Contribution to the study of paludal vegetation from the oriental carpathians (stanisoara mountains)

CONTRIBUTION TO THE STUDY OF PALUDAL VEGETATION FROM THE ORIENTAL CARPATHIANS (STANISOARA MOUNTAINS)

Oana Zamfirescu

Key words: south-western slopes of the Stanisoara Mountains, Typhetum latifoliae Soó 1927, Typhetum schuttleworthii Soó 1927, paludal plant communities

INTRODUCTION

The paper presents and analysis two paludal plant associations from the natural ecosystems from the left side of the Izvoru Muntelui-Bicaz reservoir. The studied area is located on the south-western slopes of the Stanisoara Mountains. The identified associations – Typhetum latifoliae Soó 1927 and Typhetum schuttleworthii Soó 1927 – appertain to the alliance Phragmition australis W. Koch 1926, order Phragmitetalia australis W. Koch 1926, class Phragmitio-Magnocaricetea Klika et Klika et Novac 1941.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

The study of the vegetation from these natural ecosystems comprised phytosociological methods recommended by The Central European Phytosociological School, according to the principles and methodology developed by J. Braun-Blanquet and J. Pavillard (1926) and adapted by A. Borza (1934).

The associations’ names were selected after The Phytosociological Nomenclature Code by developed by J. J. Barkman, J. Moraveç and Rauschert in 1986.

The descriptions of the associations were made considering the characteristic, dominant and differential species, and led to the construction of the phytosociological tables.

The classification of the associations was made with reference to synthetic works regarding the vegetation of Romania.

The chosen sample areas were related with the vegetation types. Thus, for hygrophilous vegetation, the sampled areas were 10 – 25m². The relevees resulted from the investigation of zones considered characteristic for each association.

Specific quantitative contributions were rendered by the abundance-dominance index, in conformity with the system of J. Braun-Blaquet and J. Pavillard. Furthermore, each association was analysed with regard to its distribution, bioforms, ecological indices, floristic elements and, when possible, previous records.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The studied area from the left side of Izvoru Muntelui-Bicaz reservoir or the south-western slopes of the Stanisoara Mountains is approximately 140km².

1. Ass. Typhetum latifoliae Soó 1927

The eutrophic plant communities of this association are scarcely distributed all over Romania, from plains to mountainous depressions. They occure in shallow ponds, 0,2m deep, and on the edge of eutrophic ponds, on hydromorphic and rich in nutrients soils.

The differential and dominant species – Typha latifolia – has a mean coverage of 55 – 80%, and Typha angustifolia and Alisma plantago-aquatica frequently accompany it. Many meadow and hygrophilous species are also present (Tab. 1).

There are no previous records of this association from the studied area.

Table 1. Ass. Typhetum latifoliae Soó 1927

Rel. 1, 2 – Varnita forest road (Hangu) 21-07-2000, Re. 3 – Varnita forest road (Hangu) 30-07-2000, Rel. 4, 5 – Potoci, 20-07-2001

The analysis of the bioforms (Fig. 1) illustrates the clear dominance of hemycryptophytes (64,71%), followed by helohydatophytes (23,53%) and geophytes (11,76%).

The analysis of the floristic elements (Fig. 2) shows the high presence of circumpolar elements (33,33%), followed by cosmopolitan elements (27,78%), Eurasian elements (22,22%), and European elements (16,67%).

The analysis of the ecological indices (Fig. 3) reveals the dominance of mesohygrophytes and hygrophytes (35,29% each), mesothermophilous species (70,59%) and euryionic species (58,82%).

Figure 1. Bioforms spectrum of Ass. Typhetum latifoliae Soó 1927 (H – hemicryptophytes; HH – helohydatophytes; G – geophytes;)

Figure 2. Floristic elements spectrum of Ass. Typhetum latifoliae Soó 1927 (Circ – Circumpolar; Eur – European; Eua – Eurasian; Cosm – cosmopolitan)

Figure 3. Ecological index spectrum of Ass. Typhetum latifoliae Soó 1927 (U – soil moisture; T – temperature; R – soil reaction;)

2. Typhetum schuttleworthii Soó 1927

The plant communities of this association are less frequent. Usually, they occur in subcarpathian and submountainous depressions flooded in spring (ware depth: 10 – 25cm) and dried, or not, in summer.

Among class, order and alliance characteristic species there are numerous hygrophilous meadow elements, which confirm the broad hydrological tolerance of the association during vegetative growth (Tab. 2).

Table 2. Ass. Typhetum schuttleworthii Soó 1927

Rel. 1, 2 – Buhalnita –Piciorul Vanat forest road (marsh), 21-07-2000, Rel. 3, 4 – Hangu, 10-07-2002, Rel. 5 – Buhalnita, 2-07-2002

The presence of this association in the studied area was previously recorded from Hangu Valley (Chifu et al., 1985). In addition, we identified it in several locations along Buhalnita Valley.

The analysis of the bioforms (Fig. 4) shows the dominance of helohydatophytes (57,14%), followed by hemycryptophytes (19,05%), geophytes (14,29%), and therophytes and chamaephytes (4,76% each).

The analysis of the floristic elements (Fig. 5) reveals the dominance of Eurasian elements (33,33%), followed by cosmopolitan elements (28,57%), circumpolar elements (23,81%) and the rest of the categories with lower percentages.

The analysis of the ecological indices (Fig. 6) outlines that the best-represented categories are the mesohygrophytes (47,62%), the mesotermophilous species (57,14%), the euryionic species (61,90%) and the neutrophilous species (33,33%).

Figure 4. Bioforms spectrum of Ass. Typhetum schuttleworthii Soó 1927 (HH – helohydatophytes; H – hemicryptophytes; Ch – chamaephytes; Th – therophytes; G – geophytes;)

Figure 5. Floristic elements spectrum of Ass.Typhetum schuttleworthii Soó 1927 (Adv – adventive; Circ – Circumpolar; Cosm – cosmopolitan; Eur – European; Euc – Central-European; Eua – Eurasian;)

Figure 6. Ecological index spectrum of Ass.Typhetum schuttleworthii Soó 1927 (U – soil moisture; T – temperature; R – soil reaction;)

CONCLUSIONS

1. Among the paludal associations from the studied area, Typhetum latifoliae Soó 1927 and Typhetum schuttleworthii Soó 1927 are the most frequent.

2. The plant communities of Typhetum latifoliae Soó 1927, having Typha latifolia as differential and dominant species, are also characterised by the dominance of hemycryptophytes, circumpolar elements, mesohygrophytes, mesothermophilous species and euryionic species.

3. Typhetum schuttleworthii Soó 1927 plant communities are dominated by helohydatophytes, Eurasian elements, mesohygrophytes ,mesothermophilous species and euryionic species.

REZUMAT

Lucrarea de fata prezinta si analizeaza doua asociatii vegetale palustre, identificate in ecosistemele naturale de pe versantul stang al lacului de acumulare Izvorul Muntelui-Bicaz, zona apartinand zonei de sud-vest a Muntilor Stanisoarei. Cele doua asociatii sunt Typhetum latifoliae Soó 1927 si Typhetum schuttleworthii Soó 1927 din alianta Phragmition australis W. Koch 1926, ordinul Phragmitetalia australis W. Koch 1926, Phragmitio-Magnocaricetea Klika et Klika et Novac 1941

REFERENCES

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AUTHORS’ ADDRESS

Dr. Oana Zamfirescu

Universitatea “Al. I. Cuza”, Facultatea de Biologie, Catedra de Biologie Vegetala

Carol I, 20A, Iasi 700505

e-mail: zamfi@uaic.ro