The class Quercetea pubescentis includes thermophilous, deciduous oak forests which occur in relatively warm and dry regions of Europe. The open-canopy communities contain light-demanding and thermophilous herbs shared with dry grasslands, herbaceous forest fringes and thermophilous scrub. Closed-canopy communities dominated by Submediterranean tree species are also included. In central Europe some of these forests were maintained by forest grazing and coppicing. Cessation of these traditional management practices often results in succession towards shady, mesic forests.