HACQUETIA 11/2 • 2012, 179–207 DOI: 10.2478/v10028-012-0009-y PLANT COMMUNITIES WITH YELLOW OAT GRASS (TRISETUM FLAVESCENS (L.) PB.) IN THE SUBMONTANE AND MONTANE REGIONS OF SLOVENIA Tina PeTRaS SackL1, Mitja kaLIGaRIč2, Danijel IVajNšIč2 & Sonja škORNIk2 Abstract In the present study, we investigated plant communities with Yellow Oat Grass (Trisetum flavescens (L.) Pb.) in the submontane and montane regions of Slovenia. In 2005-2007 ninety-one relevés were collected by using the standard procedure of the Braun-Blanquet approach. Relevés were analysed with multivariate analysis and classified within two associations: Astrantio-Trisetetum (Polygono-Trisetion) and the Pastinaco-Arrhenatheretum (Arrhenatherion). Management practices, soil conditions and altitude were found to be significant factors for a further subdivision of both associations. Within the Astrantio-Trisetetum association three subassociations could be distinguished: -typicum, -buphthalmetosum and -trollietosum, and subassociations -typicum, -medicage- tosum lupulinae, as well as -lolietosum subass. nova in the Pastinaco-Arrhenatheretum. The floristic composition and ecological characteristics of these plant communities are described and their implications for grassland conservation in Slovenia are discussed. Key words: vegetation, anthropogenous grasslands, Astrantio-Trisetetum, Pastinaco-Arrhenatheretum. Izvleček V članku predstavljamo rezultate raziskave vegetacije travišč s prevladujočim rumenkastim ovsencem (Trisetum flavescens) v submontanskih in montanskih predelih Slovenije. V letih 2005–2007 smo popisali 91 vegetacijskih sestojev po standardni Braun-Blanquetovi metodi. Na osnovi multivariatnih analiz smo uvrstili travišča v dve asociaciji, in sicer v asociacijo Astrantio-Trisetetum (zveza Polygono-Trisetion) in asociacijo Pastinaco-Arrhenathere- tum (zveza Arrhenatherion). Nadaljnja členitev na nižje sintaksonomske enote obeh asociacij je pogojena pred- vsem s stopnjo intenzivnosti upravljanja s travišči, z različnimi edafskimi razmerami in nadmorsko višino. Tako ločimo v asociaciji Astrantio-Trisetetum naslednje sintaksone: subasociacije -typicum, -buphthalmetosum in -trollietosum, v asociaciji Pastinaco-Arrhenatheretum pa: -typicum, -medicagetosum lupulinae in -lolietosum subass. nova. Predstavljene so floristična sestava asociacij, njune ekološke značilnosti in varstveni vidiki obravnavanih travišč. Ključne besede: vegetacija, antropogena travišča, Astrantio-Trisetetum, Pastinaco-Arrhenatheretum. 1. INTRODUcTION et al. 1996). In addition, grasslands are invalu- able sources of genetic diversity, provide habi- While almost half of Slovenia is covered by tats for numerous plant and animal species, and forests, grasslands constitute only 28.3% of the function as essential corridors between different total area (kladnik & Gabrovec 1998). Despite habitat types. anthropogenic grassland habitats, their smaller area with extensive management, which have been known in europe since the last natural and anthropogenic grasslands constitute millennium (Pärtel et al. 2006), further consti- one of the most important sources for landscape tute an integral element in Slovenia’s cultural biodiversity (Gomez-Pompa & kaus 1992, Swift heritage. 1 Balos 7, 4290 Tržič, Slovenia, e-mail: [email protected] 2 University of Maribor, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Department of Biology, SI-2000 Maribor, koroška 160, Slovenia 179 Hacquetia 11/2 • 2012, 179–207 During recent last decades, because of the in- one of the most endangered plant communities creasing use of fertilizers and the greater frequen- of this alliance (Pott 1995, ellenberg 1996). ac- cy of annual cuttings, many formerly extensively cording to syntaxonomic aspects, they show a managed meadows of high biodiversity have continuous transition into Bromion erecti-, Phyteu- been transformed into largely uniform grassland mo-Trisetion- and Cynosurion-meadows (ellmauer areas, dominated by the few competitive species & Mucina 1993). that cope better in intensively managed agricul- The aim of the present study was to inves- tural environments (Mckinney & Lockwood tigate the vegetation communities associated 1999, Walker 2004). Particularly in the lowlands with Yellow Oat Grass (Trisetum flavescens) in of Slovenia, habitat fragmentation constitutes an the submontane and montane altitudinal belt of additional reason for the continuous degrada- Slovenia. We hypothesized that (1) according to tion and disappearance of natural and semi-nat- altitude, soil conditions and management, hay ural grassland ecosystems. Besides the erosion of meadows with Trisetum flavescens may form dif - plant species diversity, the decline of floristically ferent associations of the Polygono-Trisetion and rich meadows