Vegetation of the Dolines in Mecsek Mountains (South Hungary) in relation to the Local Plant Communities

Authors

  • Zoltan Batori University of Szeged, Department of Ecology
  • Laszlo Erdős University of Pécs, Department of Plant Taxonomy and Geobotany
  • Tamás Morschhauser University of Pécs, Department of Plant Taxonomy and Geobotany
  • Péter Török University of Debrecen, Department of Ecology
  • László Körmöczi University of Szeged, Department of Ecology

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3986/ac.v38i2-3.125

Abstract

This paper deals with the forest vegetation of the lower part of the dolines in Mecsek Mts. (South Hungary). In order to char-acterize this vegetation type, samples were compared to the 6 plant communities occurring in the neighbourhood of the dolines. Considering the vegetation texture and species com-position, the vegetation of the dolines resembles mainly the extrazonal beechwoods (Helleboro odori-fagetum) and local ravine forests (Scutellario altissimae-Aceretum) that preserve several mountain, subatlantic relict species in this area. Our study revealed that the plant communities characteristic of the karst surface of Western Mecsek are arranged along a moisture and nutrient gradient. In this system, the habitat conditions of the dolines are similar to those of the beech forests and the lo-cal ravine forests, fresh and relatively rich in nutrients. In the karst, dominated by oak-hornbeam and beech forests, effects of the thermal inversion are the most spectacular where beech forests follow turkey oak-sessile oak forests and oak-hornbeam forests on the lower part of the doline slopes. The described vegetation type of these depressions is developed by edafic fac-tors; its identification as a separate association is not supported by the analyses.

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Published

2009-12-01

How to Cite

Batori, Z., Erdős, L., Morschhauser, T., Török, P., & Körmöczi, L. (2009). Vegetation of the Dolines in Mecsek Mountains (South Hungary) in relation to the Local Plant Communities. Acta Carsologica, 38(2-3). https://doi.org/10.3986/ac.v38i2-3.125

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Section

Original papers