Title
North and central Iberian supra-Mediterranean Quercus faginea-forests with Cephalanthera rubra, Cephalanthera longifolia
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Spain: relatively large-scaled in the provinces of Castilia, Leon, Aragon, La Mancha (sectors Castellano duriense, Celtibérico-Alcarreño e Ibérico Soriano)
area frequency
28 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Cephalanthero rubrae-Quercetum fagineae Rivas-Martínez in Rivas Goday et al. 1960 (now: Cephalanthero-Quercetum valentinae Rivas-Martínez in Rivas Goday et al. 1960).
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Dense, two- to three-layered Quercus faginea forests with occasional additions of Sorbus aria and Acer monspessulanum. The shrub and herb layers are species-rich with lianas and basiphilous perennials.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Quercus faginea, admixed Acer monspessulanum, Sorbus aria
Shrub layer
Jasminum fruticans, Euonymus europaea, Crataegus monogyna, Ligustrum vulgare, Rosa corymbifera, Viburnum lantana
Lianas
Lonicera etrusca, Lonicera periclymenum, Hedera helix
Herb layer
Asperula aristata, Cephalanthera rubra, Cephalanthera longifolia, Geum sylvaticum
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Quercus faginea; Cephalanthera rubra, Cephalanthera longifolia
Ecological variants
No details
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
Meso-Mediterranean form with Quercus coccifera.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
No details
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
pine forests (C29), Quercus pyrenaica-forests (G64), Quercus faginea-forests (G73, G74), Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia-forests (J4, J6, J8, J9), open Juniperus thurifera woodlands (K29), lowland and alluvial forests (U29).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Forestry; Prunetalia scrub: Rosetum micrantho-agrestis; broom scrub: Genisto scorpii-Retametum spharocarpae.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Dwarf shrub-rich pastures: thyme communities (Lino differentis-Salvietum lavandulifoliae).
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Wheat, oat cultivation; (Carduo-Cirsion odontolepidis).
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
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Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
mountainous country
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
supra- Mediterranean; 400-1300 m
Geology (bedrock)
fluviatile sediments (Pleistocene), chalky clay (Tertiary, Jurassic, Triassic)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
base-rich chalky clay soils in subhumid regions of the Meseta (plateau) central Spain; (calcic and (stony) eutric cambisols)
soil texture
clayey, loamy
soil moisture, water balance
moderately dry, partly periodically dry
soil fertility
meso-eutrophic, eutrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
IV6, IV7
average annual temperature
8-13 °C
average annual precipitation
600-1600 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
18-19 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
2-4 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
subhumid.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Natural forests have been destroyed for the most part and only a few young, semi-natural stands remain.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
Natural vegetation greatly endangered and particularly worthy of protection.
causes of endangerment
Agriculture (livestock breeding, crop agriculture), forestry.
required measures for protection and restitution
Preservation and regeneration of semi-natural forests.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Spain: north Maestrazgo (Teruel).
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Navarro Sánchez 1986; Navarro Sánchez 1989; Peinado Lorca & Rivas-Martínez (Ed.) 1987; Rivas-Martínez 1972; Rivas-Martínez 1987
Compiled by
A. Penas Merino and L. Herrero Cembranos; J. Loidi; V. Voggenreiter based on documents by S. Rivas-Martínez
