T3A1 Maritime Pinus pinaster subsp. atlantica forests

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Description

Coniferous needleleaved forests in steep and thin-soiled, windy, salt-sprayed, drought-prone coastal areas.

Protection

Protected under the code 9540 ("Mediterranean pine forests with endemic Mesogean pines") by the EU Habitat Directive.

Floristic Composition

Frequent species

Pinus pinaster 100%, Pteridium aquilinum 70%, Ulex europaeus aggr. 60%, Erica umbellata 53%, Ulex minor aggr. 52%, Erica cinerea 51%, Quercus robur 48%, Calluna vulgaris 48%, Halimium alyssoides 47%, Agrostis curtisii 45%, Daboecia cantabrica 45%, Helictotrichon thorei 36%, Corynephorus canescens 33%, Digitalis purpurea 31%, Simethis mattiazzii 31%, Neoschischkinia truncatula 31%, Glandora prostrata 28%, Cistus inflatus 27%, Glandora diffusa 27%, Lotus corniculatus 23%, Potentilla erecta 23%, Arenaria montana 20%, Daphne gnidium 20%, Cytisus striatus 18%, Bellis perennis 17%, Hypochaeris radicata 17%, Thymus caespititius 16%, Rubus ulmifolius 16%, Agrostis capillaris 16%, Pedicularis sylvatica 16%, Lonicera periclymenum 14%, Jasione montana 14%, Asphodelus albus 13%, Hypericum humifusum 13%, Teucrium scorodonia 12%, Adenocarpus complicatus aggr. 12%, Anthoxanthum odoratum 12%, Galium saxatile 12%, Pyrus communis 11%, Cytisus scoparius 11%, Rubia peregrina 11%, Narcissus triandrus 11%, Genista triacanthos 10%, Ornithogalum broteroi 10%, Senecio lividus 8%, Hedera helix aggr. 8%, Ruscus aculeatus 8%, Taraxacum sect. Taraxacum 8%, Polygala serpyllifolia 8%, Scilla monophyllos 8%, Cirsium filipendulum 7%, Aphanes arvensis 7%, Smilax aspera 7%, Anthyllis vulneraria 7%, Erica arborea 7%, Luzula campestris 7%, Anarrhinum bellidifolium 7%, Hypochaeris glabra 7%, Crataegus monogyna 7%, Arbutus unedo 6%, Conopodium majus aggr. 6%, Holcus lanatus 6%, Dactylis glomerata 6%, Danthonia decumbens 6%, Genista tridentata 6%, Polygala vulgaris 6%

Relations with other habitat types

These forests replace T1Bx in drought-prone coastal areas, and are ecologically interpretable as a silicicolous analogue of T21x. Water shortage hinders recruitment and abrupt slopes promote treefalls, leading to a reduction in the density of pine stands and a scrubby undergrowth evoking S42x, S332 and S33p. For the close proximity of the sea, halophytes proper to N316 may be found on occasion. Lastly, as a consequence of the comparative resistance of pine seedlings to the acid and occasionally very dry conditions in mossy hummocks, sparse colonies of dwarf maritime pines may be seen in coastal bogs of Q11x.

Regional distribution

The true natural range of these pine woodlands has been obscured by extensive plantations, especially in the last 150 years, but palynological records and other lines of molecular and historical evidence proof beyond any reasonable doubt the native status of Pinus pinaster, at least in western Asturian and Galician coasts.

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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