07G1
Forests of Oriental plantain (Platanus orientalis)
Relationships with habitat classifications. EUNIS: G1.381 Helleno-Balkan riparian plane forests, G1.382 Hellenic slope plane woods; PAL. CLASS.: 44.711 Helleno-Balkan riparian plane forests, 44. 712 Hellenic slope plane woods; HD 92/43: 92C0 Platanus orientalis and Liquidambar orientalis woods (Platanion orientalis); Bondev (1991): 144 Forests with a prevalence or presence of Plataneta orientalis, partly mixed with Black alder (Alnus glutinosa).
Conservation status. BDA, BC, HD.
Category. Endangered [EN – A1, 2 C1 D1 E2 F2 G2 H2 L3].
- General characteristics. This habitat comprises riverside forests dominated by Oriental plantain (Platanus orientalis). Their distribution in Bulgaria is localized in two major regions. One of them is in East and Central Rhodopi Mts. (the valley of Arda river and along Bachkovska river (from Assenovgrad to Bachkovo Monastery). The other one encompasses the valleys of Mesta and Struma rivers, to the south of Kresna gorge. In the first area the Oriental plantain occurs as solitary trees or in groups, while in the second area it forms larger and more preserved communities. The natural distribution of the communities of the plantain is related to the river valleys and reaches up to 800–900 m alt. The soils are alluvial or alluvial-diluvial (Colluviosols) along the river flow or water bodies with temporary or permanent running water with underground or superficial humidity. Best conditions are created by deep, aerated, rich and moderately humid soils. The limitation factor for the distribution of the plantain forests is temperature: the old trees can survive low temperatures, but young ones and especially seedlings suffer and often die.
- The tree layer is dominated by the Oriental plantain. Solitary trees of Alnus glutinosa, Juglans regia (of secondary distribution), Salix alba, and at higher altitudes on the northern slopes of Belasitsa Mts. Castanea sativa, Fagus sylvatica and Ostrya carpinifolia occur.
- The communities in the mountain areas are narrow strips along the mountain streams, most of which are permanent throughout the year. The slopes of the valleys are steep and in some places are vertical rock walls or screes. In some places the valleys are very narrow (several meters wide) mountain ravines. Sediments accumulated by the streams or pulled down the slopes cover the bottom of the valleys. The soils are mainly on sediment materials, from large stone pieces to sand. Most of the plantain forests are in very good state, with straight, stout stems, the corona starting at a considerable height. The communities which are in close proximity to settlements, mostly on streams and the ravines with temporary running waters are in unfavourable conditions. The structure of the plantain forests in potentially good ecotopes is damaged as a result of wrong exploitation (logging, grazing). Juglans regia participates in the tree layer and the nitrophilic species Melissa officinalis, Parietaria erecta (= Parietaria officinalis), Urtica dioica prevail in the herbaceous layer.
Characteristic taxa.
- Vascular plants: . Aegopodium podagraria, Alliaria petiolata, Allium ursinum, Alnus glutinosa, Angelica pancicii, Aremonia agrimonoides, Asplenium adiantum-nigrum, Athyrium filix-femina, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Cardamine barbaraeoides, C. bulbifera, C. graeca, C. impatiens, C. raphanifolia, Carex acutiformis, Castanea sativa, Chaerophyllum temulentum, Circaea lutetiana, Cyclamen hederifolium, Dactylorhiza cordigera, Dactylis glomerata, Dryopteris filix-mas, Euonymus latifolius, Euphorbia amygdaloides, Euphorbia polychroma, Galium odoratum, Geranium robertianum, Hedera helix, Huetia cynapioides, Impatiens noli-tangere, Juglans regia, Lamiastrum galeobdolon, Lapsana communis, Listera ovata, Lysimachia nummularia, Melissa officinalis, Moehringia trinervia, Mycelis muralis, Ostrya carpinifolia, Platanus orientalis, Polypodium vulgare, Salvia glutinosa.
- Fungi:Macromycetes – Agrocybe cylindracea, Auricularia mesenterica, Bisporella subpallida, Daedaleopsis confragosa, Ganoderma lipsiense, Hymenoscyphus imberbe, Inonotus cuticularis, I. hispidus, Lichenomphalia umbellifera, Morchella esculenta, Oxyporus populinus, Phellinus igniarius, Polyporus squamosus, Rigidoporus ulmarius; Micromycetes – Apiognomonia ostryae (on Ostrya carpinifolia), A. veneta, Microsphaera platani (on Platanus orientalis), Gnomonia leptostyla (on Juglans regia), Lachnum corticale, Melampsora allii-populina, Septoria populi (on Populus nigra), M. populnea (on Populus alba and P. nigra);
- Animals: amphibians – Rana graeca (except for East Rhodopi Mts.);reptiles – Eurotestudo hermanni; bats – (registered by ultrasound detector in the region of Kresna) – Nyctalus noctula, Myotis emarginatus and Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum.
Distribution in Bulgaria. South Bulgaria – the valley of Struma river to the South of Kresna gorge and its feeders, Mesta river – to the South of Gospodintsi village and its feeders, Central and East Rhodopi Mts. – Arda river and its bigger feeders Vacha river, Bachkovska river and their feeders; northern slopes of Belasitsa Mts. where the plantain forests reach up to 900 m alt.
Conservation importance. The communities of the oriental plantain are under very strong anthropogenic pressure – logging, grazing, etc. Due to the high regenerative potential of the species it has survived for thousands of years. Occupying streams and sediment cones the communities have protective functions and most often are in water resource areas, protective stripes along rivers, etc. Some rare, endangered and protected species occur: Angelica pancicii, Cardamine barbaraeoides, C. raphanifolia, Castanea sativa, Huetia cynapioides, Medicago carstiensis, Ophioglossum vulgatum, Platanus orientalis as well as the fungus species of conservation value Ptychoverpa bochemica.
Threats. Main threat is the building of hydrotechnical constructions which cause changes in the water flow and the drying up of rivers. Second in importance is the illegal logging by the local inhabitants and cutting of wood, mostly for heating. Other threats are grazing and fires.
Conservation measures taken. The habitat is included in Annex №1 of the national Biodiversity Act. Parts of these forests are within the borders of protected areas: Belasitsa Nature Park, Tisata and Kongura Strict Nature Reserves, Chinar Dere Protected Site, Melnishki Piramidy Nature Monument, etc. Some of the most representative localities of this habitat are in sites of the European Ecological Network NATURA 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Legal changes that will terminate the illegal logging of plantain in agricultural lands; restriction of hydrotechnical constructions and ensuring a minimal water quantity in the water bodies.
References. Browicz 1964; Delkov 1977.
Author: Georgi Gogushev
