Research article

DOI: 10.15287/afr.2019.1355

Phytosociological approach to scree and ravine forest vegetation in Slovakia

Richard Hrivnák , Michal Slezák, Karol Ujházy, Františk Máliš, Drahoš Blanár, Mariana Ujházyová, Ján Kliment

Richard Hrivnák
Institute of Botany, Plant Sciences and Biodiversity Center of Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, SK-845 23 Slovakia. Email: richard.hrivnak@savba.sk
Michal Slezák
Podtatranské Museum in Poprad, Vajanského 72/4, SK-058 01 Poprad, Slovakia
Karol Ujházy
Department of Phytology, Faculty of Forestry, Technical University in Zvolen, T. G. Masaryka 24, SK-960 53 Zvolen, Slovakia
Františk Máliš
Department of Phytology, Faculty of Forestry, Technical University in Zvolen, T. G. Masaryka 24, SK-960 53 Zvolen, Slovakia
Drahoš Blanár
State Nature Conservancy, National Park Administration of the Muránska planina National Park, J. Kráľa 12, SK-050 01 Revúca, Slovakia
Mariana Ujházyová
Department of Applied Ecology, Faculty of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Technical University in Zvolen, T. G. Masaryka 24, SK-960 53 Zvolen, Slovakia
Ján Kliment
Botanical Garden, Comenius University in Bratislava, Blatnica 315, SK-036 15 Blatnica, Slovakia

Online First: November 26, 2019
Hrivnák, R., Slezák, M., Ujházy, K., Máliš, F., Blanár, D., Ujházyová, M., Kliment, J. 2019. Phytosociological approach to scree and ravine forest vegetation in Slovakia. Annals of Forest Research DOI:10.15287/afr.2019.1355


The aim of the study was to perform phytosociological revision of the scree and ravine forest vegetation in Slovakia in order to identify i) basic vegetation units of vegetation according to their floristic composition, and ii) to find out the main environmental gradients affecting their compositional variability. Relevés originally assigned to broadly comprehended alliance Tilio platyphylli-Acerion (974 relevés) were used for the analyses. In order to select final dataset (527 relevés), formal criteria, such as tree layer cover >50%, relevé area of 200–500 m2 and presence at least two from six traditionally accepted diagnostic species of the alliance in Central Europe (Acer platanoides, Lunaria rediviva, Phyllitis scolopendrium, Polystichum aculeatum, Tilia platyphyllos and Ulmus glabra) were applied to the primal dataset. Altitude, aspect, slope, climatic characteristics (mean annual precipitation and air temperature), geological bedrock and Ellenberg indicator values (EIVs) were specified for each phytosociological relevé. We used modified TWINSPAN algorithm for classification, Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) for explanation of species composition-environmental relationships, and both ANOVA corrected using modified permutation test and Mann-Whitney U-test to test environmental differences at each step of division by numerical classification. Two alliances, Melico-Tilion platyphylli and Tilio platyphylli-Acerion were distinguished with three (Aceri platanoidis-Tilietum platyphylli, Scolopendrio-Fraxinetum and Seslerio heufleranae-Quercetum petraeae) and two (Mercuriali perennis-Fraxinetum excelsioris and Lunario redivivae-Aceretum pseudoplatani) associations, respectively. Besides the floristic composition, other important factors for differentiation of the associations were altitude and related climatic characteristics. The main environmental characteristics affecting the overall compositional variability of studied forests were EIVs for light, moisture, soil reaction and temperature. The complex syntaxonomical revision identified five floristically and ecologically clearly differentiated associations, what reduced the number to almost half of previously distinguished communities from the territory of Slovakia. Moreover, presented concept is at alliance level in accordance with recent European classification approach.

Baran J., Pielech R., Bodziarczyk J., 2018. No differences in plant species diversity between protected and managed ravine forests. Forest Ecology and Management 430: 587-593. DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2018.08.052

Borhidi A., Kevey B., Lendvai G., 2012. Plant communities of Hungary. Akadémiai kiadó, Budapest, 544 p.

