Forest vegetation of the northern part of the štiavnické vrchy Mts

Abstract

The article presents first results of vegetation research of the forest, plant communities in the north part of the Štiavnické vrchy Mts. Research was carried out by traditional Zürich-Montpellier (Braun-Blanquet) approach, during the vegetation period 2008. The data set of 21 original phytosociological relevés was sampled and analysed using numerical divisive classification (TWINSPAN) and detrended correspondence analysis (DCA). Five different communities within four alliances were distinguished and characterised - Carici pilosae-Fagetum, Dentario bulbiferae-Fagetum, Mercuriali-Fraxinetum, Poo nemoralis-Quercetum petraeae and Luzulo albidae-Quercetum petraeae. Information about their species composition and ecology is presented. The main ecological gradients responsible for the variability of the forest vegetation are light conditions, temperature and moisture with nutrients together.