In: Phyton 53, Fasc.2 (2013), S. 265–288, with 4 figures


Key words: Querco-Fagetea, Symphyto cordatae-Fagion, Carpinion betuli, Quercetalia pubescenti-petraeae, temperate deciduous and mixed forests, syntaxonomy. – Festuca drymeja, Poaceae. – Carpathians, vegetation of Slovakia.

Summary:

Forest vegetation with Festuca drymeja Mert. & W. D. J. Koch (Poaceae) has been extensively studied in many regions of South-Eastern and Central Europe, but these forests have been only poorly reviewed at national scales. An expert-based approach used for the differentiation of local vegetation units and their insufficient analyses in large-scale data sets appear to be important constraints for syntaxonomical and nomenclatural stability. This paper represents the first complex phytosociological study focusing on such temperate broad-leaved and mixed forests in Slovakia. A total data set of 198 original and published relevés was analysed by cluster and ordination techniques. Numerical classification divided phytosociological material into five clusters corresponding to the vegetation units: Poo nemoralis-Quercetum festucetosum drymejae Máliš & al. 2013, Carici pilosae-Carpinetum festucetosum drymejae Magic 1968, Asperulo odoratae-Fagetum Sougnez & Thill 1959, Festuco drymejae-Fagetum sylvaticae Res¸merit¸a? 1977 and Galio rotundifolii-Abietetum festucetosum drymejae Šomšák, Majzlanová & Dostál 1984. The major environmental gradients in species composition, which were interpreted using Ellenberg’s indicator values, were associated with soil moisture, temperature and available nutrients. Special attention was devoted to floristical structure, ecological features and syntaxonomical affiliation of beech-dominated vegetation in the north-eastern part of Slovakia to the Carpathian alliance of the Symphyto cordatae-Fagion.