Forest Vegetation

Silver fi r (Abies alba Mill.) is regarded as a typical climax species susceptible to environmental change. We analyzed a protected silver fi r stand growing in an unusual combination of conditions: Th e stand is in secondary succession and is located at low elevation on limestone substrate. Stand history was revealed by an old military map and stand structure, the radial growth of dominant trees, and tree regeneration were sampled. In addition, fi ve characteristic relevés were taken according to the standard Braun-Blanquet method. Th e results confi rmed that the stand originated from secondary succession; however, fi r vitality and dominance as well as stand structure, including regeneration, suggested long-lasting stadia of almost pure silver fi r (77 % of the growing stock). Th e growth pattern of dominant trees and large age variability of fi r indicated that the stand did not originate from a completely open space. It is likely that fi r gradually colonized the pioneer forest from neighboring stands. Th e stand was characterized by a high volume of live trees (773.6 m 3 ha -1 ) and a low share of dead trees (4.1 %) in the growing stock. Th e most similar associations in terms of fl oristic composition are a secondary association Asperulo-Carpinetum betuli M. Wraber 1969 and a hornbeam-fi r association (Abio albae-Carpinetum betuli Marinček 1994). Th is study shows that fi r can form almost pure stands during secondary succession of abandoned pastures on some sites and therefore expands the prevailing view that silver fi r decline throughout human history has been due to anthropogenic infl uences. Due to the complex interactions between silver fi r, its competitors, environmental factors, and human-induced disturbances, additional research is needed to support the conservative management of silver fi r in decline.

Vegetation maps are important sources of information for biodiversity conservation, ecological studies, vegetation management and restoration, and national strategic decision making. The current Vegetation Map of China (1:1000000) was generated by a team of more than 250 scientists in an effort that lasted over 20 years starting in the 1980s. However, the vegetation distribution of China has experienced drastic changes during the rapid development of China in the last three decades, and it urgently needs to be updated to better represent the distribution of current vegetation types. Here, we describe the process of updating the Vegetation Map of China (1:1000000) generated in the 1980s using a ''crowdsourcing-change detection-classification-expert knowledge" vegetation mapping strategy. A total of 203,024 field samples were collected, and 50 taxonomists were involved in the updating process. The resulting updated map has 12 vegetation type groups, 55 vegetation types/subtypes, and 866 vegetation formation/sub-formation types. The overall accuracy and kappa coefficient of the updated map are 64.8%

This paper discusses conceptual elements and preliminary results of a workflow assessing habitat distribution and quality by means of object-based image analysis in a riparian forest. This follows the design of a ‘site-level’ service within the EC GMES project MS.MONINA to support the implementation of the Habitat Directive in Europe by providing dedicated EO-based services. We developed routines for (semi-) automated forest habitat delineation in the Natura 2000 site Salzach river floodplain using multi-level class modeling. Satellite data for the target level and the finer level -1 was WorldView-2 8-band multi-spectral data. We employed object feature libraries for the level -1 tree stand classification. Level +1 was created using SPOT-5 data, performing a EUNIS-3 visual interpretation. Class models were created for HabDir riparian and alluvial forest classes, by integrating both level -1 and level +1 object information.

For the first time, an overview of plant communities in Slovenia is presented according to the Braun-Blanquet approach. In total 588 associations (and some communities classified into higher syntaxa) belonging to 51 classes have been registered in Slovenia. Additionally 149 syntaxa are mentioned as registered in the field or in, the literature, but not documented with relevé material. Syntaxonomical classification is based on the "Eu-roChecklist" and includes also the Slovenian written definition of the high-rank syntaxa.

We conducted a phytosociological analysis of mixed deciduous forests on flysch and mixed flysch-limestone bedrock in the Central Soča Valley, the Karst, the Brkini Hills and in Slovenian Istria with dominating Quercus cerris in the upper tree layer. Based on the comparison with similar Quercus cerris communities in Slovenia, Italy, Hungary and Bosnia and Herzegovina we described a new association, Seslerio autumnalis-Quercetum cerridis, which we classified into the alliance Carpinion orientalis. We subdivided it into three subassociations: -asparagetosum acutifolii (Quercus cerris stands in Slovenian Istria where this tree species rejuvenates successfully and keeps through many generations), -hieracietosum sabaudi (a form on slightly acid flysch soil, also in Istria) and -campanuletosum rapunculoidis (a secondary Quercus cerris community on potential beech sites). Even though the described Quercus cerris stands are considered secondary (pioneer), they overgrow very large areas and we therefore propose they be classified as a new habitat and forest site type, littoral Quercus cerris woods on flysch.

Although the ecological and landscape value of southern Tuscany is today widely recognized, plant diversity of this large territory is still incompletely unknown at both the species and community level. One of the interesting sites still waiting for a vegetation study is the travertine area

Northeast Asia as defined in this study includes the Russian Far East, Northeast China, the northern part of the Korean Peninsula, and Hokkaido Island (Japan). We determined the species richness of Northeast Asia at various spatial scales, analyzed the floristic relationships among geographic regions within Northeast Asia, and compared the flora of Northeast Asia with surrounding floras. The flora of Northeast Asia consists of 971 genera and 4953 species of native vascular plants. Based on their worldwide distributions, the 971 genera were grouped into fourteen phytogeographic elements. Over 900 species of vascular plants are endemic to Northeast Asia. Northeast Asia shares 39% of its species with eastern Siberia-Mongolia, 24% with Europe, 16.2% with western North America, and 12.4% with eastern North America. Species richness and floristic relationships among different regions within Northeast Asia were discussed. The northernmost (Arctic) region shares 64% of its genera and 9% of its species with the southernmost (warm temperate) region. The geographic setting, climate, vegetation, and endemism of each of the eighteen regions of Northeast Asia were described and characterized. The geographic distributions of the 53 most important tree species in Northeast Asia were mapped.