Berta J., 1986. Lipovo-javorové lesy. In Michalko J. (ed.), Geobotanická mapa ČSSR Slovenská socialistická republika. Veda, Bratislava, pp. 59-61.

Campos J.A., Gacía-Mijangos I., Herrera M., Loidi I., Biurrun I., 2011. Ravine forests (Tilio-Acerion) in the Iberian Peninsula. Plant Biosystems 145: 172-179. DOI: 10.1080/11263504.2011.602738

Chytrý M. (ed.), 2013. Vegetace České republiky 4. Lesní a křovinná vegetace. Academia, Praha. 551 p.

Chytrý M., Sádlo J., 1997. Tilia-dominated calcicolous forests in the Czech Republic from a Central European perspective. Annali di Botanica 55: 105-126.

Chytrý M., Tichý L., 2003. Diagnostic, constant and dominant species of vegetation classes and alliances of the Czech Republic: a statistical revision. Folia Facultatis Scientiarum Naturalium Universitatis Masarykianae Brunensis, Biologia 108: 1-231.

Chytrý M., Tichý L., Holt J., Botta-Dukát Z. 2002. Determination of diagnostic species with statistical fidelity measures. Journal of Vegetation Science 13: 79-90. DOI: 10.1111/j.1654-1103.2002.tb02025.x

Csiky J., Kevey B., Borhidi A., 2001. Block forest (Roso pendulinae-Tilietum cordatae), a new forest community of the Carpathian basin (Cerová Vrchovina, Slovakia). Acta Botanica Hungarica 43: 95-125. DOI: 10.1556/ABot.43.2001.1-2.5

Dierssen K., 1996. Vegetation Nordeuropas. Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart, 838 p.

Ellenberg H., 2009. Vegetation ecology of central Europe. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 731 p.

Ellenberg H., Weber H.E., Düll R., Wirth W., Werner W., Paulißen D. 1992. Zeigerwerte von Pflanzen in Mitteleuropa. i18: 1-258.

Faber A., 1936. Über Waldgesellschaften auf Kalksteinböden und ihre Entwicklung im Schwäbisch-Frankischen Stufenland aund auf der Alb. Anhang zum Versammlungs-Bericht 1936 der Landesgruppe Württenberg des Deutschen Forstvereins, pp. 1-53.

Fajmonová E., 1973. Prehľad sutinových lesov stredného Považia. Biológia 28: 547-561.

Fajmonová E., 1974. Schutthaldenwälder des mittleren Einzuggebietes des Waag-Flusses. Acta Facultatis Rerum Naturalium Universitatis Comenianae, Botanica 22: 123-140.

Fajmonová E., 1980. K problematike zaraďovania prechodných fytocenóz do klasifikačného systému na príklade spoločenstiev v Slovenskom raji. Preslia 52: 227-239.

Fajmonová E., 1993. Výskyt zriedkavých spoločenstiev sutinových lesov v Strážovských vrchoch. Biológia 48: 49-52.

Fischer H.S., 2015. On the combination of species cover values from different vegetation layers. Applied Vegetation Science 18: 169-170. DOI: 10.1111/avsc.12130

Háberová I., Dzubinová Ľ., Fajmonová E., Jančová M., Karasová E., Lisická E., Petrík A., Rybárska V., Uhlířová J., Urvichiarová E., Vološčuk I., Zelinka J., 1985. Vegetácia krasových oblastí SSR z hľadiska ochrany. Čiastková záverečná správa. Prírodovedecká fakulta UK, Bratislava.

Hennekens S.M., Schaminée J.H.J., 2001. TURBOVEG, a comprehensive data base management system for vegetation data. Journal of Vegetation Science 12: 589-591. DOI: 10.2307/3237010

Husová M., 1973. Die Schluchtwälder des Gebirges Hrubý Jeseník (Hohes Gesenke). Folia Geobotanica et Phytotaxonomica 8: 341-366. DOI: 10.1007/BF02852060

Jarolímek I., Šibík J. (eds), 2008. Diagnostic, constant and dominant species of the higher vegetation units of Slovakia. Veda, Bratislava, 332 p.

