T197 Afro-Iberian thermophilous Quercus forests

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Description

Basophilous submediterranean forests dominated by oaks with relatively small and leathery leaves such as Quercus pubescens and Q. faginea.

Protection

Protected, at least the stands dominated by Quercus faginea, by the EU Habitat Directive under the code 9240 ("Quercus faginea and Quercus canariensis Iberian woods").

Floristic Composition

Frequent species

Crataegus monogyna 74%, Prunus spinosa 71%, Hedera helix aggr. 69%, Quercus faginea 66%, Viburnum lantana 65%, Rubia peregrina 61%, Brachypodium pinnatum 58%, Cornus sanguinea 50%, Dioscorea communis 50%, Ligustrum vulgare 47%, Juniperus communis 44%, Erica vagans 41%, Acer campestre 38%, Rosa canina aggr. 38%, Rosa arvensis 38%, Genista hispanica 34%, Quercus pubescens 34%, Rubus ulmifolius 32%, Corylus avellana 31%, Lonicera xylosteum 29%, Viola riviniana aggr. 29%, Carex flacca 29%, Quercus rotundifolia 27%, Stachys officinalis 26%, Primula veris 26%, Buxus sempervirens 26%, Hepatica nobilis 25%, Pteridium aquilinum 23%, Lonicera periclymenum 23%, Brachypodium sylvaticum 23%, Pulmonaria longifolia 23%, Helleborus foetidus 22%, Lonicera etrusca 22%, Viola alba 22%, Helleborus viridis 19%, Helictotrichon cantabricum 18%, Acer monspessulanum 18%, Euphorbia amygdaloides 18%, Sorbus aria 17%, Stellaria holostea 17%, Potentilla montana 17%, Vicia sepium 17%, Clematis vitalba 17%, Dactylis glomerata 17%, Amelanchier ovalis 17%, Rhamnus alaternus 16%, Glandora diffusa 15%, Bromus erectus aggr. 15%, Teucrium chamaedrys 14%, Ilex aquifolium 13%, Cytisus scoparius 13%, Fagus sylvatica 13%, Ruscus aculeatus 12%, Mercurialis perennis 11%, Clinopodium vulgare 11%, Fraxinus excelsior 11%, Lathyrus linifolius 11%, Prunus mahaleb 11%, Rosa micrantha 11%, Crataegus laevigata 11%, Tanacetum corymbosum 10%, Spiraea hypericifolia 10%, Cruciata glabra 10%, Sorbus torminalis 10%, Sesleria argentea 9%, Origanum vulgare 9%, Geum sylvaticum 9%, Geranium robertianum 9%, Silene nutans 9%, Genista scorpius 8%, Prunus avium 8%, Berberis vulgaris aggr. 8%, Thymelaea ruizii 8%, Melica uniflora 8%, Fragaria vesca 8%, Melittis melissophyllum 8%, Rosa agrestis 8%, Vicia cracca 8%, Anthyllis vulneraria 8%, Lathyrus latifolius 8%, Sanguisorba minor 7%, Rosa spinosissima 7%, Thalictrum tuberosum 7%, Quercus pyrenaica 7%, Juniperus oxycedrus 7%, Juniperus thurifera 7%, Euphorbia dulcis 7%, Melampyrum pratense 7%, Hypericum montanum 7%, Veronica chamaedrys 6%, Aquilegia vulgaris aggr. 6%, Galium mollugo aggr. 6%, Clinopodium alpinum 6%, Tilia platyphyllos 6%, Potentilla sterilis 6%, Euonymus europaeus 6%, Saponaria ocymoides 6%, Viola hirta 6%, Ranunculus tuberosus aggr. 6%, Quercus robur 6%, Vincetoxicum hirundinaria 6%, Sanicula europaea 6%, Iris graminea 6%, Trifolium ochroleucon 5%, Anthoxanthum odoratum 5%, Hippocrepis comosa 5%, Hypericum perforatum 5%, Galium aparine aggr. 5%, Rhamnus cathartica 5%, Coronilla scorpioides 5%, Cruciata laevipes 5%, Epipactis helleborine aggr. 5%, Prunella grandiflora 5%, Smilax aspera 5%, Osyris alba 5%, Rhamnus saxatilis 5%, Asplenium adiantum-nigrum aggr. 5%

Phytosociology

  • Berberido cantabricae-Quercetum fagineae
  • Glandoro diffusae-Quercetum fagineae
  • Pulmonario longifoliae-Quercetum fagineae
  • Roso arvensis-Quercetum pubescentis

Relations with other habitat types

Interpretable as a basophilous analogue of T19A, it prevails in areas too cold and snowy in winter for broadleaved evergreens (mostly T21y) and too dry in summer for broader-leaved deciduous (especially T172), but not as much as the abrupt limestone slopes occupied by scale-leaved T3D6. It might be argued that the eastern variants dominated by Quercus pubescens should rather be included in T191 ("Western Quercus pubescens forests and related communities"); but there is a wide floristic overlapping between Quercus pubescens- and Quercus faginea-dominated stands, most of it caused by Iberian endemics, reinforcing the convenience of sticking to T197.

Regional distribution

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

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Citation: IBEROATLANTICA – Flora and Habitats of the Cantabrian Mixed Forests ecoregion.
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