26F5

F. Shrub communities

Thickets of Green olive tree(Phillyrea latifolia)

Relationships with habitat classifications. EUNIS: F5.51A4 Eastern [Phillyrea] thickets; PAL. CLASS.:32.21A4 Eastern [Phillyrea] thickets; Bondev (1991): 127 Evergreen scrub (pseudomocchia) with a prevalence of Phillyreeta latifolia combined with xerothermic grass communities mostly of secondary origin.

Conservation status. None.

Category. Vulnerable [VU – B1 B2 C2 F1 E1 G1 H2 I L2].

General characteristics. The habitat encompasses relic, evergreen, hard-leaved thickets dominated by Phillyrea latifolia, belonging to the Mediterranean vegetation type. Phillyrea latifolia is an evergreen shrub or small tree (from 1 to 5–6 m high) with small, leathery, hard leaves. These communities have been treated as pseudomaquis because of the presence of some diagnostic species that occur in the typical Mediterranean maquis. They occur in areas with typical, transitional-Mediterranean climate with two maximums and two minimums of precipitation, mild winter that allows the existence of the evergreen vegetation. These communities occur in various ecological conditions in Bulgaria. The bedrock is mostly acidic, mainly massive gneiss, more rarely andesites and volcanic tufts or limestone. The soils are Chromic Cambisols, strongly eroded with large outcrops of the bedrock in some places. The most favourable ecotope for the distribution of pseudomaquis dominated by Phillyrea latifolia are southern, very sunny and strongly eroded slopes. The vertical range is between 0–250 (450–600) m alt. Major parts of the coenoses of Phillyrea latifolia are of secondary origin as a result of anthropogenic degradation and hence replacement of xerothermic forests, mainly of Quercus pubescens or Q. Frainetto. These coenoses can also be autochthonous and occupy stony and rocky areas. Various Mediterranean and sub-Mediterranean phanerophytes (trees, shrubs and small shrubs) like Acer campestre, A. monspessulanum, Asparagus acutifolius, Carpinus orientalis, Celtis australis, Cistus incanus, Fraxinus ornus, Jasminum fruticans, Juniperus excelsa, J. oxycedrus, Lonicera etrusca, Osyris alba, Paliurus spina-christi, Pistacia terebinthus, Pyrus amygdaliformis, Quercus cerris, Q. pubescens, Q. virgiliana, Rhus coriaria, Ruscus aculeatus, Thymus atticus etc. also participate in the composition of the coenoses of P. latifolia. Among the herbaceous species Aristella bromoides (= Stipa bromoides), Anemone blanda, A. pavonina, Astragalus monspessulanus, Bellis sylvestris, Clematis viticella, Cyclamen hederifolium, Euphorbia myrsinites, Geranium lucidum, Scilla autumnalis occur. In most cases the communities are open, with patches of shrub and herbaceous vegetation of Mediterranean or sub-Mediterranean type. Most often the herbaceous communities are dominated by Aristella bromoides (= Stipa bromoides), Bothriochloa ischaemum (= Dichanthium ischaemum), Chrysopogon gryllus, Poa bulbosa etc. The participation of a number of typical Mediterranean species such as Colchicum bivonae, Asteriscus aquaticus, Cleistogenes serotina, Crepis sancta, Desmazeria rigida, Helianthemum salicifolium, Koeleria splendens, Medicago minima, M. rigidula, Nigella damascena, Onobrychis caput-galli, Ornithopus compressus, Psilurus incurvus, Salvia viridis, Sherardia arvensis, Sideritis lanata, Trachynia distachya(= Brachypodium distachyon), Trifolium angustifolium, T. cherleri, T. subterraneum, Trigonella gladiata, T. Monspeliaca is also characteristic. The thickets of Phillyrea latifolia cover limited areas, but in some places they become very thick and the landscape has specific outlook.

Characteristic taxa.

Distribution in Bulgaria. The valley of Struma river (southern part of Kresna Gorge, eastwards from Kulata village, near Novo Hodzhovo village; Pirin Mts. – the most southwestern slopes at Gorno Spanchevo village; East Rhodopi Mts. (limited between Ivailovgrad town and Dolno Lukovo village, in the valley of Byala Reka river – Kaleto locality and Boturche village, near Dazhdovnik village, Krumovgrad region and near Malorad and Mezek villages), Strandzha Mts. (northwards from Malko Tarnovo town, Petrova Niva locality, near Stoilovo, Brodilovo and Ksoti villages – Uzunbudzhak Strict Nature Reserve, on the slopes of Papiya peak, near Fazanovo village), South Black Sea coast (near Rezovo village, Achtopol town, between Tzarevo town and Maslen Nos Cape, the northernmost locality is in Lavskata Glava locality), East Balkan Range (near Sadievo and Balgarovo villages, Aitos region); from sea level up to 700 m alt.

Conservation importance. The thickets of Phillyreeta latifolia in Bulgaria constitute the northernmost border of the pseudomaquis, more or less dominated by evergreen species. They are a very important environment for Mediterranean plant and animal species. The fungus species Urnula craterium is of conservation importance and also occurs in this habitat.

Threats. The habitat is of relic origin and is strongly fragmented; grazing and exploitation of inert materials.

Conservation measures taken. Representative parts of the habitat are within the borders of Ropotamo Strict Nature Reserve, Strandzha Nature Park, Byala Reka Protected Site in East Rhodopi Mts., Tisata Strict Nature Reserve, Popovi Skali Nature Monument, etc. Parts of the localities are in sites from the European Ecological Network NATURA 2000.

Conservation measures needed. Monitoring, phytocoenological studies, proclamation of new protected areas.

References. Bondev & Velchev 1984; Kitanov 1943.

Author: Chavdar Gussev


Thickets of Green olive tree (Phillyrea latifolia) (distribution map)