Dynamics of ruderal vegetation in the western
Krkonoše Mts. (Giant Mts.)
Z. Neuhäuslová
The new vegetation map of the
Czech Republic ("Map of the Potential Natural Vegetation")
at a scale of 1: 500 000, prepared in the years
1994-1996 and published in 1997, is a collective work by many
Czech, Moravian and Silesian botanists, co-ordinated by the
Institute of Botany, Pr ů honice (Z. Neuhäuslová). It was compiled on the basis of
field work and the evaluation of all maps and phytosociological
studies published before 1996.
In comparison with the first
vegetation map of the Republic, the Map of Reconstructed
Vegetation, published in 1968-1972, this new map bears witness to
the considerably increased knowledge of our vegetation and its
distribution. In its compilation the principles of habitat analogy
were again used, but irreversible changes of habitat resulting from
human activity were also taken into account. The map depicts the
equilibrium between present-day habitat conditions and the
vegetation. While the legend of the Map of Reconstructed Vegetation
contained 19 mapping units based on the floristic-phytocenological
differentiation of the vegetation (Braun-Blanquet classification),
the new map includes 51 units, mostly representing individual
associations or two associations; only in special cases are
complexes of higher syntaxa depicted (alliances to classes, e.g.
mires or small-areas covered by alpine and subalpine
vegetation).
The map is based on the work of
the following people: Z. Neuhäuslová (in Central Bohemia partly in
co-operation with J. Sádlo) prepared a map showing the
differentiation of oak-hornbeam, alluvial, acidophilous oak and
pine-oak forests at a scale of 1: 500 000; J. Moravec
differentiated the silver-fir forests and, at a scale of 1:1 m,
the beech forests; K. Rybníček proposed the differentiation of mire
vegetation at a scale of 1: 500 000; J. Jirásek that for spruce
forests; thermophilous oak forests were differentiated by J. Kolbek
in Bohemia and M. Chytrý in Moravia.
Together with the compilation of
the map, the same authors prepared the explanatory text for the
mapping units mentioned above. J. Jeník prepared the text for
subalpine and alpine vegetation, M. Husová for scree and ravine
woodlands and silver fir forests and K. Prach for areas of
open-cast coal mines.
The explanatory text is divided
into two parts: the first part includes general information on the
physical-geographical characteristics of the country, basic
information on vegetation mapping in the Republic, history of the
vegetation during the last 15 000 years and methodology. The
second, more detailed, part includes characteristics of the mapping
units (data on the most frequent synonyms, structure and species
composition, diagnostic species combination, floristic
differentiation from the most closely related mapping units,
developmental stages, associated natural vegetation within the
complex of the mapping units, adjoining potential natural
vegetation, habitat and distribution, substitute communities, land
use, importance for nature conservation and landscape planning,
rare and endangered taxa and syntaxa, most important references,
examples of typical relevés or synthetic tables, and data on
invasive and expansive species in the area of the mapping unit).
The text will be printed at the end of 1998.
Z. Neuhäuslová
In the course of the last four
years, most activities have been concentrated on the completion of
the last mapping sheets at the scale 1: 2 500 000 and on the
compilation of the general Maps of Natural Vegetation of Europe
(MNVE), scales 1: 10 000 000 and 1: 15000 000, prepared in Bonn and
St. Petersburg. The new Map of Potential Natural Vegetation of the
Czech Republic, prepared in 1994-1996 and published in 1997 (see
above) was included in the final version of the MNVE and the text
of newly distinguished mapping units of the Czech Republic was
prepared.
The final map of European mire
communities was compiled in our Institute at Průhonice in close
cooperation with Scandinavian and Irish specialists (K. Rybníček,
J. Cross), and the final revision of the distribution of alluvial
vegetation in SE. Europe was prepared in cooperation with Ukrainian
and Bulgarian phytosociologists (Z. Neuhäuslová). Together with G.
