Title
Peloponnesian black pine forests (Pinus nigra subsp. pallasiana), partly with Abies cephalonica, with Campanula stenosiphon and Crataegus pycnoloba
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Greece: mountains of the Peloponnesus: Parnon, Taigetos, Killini, Chelmos
area frequency
2 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Campanulo stenosiphonis-Pinetum pallasianae Barbéro & Quézel 1976; Crataego pycnolobae-Pinetum pallasianae Barbéro & Quézel 1976, Cicero graeci-Pinetum pallasianae Dimopoulos et al. 1996.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Dense, high-stemmed (20 m high) pine forests consisting of Pinus nigra subsp. pallasiana, with the occasional subordinate participation of Abies cephalonica (usually only in the shrub layer). The shrub layer is only weakly developed, as is the herb layer which may contain many species of thermophilous oak forests.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Pinus nigra subsp. pallasiana, Abies cephalonica
Shrub layer
Crataegus pycnoloba, Juniperus oxycedrus, Prunus cocomilia
Herb layer
Campanula stenosiphon, Trifolium heldreichianum, Iris unguicularis subsp. carica var. angustifolia; further: Anemone blanda, Campanula sparsa subsp. sphaerothrix, Galium rotundifolium, Luzula forsteri, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Aremonia agrimonoides, Pteridium aquilinum, Pyrola chlorantha, Doronicum orientale
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Pinus nigra subsp. pallasiana; Campanula stenosiphon, Astragalus thracicus subsp. parnassi, Trifolium heldreichianum, Iris unguicularis subsp. carica var. angustifolia
Ecological variants
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Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
North Peloponnesus: Iris unguicularis subsp. carica var. angustifolia, Cicer graecum, Campanula stenosiphon; south Peloponnesus: Dorycnium pentaphyllum subsp. pentaphyllum, Trifolium heldreichianum, Crataegus pycnoloba.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Abies cephalonica forests, Quercus ilex-Quercus coccifera sclerophyllous forests, Peloponnesian Balkan oak forests (Quercus frainetto).
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
holm oak forests (J22), Abies cephalonica-forests (K27), thorn-cushion vegetation (N4).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Pinus nigra plantations, Castanea sativa forests (providing shelter for livestock).
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Quercus coccifera-Juniperus oxycedrus false macchia after overgrazing.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
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settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
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Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
mountain slopes
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
montane; 1000-1650 m
Geology (bedrock)
slate, partly lime, flysch, marl (Tertiary, Cretaceous)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
stone-rich brown loam above mostly non-calcic rocks (flysch, micaceous schist); (lithic leptosols; (stony) chromic luvisols; luvic vertisols; ferralsols)
soil texture
stony, loamy-clayey
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to dry
soil reaction
weakly acidic, neutral
soil fertility
oligo-mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
IV4
average annual temperature
12-14 °C
average annual precipitation
550-850 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
21-23 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
3-5 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
Mediterranean mountain climate; locally exposed to insolation; distinct summely depression of precipitation.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Cleared over large areas and degraded by grazing and timber cutting. Semi-natural stands are worthy of protection (currently 12,000 ha).
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
nearly-natural stands.
causes of endangerment
Grazing effects, timber cutting.
required measures for protection and restitution
Cessation of use and grazing.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Greece: Parnon Mountains; Taigetos Mountains; Killini Mountains.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Barbéro & Quézel 1976; Dimopoulos, Georgiadis & Sykora 1996
Compiled by
Th. Raus and E. Bergmeier
