Title
Macedonian-Thracian black pine forests (Pinus nigra subsp. pallasiana) with Genista carinalis, partly Genista lydia
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Bulgaria: Rhodope Mountains, Rila, Pirin, Slavjanka, Balkan Mountains (rare); Greece: Falakron Mountains, central Rhodope Mountains; Yugoslavia (not on the map)
area frequency
12 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Pineta nigrae Bondev 1991, Genisteta rumelicae Bondev 1991, Genisteta lydiae Bondev 1991; ass. Pinus nigra+Quercus dalechampii; ass. Pinus nigra+Ostrya carpinifolia; ass. Pinus nigra+Fagus sylvatica subsp. moesiaca-Sesleria latifolia+Carex humilis; ass. Pinus nigra-Sesleria latifolia; ass. Pinus nigra; ass. Pinus nigra+Quercus dalechampii; ass. Pinus nigra+Quercus dalechampii+Quercus cerris; ass. Pinus nigra+Fagus sylvatica subsp. moesiaca among others. In Greece probably southern end of an unit, which is better surveyed in Bulgaria.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
High-stemmed black pine forest, sometimes with additions of Quercus dalechampii or Pinus sylvestris, usually with a well developed tree and herb layer and with a shrub layer whose development depends on light supply. Only preserved in remnants in north-east Greece where it is yet to be studied phytosociologically. Genista lydia and Genista carinalis appear to be characteristic.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Pinus nigra subsp. pallasiana, Pinus sylvestris, Quercus dalechampii, Ostrya carpinifolia, Fagus sylvatica subsp. moesiaca
Shrub layer
Juniperus communis, Juniperus oxycedrus, Corylus avellana, Genista carinalis, Genista lydia, Genista rumelica, Chamaecytisus supinus, Sorbus torminalis
Herb layer
Festuca heterophylla, Sesleria latifolia, Carex humilis, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Vaccinium myrtillus, Dactylis glomerata, Poa nemoralis, Clinopodium vulgare, Hieracium murorum, Brachypodium pinnatum, Dorycnium herbaceum, Lathyrus laxiflorus, Silene atropurpurea, Helleborus odorus, Euphorbia amygdaloides, Trifolium medium, Calamintha grandiflora, Potentilla micrantha, Primula veris, Scabiosa rhodopensis; Festuca valesiaca, Phleum phleoides, Anthemis tinctoria, Hieracium bauhini, Luzula luzuloides, Aremonia agrimonoides, Calamagrostis arundinacea, Deschampsia flexuosa, Moehringia pendula
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Pinus nigra subsp. pallasiana; Genista carinalis, Genista lydia, Genista rumelica; Scabiosa rhodopensis, Moehringia pendula
Ecological variants
Bulgaria: on limestone Sesleria latifolia, Sideritis scardica amongst others
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
Bulgaria: in the south Juniperus oxycedrus, Colutea arborescens, Hippocrepis emerus etc. In the Rhodope Mountains the Pinus nigra-Ostrya carpinifolia community is very frequent. Yet to be studied In Greece. At higher altitudes Pinus sylvestris participates in the construction of many stands.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Balkan oak and sessile oak forests (Quercus frainetto, Quercus dalechampii), beech and fir forests (Fagus sylvatica, Abies borisii-regis).
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
krummholz scrubs (C39), spruce forests (D41), pine forests (D61, D63), oak-hornbeam forests (F67), species-rich beech- and mixed beech forests (F153, F154), Quercus polycarpa-oak forests (G9), Balkan oak forests (G28), mixed hop forests (G55, G56), Oriental hornbeam-mixed downy oak forests (G57).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Juniperus communis-Berberis cretica secondary scrub. In Greece presumably only grazed through forest remnants as well as Pinus nigra plantations.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Pastures.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Cereal fields, potato fields.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
---
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Middle and higher mountainous locations, mainly steep slopes and hilltops, and sites exposed to solar radiation.
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
colline, submontane to altimontane; 300-1500 m
Geology (bedrock)
lime and siliceous rock (Mesozoic; Palaeozoic, Precambrian)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
rocky raw soils and humus carbonate soils, cinnamonic forest soils, in the west Rhodope Mountains also on good, fertile soils; (stony eutric and stony humic cambisols; stony chromic luvisols; humus carbonate soils)
soil moisture, water balance
peridodically moist to moderately dry
soil reaction
acidic to neutral
soil fertility
oligo-mesotrophic to meso-eutrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
VI(VII), X
average annual temperature
6-11 °C
average annual precipitation
700-900 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
July 16-23 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
-2 to 1 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
continental-Mediterranean mountain climate (snow-rich, summer-dry).
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Relict communities preserved only in fragments. Semi-natural, well preserved stands in Bulgaria are protected in several nature reserves and national parks (Rhodope Mountains, Pirin, e.g. the Slavjanka and Osogovo national parks).
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
No details
causes of endangerment
Grazing, fire, timber cutting.
required measures for protection and restitution
No details
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Greece: Falakron Mountains, Rhodope Mountains; Bulgaria: Rila Mountains, Rhodope Mountains, Pirin Mountains.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
---
Most important references (author, year)
Bondev 1991; Mešinev 1985; Zoller, Geissler & Athanasiadis 1977
Compiled by
Z. Neuhäuslová based on documents by I. Bondev; Th. Raus and E. Bergmeier
