S421 Submontane Vaccinium-Calluna heaths
Description
Montane heathlands rich in blueberry on leached, acid, poor soils in not too drought-prone slopes (i.e. not too abrupt nor south-facing).
Protection
Protected under the code 4030 ("European dry heaths") by the EU Habitat Directive.Floristic Composition
Frequent species
Calluna vulgaris
86%,
Vaccinium myrtillus
59%,
Avenella flexuosa
42%,
Erica umbellata
31%,
Genista tridentata
31%,
Erica cinerea
28%,
Helictochloa marginata
23%,
Potentilla erecta
22%,
Daboecia cantabrica
21%,
Agrostis curtisii
19%,
Cytisus oromediterraneus
18%,
Gentiana lutea
18%,
Solidago virgaurea
17%,
Halimium alyssoides
17%,
Pteridium aquilinum
16%,
Juniperus communis
15%,
Nardus stricta
15%,
Genista sanabrensis
14%,
Erica arborea
14%,
Agrostis capillaris
13%,
Erica vagans
12%,
Neoschischkinia truncatula
12%,
Arenaria montana
12%,
Ulex minor aggr.
12%,
Lotus corniculatus
12%,
Hypericum richeri
11%,
Jasione laevis
11%,
Scorzoneroides pyrenaica
11%,
Festuca rubra
11%,
Erica tetralix
11%,
Galium saxatile
9%,
Festuca summilusitana
9%,
Luzula caespitosa
8%,
Simethis mattiazzii
8%,
Luzula lactea
8%,
Jasione montana
8%,
Sedum brevifolium
8%,
Erica australis
8%,
Halimium umbellatum
8%,
Genista pilosa
8%,
Tuberaria guttata
7%,
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
7%,
Asphodelus albus
7%,
Meum athamanticum
7%,
Festuca eskia
7%,
Teesdalia conferta
6%,
Thymelaea coridifolia aggr.
6%,
Jasione crispa
6%,
Vaccinium uliginosum
6%,
Carex pilulifera
6%,
Danthonia decumbens
6%,
Carex asturica
6%,
Phalacrocarpum oppositifolium
6%,
Eryngium duriaei
6%,
Helictotrichon thorei
6%,
Cytisus scoparius
5%,
Hypochaeris radicata
5%,
Festuca nigrescens
5%,
Ulex europaeus aggr.
5%,
Melampyrum pratense
5%,
Conopodium majus aggr.
5%,
Viola riviniana aggr.
5%
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Indicator species
Calluna vulgaris 0.73,
Vaccinium myrtillus 0.54,
Avenella flexuosa 0.33,
Erica umbellata 0.28,
Genista tridentata 0.19,
Erica cinerea 0.17,
Cytisus oromediterraneus 0.16,
Gentiana lutea 0.15,
Solidago virgaurea 0.14,
Helictochloa marginata 0.14,
Potentilla erecta 0.12,
Genista sanabrensis 0.11,
Scorzoneroides pyrenaica 0.1,
Hypericum richeri 0.09,
Nardus stricta 0.09,
Agrostis curtisii 0.09,
Halimium alyssoides 0.08,
Jasione laevis 0.08,
Genista pilosa 0.08,
Festuca rubra 0.08,
Neoschischkinia truncatula 0.07,
Festuca eskia 0.07,
Halimium umbellatum 0.07,
Meum athamanticum 0.07,
Luzula lactea 0.07,
Sedum brevifolium 0.06,
Tuberaria guttata 0.06,
Luzula caespitosa 0.06,
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 0.06,
Simethis mattiazzii 0.06,
Teesdalia conferta 0.06,
Thymelaea coridifolia aggr. 0.06,
Galium saxatile 0.05,
Eryngium duriaei 0.05,
Jasione crispa 0.05,
Festuca summilusitana 0.05,
Festuca nigrescens 0.05,
Carex asturica 0.05,
Phalacrocarpum oppositifolium 0.05,
Jasione montana 0.04,
Rumex suffruticosus 0.04,
Melampyrum pratense 0.04,
Danthonia decumbens 0.03,
Dianthus langeanus 0.03,
Carex pilulifera 0.03,
Luzula pediformis 0.03,
Pilosella galiciana 0.03,
Asphodelus albus 0.03,
Euphorbia polygalifolia 0.03,
Parnassia palustris 0.03
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Phytosociology
- Carici asturicae-Callunetum vulgaris
Relations with other habitat types
An montane analogue of S42x, these heathlands are interpretable as an anthropogenic dysclimax of the less coastal variants of T1Bx and, mostly, of units T1By and T1D7. At still higher elevations, with longer snow cover, they are eventually replaced by the non-seral S223, whereas in steep, south-faced areas S42y prevails.
Regional distribution
Known occurrences and potential area of occupancy of the habitat type in the study region.
