Two new pioneer communities of Sorbus aucuparia and Sorbus aria in the southern Julian alps

In the southern Julian Alps we described two communities whose tree layer is dominated by species from the genus Sorbus and noted two successional stages in the overgrowing of abandoned agricultural land (pastures, hay meadows). In the secondary succession on former subalpine pastures above the alp Planina Razor und under the Breginjski Stol ridge, where potential naturalvegetation consists of subalpine beech forest, dwarf pine has been overgrown with mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia) whose stands are classified into the new association Rhododendro hirsuti-Sorbetum aucupariae. Whitebeam (Sorbus aria) has established itself on steep former hay meadows in the belt of altimontane beech forests under Mts. Jalovnik and Krikov Vrh, on gullied slopes on mixed geological bedrock dominated by chert, and these stands are classified into the association Calamagrostio arundinaceae-Sorbetum ariae. While occupying only small areas these two pioneer stages, as the sites of some rare or protected species, are nevertheless important biotopes and play a vital role in protection against avalanches

Vegetation analysis of the subalpine beech forest on the upper forest line in the Julian Alps (NW Slovenia and NW Italy) and in the northern Dinaric Alps

Using hierarchical clustering with unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) we arranged 602 phytosociological relevés of beech forests on the present forest line, mainly from the Julian Alps and the Trnovo Forest Plateau (we also included the relevés from the Karawanks and the Kamnik Alps) into 32 clusters. Based on their analysis and comparison with previously described similar (alti)montane-subalpine beech communities we classified most of the relevés into the association Polysticho lonchitis-Fagetum and its new subassociations ericetosum carneae, cardaminetosum trifoliae, luzuletosum niveae, luzuletosum luzuloidis, calamagrostieteosum variae, allietosum victorialis, adoxetosum moschatellinae, stellarietosum nemorum and several new variants. The altitude of the studied stands is predominantly 1400 to 1550 m (the upper line is at 1660 m); they occur at all aspects, frequently on steep and very steep slopes, mainly on limestone and dolomite limestone, the predominant soil type is rendzina. These stands are species rich (on average 61 species per relevé, altogether more than 500 vascular plants) and have many species in common with the stands of associations Rhododendro hirsuti-Fagetum and Rhodothamno-Laricetum. They belong to the habitat type of Community interest 91K0 Illyrian Fagus sylvatica forests and are some of the best preserved forest communities in the Southeastern Alps and northwestern Dinaric Alps, comprising small areas of virgin forest remnants and performing an important protective role as a biotope

Plant communities with Carex frigida in the Julian Alps (northwestern Slovenia)

In already known localities in the Julian Alps (Mangart, Malo Polje, Zeleno Jezero, Blehe under Šoštar) and in several new ones (Loška Koritnica, Bavh, Spodnji Lepoč, Mlinarica, Konjska planina, Mali Babanski Skedenj) we inventoried the stands along the subalpine-alpine springs and spring areas where Carex frigida frequently occurs as the predominant vascular plant. We classified them into the following associations: Saxifrago aizoidis-Caricetum ferrugineae, Caricetum davallianae s. lat., Ranunculo traunfellneri-Paederotetum luteae, Carici frigidae-Petasitetum albi (alliance Adenostylion alliariae) and Festuco nitidae-Caricetum frigidae (alliance Cratoneurion). The latter two were described as new. Based on comparisons with similar communities along mountain springs we deliberated on the most appropriate classification of the latter into higher syntaxonomic units

Phytosociological analysis of montane-subalpine dwarf willow shrub communites in the Julian Alps and on the Trnovski gozd plateau (NW and W Slovenia)

By means of a phytosociological analysis of 72 relevés of montane-subalpine shrub communities with dominating Rhododendron hirsutum, Salix waldsteiniana, S. glabra and S. appendiculata from the Julian Alps and the the Trnovski Gozd Plateau and by comparing them with similar communities elsewhere in the Alps and the Dinaric Alps we described a new association Laserpitio peucedanoidis-Salicetum waldsteinianae, a new subassociation Rhododendretum hirsuti vaccinietosum myrtilli, two new subassociations of the association Dryado-Rhodothamnetum chamaecisti that had recently been described in the Dolomites (-caricetosum frmae, -salicetosum waldsteinianae), as well as a new association Heliospermo pusillae-Rhododendretum hirsuti. We classifed the glabrous willow community in the study area into a new association Homogyno sylvestrisSalicetum glabrae and proposed a new name – Rhododendro hirsuti-Salicetum appendiculatae for the large-leaved willow community, which we subdivided into two geographical variants: var. geogr. Paederota lutea (Julian Alps, Trnovski Gozd Plateau) and var. geogr. Hypericum grisebachii (Liburnian Karst)

Two new montane grassland communities from the SE Alps (N Slovenia)

