L15
East Thracian steppes on marl clay alternating with downy oak forests (Quercus pubescens) and Paliurus spina-christi-scrub
Description
A climatically and edaphically determined alternation of steppes, thermophilous downy oak forests and arid scrub. The character and species composition of the Thracian "steppes" are to a large extent unknown. Horvat, Glavač and Ellenberg (1974) described a spiny shrub, thistle and ephemeral-rich sub-Mediterranean Phrygana type after a literature evaluation.
Unclear exactly how these sub-biomes are distributed. It depends on soil conditions, moisture, etc
L15a (steppe):
Can be largely the same as L13 steppes around Minas Tirith
L15b (oak woodland):
Trees: Downy Oak dominant; include Hornbeam (no larger than medium), Elm and Wild Pear; isolated Common Oak and Field Maple
Shrubs: Hawthorn, Lebethron, English Elm Bush, Field Maple Bush, Ash Bush, Terebinth, Green Olive, Blackthorn, Fruiting Bramble
Ground cover:
L15c (garrigue):
Clumps of Ash Bush, Lebethron, Blackthorn, and rarely Green Olive, occasionally forming thickets
Can include some patches of common_meadow_grass and maybe others
Tree Layer
Quercus pubescens (Downy Oak), Ulmus minor (Elm), Carpinus orientalis (tiny-medium Hornbeam), Pyrus elaeagrifolia (Wild Pear), isolated Quercus cerris (Common Oak), Acer campestre (Field Maple)
Shrub Layer
Crataegus monogyna (Hawthorn), Cornus mas (Lebethron), Ulmus minor (English Elm Bush), Carpinus orientalis (Field Maple Bush), Paliurus spina-christi (Ash Bush), Pistacia terebinthus (Terebinth), Rosa canina (English Elm Bush), Phillyrea latifolia (locally) (Green Olive), Prunus spinosa (Blackthorn)
Lianas
Rubus fruticosus agg. (Bramble with Berries)
Herb Layer
No detail
Majority of Lebennin
