Publication details
Rastlinné spoločenstvá Slovenska. 6. Vegetácia lesov a krovín.
| Title in English | Plant communities of Slovakia. 6. Forest and shrub vegetation |
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| Authors | |
| Year of publication | 2021 |
| Type | Monograph |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Description | The sixth, final volume of the edition of Plant Communities of Slovakia, summarizes the present results of the syntaxonomic revision of shrub and forest vegetation. It is the largest monograph up to now, featuring shrubby and lowland-forest vegetation on alluvia of large rivers and streams (Alnetea glutinosae, Alno glutinosae-Populetea albae, Salicetea purpureae) natural and also secondary vegetation of the shrubs and forests (Franguletea, Crataego-Prunetea, Robinietea pseudacaciae), oak forests on basic and acidic substrates (Quercetea pubescentis, Quercetea robori-petraeae), and deciduous and mixed forests of the Carpino-Fagetea sylvaticae connected to them in height and edaphically are processed. Coniferous forests are reported in the classes Dicrano-Pinetea, Erico carneae-Pinetea sylvestris, Vaccinio-Piceetea, Vaccinio uliginosae-Pinetea sylvestris. The volume is topped by dwarf pine communities (Roso pendulinae-Pinetea mugo). This summary shows how varied and rich the offer of shrubs and forests in Slovakia is. It is the result of the diversity of geological, geographical and ecological conditions of our territory, as well as the consequence of the history of the country's development and long-term management in it. The beginnings of phytocenological research of forest communities in Slovakia date back to the 1920s, although forestry works are even older (e.g. Fekete, Blattny 1914). The first significant works include the comprehensive works of Klika from Veľká Fatra Mts (Klika 1927, 1936), studies from the Vysoké Tatry (Krajina 1933) and Západné Tatry Mts (Svoboda 1939), the Nízke Tatry Mts monograph by Sillinger (1933), the works by Mikyška from Štiavnické vrchy Mts (e.g. Mikyška 1939), study of vegetation of Kremnické vrchy Mts (Futák 1943) etc. More intensive research took place only after World War II when forest communities were studied by, for instance, J. Berta, E. Fajmonová, L. Hančinský, A. Jurko, D. Magic, D. Miadok, J. Michalko, M. Ružička, L. Šomšák, I. Vološčuk, A. Zlatník, and others not only from Slovakia but also from the neighboring Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland. All these authors have contributed to a high level of knowledge of the diversity of forest and shrub communities in Slovakia, which has a very significant impact in the future. Their work and many others are cited in this book in the descriptions of the individual classes. Based on a profound syntaxonomic revision, we present the vegetation survey of 14 classes, 22 orders, 38 alliances, 128 associations, and other rank-less syntaxa. Many of the forest communities are among the priority habitats and habitats of European importance (Natura 2000, Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and wild fauna and flora) and currently have only a small area occurrence. We believe that through the presented work we will also contribute to the preservation of natural resources, which forests undoubtedly have at their disposal. |