QUERCUS DALECHAMPII FORESTS IN CENTRAL MACEDONIA, GREECE

Most forested areas of Greece are formed by different species of oaks (Quercus). Under submediterranean climate, deciduous oaks predominate. The Kroussia mountains (Mavrovouni-Disoro, Central Macedonia, Greece) are covered by oak forests with e. frainetto, e. dalechampii, and e. pubescens. Limited stands of Fagus spec. occur only in very few places , mostly in N, NE expositions, along streams or cavities. The climate of the area is submediterranean. Metamorphic rocks prevail as geologic al substrates. Soils are shallow to medium deep, sandy-loamy, represen ting moderately acid brown forest soils. Q. dalechampii occurs in smal l stands as well as in large-scale forests. All stands are more or les s strongly affected by man. Synsystematically, these forests were clas sified as e. dalechampii-community in the alliance Quercion confertae (= Quercion frainetto; Quercetalia pubescentis, Querco-Fagetea). Furth er subdivisions along an environmental gradient result in three types, representing transitions towards beech forest on moister sites, and t owards Q. frainetto forests on drier sites. The Q. dalechampii forests apparently represent an azonal community, mainly because their loam a nd clay content in the soil, and not climate, seems to govern competit ion between the oak species.