Title
Albanian Balkan pine forests (Pinus heldreichii) with Sesleria autumnalis, Festuca bosniaca, Festucopsis serpentini
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Albania: north Albania at the border to Yugoslavia and in southern Albania
area frequency
8 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Pinetum heldreichii Horvat, Pinetum heldreichii typicum M. Janković, ass. Thalictreto-Pinetum heldreichii M. Janković, ass. Pinetum heldreichii palulectrum M. Janković, Fageto-Pinetum heldreichii M. Janković, ass. Fritillario-Pinetum heldreichii M. Janković, ass. Peucedano-Pinetum heldreichii M. Janković, ass. Ptilotricho-Pinetum heldreichii M. Janković, ass. Seslerietum autumnalis M. Janković & Bog., ass. Senecioni-Pinetum heldreichii Fukarek, ass. Pinetum nigrae- leucodermis Fukarek, ass. Mugheto-Pinetum leucodermis Fukarek etc.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
The composition of the tree layer differs from place to place. The main tree species of this layer are: Fagus sylvatica, Pinus nigra, Pinus peuce, Abies alba. The shrub layer is frequently absent, but if present the more frequent shrubs and dwarf shrubs include: Vaccinium myrtillus, Juniperus communis subsp. alpina, Daphne mezereum, Erica carnea, Buxus sempervirens etc. The herb layer often consists of grasses of the subalpine and alpine belts. The ground surface is often covered by stones. The more frequent herbaceous plants include: Sesleria coerulans, Sesleria autumnalis, Trifolium pilczii, Festucopsis serpentini, Iberis sempervirens etc.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Pinus heldreichii, Picea abies, Abies alba, Pinus nigra, Fagus sylvatica, Acer heldreichii, Betula pendula, Populus tremula
Shrub layer
Pinus mugo, Juniperus communis subsp. alpina, Buxus sempervirens, Daphne oleoides, Rhamnus saxatilis, Erica carnea, Lonicera alpigena
Herb layer
Sesleria coerulans, Sesleria autumnalis, Trifolium pilczii, Festucopsis serpentini, Iberis sempervirens, Vaccinium myrtillus, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Festuca bosniaca, Festuca heterophylla, Luzula luzuloides, Luzula sylvatica, Geranium macrorrhizum, Dryas octopetala, Acinos alpinus, Asperula doerfleri, Silene sendtneri
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Pinus heldreichii; Juniperus communis subsp. alpina, Daphne mezereum; Vaccinium myrtillus, Calamagrostis arundinacea, Festuca rubra, Festuca bosniaca, Sesleria coerulans, Festucopsis serpentini, Iberis sempervirens, Asperula aristata
Ecological variants
No details
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
No details
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)
alpine grassland (B55), pine forests (D62), oak-hornbeam forests (F66), species-rich beech and mixed beech forests (F143, F144, F148, F159), Balkan oak-bitter oak forests (G19).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
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grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Grassland.
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
mountains
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
montane to subalpine; 1600-2000 m
Geology (bedrock)
siliceous rock: slate (Mesozoic: Palaeozoic)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
brown forest soils, ranker; (leptosols; stony chromic luvisols)
soil moisture, water balance
moderately dry to dry
soil reaction
weakly acidic, neutral
soil fertility
oligotrophic to mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
IV5a, X
average annual temperature
4-10 °C
average annual precipitation
1300-2500 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
15-18 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
-6 to -3 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
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Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
In general these plant formations are well preserved since they grow far from settlements and at poorly accessible places
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
some Balkanian, subendemic and endemic plant species.
causes of endangerment
Unstable environmental conditions.
required measures for protection and restitution
Semi-natural stands should be protected by providing them with a special status.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Albania: Tropoje (M. I. Sali Brucej, Qafa e Drockës).
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Ruci 1986; Vangjeli 1982
Compiled by
J. Vangjeli
