R43y Cantabrian Festuca eskia closed grasslands
Description
Alpine closed mesophile grasslands dominated by the Cantabro-Pyrenean endemic Festuca eskia in relatively deep and well-developed soils, at somewhat lower elevations than R433. The habitat is fragmented but widely distributed in the highest siliceous summits of the Cantabrian mountains. These communities, rich in European mountain species, occupy an intermediate position between, and sometimes intermingling with, the less steep and more grazed R43z and the more exposed and cryoturbated R43x. They can be understood as an acidophilous analogue of R441.
Protection
Protected under the code 6140 ("Siliceous Pyrenean Festuca eskia grasslands") by the EU Habitat Directive.Floristic Composition
Frequent species
Festuca eskia
92%,
Avenella flexuosa
57%,
Jasione laevis
55%,
Nardus stricta
43%,
Scorzoneroides pyrenaica
39%,
Neoschischkinia truncatula
39%,
Sedum brevifolium
38%,
Meum athamanticum
35%,
Galium saxatile
34%,
Calluna vulgaris
30%,
Luzula pediformis
28%,
Luzula caespitosa
28%,
Teesdalia conferta
28%,
Hypericum richeri
27%,
Helictochloa marginata
27%,
Pilosella officinarum
26%,
Vaccinium myrtillus
24%,
Plantago alpina
22%,
Thymelaea coridifolia aggr.
20%,
Trifolium alpinum
19%,
Festuca summilusitana
19%,
Rumex acetosella
18%,
Phalacrocarpum oppositifolium
16%,
Thymus praecox
16%,
Lotus corniculatus
16%,
Campanula rotundifolia aggr.
16%,
Phyteuma hemisphaericum
15%,
Silene ciliata
15%,
Silene foetida
15%,
Gentiana lutea
15%,
Dianthus langeanus
14%,
Paronychia polygonifolia
14%,
Festuca nigrescens
12%,
Campanula herminii
12%,
Hypochaeris radicata
11%,
Anthoxanthum odoratum
11%,
Solidago virgaurea
11%,
Conopodium majus aggr.
11%,
Jasione crispa
9%,
Sedum anglicum
9%,
Cytisus oromediterraneus
8%,
Juniperus communis
7%,
Biscutella laevigata aggr.
7%,
Carex asturica
7%,
Campanula scheuchzeri
5%,
Thesium pyrenaicum
5%,
Polygala serpyllifolia
5%,
Cryptogramma crispa
5%,
Corrigiola telephiifolia
5%,
Senecio pyrenaicus
5%,
Cerastium arvense
5%,
Rhinanthus minor
5%,
Ranunculus tuberosus aggr.
5%
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Indicator species
Festuca eskia 0.92,
Avenella flexuosa 0.51,
Jasione laevis 0.49,
Scorzoneroides pyrenaica 0.37,
Meum athamanticum 0.33,
Nardus stricta 0.28,
Luzula pediformis 0.28,
Sedum brevifolium 0.28,
Teesdalia conferta 0.27,
Neoschischkinia truncatula 0.27,
Hypericum richeri 0.26,
Galium saxatile 0.25,
Calluna vulgaris 0.22,
Helictochloa marginata 0.21,
Thymelaea coridifolia aggr. 0.2,
Vaccinium myrtillus 0.19,
Trifolium alpinum 0.18,
Luzula caespitosa 0.18,
Pilosella officinarum 0.17,
Plantago alpina 0.16,
Campanula rotundifolia aggr. 0.15,
Phalacrocarpum oppositifolium 0.15,
Gentiana lutea 0.14,
Phyteuma hemisphaericum 0.14,
Silene foetida 0.14,
Paronychia polygonifolia 0.13,
Rumex acetosella 0.13,
Festuca summilusitana 0.13,
Silene ciliata 0.13,
Campanula herminii 0.12,
Thymus praecox 0.1,
Dianthus langeanus 0.1,
Solidago virgaurea 0.09,
Cytisus oromediterraneus 0.08,
Conopodium majus aggr. 0.07,
Jasione crispa 0.07,
Sedum anglicum 0.07,
Carex asturica 0.06,
Biscutella laevigata aggr. 0.06,
Corrigiola telephiifolia 0.05,
Senecio pyrenaicus 0.05,
Cryptogramma crispa 0.05,
Campanula scheuchzeri 0.05,
Ranunculus tuberosus aggr. 0.05,
Thesium pyrenaicum 0.04,
Cerastium arvense 0.04,
Carduus carpetanus 0.04,
Ranunculus amplexicaulis 0.04,
Juniperus communis 0.04,
Genista tridentata 0.04
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Phytosociology
- Campanulo herminii-Trifolietum alpini p.p.
- Teesdaliopsio confertae-Festucetum eskiae p.p.
Relations with other habitat types
A new regional level IV unit is created, since the name of R431 (“Alpic Nardus stricta swards and related communities), under which EUNIS includes its most similar communities (R4314: “Pyrenean closed Festuca eskia grassland) would lead to confusion with our R43z, which EUNIS would include in its R435.Regional distribution
Known occurrences and potential area of occupancy of the habitat type in the study region.
