Title
Languedocian downy oak forests (Quercus pubescens) with Castanea sativa and Ilex aquifolium on siliceous rocks
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
France: Cévennes up to the Montagne Noir (up to zu 25 km broad strip)
area frequency
2 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Conopodio-Quercetum petraeae (Braun-Blanquet 1970) Rameau 1996 castanetosum (= Querco-Castanetum Braun-Blanquet 1950).
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Three-layered stand type with Quercus spp. or Castanea sativa dominating in the tree layer. The shrub and dwarf shrub layer is dominated by broom and heath species. The herb layer is usually contiguous. The combination of acidophilous and mesoxerophytic species is characteristic.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Quercus pubescens, Quercus petraea, Castanea sativa, Betula pendula
Shrub layer
Ilex aquifolium, Cytisus scoparius, Juniperus communis
Herb layer
Erica scoparia, Erica cinerea, Calluna vulgaris, Genista pilosa; Conopodium majus, Pteridium aquilinum, Viola riviniana, Teucrium scorodonia, Lathyrus linifolius, Clinopodium vulgare, Hypericum montanum, Senecio adonidifolius, Luzula forsteri, Holcus mollis, Hieracium sabaudum, Veronica officinalis
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Quercus pubescens, Castanea sativa; Ilex aquifolium, Cytisus scoparius; Erica scoparia, Erica cinerea, Calluna vulgaris, Conopodium majus, Teucrium scorodonia, Luzula forsteri
Ecological variants
Differentiation according to water and nutrient balance.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
No details
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
North-west incidences of Pinus nigra subsp. salzmannii stands; rock and rubble vegetation.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
species-poor (mixed) beech forests (F82, F92), species-rich beech forests (F139), downy oak forests (G38, G41), holm oak forests (J14, J15).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Forestry; sometimes large areas where use has been abandoned and natural succession has set in.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Acidophilous heaths and short-grass meadows.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
---
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
---
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
mountainous country
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
submontane to montane
Geology (bedrock)
siliceous rocks: micaceous slate, slate (Cambrian, Ordovician; Tertiary, Cretaceous)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
acidic, base-deficient brown soils, humus types mull-like mor to mull-like dysmor; (stony dystric cambisols)
soil moisture, water balance
moderately dry, dry
soil fertility
oligo-mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
V(IV)1
average annual temperature
10-13 °C
average annual precipitation
900-1500 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
19-21 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
2-6 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
---
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Often transformed into sweet chestnut forests
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
No details
causes of endangerment
Timber cutting, low forest management.
required measures for protection and restitution
Promotion of natural regeneration.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
No details
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
No details
Most important references (author, year)
Braun-Blanquet 1970; Rameau 1996b; Rameau 1997
Compiled by
C. Hettwer based on documents by J.C. Rameau
