and false acacia forestry, forest remnants and scrub on eroded shallow soils (Paliurus spina-christi).
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Pastures (small areas) with Chrysopogon gryllus, Bothriochloa ischaemum, Agrostis capillaris, Poa bulbosa.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Maize, sunflowers, wheat; vegetable farming (at lower altitudes).
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
Small villages with ruderal vegetation.
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
hilly country and lower mountainous country (under the influence of the Black Sea)
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
colline-submontane; 10-500 m
Geology (bedrock)
slate, graywacke (Pläozoikum, Carboniferous); andesite (Upper Cretaceous); non-calcic sediments (Pliocene)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
ranker and cinnamonic brown soils, shallow to medium, medium stone content, permeable; podzolized gray-brown podzolic soil, parabrown soils, deep, mostly stone-free; (leptosols; dystric cambisols; stony chromic luvisols)
soil texture
clayey to sandy loam, clay
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to moderately dry; locally periodically moist
soil reaction
moderately to weakly acidic
soil fertility
oligo-mesotrophic, mesotrophic, meso-eutrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
IV4
average annual temperature
11-14 °C
average annual precipitation
700-900 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
20-22 °C (4 months of summer)
average temperature of the coldest month
January 5-6 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
sub-continental-sub-Mediterranean transition climate, precipitation is influenced by its position towards the Black Sea.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Semi-natural stands are rare and greatly endangered. Relatively well preserved and protected in Bulgaria (2 nature reserves).
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
No details
causes of endangerment
Settlement, plantations, low forest use, forest grazing, clearing, air pollution (SO2).
required measures for protection and restitution
Protective measures in order to prevent further destruction of the semi-natural stands.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Bulgaria: Istranca-area: nature reserve Uzun budžak, Sikkosija; Turkey: in the north-east of the Çatalca-peninsula (north-western of Istanbul), forest areas of Kısırmandıra-Ağaçlı, Feneryolu, Bahçeköy (Belgrade forest).
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
No details
Most important references (author, year)
Bondev 1991; Irmak, Kurter & Kantarcı 1980; Kantarcı 1972a; Kantarcı 1972b; Kantarcı 1976; Kantarcı 1978b; Kantarcı 1980a; Kantarcı 1980b; Kantarcı 1986; Kantarcı 1988a; Kantarcı 1997a; Kantarcı 1997b; Kantarcı & Karaöz 1991; Kantarcı & Karaöz 1998; Kantarcı & Tecimen 1998; Kantarcı & Tolunay 1998
Compiled by
Z. Neuhäuslová based on documents by I. Bondev, completed by M.D. Kantarcİ
