Pine (Pinus sylvestris var. hamata) forests of northern Abkhazia and their position in the light-coniferous forests classification system of the Caucasus

The new association Rhamno emeretinae–Pinetum sylvestris ass. nov. representing the unique type of sub-Mediterranean forests with participation of Caucasian endemic species was described in the northern part of Abkhazia (the Western Caucasus). Small areas of these pine dwarf-shrub - grass drought-resistant petrophylous forests surrounded by zonal broad-leaved vegetation rarely found on the steep (45-60°) south-, south-east and east-faced limestone mountain slopes of the eastern part of the Gagrskiy Ridge at altitudes of 550-600 m. The peculiarity of the floristic composition of the association is determined by the combination of meso-xerophilous petrophilous species (Argyrolobium biebersteinii, Brachypodium rupestre, Campanula alliariifolia, Carex humilis, Teucrium chamaedrys) and mesophytes occurring at the upper part of the forest belt and in subalpine belt (Daphne pseudosericea, Melampyrum elatius, Salix caucasica, Valeriana alliariifolia). The association Rhamno emeretinae–Pinetum sylvestris was included in the class Erico-Pinetea Horvat 1959, however, its position in the orders and alliances system remains open. This association together with the Arctostaphylo caucasicae–Pinetum sylvestris Ermakov et al. 2018 occurring on calcareous bedrocks represent rare extra-zonal forest types existing because to the peculiar microclimate of the Bzyb Canyon and they are preserved in the Ritsinskiy Relic National Park (Abkhazia Republic). 

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