Acidophilous Picea forests of the montane to alpine levels (Vaccinio-Piceetea)

Description (English)

Subalpine and alpine conifer forests (dominated by Picea abies and Picea orientalis).
Subtypes:
Pal. 42.21 Alpine and Carpathian subalpine spruce forests. Piceetum subalpinum.
Picea abies forests of the lower subalpine level, and of anomalous stations in the montane level, of the outer, intermediate and inner Alps; in the latter, they are often in continuity with the montane spruce forests of 42.22. The spruces are often stunted or columnar; they are accompanied by an undergrowth of decidedly subalpine affinities. Picea abies forests of the lower subalpine level of the Carpathians.
Pal. 42.22 Inner range montane spruce forests. Piceetum montanum.
Picea abies forests of the montane level of the inner Alps, characteristic of regions climatically unfavourable to both beech and fir. Analogous Picea abies forests of the montane and collinar levels of the inner basin of the Slovakian Carpathians subjected to a climate of high continentality.
Pal. 42.23 - Hercynian subalpine spruce forests
Subalpine Picea abies forests of high Hercynian ranges .
Pal. 42.25 - Peri-Alpine spruce forests
Spontaneous Picea abies formations occupying outlying altitudinal or edaphic enclaves within the range of more predominant vegetation types of the montane levels of the outer Alps, the Carpathians, the Dinarides, the Jura, the Hercynian ranges, the subalpine levels of the Jura, the western Hercynian ranges and the Dinarides.