We had a discussion on understories of European and American beech forests here:
http://www.ents-bbs.org/viewtopic.php?f=198&t=1637
I post here my photos from some forests dominated by European beech (Fagus sylvatica) and located in different parts of its natural range. This photo journey is, of course, very incomplete. Communities may vary much and the forest types in the photos are not only ones in the localities. It would be great if one or some of American ENTS made similar composition of forest interiors dominated by American beech (F. grandifolia).
European beech is a very important tree species in Europe. Without human impact, most of Central Europe would be dominated by beech. Reasons for its extraordinary role include its wide climatic, edaphic and shade tolerances and longevity. Natural stands dominated by other tree species are restricted to extreme sites (e.g. wet, dry or cold) outside of their growth optimum, where beech is unable to form a closed canopy. South from the Alps, the natural area extends to the mountains of the Mediterranean, Balkan and West Asian mountains, in Sicily up to 2250 meters (7380 ft).
As the photos show, forests dominated by European beech have rather uniform apperarance. In the southern high altitude sites, annual precipitation is higher and there is more moss on the trunks.
The first site is Høje Møn on the eastern coast of Denmark immediately behind more than 300 ft high chalk bluff rising directly from the Baltic sea. The forest is not old.
There are as tall chalk cliffs also in Jasmund National Park, northeastern German coast, pictured below.
The second beech forest site, a small old-growth patch, is close to the cliffs above. Elevation is 120 m (400 ft) and annual precipitation 800 mm (31 in). The understory mainly consists of grasses.
The third site is already familiar to the ENTS. It is Heilige Hallen Nature Reserve, northern Germany, where Jeroen and I measured beeches last May. There has been no wood cutting since 1850, but some dead wood use until 1950. Of the three tall trees in the photo, the rightmost one is 43 m (141 ft) tall and the middle one 42 m (138 ft).
The fourth site is Hainich National Park in central Germany, also familiar to the ENTS from Doug's report. This forest has had human use in the past but is untouched since WWII. These forests belong to the richest beech forest communities in Central Europe growing on fertile lime rich soil. Annual precipitation is 750 mm (30 in).
In the photo below there is an understory of Allium ursinum. At least two rough barked European ash (Fraxinus excelsior) trees can be seen. Elevation is 420 m (1380 ft).
The next photo is also from Hainich N. P. It shows a site at 340 m (1120 ft) with an Anemone nemorosa understory.
The fifth site is nearly untouched forest in Stužica National Nature Reserve, eastern Slovakia. Elevation is 750 m (2460 ft) and annual precipitation 850–1000 mm (33-39 in). In the foreground there is a canopy gap left by a fallen tree and filled by low shrubs, e.g. Rubus, and beech and European silver fir (Abies alba) seedlings.
The sixth site is in Pyrénées National Park, southern France, at an elevation of about 1400 m (4600 ft). The conifers in the left are European silver firs (Abies alba). This forest is not old.
The landskapes in the Pyrenees are truly stunning. See e.g.:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... Ordesa.JPG
The seventh site is in Abruzzo National Park, central Italy, at an elevation of 1350 m (4430 ft) on an eastern slope. Precipitation is 2500-3000 mm (100-120 in) with late summer minimum. The geology is calcareous. The rough-barked tree in the foreground is Italian maple (Acer opalus). The forest is not old.
The next photo is also from Abruzzo National Park, at an elevation of about 1500 m (4900 ft) on a northern slope. In this part of the park, selective logging is still in place. The herb in the understory is Cardamine kitaibelii.
The eight site is old-growth forest in Biogradska Gora National Park, Montenegro. Elevation is 1130 m (3710 ft) and annual precipitation 2200 mm (87 in) with spring and fall maximums. There are mainly grasses in the understory of this stand.
The ninth site is nearly undisturbed forest, Crna Poda in Durmitor National Park. Crna Poda (elev. 840–940 meters (2760-3080 ft) is a terrace formed in the middle of a very steep slope of Tara Canyon. Level terrain has allowed deep soil to accumulate and European black pine (Pinus nigra), which otherwise grows stunted on steep slopes, has formed a fantastic forest. In recent years beech has invaded the forest, preventing pine regeneration. Understory consists of beech and maple (A. pseudoplatanus and A. platanoides) seedlings and various herbs, eg. Galium and Oxalis, and grasses. The tree in the foreground is European ash (Fraxinus excelsior).
Below a European black pine in the same forest:
The last site is nearly undisturbed forest on a lower northern slope of Alborz Mountains, northern Iran. Annual precipitation is about 1200 mm (47 in). These beeches belong to a different subspecies, oriental beech (F. sylvatica subsp. orientalis), also considered a different species (F. orientalis) by some authors. Unfortunately the photo is of very poor quality, but ~bare litter layer can be seen.
