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geographical location of the study area in the central part of the Balkans: the Galičica mountain range.
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Aims The aim of the study was to discover what set of variables best explains the transition from warm to mesic forest vegetation. Based on various variables grouped into sets (geomorphological, ecological, structural, soil characteristics and chorological), six models were built and tested by generalized additive mixed models (GAMMs). We assumed t...
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Citations
... Mesic temperate forests appear in the humid sub Atlantic climate and are dominated by mesophilous deciduous tree species, such as Fagus sylvatica, Carpinus betulus, Acer pseudoplanatus, Alnus glutinosa etc. Warm deciduous forests appear in areas under the influence of continental and Mediterrane-an climates, in which summer drought is more pronounced. These forests are dominated by various species from the genus Quercus, Ostyra carpinifolia, Carpinus orientalis etc. [20]. ...
... Evidence exists that in the southern Balkans there were macro refugia of warm temperate forests and also cryptic (smaller) refugia of mesic temperate forests. The macro refugia were more species rich but cryptic refugia also had their floristic individuality [20,37,38]. ...
The article provides an overview of deciduous forests of the Balkan Peninsula. It presents riverine, floodplain and moor forests, dominated by Alnus incana, A. glutinosa, Fraxinus excelsior, F. angustifolia, Quercus robur, Salix alba, Ulmus laevis, U. minor; acidophilous forests dominated by Betula pendula, Castanea sativa, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus petraea; thermophilous forests dominated by Carpinus orientalis, Ostrya carpinifolia, Quercus cerris, Q. farainetto, Q. petraea, Q. pubescens and mesophilous forests dominated by Carpinus betulus, Fagus sylvatica, F. orientalis, Fraxinus excelsior, Tilia argentea, T. cordata, T. platyphyllos, Ulmus glabra. At the same time, forests were classified into the synsystematic framework of the standard Central European system to the level of an alliance.
... pannosum, etc.) In the lowland belt to 1000 (1200) above sea level, in the belt of oak forests (Fraxino orni-Quercetum petraeae, Ostryo carpinifoliae-Quercetum cerris and Fraxino orni-Quercetum cerris), and some in the lower belt of beech forest, on the altitude of 700-1200 m [4], [5], with their degradation (uprooting, burning or prolonged use of forests for firewood or other uses), these habitats are gradually transformed into dry grasslands which are secondary phytocenoses maintained through grazing and other anthropogenic activities. The communities of this vegetation type from the central and southern parts of the Balkan Peninsula be-long to the class Festuco-Brometea, order Astragalo-Potentilletalia Micevski [1] Matevski [6]. ...
This paper presents the dry grassland vegetation (Festuco-Brometea) on the Galičica Mountain. The research un-derlying this study was carried out in the period of 2009–2010 at several localities, on carbonate substrate from Ohrid and Prespa sides. Registered community of this type is subordinate to xerophilous vegetation of the Festuco-Brometea the order Astragalo-Potentilletalia Micevski [1] and alliance Saturejo-Thymion Micevski [2]. From the floristic compo-sition and the detailed phytocoenological analysis of the investigated vegetation it was concluded that it is represented by ass. Siderito montanae-Trifolietum dalmaticae ass. nova subass. erodietosum guicciardii subass. nova.
... Mesic temperate forests appear in the humid sub Atlantic climate and are dominated by mesophilous deciduous tree species, such as Fagus sylvatica, Carpinus betulus, Acer pseudoplanatus, Alnus glutinosa etc. Warm deciduous forests appear in areas under the influence of continental and Mediterrane-an climates, in which summer drought is more pronounced. These forests are dominated by various species from the genus Quercus, Ostyra carpinifolia, Carpinus orientalis etc. [20]. ...
... Evidence exists that in the southern Balkans there were macro refugia of warm temperate forests and also cryptic (smaller) refugia of mesic temperate forests. The macro refugia were more species rich but cryptic refugia also had their floristic individuality [20,37,38]. ...
The article provides an overview of deciduous forests of the Balkan Peninsula. It presents riverine, floodplain and moor forests, dominated by Alnus incana, A.. At the same time, forests were classified into the synsystematic framework of the standard Central European system to the level of an alliance.
... pannosum, etc.) In the lowland belt to 1000 (1200) above sea level, in the belt of oak forests (Fraxino orni-Quercetum petraeae, Ostryo carpinifoliae-Quercetum cerris and Fraxino orni-Quercetum cerris), and some in the lower belt of beech forest, on the altitude of 700-1200 m [4], [5], with their degradation (uprooting, burning or prolonged use of forests for firewood or other uses), these habitats are gradually transformed into dry grasslands which are secondary phytocenoses maintained through grazing and other anthropogenic activities. The communities of this vegetation type from the central and southern parts of the Balkan Peninsula be-long to the class Festuco-Brometea, order Astragalo-Potentilletalia Micevski [1] Matevski [6]. ...
