Syntaxonomical revision of the order Fagetalia sylvaticae Pawłowski ex Pawłowski et al. 1928 in Slovakia

Abstract

A complete syntaxonomical revision of beech, fir and mixed montane forest communities within the order Fagetalia sylvaticae was realised for the first time in Slovakia. We used all available phytosociological material and selected 3355 releves according to the dominance of Fagus sylvatica, Abies alba and/or Acer pseudoplatanus in the tree layer. The second criterion was the presence of diagnostic species of alliances. To classify vegetation at the association level, we ran Modified Twinspan separately within each alliance. Finally, we accepted 18 associations within the alliances Fagion sylvaticae, Symphyto cordati-Fagion, Lonicero alpigenae-Fagion and Sorbo-Fagion. The concept of narrow alliances within the narrowly defined Fagetalia sylvaticae order was used. Associations of fir forests were combined with floristically similar associations of beech and mixed montane forests into the common higher units. Communities of Carpathian calcicolous montane forests were clustered in the newly described suballiance Tanaceto clusii-Fagenion including Cicerbito alpinae-Fagetum ass. nov. Another new association of Teucryo chamaedrys-Fagetum was described for species-rich thermophilous beech forests on carbonates (in Sorbo-Fagion alliance). Delimitation of Western and Eastern Carpathian mesotrophic beech and fir forests was resolved at the levels of association and alliance as well. Diagnostic species combinations, nomenclatural types, and the original forms of names and synonymy are provided for all units, along with brief descriptions of their structure, ecology and distribution.