engleski

Patzkea paniculata grasslands in the north- western Dinarides – a crossroad between the Alps and the Balkan mountains

Aims: To examin if the P. paniculata subsp. paniculata dominated grasslands from Northern Velebit can gain independent syntaxonomical status in comparsion to other grassland types in the area, and to investigate are these grasslands from north-western Dinarides different from the other P. paniculata subsp. paniculata dominated grasslands of the Balkans, Alps and the Apennines. Study area: Northern Velebit Mt (north-western Dinarides), Croatia, Western Balkan. Methods: The species composition, diversity and ecology of grasslands were studied based on 37 vegetation relevés ranging from 1250 to 1400 m a. s. l. For each community we detected diagnostic species according to their fidelity index (phi coefficient), and diversity indices were calculated. Ecological preferences of each community were examined by detrended correspondence analysis (DCA), using Ellenberg’s indicator values. To compare the newly described grassland with Alpine, Balkan and Apennine ones, a joint synoptic table was prepared using previously published relevés and subjected to cluster analysis. Results and conclusions: Based on the floristic composition, we can distinguish three main grassland types in the uvalas of Northern Velebit, differing in both plant diversity and ecological features. P. paniculata dominated grasslands, not previously described in this area, are showing the intermediate position between Festucetum pungentis and Nardetum strictae with peculiar species composition ; therefore we attribute them to the Festuco bosniacae-Patzkeetum paniculatae. Comparison of the described community with the ones from other Balkan mountains, the Apennines and the Alps shows a unique composition of species, distinguishing this community from the others. Phytogeographically it belongs to the Illyrian province and represents the connection between the Alpine and Balkan P. paniculata dominated grasslands.

Dinarides ; Elyno-Seslerieta ; Festucion bosniacae ; Phytosociology ; Seslerietea juncifoliae ; subalpine grasslands

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