Title
East Balkanic downy oak-bitter oak forests (Quercus cerris, Quercus pubescens, Quercus virgiliana) with Carpinus orientalis, Fraxinus ornus, Cotinus coggygria
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Romania (small-scaled within G34); Bulgaria: in the east near Varna and Burgas, in the west small areas near Sofia
area frequency
5 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Carpino orientalis-Quercetum cerris Oberdorfer 1948, Querceta pubescentis-cerris Bondev 1991.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Moderately high, sometimes light, three-layered forests with well-developed shrub and herb layers consisting of many thermophilous species.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Quercus cerris, Quercus pubescens, (Quercus virgiliana), Carpinus orientalis, Fraxinus ornus, Acer campestre, Acer tataricum, Sorbus torminalis, Sorbus domestica, Pyrus pyraster, Ulmus minor
Shrub layer
Cornus mas, Crataegus monogyna, Viburnum lantana, Cotinus coggygria, Euonymus verrucosa, Ligustrum vulgare, Rosa gallica
Lianas
Hedera helix, Clematis vitalba
Herb layer
Mercurialis ovata, Piptatherum virescens, Carex halleriana, Asparagus verticillatus, Vincetoxicum hirundinaria, Viola hirta, Fragaria viridis, Lithospermum purpurocaeruleum, Tanacetum corymbosum, Paeonia peregrina, Lathyrus niger, Lathyrus vernus, Helleborus odorus, Dorycnium herbaceum, Dactylis polygama, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Melica uniflora, Teucrium chamaedrys
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Hypnum cupressiforme
Diagnostically important species
Quercus cerris, Quercus pubescens, Carpinus orientalis; Paeonia peregrina, Piptatherum virescens, Asparagus verticillatus, Dorycnium herbaceum
Ecological variants
No details
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
No details
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Forests with Quercus pedunculiflora.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
oak-hornbeam forests (F67, F68, F69), species-rich beech forests (F123, F152), mixed Quercus polycarpa-oak forests (G10), Balkan oak-bitter oak forests (G19, G21, G22, G23, G24), Balkan oak forests (G28), mixed downy oak-bitter oak-grey oak forests (G34), mixed Oriental hornbeam-downy oak forests (G57), forest steppes (L13), thorn-cushion vegetation (N3), alluvial forests (U18).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Carpinus orientalis stands, Pinus forestry, Robinia stands, Paliurus spina-christi, Prunus tenella scrub.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Pastures with Chrysopogon gryllus, Bothriochloa ischaemum, Poa bulbosa, Festuca valesiaca, Artemisia alba.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Arable crops (Cereal).
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
hilly country
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
colline-submontane; 20-500 m
Geology (bedrock)
silicate- and carbonate rocks, bluff formation (Cretaceous, Tertiary, Quaternary)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
leached, cinnamonic forest soils, brown chernozem, humus carbonate soil; (chromic luvisols; luvic chernozems; humus carbonate soils)
soil moisture, water balance
moderately dry to dry
soil reaction
moderately acidic to neutral
soil fertility
mesotrophic, meso-eutrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
VI(VII)
average annual temperature
11-12 °C
average annual precipitation
500-600 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
July 22-23 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
January -1 to 0 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
continental-sub-Mediterranean transition climate, dry summers.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Many forests are degraded strongly. The whole unit is endangered.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
because of the unique composition absolutely worthy of protection. No reserves existant.
causes of endangerment
Clearing, excessive use for low forest management, forest grazing.
required measures for protection and restitution
Protection of the few remaining semi-natural forests, ecological restitution of degraded forests.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Bulgaria: Zlatni pesaci near Varna.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Bondev 1991
Compiled by
Z. Neuhäuslová and N. Doniţă based on documents by I. Bondev
