Title
Hyrcanian colline to montane oak forests (Quercus castaneifolia), partly with Parrotia persica, Zelkova carpinifolia, Acer velutinum, Gleditsia caspia
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Azerbaijan: Talysh Mountains
area frequency
3 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Quercion castaneifoliae (Quercion querci-castaneifoliae) sensu Doluchanov.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Quercus castaneifolia forests, in part monodominant, mostly however mixed forests with Carpinus betulus, Parrotia persica and Zelkova carpinifolia amongst other mixed tree species. Often in complex with other Hyrcanian forests. Tree layer 20-30 (35) m high. The zelkova grows with Quercus castaneifolia in the main tree layer, while Parrotia persica and Carpinus betulus form the lower tree layer. The main components of the tree and shrub layers are species of the Hyrcanian or Colchic-Hyrcanian relict floristic elements. Occasionally lianas may be frequent. The herb layer is usually well developed, also with specific species of Hyrcanian and Colchic-Hyrcanian forests. Ferns are strongly represented in ravines.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Quercus castaneifolia with alternating admixture of Zelkova carpinifolia, Parrotia persica, Carpinus betulus, locally with Fraxinus excelsior subsp. coriariifolia, Ulmus minor, Tilia begoniifolia, Pyrus boissieriana, Acer cappadocicum, Acer velutinum, Acer hyrcanum, Taxus baccata, Diospyros lotus, Gleditsia caspia
Shrub layer
Danae racemosa, Ilex hyrcana, Ruscus hyrcanus, Daphne pontica, Euonymus velutina, Crataegus pentagyna, Crataegus rhipidophylla, Crataegus microphylla, Prunus divaricata, Cornus sanguinea subsp. australis, Rubus persicus, Rubus hyrcanus
Lianas
here and there Hedera pastuchowii, Smilax excelsa, Periploca graeca, Rubus raddeanus
Herb layer
Brachypodium sylvaticum, Poa masenderana, Cephalanthera caucasica, Carex sylvatica, Carex strigosa, Carex spicata, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca drymeja, Viola sieheana, Vicia crocea, Vicia truncatula, Lathyrus laxiflorus, Primula heterochroma, Trifolium tumens, Sanicula europaea, Circaea lutetiana, Euphorbia amygdaloides, Geranium robertianum, Geranium albanum, Scilla hohenackeri, Cyclamen coum subsp. caucasicum; in gorges: Matteuccia struthiopteris, Athyrium filix-femina, Pteris cretica, Asplenium scolopendrium, Dryopteris- and Polystichum-species, Polypodium cambricum
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Quercus castaneifolia, Zelkova carpinifolia, Parrotia persica, Acer velutinum, Fraxinus excelsior subsp. coriariifolia, Pyrus hyrcana, Pyrus grossheimii, Pyrus boissieriana; Frangula grandiflora, Danae racemosa, Rubus persicus, Rubus hyrcanus, Rubus raddeanus, Euonymus velutina; Poa masenderana, Cephalanthera caucasica, Scilla hohenackeri, Cyclamen coum subsp. caucasicum, Viola sieheana, Primula heterochroma, Dryopteris raddeana, Polystichum woronowii, Hypericum androsaemum, Galanthus transcaucasicus, Paeonia mlokosewitschii, Lecokia cretica, Silene schafta, Steveniella satyrioides, Trifolium talyschense, Polypodium cambricum, Digitalis nervosa
Ecological variants
Depending on location dry to moist as well as fern-rich forms.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
No details
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Oriental beech forests, Carpinus betulus-Quercus iberica mixed forests, ravine forests with Acer velutinum and Taxus baccata, alluvial forests with Alnus subcordata and Pterocarya pterocarpa, Ficus carica and Punica granatum scrub on rocky slopes.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
Oriental beech forests (F166), hornbeam-oak forests (F170), hygrophilous Hyrcanian mixed broad-leaved forests (H2).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
”Hudewald” forests and coppice forests with Parrotia persica and Carpinus betulus.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Pastures.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Tea plantations and other subtropical forms of cultivation, corn, vegetables.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
mountains, highly structured relief
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
colline to montane; from the foothills (400-600 m) up to an altitude of 700-900 m
Geology (bedrock)
sedimentary and volcanic rocks (Tertiary)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
change from sub-tropical yellow soils to brown mountain-forest soils; (xanthic ferralsols; eutric cambisols)
soil texture
loamy, partly stony
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to moderately dry, locally moist
soil reaction
moderately acid to neutral
soil fertility
meso-eutrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
V, (X)
average annual temperature
12-14,5 °C
average annual precipitation
1000-1800 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
July 21-24 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
January ‑2° to 2 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
In contrast to Colchis (H1) the precipitation within a year is distributed very irregularly: Autumn is the most rich in precipitation, the summer precipitation is only 1/6 part of the amount in autumn. Humidity increases distinctively from the north to the south.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Semi-natural forests very rare and small sized, usually replacement communities. The protection of the unique Hyrcanian forest remnant is urgently required.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
All natural forest communities; species worthy of protection (endemic): Parrotia persica, Acer velutinum, Albizia Julibrissin, Carpinus schuschaensis, Danae racemosa, Ilex hyrcana, Ruscus hyrcanus, Daphne pontica, Rubus raddeanus, Euonymus velutina among others.
causes of endangerment
Forest clearing, forest grazing, charcoal production.
required measures for protection and restitution
Marking off of larger strictly protected nature reserves.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Azerbaijan: Talysh Mountains: Zapovednik Gerkàn.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
No details
Most important references (author, year)
Grossgejm 1948; Grossgejm & Prilipko 1931; Prilipko 1970a; Prilipko 1980a; Prilipko 1980b; Safarov 1962
Compiled by
Z. Neuhäuslová based on documents by A.G. Doluchanov and Ju.R. Šeljag-Sosonko