Lang the final version of the chapter on the history of European
vegetation in the holocene (E. Rybníčková, K. Rybníček) was
completed. In cooperation with colleagues from the Komarov
Institute of Botany, St. Petersburg (Russia) a paper on the history
of the MNVE project was published (Z. Neuhäuslová), and, following
collaboration with Italian phytosociologists (University at
Camerino), the abbreviated basic characteristics of all 56 Italian
mapping units were prepared (Z. Neuhäuslová).
Z. Neuhäuslová
In 1994-1995 relevés of clearing
communities which developed following wind-throw in the 1980s were
synthesized and evaluated. The gaps created by the storm were
concentrated in spruce plantations located in sites of different
types of potential natural vegetation but principally in silver
fir-oak forests, herb-rich beech forests and acidophilous beech-
and silver fir-forests. Instead of spruce plantations a variety of
clearing communities arose, whose species composition was dependent
on the age, species composition, and abundance of the initial
forest vegetation, seed bank, adjacent communities and many other
factors. This resulted in the very variable composition of clearing
communities which have yet to be evaluated in phytosociological
units. Research concentrated on the phytosociological-synecological
characteristics as well as on the succession of individual
communities.
Five plant associations (
Junco effusi-Calamagrostietum
villosae , Senecioni sylvatici
- Epilobietum angustifolii, Senecionetum
fuchsii, Rubetum idaei, Senecioni-Sambucetum racemosae
) and 10 communities with predominance of
particular species ( Juncus
effusus and
Agrostis stolonifera, Equisetum sylvaticum , Calamagrostis villosa, C.
epigeios, Deschampsia flexuosa, Sambucus nigra and Rubus idaeus,
S. nigra and
R. caesius, Populus tremula, Betula
pendula and
Rubus idaeus , and Petasites albus and
Impatiens noli-tangere ) were studied in detail in the investigated area.
Attention was also paid to the
successional development of individual communities into new
communities by the establishment of permanent plots in sites of
different potential natural vegetation. The changes in floristic
composition in these plots have been studied for 6-8 years using
phytosociological techniques and the results were prepared for
publication.
Z. Neuhäuslová
The Ukrainian-Czech vegetation
research project, organized by the Cholodny Institute of Botany,
Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, was started at the beginning of the
l990s. The aim of the joint expedition, which was organized in
1991, was to study the vegetation of the Birjučij Island Spit (NW
part of the Azov Sea). During this expedition, more than 100
phytosociological relevés of the coastal vegetation, sand steppes,
salt meadows, solonchak and solonetz vegetation and reed swamps
were recorded. This data was augmented in the same year by relevés
recorded by Ukrainian phytosociologists and successively
synthetised using the principles of the Braun-Blanquet
technique.
Two studies, devoted to the
research of sand-steppes and coastal vegetation of the "Birjučij
Island" Spit have been published. The first one represents a survey
of the Festucetea vaginatae
communities and their substitute communities of
the class Chenopodietea , which develop as a result of trampling. The second
paper gives the result of a survey of white-dunes and seashore
vegetation (classes Cakiletea
maritimae ,
Honckenyo - Elymetea and Agropyretea pungentis ). Within
the alliance Festucion
beckeri three associations and five
communities without rank were analyzed. Among them, Centaureo odessanae-Stipetum capillatae
and Poo bulbosae-Caricetum colchicae were described for the first time. The characteristics of two
new substitute communities of sand-steppe vegetation influenced by
deer (
Secali-Cynodontetum dactyli and Heliotropio dolosi-Brometum
japonici ) were also presented.
Among 10 syntaxa of white-dunes
and seashore vegetation, two new associations ( Cakilo euxinae - Euphorbietum peplidis
with two new subassociations, and
Cynancho acuti-Lepidietum latifolii )
were described. In addition three new subassociations of the
Elymo-Astrodaucetum littoralis were distinguished.
