D13
North Ural pine-spruce forests (Picea obovata, Pinus sibirica) with Larix sibirica, with mosses, lichens, dwarf shrubs and herbs (Arctostaphylos alpinus, Festuca airoides, Pachypleurum alpinum)
Description
Four-layered pine spruce forests; the tree layer consists of Picea obovata and Pinus sibirica or prevailing Pinus sibirica (e.g. at steeper stony slopes). Near the upper tree line, primarily at the eastern slopes of the Urals, Larix sibirica is added. The tree layer is usually open (30-60 % degree of coverage) and the tree height of Picea obovata and Pinus sibirica reaches a maximum of 12-15 m. The shrub layer is open (less than 10 % degree of coverage). The dwarf-shrub-rich herb layer is very interspersed (20-30 % degree of coverage) and species deficient; however, it varies considerably depending on exposure, slope and canopy closure of the tree layer. It is formed from boreal dwarf shrubs, forest herbs, club moss plants, Pyrolaceae species, ferns as well as arcto-alpine dwarf shrubs and herbs. The moss layer is lichen-rich (60-90 % degree of coverage).
Tree Layer
Picea obovata (Siberian Spruce), Pinus sibirica (Swiss Pine), locally with Larix sibirica (European Larch)
Siberian Spruce, Swiss Pine, locally with European Larch
Shrub Layer
Sorbus aucuparia subsp. Sibirica (Rowan), Rosa acicularis (Elm Bush), Lonicera xylosteum (Fruiting Hawthorn Bush), Lonicera altaica (Elm Bush), Juniperus communis (Juniper), Frangula alnus (Alder Buckthorn), Ledum palustre (beautyberry_bush), Betula nana (autumnal_dwarf_birch)
Spruce and Pine saplings
Lianas
No details
Herb Layer
Vaccinium myrtillus (bilberry_bush), Vaccinium vitis-idaea (lingonberry_bush), Linnaea borealis (ABSENT), Trientalis europaea (greater_wood_rush), Maianthemum bifolium (sweet_woodruff), Lycopodium annotinum (wood_horsetail), Diphasiastrum complanatum (dogs_mercury), Orthilia secunda (wild_parsley), Pyrola rotundifolia (wild_parsley), Gymnocarpium dryopteris (fern_1), Dryopteris dilatata (fern_1, bracken, fern), Solidago virgaurea (goldenrod), Epilobium angustifolium (thick_fern), Arctostaphylos alpinus (alpine_bearberry), Empetrum hermaphroditum (bilberry_bush), Phyllodoce caerulea (beautyberry_bush), Festuca airoides (deergrass), Deschampsia flexuosa (lush_grass), Pachypleurum alpinum
Forests north of the Iron Hills
