10.14471/2021.42.001
Zukal, Dominik
Dominik
Zukal
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3248-5703
Masaryk University
Biurrun, Idoia
Idoia
Biurrun
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1454-0433
University of the Basque Country
Calcicolous rock-outcrop lime forests in the Cantabrian Mountains and the Western Pyrenees
Kalkfels-Lindenwälder im Kantabrischen Gebirge und den westlichen Pyrenäen
Tuexenia 42: 35–56
2022
Journal Article
FOS: Biological sciences
Aceretalia pseudoplatani
Carpino-Fagetea
classification
forest vegetation
Iberian Peninsula
Melico-Tilion platyphylli
2021-10-13
en
0722-494X
PDF
CC-BY-NC-ND 3.0 DE
We present the first study of the forest vegetation dominated by Tilia platyphyllos growing on cal-
careous rock outcrops in the northern part of the Iberian Peninsula. This vegetation is confined to steep
rocky slopes of mainly northern aspect in limestone areas. Based on a dataset of 53 relevés recorded
during the summer of 2019 and compared with so far described associations of the order Aceretalia
pseudoplatani (118 relevés), we describe the new association Helictotricho cantabrici-Tilietum
platyphylli, distributed in the area stretching from the Picos de Europa in the west to the French Pyre-
nees in the east. Beside common species of mesophilous and thermophilous forests, numerous rock-
outcrop specialists occur in this association. This vegetation is species-rich and of a high conservation
value, as it also contains a high number of endemic species of the northern Iberian Peninsula, such as
Antirrhinum braun-blanquetii, Helictotrichon cantabricum, Oreochloa confusa, Petrocoptis pyrenaica,
Saxifraga canaliculata and Seseli cantabricum. Two subassociations of the Helictotricho-Tilietum are
distinguished: H. c.-T. p. typicum represents more mesophytic stands occurring in the Basque-
Cantabrian Mountains and the Pyrenees, while H. c.-T. p. lauretosum nobilis, with drought-tolerant
submediterranean species, was recorded in the Cantabrian Range. We classify the Helictotricho-
Tilietum in the Melico-Tilion platyphylli (order Aceretalia pseudoplatani, class Carpino-Fagetea), an
alliance including xero-mesophilous scree and rock-outcrop forests of the European temperate zone.
Spain, France