We conducted a phytosociological survey of pioneer shrub and shrub-wood (brushwood) communities on river banks at the contact of gravel bars and rockfall, slope debris or colluvium in the spring area ...of the Nadiža River, in the gorge of the Soča River between Srpenica and Kobarid (Log Čezsoški and Magozd), in the Tolminka valley, and in certain other locations in the hills of western Slovenia. We identified a successional sequence of two grey willow and hop hornbeam communities, which we classify into the associations
(
) and
(
). Both are indicators of natural river banks that have not been artificially stabilized. We expanded the knowledge of hop hornbeam communities in the pre-Alpine–northern-Dinaric part of Slovenia with a description of a new association
. Its sites are characterised by slightly moist soil, and its stands by a higher proportion of species of the alliance
Acidophytic alpine mat-grass swards are rare in the alpine belt of the predominantly calcareous Southeastern Alps of Slovenia, mostly occurring where limestone is admixed with marlstone or chert. ...Those for which we were able to make phytosociological relevés can be classified mainly into two syntaxa:
and
. At slightly lower elevations, in the forest zone of the subalpine plateau Pokljuka, we found similar swards occupying small areas in frost hollows with luvisol on limestone. They include character species of various subalpine-alpine sward and snow bed communities and are classified into the syntaxon
The article presents the aspects of sustainable planning of outdoor recreation in the protected areas with the emphasis on social carrying capacity. The starting points for the design of measures in ...the process of sustainable planning of outdoor recreation are presented and promote regular monitoring and directing of outdoor recreation in the protected areas in Slovenia and abroad, especially on the example of Triglav National Park. In the article we are trying to define which forms of outdoor recreation are from the local‘s and visitor‘s perspective recognised as sustainable.
In already known localities in the Julian Alps (Mangart, Malo Polje, Zeleno Jezero, Blehe under Šoštar) and in several new ones (Loška Koritnica, Bavh, Spodnji Lepoč, Mlinarica, Konjska planina, Mali ...Babanski Skedenj) we inventoried the stands along the subalpine-alpine springs and spring areas where
frequently occurs as the predominant vascular plant. We classified them into the following associations:
,
s. lat.,
(alliance
) and
(alliance
). The latter two were described as new. Based on comparisons with similar communities along mountain springs we discussed the most appropriate classification of the latter into higher syntaxonomic units.
We collected a sediment core from the 6th (6J) Triglav Lake, a remote mountain lake in NW Slovenia, and analysed it for 25 elements, using
k
0
-instrumental neutron activation analysis (
k
0
-INAA). ...For Hg, we used cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry (CVAAS). Data were analysed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). PCA indicated several distinct groups of elements and sediment core samples. Ca distribution was entirely different from all other sediment components. Ba, Br, Hg, Sb and Zn were associated with organic matter (OM), with Hg showing the strongest affinity to OM. As, Cr, Fe and U formed a group of redox-sensitive elements. Two events that occurred ca. 1915 and in the 1940s/1950s, were identified in the core. They were associated with increased inputs of allochthonous material into the lake, and significantly affected the stratigraphic distributions of all elements. Some trace elements, such as As, Hg and Zn, are probably effectively retained in the catchment, whereas Cr tends to be readily exported from the catchment. Atmospheric deposition affected not only elements of anthropogenic origin (As, Ba, Br, Hg, Sb, Zn and Cr) that started to increase after the 1970s, but also those of terrestrial origin (Ca, Fe, Na). Introduction of fish into the lake in 1991 and the subsequent increase in primary production, affected the distribution of Ca and elements that are redox-sensitive and/or associated with OM (As, Ba, Fe, Sb, U, Zn). Fe minerals in uppermost 6J sediments have a strong influence on the distribution of several trace elements. As and Zn closely tracked Fe, whereas Sb was likely released after oxidation. Climate change could also have enhanced inputs of elements from the catchment, but such changes were likely overwhelmed by the effects of increased eutrophication.
We conducted a phytosociological analysis of more than 250 relevés in the Julian Alps and compared them with similar communities elsewhere in the Alps and in the Dinaric Alps to describe the ...following new syntaxa of alpine swards and heathlands from the alliance
(class
):
and
the new association
from the alliance
and two new syntaxa from the alliance
(class
):
and
. Many species that are rare, of conservation concern or protected in Slovenia occur in the newly described communities.
Using hierarchical clustering with unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) we arranged 603 phytosociological relevés of beech forests on the present upper forest line, mainly from ...the Julian Alps and the Trnovo Forest Plateau (we also included the relevés from the Karawanks and the Kamnik Alps), into 32 clusters. Based on their analysis and comparison with previously described similar (alti)montane-subalpine beech communities we classified most of the relevés into the association
and its new subassociations
,
,
and several new variants. The altitude of the studied stands is predominantly 1400 to 1550 m (the upper line is at 1660 m); they occur at all aspects, frequently on steep and very steep slopes, mainly on limestone and dolomite limestone, the predominant soil type is rendzina. These stands are species rich (on average 61 species per relevé, altogether more than 500 vascular plants) and have many species in common with the stands of associations
and
Using the (unweighted) average linkage clustering (UPGMA) method we classified 458 phytosociological relevés of
forests in the Southeastern Alps into 25 clusters. Based on their analysis we described ...the following new subassociations:
and
. The selected method proved adequate in identifying the differences between larch stands on potential subalpine spruce and beech sites, and larch forests on the upper forest line, as well as the differences between initial larch stages on the upper forest line and more stable development stages on better developed soils on promontories and ledges above the upper beech forest line. Larch forests occur mainly in the altitudinal belt between (1,500) 1,600 and 1,800 (1,900) m, on shady aspects and slopes that are steeper than 30°. They are some of the best preserved forest types in the Southeastern Alps, on smaller surface areas (Macesnje above the Beli Potok valley in the Julian Alps) even virgin forests, and their role as biotopes is exceptional.
The beauty of landforms Smrekar, Aleš; Polajnar Horvat, Katarina; Erhartič, Bojan
Acta geographica Slovenica,
01/2016, Volume:
56, Issue:
2
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
This article determines which landforms attract people the most and whether one can speak of collective patterns in the aesthetic evaluation of a landscape. It therefore concerns enjoying the beauty ...offered by a more or less reshaped natural environment. This study is based on the Triglav Lakes Valley (Dolina Triglavskih jezer) in Slovenia which, due to the few man-made changes introduced there, includes hardly any anthropogenic “unnecessary noise.” The online survey included more than six hundred people and used photos of various landforms. Lakes were found to be the most attractive to the respondents, and fractured rock areas were the least attractive.
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