Environmental conditions in relation to variability of deciduous forest vegetation — a study from volcanic mountain in central Slovakia

Abstract

The deciduous forests represent dominant natural vegetation of Central European landscape and an important functional component for maintenance of biological diversity. However, their syntaxonomy and ecological gradients still remain unclear. The numerical classification was conducted to determine the main units of forest vegetation, while ordination techniques were used to explain the structure of vegetation-environmental data matrix consisting of 110 forest stands in the Stiavnicke vrchy Mts (central Slovakia). Ten vegetation types within the phytosociological classes of deciduous forests Quercetea robori-petraeae and Querco-Fagetea were distinguished. The major environmental driver responsible for variation in forest species composition was interpreted as a response to soil moisture which also accounted for a large part of species variability (3.74%). Soil nutrient/acidity complex expressed by pH, Ca and Al concentration was also an important source of vegetation variability. Relevance of soil conditions in relation to plant survival and community distribution was discussed. Along the soil moisture gradient, vegetation types were arranged from the subxerophilous oak forests through the mesophilous beech and ravine forests to the hygrophilous alder ash vegetation.