On very steep dolomite slopes in the western foothills of the Kamnik Alps (Ravni hrib, Javorov vrh, Zaplata, Kriška gora) and southwestern Karavanke Mountains (Dobrča) we conducted a phytosociological study into montane grasslands (former hay meadows, partly pastures) where Gladiolus palustris, a species ofEuropean conservation concern, also occasionally occurs. They were compared with similar montane grasslands (former hay meadows) on sunny slopes of the Stol ridge above Breginj in the southwestern foothills of the Julian Alps. Based on this comparison we described three new syntaxa: Centaureo julici-Laserpitietumsileris gladioletosum palustris, Festuco amethystinae-Seslerietum calcariae and Pediculari julici-Bromopsietum transsilvanicae. Both new associations are classified into the alliance Caricion austroalpinae and treated as a long-term successional stage in the belt of altimontane beech forests from the association Ranunculo platanifolii-Fagetum

Alpine grasslands with dominant Luzula alpinopilosa in the Julian and Carnic Alps (NW Slovenia, NE Italy)

Abstract We conducted a phytosociological study of alpine grasslands with dominant Luzula alpinopilosa in the Julian and Carnic Alps. Based on a comparison with similar communities elsewhere in the Alps we described a new association Junco jacquinii-Luzuletum alpinopilosae, which we classify into the provisional alliance Doronico glacialis-Juncion jacquinii, order Festucetalia spadiceae and class Juncetea trifidi. The new association characterises moist shady grasslands in gullies and on ledges on limestone admixed with marlstone and chert, in the elevation range between 2000 and 2500 m, where the snow cover persists for extended periods. We distinguish three subassociations: -galietosum anisophyllae (the most calcareous form), -potentilletosum aureae (typical form) and -leucanthemopsietosum alpinae (acidophilic form on Werfen sandstones in the Carnic Alps, which is the most similar to the stands of the association Luzuletum alpinopilosae from the Central Alps)

Phytosociological analysis of noble hardwood forests (Ostryo-Tilienion platyphylli) in the Karst and its neighbouring regions (SW Slovenia)

In SW Slovenia, at Gora under Železna Vrata and Petnik gorge near Branik – both on the northern edge of the Karst, in the collapse doline Orleška Draga at Sežana and under Brkinski Rob at the contact of the Karst and Brkini Hills, we conducted a phytosociological analysis of the stands whose tree layer is dominated by Tilia platyphyllos, T. cordata, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ulmus glabra, in places also Carpinus betulus and Ostrya carpinifolia, and classified them into three associations, Corydalido ochroleucae-Aceretum pseudoplatani, Paeonio officinalis-Tilietum platyphylli and Fraxino orni-Aceretum pseudoplatani. The latter was described as a new. Also new is a secondary large-leaved lime association Lamio orvalae-Tilietum platyphylli on the sites of montane beech forests (Lamio orvalae-Fagetum) in the Čepovan valley, at the contact of the Dinaric and sub-Mediterranean phytogeographical regions of Slovenia. &nbsp

Alpine grasslands with dominant Luzula alpinopilosa in the Julian and Carnic Alps (NW Slovenia, NE Italy)

We conducted a phytosociological study into alpine grasslands with dominant Luzula alpinopilosa in the Julian and Carnic Alps. Based on a comparison with similar communities elsewhere in the Alps we described a new association Junco jacquinii-Luzuletum alpinopilosae, which we classify into the provisional alliance Doronico glacialis-Juncion jacquinii, order Festucetalia spadiceae and class Juncetea trifidi. The new association characterises moist shady grasslands in gullies and on ledges on limestone admixed with marlstone and chert, in the elevation range between 2,000 and 2,500 m, where the snow cover persists for extended periods. We distinguish three subassociations: -galietosum anisophyllae (the most calcareous form),  -potentilletosum aureae (typical form) and                  -leucanthemopsietosum alpinae (acidophilous form on Werfen sandstones in the Carnic Alps, which is the most similar to the stands of the association Luzuletum alpinopilosae from the Central Alps)

Plant communities of moist rock crevices with endemic Primula carniolica in the (sub)montane belt of western Slovenia

Based on our analysis of a large number of relevés of communities of moist rock crevices in western Slovenia (southern Julian Alps, northern part of the Trnovski Gozd Plateau) we described several new syntaxa with the endemic Primula carniolica. The most unique in terms of ecology is a hygrophilous chasmophytic community classified into the association Astrantio carniolicae-Primuletum carniolicae, which served, together with similar hygrophilous associations Astrantio carniolicae-Pinguiculetum alpinae and Campanulo cespitosae-Saxifragetum aizoidis, associations Phyteumato columnae-Primuletum carniolicae and Primulo carniolicae-Potentilletum clusianae, and the subassociation Primuletum carniolicae violetosum biflorae, as the basis for the description of the new suballiance Astrantio carniolicae-Paederotenion luteae within the alliance Physoplexido comosae-Saxifragion petraeae. The elevational range of chasmophytic communities with the Natura 2000 species Primula carniolica is 200 to 1460 m a.s.l. Chasmophytic species that most commonly accompany Primula carniolica include Orthothecium rufescens, Paederota lutea, Phyteuma schuechzeri subsp. columnae, Sesleria caerulea and Aster bellidiastrum

Knjižno poročilo

Brus, R. 2008: Sto grmovnih vrst na Slovenskem. Tehniška založba Slovenije, Ljubljana, 215 pp.Brus, R. 2008: Sto grmovnih vrst na Slovenskem. Tehniška založba Slovenije, Ljubljana, 215 p