J. Kolbek, D. Blažková, J.
Dostálek, Z. Neuhäuslová, J. Sádlo & M. Šrůtek
In the course of expeditions in
the northern part of the Korean Peninsula (D. P. R. K.), which
finished in 1990 all terrestrial and hydrophilous plant communities
were identified. A total of ca 1,000 phytosociological relevés were
collected.
In total, 25 papers were
published, accepted or submitted for publication. Phytosociological
studies of the following plant communities or habitats and notes on
the flora were presented on the following topics:
·trampled communities
·grassland vegetation with
dominant species Zoysia
japonica
·weed vegetation of soya bean
fields
·weed vegetation of rice
fields
·nitrophilous communities
·annual nitrophilous pond and
river bank communities
·salt marsh vegetation on the west
coast of North Korea
·coastal dune vegetation of the
eastern part of the area
·hydrophilous communities
·communities of semi-dry and moist
rock
·notes on wall communities
·epiphytic communities in
forests
·structure of vegetation and flora
along the altitudinal gradient on the timberline of Mt.
Paektu
·variation in structure of
a Larix olgensis dominated community along the altitudinal gradient on Mt.
Paektu
·vegetation belts and community
pattern in Central Korean mountain ranges
·a brief survey of selected woody
species of North Korea
·a few taxa new to the
flora
·a study of Chenopodium ficifolium
·taxonomy, phytosociology, and
ecology of some Korean Rhododendron species
J. Kolbek, D. Blažková, M. Husová,
J. Moravec, R. Neuhäusl, Z. Neuhäuslová & J. Sádlo
The project yielded 12 colour maps
at a scale 1: 25 000 with 33 mapping units (published in 1995) and
accompanying publication on the potential natural vegetation. The
contents include (a) physical conditions, (b) methods of vegetation
mapping, (c) survey and description of mapping units and (d)
characteristics of the mapping sheets. It comprises c. 300 pages in
an English and Czech version.
The territory of 630 km
2 belongs to the group of Czech
highland massifs. Geobotanically it is characterized mainly by
oak-hornbeam stands, beech stands and scree forests, all of which
have a dominant position in the present-day natural vegetation.
Subxerophilous and acidophillous oak-forests and alder-stands are
represented only in small stands. With regard to non-forest
vegetation the grass-herb communities of rocks, screes and poorly
developed soils occur among other places on the so-called "bald
spots", usually on the southern sides of certain hills. The
Berounka river valley and its immediate surroundings are the least
disturbed and most valuable part of the area and the species
diversity is high because of the influence of the river.
The area contains comprises 31
existing or proposed nature reserves or protected natural
phenomena.
J. Kolbek & J. Moravec
Three permanent plots,
representing the characteristic climax forest communities, were
established in the area under study. in 1992 for long-term
biomonitoring of global changes in vegetation and soils.
Observations show that the changes are caused mainly by the direct
influence of animals, by acid precipitation rich in nitrogen oxides
and by mineral fertilisers applied on agricultural land and blown
by wind into the forest stands. The aim of the research is to
follow the changes in vegetation and soil characteristics, other
than those resulting from direct human and animal influence. A
total of 75 permanent plots was collected. The changes in plant
cover are described on the basis of phytosociological relevés and
chemical analysis of the soil. Physiognomically identical syntaxa
were detected and studied comparatively.
Biomonitoring of Gentianella baltica and
other endangered species has been carried out at one locality for 5
years. Changes in vegetation composition after 20 years were
investigated in 15 plant communities at four localities. Relevés
were taken annually from the same stands and changes in the
dominance of existing taxa, the loss of taxa from the communities,
and the occurence of new taxa were recorded. Each locality is
exposed to both anthropogenic and zoogenic pressure, which is often
very intense so that the changes recorded at three of the
localities are very significant.
J. Moravec
The Phase 1 of this project was
finished in 1995 and the first version of manuscripts treating the
following vegetation classes has been prepared in a unified
format:
1. Forest communities:
Salicetea purpureae, Alnetea glutinosae,
Querco-Fagetea and Vaccinio - Piceetea (by M. Husová, M.
