UNIVERSITY THOUGHT doi:10.5937/univtho6-12389 Publication in Natural Sciences, Vol. 6, No 2, 2016, pp. 5-10. Original Scientific Paper THE EFFECT OF ALTITUTDE ON THE PRESENCE OF PLANT SPECIES IN STANDS FOR JUNIPERUS L. PLANT SPECIES ON KOPAONIK Predrag Vasić1, Tatjana Jaksić1, Nikola Đukić1 1Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Piština, Kosovska Mitrovica, Serbia. ABSTRACT In this paper we present an assessment of the determined that the plant communities with the altitude effect on the plant species presence in presence of species of the Juniperus genus differ in different plant communities – the species of botanical terms at different altitudes. It was found Juniperus genus (Juniperus communis L., Juniperus that there are plant species in certain communities oxycedrus L. and Juniperus sibirica Burgsdorf) on that are present only at some altitudes, while others Kopaonik Mountain. Two juniper species were present at almost all altitudes. The species of (Juniperus communis and Juniperus oxycedrus) Hypericum perforatum L. is recorded in all of plant were recorded at altitudes ranging from 420 m to communities surveyed that proves its best 1420 m, while the third species Juniperus sibirica adaptation to the conditions at different altitudes. was found at an altitude of 2100 m. It was Keywords: Kopaonik Mountain, altitude, botanical composition, plant communities, Juniperus L., Hypericum perforatum L. 1. INTRODUCTION Mountain regions are ideal for describing and hercin orogenesis, which means that they were studying the environmental responses of plant morphologically shaped before the western part communities (Naqinezhad et al., 2009). (Vasović, 1988). Kopaonik Mountain is located in the central part of Kopaonik mountain is extremely complex in the Balkan Peninsula and extends from northwest to geological terms. It is composed of three basic types of southeast (NW-SE), between 20° 35' and 21° 18' of rocks: sediments, igneous and metamorphic rocks. east longitude and 42° 43' and 43° 23' of north Kopaonik is characterized by multiple types of soil latitude. On the western side, Kopaonik massif is resulting by interaction of the relief, climate and separated from geologically similar Rogozna and vegetation over a longer period of time. Golija with the valleys of the Ibar and Sitnica rivers. At lower altitudes, up to 1000 m, siorezem, From the north, Kopaonik is separated with the valley organogenic and siliceous soil, as well as Hum of Jošanica River from the identical geological massif siliceous soil dominate. Siorezems are extremely of Željina Mountain, and the whole area (Kopaonik- shallow soil up to 20 inches deep. It can be found on Željin) is bounded with the depression of the Morava steep slopes of sparse forests or poor pastures. Humus River basin. From the South and Southwest the Lab siliceous soil is a special type of fertile soil and it is River separates Kopaonik from Kosovo depression formed at neutral, basic and acidic siliceous rocks. basin. The upper parts of the Rasina and Toplica rivers This type of soil is of relatively low productivity. can be geographically regarded as the eastern border Forests and pastures develop on it. of Kopaonik massif (Gavrilović, 1979). Brown and sour brown soils are dominant at In terms of structure and morphology, the largest altitudes above 1000 m. They are formed on acid part of Kopaonik, especially its western part belongs silicate rocks, slightly inclined slopes and plateaus. to the so-called zone of internal Dinarides that was Acid brown soil can be relatively deep, while on the formed during the Alpine orogeny. The eastern parts prominent ridges and slopes it can be more shallow of the Kopaonik massif are integral parts of the and prone to erosion. Kopaonik land is suitable for Serbian-Macedonian mass, and their basic forests and pastures development. geomorphological characteristics originated from Biology 5 Kopaonik has great elevation gradient, starting zone on average is 30C, and the annual from the base, to its highest peaks. It can be divided precipitation is 870 mm. into six high altitude climatic zones: 6. The sixth zone is a zone that is covered by 1. The first zone is dominated by thermophilic pre alpine harsh climate. The vegetation of oak forests of Quercum frainetto species. this pre alpine climate consists of the high This is the zone with dry, warm and mountain pastures and mountain pastures, mountain climate of sub-Mediterranean from Poion violaceae type. They are located character. It stretches from the foothills up to in the zone above 1950 m above the sea 750m on the northern, and up to 1050 m on level. Annual temperatures prevailing in the southern exposures. The average these areas rarely rise above 20C, while the temperature of this zone is about 11оC, and average amount of annual precipitation is the average annual percipitation is about about 883 mm of rainfall. 787mm of rainfall. 