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• White willow riparian forests along the upper Tisza River, Hungary

  78–100

  Balázs Kevey

  Csilla Barna

  Views:

  359

  Forests of the Tisza floodplain in the northwestern part of Hungary include white willow riparian forests (Leucojo aestivi-Salicetum albae) that are phytosociologically little studied. This study summarizes the characteristics of this community based on 25 phytosociological relevés. These forests grow mostly on mud and raw alluvial soil in the low-lying parts of the lower terraces of the floodplain. They are easily separated by their species composition and underdeveloped shrub layer from white poplar gallery forests (Senecioni sarracenici-Populetum albae)., which grow on higher lying ground with rather light sandy soil and typically possess a pronounced shrub layer. The understory of their stands may often host plants  that are rare or completely absent in other parts of the country, such as Cardamine amara, Cardamine flexuosa, Cardaminopsis arenosa, Carex pseudocyperus, Carex remota, Chrysosplenium alternifolium, Leucanthemella serotina, Leucojum aestivum, Oenanthe banatica, Scrophularia scopolii, Telekia speciosa, Vitis sylvestris. This community is classified in the „Salicenion albae-fragilis Kevey 2008” suballiance.

• Remnants of closed oak woods on loess in the Mezőföld (Pulmonario mollis-Quercetum roboris Kevey 2008)

  66–93

  Balázs Kevey

  András Horváth

  Gábor Lendvai

  Views:

  431

  The phytosociological characterization of closed oak forests occurring in the loess-covered part of Central Hungary (Mezőföld) is presented. Such forest fragments are found very sporadically in that predominantly treeless region, mostly in semi-dry habitats of north-facing hillsides. This plant community represents an intermediate stage between open steppe woodland (Aceri tatarici-Quercetum pubescentis-roboris) and closed mesic oak-hornbeam forests (Corydali cavae-Carpinetum). Analyses of 20 phyto­sociological samples using multivariate grouping methods (cluster analysis, principal coordinates analysis) showed a clear difference between these samples and samples of similar communities occurring in the area. In the species composition the characteristic elements of dry and mesic oak forests (Quercetea pubescentis-petraeae, Quercetalia cerridis, Aceri tatarici-Quercion and Fagetalia, respectively) played a major role. On the other hand, dry grassland species (Festuco-Brometea, Festucetalia valesiacae, Festucion rupicolae, etc.) were much less significant than in steppe woodlands. In terms of chorology, European and sub-Mediterranean floristic elements were dominant in the samples, while the proportion of continental elements was substantially smaller than that in steppe woodlands. As a result, our samples were identified with the plant association Pulmonario mollis-Quercetum roboris Kevey 2008, which is classified into the suballiance Polygonato latifolio-Quercenion roboris Kevey 2008 in the phytosociological system.