Northeast Asia as defined in this study includes the Russian Far East, Northeast China, the northern part of the Korean Peninsula, and Hokkaido Island (Japan). We determined the species richness of Northeast Asia at various spatial scales, analyzed the floristic relationships among geographic regions within Northeast Asia, and compared the flora of Northeast Asia with surrounding floras. The flora of Northeast Asia consists of 971 genera and 4953 species of native vascular plants. Based on their worldwide distributions, the 971 genera were grouped into fourteen phytogeographic elements. Over 900 species of vascular plants are endemic to Northeast Asia. Northeast Asia shares 39% of its species with eastern Siberia-Mongolia, 24% with Europe, 16.2% with western North America, and 12.4% with eastern North America. Species richness and floristic relationships among different regions within Northeast Asia were discussed. The northernmost (Arctic) region shares 64% of its genera and 9% of its species with the southernmost (warm temperate) region. The geographic setting, climate, vegetation, and endemism of each of the eighteen regions of Northeast Asia were described and characterized. The geographic distributions of the 53 most important tree species in Northeast Asia were mapped.

IZVLEČEK Rod lusnec (Lathraea L.) v Sloveniji V prispevku obravnavamo pojavljanje obeh podvrst navadnega lusneca v Sloveniji. Na veliko redkejšo podvrsto Lathraea squamaria subsp. tatrica Hadač smo pri florističnem kartiranju v zadnjih letih naleteli na Pokljuki v Julijskih Alpah, verjetna, a ne povsem zanesljiva pa so še tri nahajališča v alpskem fitogeografskem območju Slovenije. Podajamo ključ za razlikovanje obeh podvrst in njuni arealni karti.

Osebna bibliografija prof. dr. Vlada Ravnika obsega vec kot 60-letno obdobje od leta 1953 dalje in je sestavljena s pomocjo izpisa iz podatkovne zbirke Cobiss, dopolnjena po delih Gogala (1999), Wraber (2004) in iz lastnih virov piscev tega prispevka. Zapisi so kronolosko razvrsceni v locenih kategorijah, iz katerih je razvidna oblika avtorskega dela.

). The AA. discuss the syntaxonomy of Quercus cerris and Ostrya carpini/olia woods in the northern Apennines ofMarche region (Pesaro-Urbino province), with s1>ecial reference to communities growing on flysch soils. According to cluster analysis by average linkage, the following types are recognized: a) Aceri (obtusati)-Quercetum cerris (Ubaldi 1979) em, colline-submontane association, including mixed woods with Quercus cerris, Ostrya carpini/olia, Acer obtusatum and Fraxinus omus; b) Seslerio (italicae) Oshyetum ( llbaldi 197 4) em., including Ost,ya carpini/olia woods on little deep soils of marl-calcareous !lysch; this type lies in the montane belt, in the Cephalanthero-Fagetum zone; c) Ostrya carpinifolia Fagus sy/uatica-Calamagrostis varia community; mountain woods near to Cephalanthero-Fagetum sociology; d) Arisar• (proboscidei)-Carpinetum ass. nova, including Quercus cerris-Carpinus betulus Fagus sylvatica woods, occurring in the Aceri (obtusati)-Quercetum cerris belt. These types may be included in a Or n .o-Ost1yon, floristically delimited by Lilium croceum, Laburnum anagyroides, Ost1ya carpini/olia and Acer obtusatum Compared to Orno-Ostryon of yugoslav Authors, and particularly to Ostryo-Carpinion orientalis, it is more mesophilous and near to Capinion betuli. According to our present know ledges, this Orno-Ost1yon li es in the centrai and northern Apennines and in the centrai Pre-Alps too. For this vegetation Ubaldi (1981) has suggested the name Labumo-Ost,yon carpinifoliae. È scopo di questo lavoro delineare la sintassonomia fitosociologica dei boschi a Quercus cerris ed Ostrya carpini/olia nel territorio marchigiano settentrionale, con quasi esclusivo riferimento alle cenosi dei substrati flyschioidi, marnoso-arenacei e marnoso-calcarei. In modo molto limitato sono stati coinvolti anche alcuni boschi dei substrati calcarei. L'area interessata dalla ricerca corrisponde al territorio medio-collinare, submontano e montano compreso tra la valle del Marecchia e quella del Biscuvio Candigliano. Riguarda quindi il versante adriatico dell'Appennino e corrisponde essenzialmente alle zone medie ed interne della provincia di Pesaro-Urbino, incluse limitate parti delle provincie di Arezzo e Perugia che debordano sul versante adriatico. "I.avaro realizzato con il contributo del C.N.R., Progetto Finalizzato "Qualità dell'Ambiente", linea di ricerca "Cartografia della Vegetazione -Atlanti Regionali".