Halophytic vegetation on fossil salt deposits and salt springs is an extreme habitat occurring in isolated continental areas of temperate Europe. It has a relatively rich representation in the ...Transylvanian Basin of Romania; however, comprehensive research into this highly specialized vegetation is lacking. We provide the first phytosociological survey of recent data of inland salt habitats in Cluj County, where they are widely distributed. Cluster analysis distinguished eight euhalophytic plant communities occupying several zones depending on the micro-topography of the salt-affected area:
Scorzonero parviflorae-Juncetum gerardii
(including
Astero tripolio-Triglochinetum maritime
),
Plantagineto cornuti-Agrostetum stoloniferae
,
Artemisio-Festucetum pseudovinae
,
Artemisio-Petrosimonietum triandrae
,
Limonio gmelinii-Artemisietum monogynae
,
Puccinellietum limosae
(each allocated to the class
Festuco-Puccinellietea
), then
Suaedetum maritimae
and
Salicornietum prostratae
, belonging to the class
Therosalicornietea
. We revised the nomenclature of these associations, characterized their species composition and ecological preferences based on indicator values for salinity, pH, moisture and nutrients in the soil. We broadly discussed our findings in light of the historical data and documented the current habitat conditions of the sites. Most of them were found to be degraded due to increasing tourism exploiting the curative effects of salt springs. Beyond recognizing the high conservation value of the Transylvanian salt habitats, it is also important to highlight their biogeographical significance, as they fill the gap between the inland salt marshes of Central Europe and the continental salt habitats of Eurasia.
Numerous features of the great diversity of saline environments in Romania (Southeastern Europe) have been investigated, although less explored regions still require field research. Tectonic ...movements and abundant fossil salt deposits have led to various isolated salt fountains, salty rocks and hypersaline ponds in the contact zone between the Eastern Carpathians and the Transylvanian Basin. According to the European Habitat Directive, these natural salt bodies belong to a priority habitat. In the counties of Harghita and Braşov, salt springs have been used as cold-water spas for decades, often without regard for their fragility. Their unique flora and vegetation remain largely unexplored. Based on numerical analysis of relevés collected from twelve salt spring locations in eastern Transylvania, we provide a comprehensive survey of saline vegetation. Compared to the large saline areas in western Transylvania, these are smaller, and only three euhalophytic plant associations make up the following vegetation zonation:
Scorzonero parviflorae-Juncetum gerardi
,
Puccinellietum limosae
, and
Salicornietum prostratae
. Their physiognomy and species composition resemble the well-studied travertine fens of the Western Carpathians (Slovakia). Joint analysis of data from rich fens (association
Glauco-Trichophoretum pumili
) in the Spiš basin revealed the insular character of sub-mountain halophilic vegetation in both regions. The construction of new tourist resorts poses a threat to the mineral salt springs. Fragmentation, waste depositing and water withdrawal for swimming pools have destroyed many sites. Our results can help to estimate the recent area and conservatuion status of temperate inland salt marshes in Romania.
Xanthium spinosum is a noxious weed spreading from South America to almost all the whole world. In this study, we focused on ecological demands and coenotic affinity of X. spinosum in Slovakia. ...Analyses were performed on the basis of 20 own, unpublished as well as published phytosociological relevés and Borhidi’s ecological indication values. The results show that X. spinosum prefers sunny to semi-shadow areas on mesotrophic and moderately nutrient rich soils in semidry, sub-montane as well as thermophilous habitats in a wide range of climatic conditions from oceanic and sub-oceanic to subcontinental. It was mainly recorded in ruderal vegetation units of class Stellarietea mediae, however, the species has occurred in the stands of classes Bidentetea and Molinio-Arrhenatheretea. It is expected to occur in other plant ruderal communities as well.
Salt marsh vegetation on the Croatian coast Dítě, Zuzana; Šuvada, Róbert; Eliáš, Pavol ...
Plant systematics and evolution,
12/2019, Letnik:
305, Številka:
10
Journal Article
Recenzirano
There is a lack of a comprehensive study of eastern Adriatic salt marsh vegetation with special attention to plant–soil relationships that determine individual plant assemblages. We surveyed 41 sites ...of salt marshes on the Croatian coastline in order to classify their vegetation by numerical methods and to compare the resulting groups in terms of soil chemical properties. A clear zonation between plant communities along the hydro-sequence was identified and was well represented by the dominance of individual diagnostic species. Two large vegetation groups were detected, well distinguished by mean species richness and soil properties. The first group, assigned into the classes Thero-Salicornietea and Sarcocornietea fruticosae, contains three subgroups of succulent, sparse stands of species-poor vegetation on the mudflat zone flooded by sea water, characterised by high salinity, electric conductivity, exchangeable Mg and K, and low nutrient content (total nitrogen, organic carbon) of the substrate. In the second group, tall rush communities (class Juncetea maritimi), three subordinate clusters, were identified, occurring in the upper, brackish zone with infrequent tides. Their soils had low salinity and electric conductivity and increased total nitrogen, organic carbon and exchangeable Mg and Ca. Vegetation within the second group occurring in the uppermost tidal zone had the highest species-richness, nutrient content in the soil and the lowest salinity. It has not been previously identified. Here, we described it as the new association Limonio narbonensis–Caricetum divisae.
