Title
Talysh thorn-cushion vegetation (Astragalus aureus, Astragalus meyeri, Astragalus hohenackeri, Onobrychis cornuta) with Thymus trautvetteri, Astragalus sahendi, Astragalus zuvanticus
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Azerbaijan: Talysh Mountains
area frequency
2 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Astragaleta aurei, Astragaleta meyeri.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Dominant thorn-cushion shrubs: Astragalus aureus, Astragalus meyeri, Astragalus hohenackeri (Talysh-north-west Iranian species), Onobrychis cornuta, Acantholimon hohenackeri (typical dwarf shrub components), Astragalus sahendi (Talysh-north-west Iranian dwarf shrub) in combination with dwarf semishrubs, perennial herbs and steppe grasses.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Shrub layer
Astragalus aureus, Astragalus meyeri, Astragalus hohenackeri, Onobrychis cornuta, Acantholimon hohenackeri
Herb layer
dwarf semishrubs: Thymus trautvetteri (Talysh-endemic), Ziziphora biebersteiniana, Stachys lavandulifolia. Typical hemicryptophyts: Astragalus glochideus, Astragalus zuvanticus (Talysh-endemics), Achillea vermicularis, Scutellaria platystegia (south Transcaucasian-Karabach-Talysh), Astragalus cancellatus, Euphorbia marschalliana, Euphorbia szovitsii; steppe grasses: Festuca valesiaca, Stipa caspia
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Astragalus aureus, Astragalus meyeri, Astragalus hohenackeri, Astragalus sahendi, Astragalus zuvanticus, Onobrychis cornuta, Thymus trautvetteri
Ecological variants
No details
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
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Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Mountain and meadow steppes, schibljak.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
Oriental beech forests (F166), Caucasian oak forests (F170), thermophytic mixed broad-leaved forests (H2), mountain steppes (M11).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
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grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Pastures.
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
steep and rocky mountain slopes
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
altimontane, subalpine; 1500-1800 (2000) m
Geology (bedrock)
volcanic rocks (Tertiary)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
shallow and stony mountain soils; (rendzic leptosols; cambisols)
soil moisture, water balance
dry
soil reaction
weakly acidic, neutral
soil fertility
oligo-mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
X
average annual temperature
9-11 °C
average annual precipitation
400 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
July 25-26 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
January to -4 °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)
No details
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
No details
causes of endangerment
Grazing, fires.
required measures for protection and restitution
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Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
11. Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Azerbaijan: Talysh Mountains, Zakasink Zuvand close to the Iranian border.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Grossgejm 1948; Prilipko 1980a
Compiled by
M. Ivanišvili
