Title
Volyn-Podolian meadow steppes (Brachypodium pinnatum, Carex humilis, Festuca valesiaca, Stipa pennata, Stipa capillata, Festuca pallens, Sesleria heufleriana, Potentilla incana, Ranunculus zapalowiczii) alternating with petrophytic steppes (Helictotrichon desertorum, Teucrium pannonicum, Allium strictum, Anthyllis schiwereckii) and oak-hornbeam forests (Carpinus betulus, Quercus robur, Quercus petraea), in Podolia with beech forests (Fagus sylvatica)
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Ukraine: from the northern edge of the Volyn plateaus as fas as to the Carpathian foothills and to the Dnjestr; Republic of Moldavia: border region to Ukraine
area frequency
19 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Adropogonetum ischaemi, Avenetum desertorum, Brachypodietum pinnati, Caricetum humilis, Festucetum valesiacae, Seslerietum heuflerianae, Stipeta capillatae (Gajewski 1937); ass. Helictotrichon desertorum + Carex humilis, Helictotrichon desertorum + Sesleria heufleriana (Kukovica 1971), ass. Carex humilis + Brachypodium pinnatum, ass. Stipa tirsa + Carex humilis podolicum, ass. Cariceta humilis podolicum, ass. Stipa pulcherrima + Stipa tirsa, ass. Stipa pennata + Carex humilis podolicum (Bilyk 1973), ass. Amygdaletum (nanae) elytrigiosum (intermediae) (Kukovica 1974); Carpineto-Nemoretum ponticum, C.-N- podolicum Kleopov 1941.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Meadow steppes, and as the species composition suggests of a Central European character. Carex humilis, Brachypodium pinnatum and Stipa capillata communities dominate. Fragments of Stipa pennata communities, in the southern part of the range there are meadow steppes with Sesleria heufleriana. At steep northern slopes grasslands with Helictotrichon desertorum, at southern slopes with Festuca pallens, Poa versicolor and Teucrium pannonicum. High degree of presence (IV-V) of the herb species of the meadow steppes.In flat locations oak forest (Quercus robur), at slopes with a high proportion of Carpinus betulus as well as Prunus avium, Acer pseudoplatanus, A. platanoides, A. campestre and Tilia cordata. At southern slopes occasional fragments of Quercus petraea forests, and locally Carex pilosa beech forests (Fagus sylvatica).
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Quercus robur, Quercus petraea, Carpinus betulus, Prunus avium, Acer pseudoplatanus, Acer platanoides, Acer campestre, Tilia cordata; in Podolia: Fagus sylvatica
Shrub layer
Viburnum lantana, Corylus avellana, Lonicera xylosteum
Herb layer
forests: Carex pilosa, Aegopodium podagraria, Asarum europaeum, Stellaria holostea, Lamium galeobdolon, Cardamine quinquefolia, Galanthus plicatus, Hepatica nobilis, Lathyrus vernus, Helleborus purpurascens, Carex digitata, Geranium phaeum, Euphorbia amygdaloides, Campanula trachelium;
meadow steppes: Brachypodium pinnatum, Stipa capillata, S. pennata, Sesleria heufleriana, Helictotrichon desertorum, Festuca pallens, Poa versicolor, Teucrium pannonicum, Anthericum ramosum, Adonis vernalis, Ranunculus zapalowiczii, Asperula cynanchica, Anthyllis macrocephala, Linum flavum, Prunella grandiflora, Salvia pratensis, Trifolium montanum, Thesium arvense, Allium senescens subsp. montanum
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
forests: Quercus robur, Quercus petraea, Carpinus betulus; Staphylea pinnata, Helleborus purpurascens, Aposeris foetida, Polygonatum hirtum, Cardamine glanduligera, Crocus vernus subsp. vernus, Arum besserianum;meadow steppes: Allium strictum, Anthyllis schiwereckii, Viola jooi, Schivereckia podolica, Carlina acanthifolia subsp. utzka, Hippocrepis comosa, Anemone narcissiflora, Festuca pallens, Helictotrichon desertorum, Teucrium pannonicum, Sesleria heufleriana, Potentilla incana, Ranunculus zapalowiczii
Ecological variants
No details
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
In the southern part of the range meadow steppes with Sesleria heufleriana; small area occurrences of Moldavian tomillares and tomillares steppes (Satureja nepeta, Genista tetragona, Teucrium pannonicum, Jurinea tyraica) on limestone.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Petrophytic communities with Helictotrichon desertorum, Festuca pallens, and rare species such as Allium strictum, Anthyllis schiwereckii etc.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
acidic-soil oak forests (F12), oak-hornbeam forests (F40, F41, F44, F62), forest steppes (L3), steppes (M1).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Oak and Carpinus betulus plantations, shrub communities.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Pastures, instead of natural steppe communities secondary stands with Festuca valesiaca, Calamagrostis epigejos, Bothriochloa ischaemum, Poa angustifolia; Communities with Inula ensifolia, Teucrium pannonicum, Teucrium chamaedrys.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
No details
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
plateaus cut by valleys, hilly country
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
lowland, colline; up to 400 m
Geology (bedrock)
limestone (Cretaceous), bluff formation (Pleistocene above Tertiary)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
typical or leached weakly humic black soils, humus carbonate soils; (haplic and luvic chernozems; rendzic leptosols)
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to moderately dry
soil reaction
neutral (pH 6,5-7,2)
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
VI1
average annual temperature
6-8 °C
average annual precipitation
500-650 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
July 18-20 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
January -5 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)
The greater part of its range has been converted into crop land; locally remnants of meadow steppes and oak forests.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
very worthy of protection are fragments of meadow steppes with Helictotrichon desertorum, Festuca pallens, Stipa pennata, further grassland communities with Sesleria heufleriana, Carex humilis and Central European relict species. Sessile oak forests with Central European-sub-Mediterranean species are of special importance. Eastern outposts of Cotinus coggygria.
causes of endangerment
Forest clearing, agricultural use.
required measures for protection and restitution
Preservation of the remaining forest and steppe remnants, particularly the meadow steppe fragments.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Ukraine: nature reserve Medobory in the Ternopol'sk region (sectors Gusjatinskij and Podvoločenskij) along the right Zbruč bank and many protected objects like Kasova gora, Čertovaja gora, Višněvaja gora, Toltry "Samovyta", Četyre kavalera.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Bilyk 1973a; Diduch, Eremenko, Kukovyca & Šeljag-Sosonko 1982; Diduch, Eremenko, Kukovyca & Šeljag-Sosonko 1984; Gajewski 1937; Grin’ 1950; Kukovyca 1971; Kukovyca 1974; Šeljag-Sosonko 1974; Šeljag-Sosonko 1977; Šeljag-Sosonko & Kukovyca 1980
Compiled by
Z. Neuhäuslová and N. Doniţă based on documents of Z.V. Karamyševa
