Title
North Iberian supra-Mediterranean Quercus faginea-forests with Spiraea hypericifolia subsp. obovata
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Spain: north-east Castilia, south-west Basque provinces, north Iberian hill country, Navarra (sectores Castellano-Cantábrico e Ibérico-Soriano (locally))
area frequency
8 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Spiraeo obovatae-Quercetum fagineae O. Bolòs & Montserrat 1984.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
In the climax stage dense, two-layered Quercus faginea forests with admixtures of Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia and Acer species as well as many shrubs, climbers and herbs.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Quercus faginea, admixed Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia, Sorbus torminalis, Acer monspessulanum, Acer campestre
Shrub layer
Prunus spinosa, Crataegus monogyna, Spiraea hypericifolia subsp. obovata, Amelanchier ovalis, Rhamnus saxatilis, Viburnum lantana, Buxus sempervirens, Rosa agrestis, Juniperus communis
Lianas
Hedera helix, Rubia peregrina, Lonicera etrusca, Tamus communis
Herb layer
Primula veris subsp. columnae, Brachypodium pinnatum subsp. rupestre, Stachys officinalis, Euphorbia dulcis; Paeonia officinalis subsp. microcarpa, Cephalanthera longifolia
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Quercus faginea, Spiraea hypericifolia subsp. obovata, Amelanchier ovalis
Ecological variants
---
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
a) typical type: upper supra-Mediterranean; b) lower supra-Mediterranean and meso-Mediterranean type with Quercus coccifera.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
alder forests with Fraxinus angustifolia, Bryonia dioica, Humulus lupulus, Iris foetidissima as representatives of the Populion.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
acidophilous oak forests (F24), oak-mixed oak forests (F33), species-rich beech forests (F136), mixed downy oak forests (G41), Quercus pyrenaica-forests (G66), Quercus faginea-forests (G71, G72), Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia-forests (J4, J8), open Juniperus thurifera woodlands (K28).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Forestry; prunetalia scrub: Lonicero etruscae-Rosetum agrestis; broom scrub: Arctostaphylo crassifoliae-Genistetum occidentalis.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Dwarf shrub-rich short-grass meadows: Avenulo myrandanae-Brachypodietum phoenicoidis, Seseli cantabrici-Brachypodietum rupestris; thyme communities: Koelerio vallesianae-Thymetum mastigophori.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Cereal cultivation, fruit cultivation.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
mountainous country
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
supra-Mediterranean, (partly meso-Mediterranean); 400-1200 m
Geology (bedrock)
limeous marl, limestone (Cretaceous, Tertiary)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
(stony humic and stony calcic cambisols)
soil texture
loamy to clayey
soil moisture, water balance
fresh, partly periodically dry
soil fertility
mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
IV6, IV(VI)
average annual temperature
11-12 °C
average annual precipitation
600-900 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
18-19 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
3-5 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
subhumid.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Only a few semi-natural stands remain, usually young forests.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
No details
causes of endangerment
Forestry, agricultural use.
required measures for protection and restitution
Preservation of the semi-natural remnants and regeneration of degraded stands.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Spain: Villatuerta (Navarra).
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
No details
Most important references (author, year)
Navarro Sánchez 1986; Biurrun, García-Mijangos & Loidi Arregui 1994; Bolòs de & Montserrat 1984; García-Mijangos 1994; Loidi Arregui, Biurrun Galarraga & Herrera Gallastegui 1997; Loidi Arregui, Díaz González & Herrera Gallastegui 1997; Rivas-Martínez 1987
Compiled by
A. Penas Merino and L. Herrero Cembranos; J. Loidi; V. Voggenreiter based on documents by S. Rivas-Martínez
