Title
Central Iberian supra-Mediterranean Quercus pyrenaica-forests with Luzula forsteri
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Spain: west and central part of the Iberian peninsula (Sierra de Guadarrama, Sierra de Gredos, Alcarreña)
area frequency
28 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Luzulo forsteri-Quercetum pyrenaicae Rivas-Martínez 1963.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
In the climax stage quite dense, shady Quercus pyrenaica forests of moderate height, deficient in shrubs, but with a rich herb layer in which hemicryptophytes predominate together with a large number of geophytes and often also thorny plants.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Quercus pyrenaica
Shrub layer
Crataegus monogyna, Cytisus scoparius, Genista florida, Rosa corymbifera, Cistus laurifolius, Adenocarpus hispanicus, Prunus spinosa
Lianas
Hedera helix, Lonicera periclymenum subsp. hispanica, Tamus communis
Herb layer
Luzula forsteri, Lathyrus linifolius, Holcus mollis, Lavandula stoechas subsp. pedunculata, Teucrium scorodonia, Viola riviniana; Physospermum cornubiense, Lilium martagon, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Melica uniflora, Geum sylvaticum, Cruciata glabra, Primula veris; Aquilegia vulgaris subsp. hispanica, Arenaria montana, Aristolochia paucinervis, Hepatica nobilis, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Milium vernale subsp. montianum, Moehringia trinervia, Sanicula europaea, Sedum forsterianum, Silene vulgaris, Silene nutans, Tanacetum corymbosum, Vicia tenuifolia, Viola odorata, Pteridium aquilinum
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Quercus pyrenaica; Luzula forsteri, Physospermum cornubiense, Primula veris, Lathyrus linifolius, Milium vernale subsp. montianum
Ecological variants
Quercus pyrenaica forests on silicate rocks in two types: a) typical type, b) dry neutrophilous form with Quercus faginea.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
In precipitation-rich regions and at higher altitudes in the Cadalso district with Genista falcata.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Ash forest with Quercus pyrenaica (Querco-Fraxinetum angustifoliae) on damp, temporarily flooded valley floors.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
pine forests (C27), oro-Mediterranean scrubs (C31), Quercus pyrenaica-forests (G66, G67, G70), Quercus faginea-forests (G71, G72, G74), Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia-forests (J4, J6, J9), open Juniperus thurifera woodlands (K29), lowland and alluvial forests (U29).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Abies alba and Pinus sylvestris forestry; low forest in the area of Bejar-Gredos with Leuzea rhaponticoides and Festuca elegans; Pteridium aquilinum as degradation indicators; the main substitute communities are scrub of the Genistion floridae with Cytisus scoparius, Genista florida, Genista cinerea, Adenocarpus hispanicus; at higher altitudes other shrubs such as Erica arborea, Rosa canina and Juniperus communis subsp. hemisphaerica become more frequent as differential species of the Guadarramian association Genisto-Adenocarpetum hispanici; Genisto cinarescentis-Cytisetum oromediterranei (in the upper supra-Mediterranean belt); Genisto floridae-Cytisetum striatae (lower areas); Thymo mastichinae-Cytisetum multiflorae (at Gredo). Cistaceae scrub (Cistion laurifolii) with Cistus laurifolius, Lavandula stoechas subsp. pedunculata, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi var. crassifolia, Santolina rosmarinifolia (Santolino rosmarinifoliae-Cistetum laurifolii); Erica scrub (Ericenion aragonensis).
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Thyme communities: Fumano procumbentis-Thymetum celtiberici. The rigorous deforestation of the Quercus pyrenaica forests for creating cattle pastures has led particularly on morphologically soft ground to grassland dominated by Agrostis castellana, accompanied by other pastureland grasses that produce biomass in the middle of summer. After that the Agrostis castellana pastures suffer a dry season. Pastures and meadows: Festuco amplae-Agrostietum castellanae, Leucanthemopsio pallidae-Festucetum elegantidis, Festuco amplae-Cynosuretum cristati on fresh sites, Festuco amplae-Poetum bulbosae; on lithosols: Hieracio castellani-Plantaginetum radicatae.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Cereal cultivation (sometimes rye).
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
Artemisio-Santolinetum rosmarinifoliae, Urtico-Sambucetum ebuli, Myrrhoidi-Alliarietum petiolatae.
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
mountainous country; fluvio-glacial terraces
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
supra-Mediterranean; 800-1600 m
Geology (bedrock)
granite, gneiss (Palaeozoic), fluvioglacial sediments (Pleistocene above Tertiary)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
acidic, base-deficient brown soils; (dystric cambisols)
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to dry
soil reaction
moderately acidic
soil fertility
oligo-mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
IV6, IV(VI)
average annual temperature
8-13 °C
average annual precipitation
600-1000 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
19-21 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
-1 to +4 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
subhumid.
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
Low forest use, afforestation with pine, clearing, grazing.
required measures for protection and restitution
Maintenance, promotion and protection of semi-natural stands.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Spain: Valle del Paular (Madrid).
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Fernández-González 1991; Navarro Sánchez 1986; Peinado Lorca & Rivas-Martínez (Ed.) 1987; Rivas-Martínez 1962; Rivas-Martínez 1987; Sánchez-Mata 1989; Sardinero Roscales 1994
Compiled by
V. Voggenreiter based on documents by Rivas-Martínez; completed by A. Penas Merino and L. Herrero Cembranos, J. Loidi