This paper presents the dry grassland vegetation (Festuco-Brometea) on the Galičica Mountain. The research underlying this study was carried out in the period of 2009–2010 at several localities, on carbonate substrate from Ohrid and Prespa sides. Registered community of this type is subordinate to xerophilous vegetation of the Festuco-Brometea the order Astragalo-Potentilletalia Micevski [1] and alliance Saturejo-Thymion Micevski [2]. From the floristic composition and the detailed phytocoenological analysis of the investigated vegetation it was concluded that it is represented by ass. Siderito montanae-Trifolietum dalmaticae ass. nova subass. erodietosum guicciardii subass. nova.
Terrestrial orchids in Europe inhabit a variety of vegetation types, both the forest and scrub types and herbaceous vegetation. The richness and composition of orchid species and subspecies in relation to vegetation types in the central Balkans (western Serbia) were investigated in the present study. In total, the phytocoenological affiliation of 55 orchid species and subspecies were analysed. Based on presence/absence data, similarity of the orchid flora among different vegetation types (orders and alliances) was analysed using the clustering method. Orchids were recorded in plant communities from 17 classes, 31 orders and 41 alliances. The greatest number of orchid species grow in communities of the classes Festuco-Brometea, Molinio-Arrhenatheretea and Quercetea pubescentis, the orders Quercetalia pubescenti-petraeae, Brachypodietalia pinnati, Fagetalia sylvaticae as well as the alliances Fagion sylvaticae, Fraxino orni-Ostryion, Nardo-Agrostion tenuis and Arrhenatherion elatioris. The results show that the vegetation types richest in orchid taxa are those that occur over a wide range of altitudes, mainly on carbonate substrates and on various bedrock types, indicating the cumulative effect of environmental factors in determining the patterns of orchid species richness. Furthermore, Gymnadenia conopsea, Anacamptis morio, Dactylorhiza saccifera, Platanthera bifolia, Neottia ovata and Dactylorhiza sambucina were found to grow in the largest number of vegetation types, suggesting their great ecological plasticity. In total, 12 statistically significant groups of vegetation orders and 11 statistically significant groups of vegetation alliances are distinguished. The study highlights the importance of certain vegetation types in defining priorities of orchid conservation.
Novaković-Vuković et al.: Floristic composition of black pine forests on serpentinite in the territory of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H)-4999-APPLIED ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 17(2):4999-5010. Abstract. Black pine forests of the Western Balkans constitute a significant complex of azonally and orographically-edaphically conditioned forests, on the ophiolite massifs of central and eastern Bosnia, as well as western and, to a certain extent, central Serbia. CA and Cluster analysis showed that there was no overlap in the floristic composition, which means that there are significant differences between the studied stands. Stands in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) are floristically richer with 152 taxa recorded, while stands in Serbia had 82 taxa recorded. On the territory of B&H, communities grow under the conditions of maritime and humid climate; while in Serbia they grow in continental climate with less rainfall and significant exposure to sub-Mediterranean weather. In black pine forests in B&H two types of soil were described: eutric humus-siliceous, and brown soil on serpentinite; while in Serbia, there was only one type-eutric humus-siliceous. No significant differences were found in the spectrum of life forms. In the spectrum of floral elements, mesophilic floral elements (Central and Sub-Atlantic) were dominant on the territory of B&H; while stands in Serbia, were richer in xerophilous floral elements (Mediterranean, Balkan, Balkan-Apennine). Shannon-Wiener index and evenness index showed higher values in B&H.
Questions
Which major syntaxa of dry grasslands supported by carbonate bedrock occur in the Central and South Balkans? What is their position along major ecological gradients and in context of phytogeographic patterns of the region?.
Location
Central and South Balkans, incl. Western Bulgaria, Northern Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia (FYROM) and Serbia.
Methods
We compiled a matrix of 660 relevés of dry grasslands over lime‐rich bedrocks, previously classified in the Festuco‐Brometea. We applied clustering techniques to classify separately synoptic and relevé data, and applied non‐metric multidimensional scaling with passive projection of indicator values, climatic data, and biogeographic geo‐elements onto ordination diagrams to assist interpretation of the syntaxonomic patterns. We constructed elevation distribution profiles for alliances and classes of grasslands of several grassland classes from a broader study area to elucidate the relationship of the elevational sorting of the syntaxa in relation to latitude.
