Die relikt-schwarzföhrenwälder des alpenostrandes

Summary

The Illyrian black pine occurring mainly in Yugoslavia has a disjunct area on the east side of the Alps in Austria. Within the “isolated sub-Illyrian colony” along the Thermenlinie (thermal spring line) south of Vienna, it prefers the altitude of the montane beech zone between 250 m–1250 m. Its ecological requirements with regard to soil dryness are met by dolomitized substrata, those for air humidity by a natural occurrence in the montane zone, on west-facing slopes in general, and on the upper parts of slopes; in this it shows a fundamental ecological difference from Quercus pubescens, which, though also Illyrian, requires dry air. In its distribution optimum along the east side of the Alps, the black pine forms closed wood communities (Seslerio-Pinetum and Chamaebuxo-Pinion), extending into the dealpine zone. In the (upper and lower) marginal zones of its occurrence it joins other communities, which phenomenon is facilitated by the fact that its top does not obstruct the passage of light. The major disjunctions of the Tertiary species are doubtless of preglacial origin, the minor disjunctions within the Illyrian subspecies may date from more recent (interglacial or postglacial) times.