Chytrý, J. Jirásek, J. Moravec and Z. Neuhäuslová).
2. Halophilous vegetation:
Crypsietea aculeatae, Thero-Suaedetea,
Thero-Salicornietea and Festuco-Puccinellietea
(by J. Vicherek).
3. Nitrophilous herb
communities:
Galio-Urticetea (by K. Kopecký).
4. Reed-sedge swamps: Phragmito-Magnocaricetea (by P. Nevečeřal in cooperation with K. Kopecký).
5. Alpine and subalpine
vegetation: Juncetea trifidi, Salicetea
herbaceae, Mulgedio-Aconitetea (by E.
Hadač) and Betulo carpaticae-Alnetea
viridis (by J. Jirásek).
6. Vegetation of springs:
Montio-Cardaminetea (by E. Hadač).
7. Communities of poor meadows,
pastures and heaths:
Nardo-Callunetea (by F. Krahulec and J.
Husáková).
8. Communities of walls:
Parietarietea (by
J. Kolbek).
The manuscripts completed and
revised during the Phase 2 of the project and edited by J. Moravec
will be published in the series "Vegetation survey of the Czech
Republic" (Academia, Praha). The first volume ( Acidophilous oak
forests - class Quercetea
robori-petraeae ") was submitted to
print in 1997. During 1996-1997, a substantial advancement in
preparation of the second volume of the series has been achieved.
This volume will be devoted to hygro-, meso- and xerophilous
deciduous forests of the class
Querco-Fagetea.
Some syntaxonomical and
nomenclatural problems were solved in the course of revision of the
manuscripts and published separately in journals.
Manuscript of other vegetational
classes are under preparation. These will constitute the subsequent
volumes of the series.
J. Dostálek
The aim of the present project was
to describe the above mentioned changes in the development and
spread of anthropogenic flora along roads in the model-area of the
Orlické hory Mts. and their foothills.
The importance of the network of
the routeways for the spread of synanthropic plants increased
markedly in the 20th century. With the increase in transport the
territory is being enriched with new species brought in with
transported goods, by travellers or directly attached to
vehicles.
The project focused on the
following objectives:
- To describe and map the distribution of selected
anthropogenic species in a part of the area studied by Kopecký
(1969-72) approximately 20 years ago and to compare the present
state with that reported by Kopecký.
- To describe the development of the apophytization
process in the last 20 years.
- To describe the spread of selected alien species and
their incorporation into plant communities during the last twenty
years. This will be accomplished by means of the deductive method
of syntaxonomic classification.
- To collect data and develop a method for describing
the distribution of anthropogenic species at the present time,
which could be used as a basis for future comparative study.
The project was funded by the
Fonds national suisse de la recherche scientifique and
Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques Genéve.
J. Husáková
Changes taht
occurred in ruderal vegetation of the Krkonoše National Park in the
last 20 years were studied. The research was focused on roads, ways
and tracks. The vegetation was recorded in the 0.5-2 km segments.
Ruderal vegetation of the territory studied is dominated by
expansive and partly by invasive species. The changes in
distribution of ruderal species are reflected by increasing number
of their localities, their spread to higher altitudes and
increasing abundance of their populations at particular
localities. Phalaris
arundinacea , an expansive native
species, and Impatiens
parviflora , an invasive alien, are the
most important among the species recorded. In the 1970s, both were
present only as a few individuals in a small number of localities
at lower altitudes. At present,
Phalaris has invaded natural and
seminatural plant communities and forms extensive patches. Along
routeways, it has reached altitudes up to 1350 m. Impatiens parviflora is
spreading along roads from its original center near Vrchlabí (580
m), having the present altitudinal maximum in Horní Mísečky (1020
m). Roads and paths are an important factor of spread of the
ruderal species in the Krkonoše Mts.
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