Mixed Broadleaved Forests Poor in Beech Outside of Floodplains or Mires

Several types of mixed forests dominated by maple ( Acer pseudoplatanus , A. platanoides ) and other broadleaved trees ( Tilia platyphyllos , Ulmus glabra ) or by European ash ( Fraxinus excelsior ) are spatially, ecologically and floristically very closely related to the beech forests (Schlüter 1967; Moor 1975a, b, c; von Gadow 1975; Oberdorfer 1992–1998; Pott 1995 among others). Especially the ash-rich forest communities are among the most productive in Central Europe, but the others are also fast-growing, as their habitats are characterised by high nutrient availability and good water supply without being waterlogged. Although beech grows well here, its young trees are overtaken by ash and sycamore, and to some extent also wych elm ( Ulmus glabra ), Norway maple ( Acer platanoides ) and large-leaved lime ( Tilia platyphyllos ) (see Fig. 6.4).