We surveyed 17 locations of salt marshes along the Barents Sea coast in northern Norway (Finnmark, Nordkinnhalvøya and Varangerhalvøya), where 86 phytosociological relevés were recorded and analyzed. ...Two main vegetation groups were identified: Caricion glareosae and Puccinellion phryganodis, both alliances belonging to the class Juncetea maritimi, order Puccinellietalia phryganodis. The first, Caricion glareosae (upper marshes) is subject to shorter‐term flooding and is saturated by brackish water in river estuaries on sandy or sandy gravel soils. Four units were distinguished: Festuceto‐Caricetum glareosae, Caricetum mackenzie, Caricetum salinae and the Plantago maritima × borealis community. The second group (lower marshes on fine muddy surface, higher salinity, inundated for a longer period directly by the sea) belongs to the alliance Puccinellion phryganodis which encompasses two units: the associations Caricetum subspathaceae and Puccinellietum phryganodis. The floristic composition and habitat preferences of each vegetation cluster are described and our study revealed that there are no significant differences in the vegetation composition of salt marshes beyond the Arctic line and the southern subarctic sites. The observed variations are related to the geomorphology of the sites rather than to their latitude. The comparison of historical records with our recent data demonstrates the great stability of habitat conditions and species composition. The salt marshes studied meet all criteria of good quality and we found no evidence for any threatening trends like those seen in most other habitats in Europe.
Little is known about the suite of ecological conditions under which characteristic species may continue to develop under the pressure of recent habitat deterioration. We aimed to determine the niche ...of three indicator species of the priority habitat Pannonic salt steppes and to find out how their vegetation composition, land use, and soil chemistry mirror the current condition of their typical habitat. A plot-based vegetation survey was conducted in degraded and in pristine (reference) inland salt steppes in East-Central Europe. We confirmed decreased habitat quality at their northern geographical limit. Most of the sites there showed a strong prevalence of generalists (e.g.,
) and lack of specialists, both resulting from lowered habitat extremity and inappropriate land use (abandonment). A small proportion of plots (19%) were in the same good condition as the reference vegetation in the central area. Soil analyses revealed that the studied halophytes are able to persist on desalinized soils if the land use is suitable. The occurrence of the annual
(
) was driven largely by abiotic stress; grazing alone is insufficient for its long-term persistence, while the perennial
(
) and
(
) have higher survival chances as they are able to coexist with generalists. Overall habitat quality can be reliably determined from the analyzed ecological conditions of indicator species. The outcomes of the presented work are relevant for conservation practice and can serve as a quick tool for assessing the current stage of other grassland habitats.
The Pilosella alpicola group comprises four morphologically distinct and geographically vicariant alpine taxa. We performed a thorough herbarium revision and literature survey to infer their ...distributional pattern(s). Pilosella alpicola s.s. occurs in the Alps in two disjunct areas: the Swiss Valais Alps and the Italian Dolomites. Historical records come also from the Austrian Alps (Gurktaler Alps and Hohe Tauern) and from one site from the Alpes Maritimes (Col de Larche), but the localities have not been recently confirmed. Pilosella rhodopea, a Balkan subendemic taxon, is quite widespread in Bulgaria (Stara planina Mts, Rila Mts and Pirin Mts), but is more rare in Albania, Greece and Macedonia. Interestingly, this species has also been recorded at two isolated sites in the Romanian southern Carpathians (the Căpăţînii and Cozia Mts). This occurrence underlines the floristic affinities of this part of the Carpathians to the Balkan flora. Only two localities of P. serbica, based on voucher specimens, have been recorded so far; Kopaonik Mts in Serbia and the Prokletije Mts in Montenegro. The records from other ranges are related to P. rhodopea. Pilosella ullepitschii, the detailed distribution of which has already been published, is a Carpathian endemic with its core area of distribution in the western Carpathians (Slovakia and Poland). Three isolated localities are also known in the eastern Carpathians (Nemira Mts) and one locality in the southern Carpathians (Bucegi Mts). The possible causes of disjunctions between and within species ranges are briefly discussed. Based on the distributional data, population sizes and ecology, we evaluate the conservation status of the P. alpicola taxa and propose their inclusion in national Red Lists.
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