Title
Balkanic mixed hop-hornbeam forests (Ostrya carpinifolia), partly with Fraxinus ornus, Carpinus orientalis, Tilia tomentosa, Fagus sylvatica subsp. moesiaca, with Cyclamen hederifolium
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
South-west Bulgaria: Slavjanka, Pirin, Rhodope mountains, Rila, Osogovo, Zemenska, Konevska, Malaševskaja among others (small-scaled, mostly not mapped)
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Ostryeta carpinifoliae Bondev 1991.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Usually two-layered (tree layer, herb layer), species-rich, hop-hornbeam-beech forests.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Ostrya carpinifolia, Fraxinus ornus, Carpinus orientalis, Fagus sylvatica subsp. moesiaca, Pinus nigra, Tilia tomentosa, Corylus colurna, Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus dalechampii, Pinus heldreichii (Slavjanka, Pirin), here and there Juglans regia
Shrub layer
Crataegus monogyna, Rosa pimpinellifolia, Juniperus communis, Juniperus oxycedrus, Juniperus excelsa, Hippocrepis emerus, Colutea arborescens among others
Herb layer
Brachypodium sylvaticum, Erythronium dens-canis, Primula veris, Cyclamen hederifolium, Muscari neglectum, Euphorbia amygdaloides, Geum urbanum, Cardamine bulbifera, Sesleria latifolia, Geranium sanguineum among others
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Hypnum cupressiforme, Hylocomium splendens
Diagnostically important species
Ostrya carpinifolia, Fraxinus ornus, Carpinus orientalis, Tilia tomentosa, Corylus colurna; Erythronium dens-canis, Sesleria latifolia, Cyclamen hederifolium
Ecological variants
No details
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
In the Kresna gorge with Juniperus excelsa; in Slavjanka and Pirin sometimes with Pinus heldreichii, Sesleria latifolia, Festuca pirinensis etc.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Forests with Fagus sylvatica subsp. moesiaca, Quercus dalechampii, Quercus pubescens amongst others.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
pine forests (D63), species-rich beech forests (F153), downy oak-bitter oak forests (G31), Oriental hornbeam-downy oak forests (G59), black pine forests (K16).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Carpinus orientalis low forests, Juniperus communis and Juniperus oxycedrus scrub, Pinus nigra and Pinus sylvestris forestry.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Dry pastures.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Vineyards, rarely crop fields.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
---
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
south exposed slopes, gorges/ravines in mountainous country
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
colline to submontane (montane); 100-1500 m
Geology (bedrock)
Cretaceous
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
cinnamonic soils; (chromic cambisols; chromic luvisols)
soil texture
loamy, stony-rocky
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to moderately dry
soil reaction
acidic to neutral
soil fertility
mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
VI(VII)
average annual temperature
9-11 °C
average annual precipitation
ca. 700 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
July 18-22 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
January -2 to 0 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
Subcontinental-sub-Mediterranean transition region.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
No details
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
No details
causes of endangerment
No details
required measures for protection and restitution
Protected in some nature reserves.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Bulgaria: nature reserve Tisata.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
No details
Most important references (author, year)
Bondev 1991
Compiled by
Z. Neuhäuslová based on documents by I. Bondev
