IBEROATLANTICA

Description

Herbaceous snow-patch swards of calcareous soils with very short growing season.

Protection

Protected under the code 6170 ("Alpine and subalpine calcareous grasslands") by the EU Habitat Directive.

Floristic Composition

Frequent species

Armeria cantabrica 70%, Poa alpina 59%, Plantago alpina 49%, Alchemilla hoppeana aggr. 41%, Thymus praecox 41%, Silene acaulis 39%, Saxifraga conifera 35%, Arenaria purpurascens 35%, Carex sempervirens 34%, Ranunculus carinthiacus 31%, Helianthemum urrielense 29%, Gnaphalium hoppeanum 28%, Carex parviflora 27%, Anthyllis vulneraria 27%, Sedum atratum 25%, Gentiana verna 24%, Luzula pediformis 24%, Festuca glacialis 23%, Ranunculus alpestris 23%, Helictotrichon sedenense 23%, Arabis alpina 22%, Epilobium anagallidifolium 22%, Hornungia alpina 20%, Saxifraga praetermissa 19%, Silene ciliata 18%, Euphrasia salisburgensis 18%, Galium pumilum aggr. 18%, Minuartia verna 17%, Festuca rubra 17%, Carex macrostyla 16%, Biscutella laevigata aggr. 14%, Veronica aphylla 14%, Myosotis alpestris 13%, Lotus corniculatus 13%, Arenaria moehringioides 13%, Festuca nigrescens 13%, Euphorbia pyrenaica 13%, Helianthemum oelandicum 12%, Botrychium lunaria 12%, Trifolium thalii 12%, Carex ornithopoda 12%, Dethawia splendens 12%, Saxifraga hirsuta 11%, Veronica alpina 11%, Galium pyrenaicum 11%, Campanula arvatica aggr. 11%, Draba aizoides 11%, Agrostis schleicheri 11%, Arenaria grandiflora 11%, Koeleria vallesiana 11%, Cystopteris fragilis aggr. 10%, Erigeron alpinus 10%, Sagina saginoides 10%, Poa minor 8%, Festuca picoeuropeana 8%, Oreochloa confusa 8%, Saxifraga paniculata 7%, Draba hispanica 7%, Iberis carnosa 7%, Gentianella campestris 7%, Minuartia rubra aggr. 7%, Jasione cavanillesii 7%, Phleum alpinum 7%, Pedicularis pyrenaica 7%, Nardus stricta 7%, Veronica nummularia 6%, Soldanella alpina 6%, Doronicum grandiflorum 6%, Crepis pygmaea 6%, Sempervivum vicentei 6%, Festuca gautieri 6%, Linaria supina 6%, Gentiana nivalis 6%, Potentilla crantzii 6%, Pilosella officinarum 6%, Minuartia villarii 6%, Vicia pyrenaica 6% view more...

Indicator species

Armeria cantabrica 0.68, Poa alpina 0.55, Plantago alpina 0.48, Silene acaulis 0.38, Alchemilla hoppeana aggr. 0.35, Arenaria purpurascens 0.32, Thymus praecox 0.32, Ranunculus carinthiacus 0.31, Gnaphalium hoppeanum 0.28, Helianthemum urrielense 0.27, Saxifraga conifera 0.27, Carex parviflora 0.26, Sedum atratum 0.24, Ranunculus alpestris 0.23, Festuca glacialis 0.23, Carex sempervirens 0.22, Gentiana verna 0.22, Luzula pediformis 0.22, Epilobium anagallidifolium 0.22, Arabis alpina 0.21, Anthyllis vulneraria 0.19, Helictotrichon sedenense 0.19, Saxifraga praetermissa 0.19, Hornungia alpina 0.18, Carex macrostyla 0.15, Euphrasia salisburgensis 0.15, Veronica aphylla 0.14, Minuartia verna 0.14, Silene ciliata 0.14, Biscutella laevigata aggr. 0.13, Myosotis alpestris 0.13, Euphorbia pyrenaica 0.13, Arenaria moehringioides 0.13, Galium pumilum aggr. 0.12, Botrychium lunaria 0.12, Carex ornithopoda 0.11, Festuca rubra 0.11, Trifolium thalii 0.11, Veronica alpina 0.11, Draba aizoides 0.1, Saxifraga hirsuta 0.1, Campanula arvatica aggr. 0.1, Galium pyrenaicum 0.1, Agrostis schleicheri 0.09, Sagina saginoides 0.09, Cystopteris fragilis aggr. 0.09, Dethawia splendens 0.08, Festuca picoeuropeana 0.08, Poa minor 0.08, Erigeron alpinus 0.08 view more...

Phytosociology

Ranunculo carinthiaco-Poetum alpinae
Ranunculo leroyi-Gnaphalietum hoppeani
Ranunculo leroyi-Saxifragetum praetermissae

Relations with other habitat types

As expected by their dependence of a long-lasting snow-pack, these communities are usually embedded within R441.

Regional distribution

Known occurrences and potential area of occupancy of the habitat type in the study region.

R412 Boreo-alpine calcicline snow-patch grassland and herb habitats