T1D7 Montane Betula celtiberica forests

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Description

Acidophilous deciduous forests at high elevations, near the treeline (around 1500-1800 m).

Protection

Este hábitat no está amparado por la Directiva Hábitat de la Unión Europea.

Floristic Composition

Frequent species

Betula celtiberica 100%, Vaccinium myrtillus 91%, Sorbus aucuparia 85%, Erica arborea 82%, Luzula sylvatica 64%, Stellaria holostea 55%, Saxifraga spathularis 53%, Oxalis acetosella 50%, Crepis lampsanoides 49%, Blechnum spicant 47%, Ilex aquifolium 45%, Anemone nemorosa 42%, Pteridium aquilinum 41%, Avenella flexuosa 40%, Dryopteris filix-mas 38%, Viola riviniana aggr. 37%, Dryopteris dilatata 36%, Poa nemoralis 35%, Corylus avellana 35%, Teucrium scorodonia 32%, Lonicera periclymenum 29%, Athyrium filix-femina 27%, Melampyrum pratense 24%, Salix atrocinerea 24%, Genista florida 24%, Dryopteris affinis 21%, Euphorbia dulcis 20%, Cirsium palustre 19%, Allium victorialis 18%, Polygonatum verticillatum 17%, Polypodium vulgare 17%, Aquilegia vulgaris aggr. 17%, Omphalodes nitida 17%, Holcus mollis 16%, Galium saxatile 16%, Fagus sylvatica 14%, Euphorbia hyberna 14%, Hedera helix aggr. 14%, Valeriana montana aggr. 14%, Rubus ulmifolius 14%, Euphorbia amygdaloides 14%, Digitalis purpurea 14%, Ranunculus tuberosus aggr. 13%, Adenostyles alpina 13%, Ceratocapnos claviculata 12%, Veronica officinalis 12%, Daboecia cantabrica 12%, Anthoxanthum odoratum 12%, Chaerophyllum hirsutum 12%, Quercus petraea 12%, Crataegus monogyna 11%, Lilium martagon 11%, Quercus robur 11%, Potentilla erecta 11%, Calluna vulgaris 10%, Primula acaulis 10%, Doronicum carpetanum 10%, Frangula alnus 10%, Salix caprea 10%, Ranunculus platanifolius 9%, Valeriana officinalis 9%, Sorbus aria 9%, Aconitum lycoctonum 9%, Caltha palustris 9%, Erythronium dens-canis 9%, Agrostis capillaris 9%, Daphne laureola 9%, Poa chaixii 9%, Thelypteris limbosperma 8%, Acer pseudoplatanus 8%, Angelica laevis 8%, Veratrum album 8%, Taxus baccata 8%, Lamium maculatum 8%, Silene dioica 7%, Pyrola minor 7%, Polystichum setiferum 7%, Hyacinthoides non-scripta 7%, Geranium robertianum 6%, Prunus padus 6%, Solidago virgaurea 6%, Cytisus scoparius 6%, Cruciata glabra 6%, Dactylorhiza maculata aggr. 6%, Rumex acetosa 6%, Helleborus viridis 6%, Rosa canina aggr. 6%, Ranunculus repens 6%, Gentiana lutea 6%, Erica vagans 6%, Castanea sativa 5%, Chrysosplenium oppositifolium 5%, Conopodium majus aggr. 5%, Sorbus mougeotii 5%, Dryopteris expansa 5%, Dryopteris oreades 5%, Festuca rubra 5%, Quercus pyrenaica 5%, Fragaria vesca 5%, Pulmonaria longifolia 5%, Physospermum cornubiense 5%

Phytosociology

  • Eryngio juresiani-Betuletum celtibericae
  • Luzulo henriquesii-Betuletum celtibericae
  • Sorbo aucupariae-Salicetum capreae
  • Valeriano officinalis-Betuletum pubescentis

Relations with other habitat types

At the high elevations typically occupied by these forests, right below S223 and S23y, the mortality of trees is increased by episodes of blizzard and other inclemencies, forests becoming chronically patchy and immature (i.e., as in T1D1, dominated by birches, whose wind-dispersed seeds can get more readily to those high slopes, and are in less risk of being lost downhill than those of the dominating T182 and T1By, only rarely reaching the treeline). Soils also tend to be worse (for instance, by the thermal inhibition of litter decomposition and by the abundance of rocky fragments derived form frost weathering), further hampering the development of denser, more mature woodland. Locally, in the southern slopes of the Cantabrian mountains, sunnier in summer and warmer during the day, the treeline might rather correspond to T372. In limestone massifs, mostly uninhabitable to birch for edaphic reasons, treeline is lower and formed by T172.

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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