44.A12 - Sedge sphagnum birch woods

Classification des habitats du Paléarctique (2001)

Description

Sphagnum-rich Betula pubescens or Betula carpatica woods of the boreal and nemoral western Palaearctic in which Molinia caerulea is accompanied by a cortŠge of acid fen species, in particular, Carex rostrata, Carex nigra, Carex echinata, Juncus acutiflorus, Agrostis canina, Narthecium ossifragum, Calamagrostis canescens and by ericoid shrubs, in particular Vaccinium uliginosum. Depending on water level, regime of inundation, history of ligneous colonization and nature of the initial stage, the undergrowth may be dominated by Molinia caerulea, by sedges Carex spp., by rushes Juncus spp., by Scirpus cespitosus or by ericoid shrubs, resulting in a number of rather distinctive habitats. Conifers, mostly Picea abies, may participate in the canopy of boreal, northeastern nemoral, Hercynian subboreal and pre-Alpine communities; Pinus sylvestris has its westernmost relict stations in northwestern stands. Fennoscandian formations have a number of northern species, in particular Calamagrostis purpurea, Cornus suecica, Empetrum spp., Rubus chamaemorus.

Correspondances phytosociologiques

Sphagno-Betuletum agrostido-caricetosum nigrae

Bibliography

Devillers P., Devillers-Terschuren J. & Vander Linden C., 2001. PHYSIS Palaearctic Habitat Classification Database. Updated to 10 December 2001. Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles, Bruxelles. (Source)

Westhoff and den Held, 1975: 255-256; Mériaux & al., 1978; Noirfalise, 1984: unit X.1.3.1; Nordiska ministerradet, 1984: unit 3.4.2.1 [p.], 3.4.2.2 [p.], 2.2.4.5b, 3.3.1.1; Rodwell, 1991a: units W4b, W4c; Pott, 1992: 359-362; Wallnöfer, 1993b: 306-307; Påhlsson, 1994: units 3.2.1.3 [p.], 3.3.1.2 [p.], 2.2.1.64; Schubert & al., 1995: 102-103; Ilijanic, 1996: 108; Frankard & al., 1998: 29.