Title
Crimean meadow steppes (Carex humilis, Stipa tirsa, Festuca callieri) with Cerastium biebersteinii alternating with rock communities (Bromus cappadocicus, Stipa lithophila) with Helianthemum oelandicum subsp. stevenii, Pimpinella tragium, Androsace taurica
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Ukraine: peak plateaus of the Crimean main chain (Jaila)
area frequency
4 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Carici humilis-Androsacion Diduch 1983, Adonidi-Stipion tirsae Diduch 1983.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Montane vegetation complex of meadow steppes, tomillares and forests. The degree of coverage of the steppes and meadow communities is 80-100 %, and that of the tomillares 40-80 %. Floristically composed of Pontic, Mediterranean and boreal (periglacial relict) elements.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Herb layer
in meadow steppes: Carex humilis, Stipa lithophila, Stipa pulcherrima, Stipa tirsa, Stipa lessingiana, Festuca callieri, Festuca rupicola, Bromus cappadocicus, Adonis vernalis, Filipendula vulgaris, Medicago falcata, Paeonia tenuifolia; in tomillares: Thymus roegneri, Thymus tauricus, Teucrium montanum, Helianthemum oelandicum subsp. stevenii, Pimpinella tragium, Androsace taurica; in mountain meadows: Festuca pratensis, Poa pratensis, Briza media subsp. elatior, Danthonia decumbens, Alchemilla-species, Asperula caespitans, Cerastium biebersteinii, Potentilla depressa, Alyssum rostratum, Scorzonera crispa, Paeonia tenuifolia among others
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Stipa lithophila, Festuca callieri, Bromus cappadocicus, Helianthemum oelandicum subsp. stevenii, Pimpinella tragium, Androsace taurica, Cerastium biebersteinii, Onobrychis jailae
Ecological variants
Different types depending on soil thickness, exposure and altitude.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
In the western and central parts of the steppes with Carex humilis, Stipa lithophila, Stipa pulcherrima, and in the east with Stipa tirsa, Stipa lessingiana.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Beech forests (Fagus sylvatica subsp. moesiaca) in karst hollows.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
beech forests (F157), mixed sessile oak forests (F167), Oriental hornbeam-downy oak forests (G61), Crimean black pine forests (K20).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
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grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Pastures; replacement of feather grass steppes and sedge grasslands by Festuca callieri, Artemisia austriaca and Scleranthus annuus communities.
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
weakly undulating peak plateaus of the main Crimean mountain chain (Jaila)
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
montane; 600-1400 m
Geology (bedrock)
limestone (Jura,Trias)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
typical and leached black soils, humus carbonate soils; (haplic and luvic chernozems; rendzic leptosols)
soil texture
loamy, stony, rocky
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to moderately dry
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
X
average annual temperature
5,7-7,2 °C
average annual precipitation
600-1050 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
15,4-16,7 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
-4 to -3,3 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
moderately cool climate.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
vegetation degraded in many places by intensive grazing.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
Stipa lithophila, Onobrychis jailae, Androsace taurica, Tephroseris jailicola, Teucrium montanum among others
causes of endangerment
Intensive grazing, tourism.
required measures for protection and restitution
Reduction of grazing intensity. The steppe vegetation of Jaila has an important soil protecting and water regulating function.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Ukraine: nature reserve Jaltinskij gorno-lesnoj (Crimea), Crimean hunting-reserve.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Černova 1951; Diduch 1981; Diduch 1983; Diduch 1987b; Privalova 1956; Privalova 1958; Vul’f 1925
Compiled by
Z. Neuhäuslová based on documents of Z.V. Karamyševa