and pasturelands is the main rea- Arrhenatherion alliances in which (2) due to lower son for the decline of many farmland birds and nutrient input and the occurrence of plant spe- other animals (Wilson et al. 2009). consequently, cies which are normally associated with natural the decrease in anthropogenic grassland habitats subalpine meadows, species diversity was expect- has recently stimulated a number of studies by ed to increase with altitude. phytoecologists (Swift et al. 1996, Walker et al. To study the syntaxonomic characteristics and 2004, Pärtel et al. 2006) and animal ecologists ecological conditions of yellow oat grass plant (Mccracken & Tallowin 2004, atkinson et al. communities, vegetation samples were taken 2004, Wilson et al. 2009). across the transition zone of the Polygono-Trisetion The larger portion of anthropogenic grass- and Arrhenatherion alliance between 400 m and land in Slovenia belongs to the class Molinio- 1500 m a.s.l. Besides yielding of its geographical Arrhenatheretea, which according to altitude and distribution, a better understanding of the envi- management, is further subdivided into five or- ronmental factors responsible for the formation ders (ellmauer & Mucina 1993, Dierschke 2002). of different associations will help in assessing Some of the anthropogenic meadows and pasture- the current conservation status of this vegetation lands of the upper montane belt of the Slovene type in Slovenia. alps are classified within the Polygono-Trisetion al- liance. These Trisetum flavescens dominated meso- trophic to eutrophic types of grassland are asso- 2. MeTHODS ciated with humid, deeper soils, slightly acid to basic. They are widespread throughout the mon- Study area tane region of central europe (ellmauer & Muci- na 1993, ellenberg 1996, Merz 2002). extensively Relevés of hay meadows rich with Trisetum f lave- managed grasslands of the Polygono-Trisetion alli- scens were collected in the submontane and mon- ance are rich in plant species (ellmauer & Mucina tane parts of Slovenia between 400 m and 1500 m 1993). according to their floristical composition, a.s.l. Because of regionally prevailing patterns of meadows of the Polygono-Trisetion alliance repre- land-use and the varying different altitudes, most sent the transition between the meadows that are samples were collected in the alpine and pre-al- characteristic of the lowland and the hay mead- pine region, although grasslands with Yellow Oat ows of the montane region (Oberdorfer 1983). at Grass have also been found in the Dinaric region lower altitudes Polygono-Trisetion meadows are re- (Figure 1). placed by Arrhenatherion grasslands of the order The alpine region occupies most of the north- Arrhenatheretalia (Mucina 1993). The latter, more ern and central parts of Slovenia. To the south it intensively managed grasslands, which tend to be borders the Dinaric region which represents the associated with deeper, humid soils, are widely most northerly part of the Dinaric Mountains. distributed in central europe (Oberdorfer 1983, The Dinaric region covers most of the southern ellmauer & Mucina 1993). Particularly high spe- part of Slovenia. Both regions are characterised cies diversity occurs in Arrhenatherion grasslands by the prevalence of carbonate rocks, i.e. lime- with Salvia pratensis, which are at the same time stone and dolomite (kladnik 1998, 1998a). Only 180 Tina Petras Sackl et all.: Plant Communities with yellow oat grass (Trisetum Flavescens (L.) Pb.) … the Pohorje and kozjak Mountains (central Sampling methods and statistical analyses alps) are mainly composed of metamorphic, sili- cate rocks (Žiberna 1998). With a mean altitude In 2005, 2006 and 2007, 91 relevés of grasslands and inclination of 732 m a.s.l. and 18°, respective- with T. flavescens were collected between june ly, the highest altitudes and largest inclinations and early august. These were compiled by using in Slovenia are found in the alpine region. The the standard procedure of the Braun-Blanquet relief of the alps is very diverse, and the high var- approach (Braun-Blanquet 1964, Westhoff & van iation in altitude between valley bottoms and the der Maarel 1973, Dierschke 1994). higher peaks has a significant influence on local For all 91 study plots (relevés), the following climates. In the alps two types of climate prevail: abiotic parameters were sampled: (1) location, (2) a montane and a moderate continental climate. In altitude (m a.s.l.), (3) exposure, (4) inclination the submontane and montane belt of the moun- (°), (5) geographic coordinates (subsequently, tains, annual mean temperatures vary between 8° based on locations noted in the field), (6) pedo- c and 10° c, while the annual mean air tempera- logic units, and (7) number of species. addition-