Results
The analysis revealed six major vegetation types, classified into four orders: (1) Stipo pulcherrimae‐Festucetalia pallentis, incl. (sub)montane rocky steppic grasslands of the Saturejion montanae of Central Balkans, and the Koelerio‐Festucion dalmaticae—submontane rocky grasslands of southern Serbia and Kosovo; (2) Astragalo onobrychidis‐Potentilletalia represented by the Saturejo‐Thymion (low‐elevation steppic grasslands of Southern Balkans); (3) Festucetalia valesiacae represented by grasslands on deep‐soil and low‐elevation of Northern Greece, and finally (4) high‐elevation rocky grasslands of Southern Balkans, classified as a new alliance—the Diantho haematocalycis‐Festucion hirtovaginatae that might belong to a new, yet undescribed syntaxonomic order. Ordination suggests that the major differentiation of the high‐rank syntaxa follows north‐south geographical and low‐high elevational gradients.
Conclusions
Because of the transitional biogeographic position of the studied region as well as considerable large elevation span across latitudes, the diversity of vegetation types is high. The indication a putative new dry‐grassland order the mid‐high altitudes of the Southern Balkans points upon a necessity of re‐assessing the Balkan vegetation occupying the community niche between the low‐elevation dry grasslands (Festuco‐Brometea) and those typical of high elevations (Elyno‐Seslerietea and Daphno‐Festucetea), seeking parallels to patterns described from the Western Alps, Pyrenees, and Apennines. This syntaxonomic unit is poised to expand the concept of the Festuco hystricis‐Ononidetea striatae to the Balkans.
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The orophile flora of the Iberian Peninsula is analysed in order to extract the basic biogeographical patterns of the plant diversity contained in this group. A total of 999 taxa at the level of species and subspecies have been identified as the Iberian cold-adapted plants living in the mountains, representing 15% of the total Iberian flora. Their distribution patterns across the six main mountain ranges, including all the ranges with significant areas above 1600 m, have been analysed. Species richness is correlated with the area above that altitude. Four main floristic elements have been distinguished within the orophile flora: the Arctic-Boreal, the European Orophile, the Endemic and the Iberian-North African. The first two elements are mainly spread across the northern mountain ranges in a pattern symmetrical to the distribution of the Iberian-North African element. The Endemic element is the largest one and is better represented in the ranges with the highest summits. After an analysis of the taxonomic diversity (TD) of all ranges, it is evident that, if phylogenetic diversity is taken into account, the southern ranges are less diverse than expected, in contrast to the northern ones, in spite of the fact that they host a larger number of endemics. This means that, even when an element contains many species, biodiversity values may be diminished in case those species are phylogenetically related. This particularly concerns the Endemic element, composed mainly of narrowly related geo-vicariants. Concerning the vegetation, the communities inhabiting rupicolous habitats such as crevices and screes, as well as the psychro-xerophilous grasslands, are the main contributors to this flora. The biogeographical distribution of the vegetation units follows a north-south pattern, with a preference for the siliceous mountains in the Boreal and Temperate units and for the calcareous mountains in the case of the Mediterranean units. A number of Iberian units has their optimum in the central siliceous ranges, such as the Nardus grasslands.
Zonal vegetation is a large-scale expression of macro-climate and, due to the climatic diversity of the country, there are seven traditionally recognized zonal forest plant communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H). Using data from Bosnia and Herzegovina, this study aimed to reveal whether macro-climate is indeed the most important factor determining the existence of zonal forest plant communities (ZFPC). Detrended correspondence analysis of 398 relevés of seven ZFPCs revealed that the species turnover along the first axis is strongly related to the macro-climatic gradient (annual mean temperature, mean temperature of the coldest quarter and precipitation of the warmest quarter). No correlation was detected between this gradient and topographic factors (slope and aspect) and soil reaction. Floristic analysis revealed clear separation of ZFPCs in terms of diagnostic species. Functional analysis of all layers showed that competitive ecological strategy has the highest proportion, while analysis of the herb layer alone expressed a shift of CSR signatures towards the middle of the C-S axis. Ruderality was overall poorly expressed. Statistically significant differences among communities were discovered along the C-S axis. In terms of life forms, statistically significant differences in the proportions of Phanerophytes, Geophytes and Hemicryptophytes among communities were discovered. Our study confirms that macro-climatic gradient is the most important determinant of the species turnover along ZFPCs. CSR signatures show that zonal forest vegetation is represented by productive communities in a terminal stage of succession. This does not refer to degraded Quercus ilex stands (maquis), which are in the middle stage of secondary succession.