2. The second zone is a zone of gradual transformation into mountain climate. The 2. THEORETICAL PART presence of sessile oak forests, ie. vegetation Vegetation distribution in mountain landscapes is type Quercum petrae-cerris is characteristic. characterized by spatially heterogeneous It is located at an altitude of 1050 -1150 m in environmental conditions concerning climate, soil and the southern and 750-1000 m in the northern geology as well as frequency and intensity of exposures. The average annual temperature disturbance (Karkaj et al., 2012). 0 of this zone is about 7.2 C, and the average One important factor is altitude which has a strong annual precipitation is about 800 mm of influence on the vegetation structure. Impact of rainfall. altitude to floristic composition have been considered 3. The third zone is a zone of lower and middle as the subject of numerous studies ((Lomolino, 2001), temperate mountain climate. Vegetation is (Naqinezhad et al., 2009), (Karkaj et al., 2012)). represented by beech and beech-fir forests of Altitudinal gradients are regarded as the most powerful Fagion moesiacae type. The zone extends at ecological element which affects the natural vegetation an altitude of 1150-1550 m, on the southern structure. and 1000-1500 m on the northern exposures. Altitude presents an important orographic factor The average annual temperature of this zone that affects the modification of various climates and 0 is about 5 C, the mean annual precipitation is soils, (Vasić et al., 2008) and therefore the species about 827 mm of rainfall. richness and the vegetation structure. 4. The fourth zone represents the area where the Temperature and relative humidity are the most mountain climate is sharper and vegetation is important factors that determine the extent to which dominated by pure spruce forests from plants are present. Vaccinioo-Piceion type. It stretches between With increasing altitude the air becomes less thin 1550 and 1750 m above sea level on the and fresh, reflecting the solar radiation and southern and 1500 and 1700 m on the temperature regime habitats. Proper temperature drops northern exposure. (for every 100 m above sea level, the temperature The annual average temperature is around drops to 0,580C) (Vasić et al., 2008). 0 4 C and the average annual precipitation is With altitude increase the air becomes less thin and about 857 mm of rainfall. fresher, reflecting the solar radiation and temperature 5. The fifth zone is in the zone of harsh regime of a habitat. The temperature drops (for every subalpine climate. The vegetation type is 100 m above the sea level, the temperature drops to made of communities of subalpine bushes of 0,580C) (Vasić et al., 2008). Juniperion Vaccinion myrtilli. They are With the sea level increase, the relative humidity located in the area between 1750-1950 m on also rises due to the ascending air currents that send the southern and 1700-1950 m on the water vapor high into the air (Vasić, 2012). northern exposures. The temperature of this Biology 6 Plants that inhabit different altitudes are extremely (Tutin, 1964-1980, 1993) and IOPI databases efficient and cost-effectively customized to survive in (International Organisation for Plant Information). a changing climate. 3.1.1. Synthesis The subject of study in this paper is the presence of 3. EXPERIMENTAL PART plants at different altitudes in the plant communities with the appearance of the genus Juniperus species (J. 3.1. Material and methods communis, J. oxycedrus and J. sibirica). Two species The research in this paper was done in the period of juniper (Juniperus communis and Juniperus from 2015 to 2016. The list of flora is made up of the oxycedrus) were found at altitudes from 420 m to 1420 species given in an alphabetical order. The species m, while the third species, Juniperus sibirica, was presented in this paper include the plant communities found at an altitude of 2100 m. It should be noted that in which species of Juniperus genus (Juniperus the species Juniperus communis and Juniperus communis, J. and J. oxycedrus sibirica) were recorded oxycedrus could be found together up to 1420 m at different altitudes (470 m, 630 m, 830 m, 1030 m, above sea level, but as the altitude increased these two 1230 m, 1430 m, and 2100 m). species were less present because of the increasing The plant material was determined using a Serbian negative anthropogenic impact on them (logging and flora key (Josifović, 1970-1986), and a nomenclature deforestation). of plant species is customized to a flora of Europe Table 1. The presence of plant species in the plant communities with a dominance of species of the Juniperus genus. 470m 630m 830m 1030m 1230m 1430m 2100m Achillea millefolium L. + - + + + + - Acinos alpinus (L.) Moench - - + - - - - Agrimonia eupatoria Ledeb. - + - - - - - Agrostis stolonifera L. - - - - - + + Anagallis foemina Miller - - + - - - - Artemisia vulgaris L. - + - - - - - Asperula cynanchica L. + - + - - - - Astragalus onobrychis L. - - + - - - - Bupleurum veronense Turra + - - - - - - Calamintha vulgaris (L.) Druce - + - - - - - Campanula patula L.