Alder-ash and willow communities and their diversity in the Pogórze Strzyżowskie foothills (Western Carpathians)

Alina Stachurska-Swakoń,Krystyna Towpasz

doi:10.5586/asbp.2008.043

Abstract

The results of phytosociological studies on the diversity of alder-ash and willow communities in the Pogórze Strzyżowskie foothills are presented. These communities, especially Carici remotae-Fraxinetum are increasingly rare in the landscape of the Carpathians. The paper supports new data allowing better understanding of the diversity of the Carici remotae-Fraxinetum in the southern Poland. On the basis of 59 phytosociological releves two sub-associations were identified: C.r.-F. chrysosplenietosum and C. r.-F. equisetetosum maximii and the form with Alnus incana. The association Carici remotae-Fraxinetum belongs to submontane regional form and to East Carpathian variant. The significance of Caltha palustris-Chaerophyllum hirsutum community is also presented, along with the role of Carex pendula and Matteucia struthiopteris. The paper provides also documentary data on sporadic occurrence of Salicetum triandro-viminalis and Salicetum albo-fragilis communities.

Highlights

The forest communities in the river and stream valleys of the Carpathian Foothills are increasingly rare, and those present are often affected by major transformations reflecting the alterations in spatial land management
The aim of this study is to provide materials for a further broader discussion on the nature of carr communities in the Carpathian Foothills, and of the association Carici remotae-Fraxinetum
Carici remotae-Fraxinetum and its degraded form with the presence of Alnus incana, the tall-herb community Caltha palustris-Chaerophyllum hirsutum, as well as willow-poplar carrs represented by the shrub association Salicetum triandro-viminalis and arborescent willow carr Salicetum albo-fragilis

Summary

Introduction

The forest communities in the river and stream valleys of the Carpathian Foothills are increasingly rare, and those present are often affected by major transformations reflecting the alterations in spatial land management. The body of publications covering the carr communities of Poland, those pertaining to the Carpathian Foothills, has been fairly limited. Within the carrs included in the class Querco-Fagetea, the current records in the Carpathian Foothills are as follows: Carici remotae-Fraxinetum, Caltho-Alnetum, Alnetum incanae and a transitional community between Circaeo-Alnetum and Carici remotae-Fraxinetum, as well as Salicetum triandroviminalis and Salicetum albo-fragilis from the Salicetea purpurae class The published releves of the association Carici remotaeFraxinetum characteristic of the Carpathian Foothills, are contained in the studies by Ró¿añski et al (1993 1 releve from the Pogórze Wielickie foothills), Czylok and Rahmonov (2007 19 releves from the Pogórze l1skie foothills), Matuszkiewicz (1976 28 releves from the Pogórze Dynowskie foothills). The first two releves of this association, authored by Grodziñska and Pancer-Kotejowa (1965), were undertaken in the Bukowica range of the Beskid Niski

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