Top-forests (Veratro nigri-Fraxinetum orni) of the Bakony Mountains

Abstract

Present study describes a new community type recently found in the Hungarian Mountain Range (Bakony). The so-called top-forests (Veratro nigri-Fraxinetum orni) are found in dolomite mountains where the steep southern and northern slopes are connected by a relatively flat surface, and the parent rock is covered by rendzina soil. The southern slopes are occupied by thermophilous oak woodlands (Orno-Quercetum pubescentis), the northern slopes are covered by oak-hornbeam (Carici pilosae-Carpinetum) and beech woodlands (Daphno laureolae-Fagetum). Top-forests (Veratro nigri-Fraxinetum orni) are found on flat ridges, and substitute for Turkey oak-sessile oak (Quercetum petraeae-cerris) and slope woodlands (Mercuriali-Tilietum). The community is characterised by xerophilous canopy and shrub layers and a mesophilous herb layer. It is placed in the Orno-Cotinion coenological group.