Jurko A., 1975. Waldgesellschaften des Zentralteiles des Ostslowakei und einige Fragen ihrer Syntaxonomie. Biologické Práce 21(3): 9-81.

Kącki Z., Czarniecka M., Swacha G., 2013. Statistical determination of diagnostic, constant and dominant species of the higher vegetation units of Poland. Monographiae Botanicae 103: 1-272. DOI: 10.5586/mb.2013.001

Klika J., 1936. Das Klimax-Gebiet der Buchenwälder in der Westkarpathen. Beihefte zum Botanischen Centralblatt 55B: 373-418.

Klika J., 1941. Rostlinosociologická studie křivoklátských lesů. Věstník Královské České Společnosti Nauk, Tř. Mat.-Přír. 1941/3: 1-46.

Klika J., 1942. Rostlinně-sociologický příspěvek k poznání Prešovských kopců. Věstník Královské České Společnosti Nauk, Tř. Mat.-Přír. 1942/17: 1-25.

Klika J., 1955. Nauka o rostlinných společenstvech (Fytocenologie). Nakladatelství Československé akademie věd, Praha, 360 p.

Kliment J., Ujházy K., Ujházyová M., Hrivnák R., Kochjarová J., Blanár D., 2010. Syntaxonómia bukových a sutinových lesov južnej časti Muránskej planiny. Bulletin Slovenskej Botanickej Spoločnosti 32, Suppl. 2: 161-211.

Košir P., Čarni A., Di Pietro R., 2008. Classification and phytogeographical differentiation of broad-leaved ravine forests in southeastern Europe. Journal of Vegetation Science 19: 331-342. DOI: 10.3170/2008-8-18372

Marhold K., Hindák, F. (eds.), 1998. Checklist of non-vascular and vascular plants of Slovakia. Veda, Bratislava, 687 p.

Matuszkiewicz W., 2014. Przewodnik do oznaczania zbiorowisk roślinnych Polski. Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN, Warszawa, 537 p.

Matuszkiewicz W., Sikorski P., Srwed W., Wierzbu M., 2018. Zbiorowiska roślinne Polski. Lasy i zarośla. Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN SA, Warszawa, 518 p.

Miadok D., 1981. Schuttwälder des nordwestlichen Teiles des Gemerské rudohorie-Gebirges. Acta Facultatis Rerum Naturalium Universitatis Comenianae, Botanica 28: 1-18.

Miklós L (ed.), 2002. Landscape Atlas of the Slovak Republic. Ed. 1. Ministry of Environment of the Slovak Republic, Bratislava & Slovak Environmental Agency (Banská Bystrica), 344 p.

Moravec J., Husová M. Neuhäusl R., Neuhäuslová-Novotná Z., 1982. Die Assoziationen mesophiler und hygrophiler Laubwälder in der Tschechischen Sozialistischen Republik. Academia, Praha, 295 p.

Moravec J., Husová M., Chytrý M., Neuhäuslová Z., 2000. Přehled vegetace České republiky. Svazek 2. Hygrofilní, mezofilní a xerofilní opadavé lesy. Academia, Praha, 319 p.

Morton A., 2005. DMAP for Windows. Software for Distribution Mapping, Version 7.2. URL: http://www.dmap. co.uk/.

Mucina L., Bültmann H., Dierßen K., Theurillat J-P., Raus T., Čarni A., Šumberová K., Willner W., Dengler J., García R.G., Chytrý M., Hájek M., Di Pietro R., Iakushenko D., Pallas J., Daniëls F.J.A., Bergmeier E., Guerra A.S., Ermakov N., Valachovič M., Schaminée J.H.J., Lysenko T., Didukh Y.P., Pignatti S., Rodwell J.S., Capelo J., Weber H.E., Solomeshch A., Dimopoulos P., Aguiar C., Hennekens S.M., Tichý L., 2016. Vegetation of Europe: hierarchical floristic classification system of vascular plant, bryophyte, lichen, and algal communities. Applied Vegetation Science 19 (suppl. 1): 3-264. DOI: 10.1111/avsc.12257

Mucina L., Maglocký Š. (eds), 1985. A list of vegetation units of Slovakia. Documents Phytosociologie 9: 175-200.

