Vascular Flora from Ecoton Zones of the Slatioara Secular Forest

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to generate essential scientific information regarding the floristic composition and the structures of the ecotone vegetation in the natural forest Codrul Secular Slătioara, because so far no such studies have been carried out in this reserve. Also, the results of this study provide important data, which can be the basis for the development of strategies for the conservation and sustainable use of some herbaceous species, valuable due to genetic and socio-economic, respectively of a regular forest monitoring program. The floristic studies were carried out in the 2020 to 2021 vegetation season. Based on the specialized literature, plant species were identified and then processed from the point of view of bioforms, floristic elements and ecological indices. The economic categories in which the identified species fall were also analyzed. Thus, a total of 292 species belonging to 46 botanical families were identified and their distribution by ecosystems is as follows: in the forest, 90 species were identified, in the lands adjacent to the forest, in the meadows, 202 species were found and in the area of border, 120 species of vascular plants were identified. Most of the species identified in the study area are hemicryptophytes, heliophiles, and eurytherms, which grow on dry to moderately moist, eurytrophic soils. More than 50% of the identified species belong to several categories of useful plants (fodder, medicinal, melliferous, edible).