Syntaxonomical survey of cork oak forests (Quercus suber L.) in the province of Tizi Ouzou, Kabylia, Northern Algeria

Abstract

Abstract This study is a contribution to the knowledge of the floristic composition and syntaxonomical significance of Quercus suber woodlands of Tizi Ouzou province, which represent the last remnants of ancient forests. The field surveys were taken in several locations representative of cork oak woodlands, using the Braun-Blanquet method. A matrix of 96 phytosociological relevés and 160 plant taxa was treated with clustering analysis and correspondence analysis. These multivariate analyses showed congruent results and allowed the definition of four main clusters of cork oak woodlands, corresponding to four syntaxa according to synecological and syndynamic gradients. They belong to three associations, of which one is newly described, and two subassociations. They are: Sileno imbricatae-Quercetum suberis ass. nov., a mesophilous association newly described here, on siliceous soils and in the humid ombrotype; Cytiso villosi-Quercetum suberis, a mesophilous association, with two subassociations: quercetosum canariensis, and myrtetosum communis, this later reported for the first time in the study area, and both localized in the humid ombrotype and confined on markedly acid soils; Erico arboreae-Myrtetum communis, thermophilous secondary shrubland association developed in the subhumid ombrotype, on flysch substrates, also identified for the first time in this area. Syntaxonomic, synecological and syndynamic considerations are given for each syntaxon.