Novák P., Zukal D., Večeřa M., Pišťková K., 2017. Vegetation of oak-hornbeam, scree and ravine forests at lower altitudes in Transcarpathia, Western Ukraine. Tuexenia 37: 47-63.

Onyshchenko V., 2010. A revised classification of Ukrainian forests of the order Fagetalia sylvaticae. Tuexenia 30: 31-45.

Paal J., 2009. The forests of the North-Eastern Estonian Klint: the north-easternmost representatives of the EU Habitat Directive Tilio-Acerion forests of slopes, screens and ravines. Annales Botanici Fennici 46: 525-540. DOI: 10.5735/085.046.0605

Pott R., 1992. Die Pflanzengesellschaften Deutschlands. Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart, 427 p.

R Core Team, 2013. R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria. URL http://www.R-project.org/.

Rodwell J.S. (ed.), 1991. British plant communities. Vol. 1.Woodlands and scrub. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 408 p.

Roleček J., Tichý L., Zelený D., Chytrý M., 2009. Modified TWINSPAN classification in which the hierarchy respects cluster heterogeneity. Journal of Vegetation Science 20: 596-602. DOI: 10.1111/j.1654-1103.2009.01062.x

Šibík J., 2012. Slovak Vegetation Database. In Dengler J., Oldeland J., Jansen F., Chytrý M., Ewald J., Finckh M., Glöckler F., Lopez-Gonzalez G., Peet R.K., Schaminée J.H.J. (eds), Vegetation databases for the 21st century. Biodiversity and Ecology 4: 429-429.

Šomšák L., Háberová I., 1979. Die Waldgesellschaften des Silica-Plateaus. Biologické Práce 25: 5-89.

Schwickerath M., 1938. Wälder und Waldböden des Hohen Venns und seiner Randgebiete. Mitteilungen aus Forstwitschaft und Forstwissenschaft 3: 261-350.

Ter Braak C.J.F., Šmilauer P., 2012. CANOCO reference manual and user's guide: software for ordination (version 5.0). Microcomputer Power. Ithaca, 496 p.

Tichý L., 2002. JUICE, software for vegetation classification. Journal of Vegetation Science 13: 451-453. DOI: 10.1111/j.1654-1103.2002.tb02069.x

Tichý L., Chytrý M., 2006. Statistical determination of diagnostic species for site groups of unequal size. Journal of Vegetation Science 17: 809-818. DOI: 10.1111/j.1654-1103.2006.tb02504.x

Ujházyová M., 2007. Syntaxonómia bukových lesov na vápencoch bradlového pásma. Technická univerzita, Zvolen, 151 p.

Vukelić J., 2012. Šumska vegetacija Hrvatske. Šumarski fakultet, Zagreb, 403 p.

Wallnöfer S., Mucina L., Grass V., 1993. Querco-Fagetea. In Mucina L. (ed.), Die Pflanzengesellschaften Österreich. Teil 3. Wälder und Gebüsche. Gustav Fischer, Jena, pp. 85-236.

Weber H.E., Moravec J., Theurillat J.-P., 2000. International Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature. 3rd edition. Journal of Vegetation Science 11: 739-768. DOI: 10.2307/3236580

Willner W., 1996. Die Gipfeleschenwälder des Wienerwaldes. Verh. Zool.-Bot. Ges. Österreich 133: 133-184.

Willner W., 2015. Proposal (20): to conserve the name Aceretalia pseudoplatani Moor 1976 against Tilietalia Moor 1973. Phytocoenologia 45: 185-186. DOI: 10.1127/phyto/2015/0051

Willner W., Grabherr G., 2007. Die Wälder und Gebüsche Österreichs. Ein Bestimmungswerk mit Tabellen. Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, Heidelberg, 608 p.

Zelený D., Schaffers A.P., 2012. Too good to be true: pitfalls of using mean Ellenberg indicator values in vegetation analyses. Journal of Vegetation Science 23: 419-431. DOI: 10.1111/j.1654-1103.2011.01366.x


Supporting Information
| DOWNLOAD 73KB
No metrics available for this article.