Syntaxonomy of the fringe vegetation in Slovakia in relation to surrounding areas - preliminary classification

Abstract

A brief overview of syntaxa of the class Trifolio-Geranietea in Slovakia in comparison with the other parts of Europe is presented. Fringe vegetation is discussed in terms of its ecological and structural peculiarities, manifestation in distribution, with the major emphasis on characteristics of individual plant communities. The distribution of fringe species and plant communities at the alliances level in relation with the altitude and some phytogeographical aspects is pointed out. The altitudinal occurrence increases from Scandinavia, where the stands do not exceed 100 m, to the high mountains of the Balkan Peninsula. Comparably to other Central European countries, in Slovakia the optimum level is 300–600 m. The fact that, in southern Europe, fringe species are closely bound to shady forests or to more humid habitats, compared to central and northern Europe, where they relate to the open grasslands, is also discussed. In Slovakia, similarly to the other Central European countries (except Hungary), the concept of separate orders was adopted very quickly. For the (sub)-continental xerophilous and mesophilous, through thermophilous fringes of the order Origanetalia vulgaris the two alliances, Geranion sanguinei and Trifolion medii, with a delicate transition from one to another, were recognised. The acidophilous fringes with sub-Atlantic distribution were classified separately into the order Melampyro-Holcetalia with only one alliance Teucrion scorodoniae.