Temperate and boreal mountain Betula and Populus tremula woodland on mineral soils

This habitat includes deciduous woodlands growing in mountains at the extreme cold climatic limit towards the arctic or, oroarctic zone, where the short growing season, the prevalence of frost, snow conditions and high exposure limit both the possible dominants and the structure of the woodland. Silicate soils predominate, strongly acidic, often podzolised, sometimes showing cryogenic microrelief. But, nutrient-rich and moist brown soils also exist. Birch is the typical dominant tree, in northern Fennoscandia Betula pubescens ssp. czerepanovii (= B. tortuosa), which typically forms a very open, sometimes krummholz, canopy usually only 3-10m tall, with occasional Picea abies ssp. obovata towards the east. Beneath this, there is a layer of dwarf-shrubs including Vaccinium myrtillus, V. vitis-idaea, V. uliginosum, Empetrum hermaphroditum, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Betula nana, Rubus chamaemorus and Ledum palustre, monocotyledons and herbs such as Deschampsia flexuosa, Carex globularis, Cornus suecica and Trientalis europaea and a carpet of mosses and lichens. Similar field layers occur beneath short canopies of B. pubescens ssp. carpatica in the higher parts of the Scottish Highlands, so such woodland qualify as part of this habitat.

Indicators of good quality:

• Typical flora and fauna composition of the region

• Presence of natural disturbance

• Long historical continuity (ancient woodland) with high species diversity

• Survival of larger stands of forest without anthropogenic fragmentation and isolation (to support fauna which need large undisturbed forests)

• Absence of non-native species in all layers (flora & fauna)

• No signs of eutrophication or pollution

• No man-induced very high population levels of ungulates

Synthesis of Red List assessment

Confidence in the assessment

Pressures and threats