Title
North Pannonian pedunculate oak-hornbeam forests (Carpinus betulus, Quercus robur) with Polygonatum hirtum
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Slovakia: southern half of the country, plain of March, Gran and Bodrog; Austria: Weinsektor, Burgenland; Hungary: plain of Raab and Bodrog. (not on the map: Czech Republic: south Moravia; Slovenia: plain of March, Gran and Bodrog; Croatia; Bosnia-Herzegovina; Yugoslavia: Serbia)
area frequency
12 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Majanthemo-Carpinetum (Soó 1931) Kevey 1993; Pseudostellario-Quercetum roboris Accetto 1974 (syn.: Querco-Carpinetum stellarietosum bulbosae Tomañi… 1939, Stellarieto-Carpinetum Tomañi… 1939, Genisto elatae-Quercetum Horvat 1938); Fraxino pannonici-Carpinetum Soó & Borhidi in Soó 1962 (syn.: Querco robori-Carpinetum Soó & Pócs 1957, Querco robori-Carpinetum M. Wraber 1969); Primulo veris-Carpinetum R. Neuhäusl & Z. Neuhäuslová 1964, Polygonato latifolii-Carpinetum Michalko & Dñatko 1965 (Querco robori-Carpinenion betuli J. Michalko & Michalko Michalko 1986).
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Mostly three-layered oak-hornbeam forests with common tree species and penetrating hygrophilous elements; shrub layer moderately developed or completely absent; herb layer moderate to rich (mainly spring aspect) with Fagetalia species and penetrating thermophilous elements. In the summer the herb layer is usually sparse or absent. The moss layer for the most part is negligible.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Carpinus betulus, Quercus robur, Quercus cerris, Fraxinus angustifolia, Fraxinus excelsior, Acer campestre, Acer tataricum, Tilia cordata, Prunus avium; additionally: Alnus glutinosa, Ulmus laevis, Pyrus pyraster, Betula pubescens, Malus sylvestris; additionally Austria: Ulmus minor; additionally Slovenia: Quercus pedunculiflora, Fraxinus angustifolia subsp. danubialis
Shrub layer
Crataegus monogyna, Crataegus laevigata, Cornus sanguinea, Ligustrum vulgare, Lonicera xylosteum, Viburnum opulus; additionally: Rubus caesius, Frangula alnus; additionally Austria: Viburnum lantana, Staphylea pinnata
Herb layer
Stellaria holostea, Allium ursinum, Aegopodium podagraria, Carex brizoides, Carex sylvatica, Circaea lutetiana, Corydalis cava, Ranunculus ficaria subsp. calthifolius, Maianthemum bifolium, Sanicula europaea, Listera ovata, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Vinca minor; additionally Austria: Polygonatum hirtum; Gagea spathacea (only in south Burgenland!), Scilla vindobonensis, Corydalis solida, Erythronium dens-canis (south Burgenland and Styria); additionally Slovakia: Dactylis polygama, Poa angustifolia, Arum besserianum, Stellaria holostea, Lathyrus vernus, Symphytum tuberosum subsp. angustifolium, Leucojum vernum
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Slovakia: only in moister and acidophilous associations Pleurozium schreberi, Polytrichum formosum
Diagnostically important species
Carpinus betulus, Quercus robur, Prunus avium, Fraxinus angustifolia; Asarum europaeum, Gagea spathacea, Polygonatum hirtum, Scilla vindobonensis, Veronica montana; additionally Yugoslavia/Slovenia/Croatia: Pseudostellaria europaea, Carex brizoides, Alnus glutinosa; additionally only in Slovakia: Primula veris
Ecological variants
No details
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
In northwest Hungary with Carex alba; Austria: typical form in the Suedburgen region, impoverished (more Central European) in lower Austria (do they belong here?); Slovenia/Croatia: In the stands in former Yugoslavia Pseudostellaria europaea, Carex brizoides are also diagnostic; Slovakia: with Symphytum tuberosum subsp. angustifolium, Leucojum vernum (local), Acer tataricum.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Alluvial plains of streams and rivers (Querco-Ulmetum, Aegopodio-Alnetum, Carici elongatae-Alnetum, Carici brizoidis-Alnetum, Carici remotae-Fraxinetum), Quercetum petraeae-cerris; Yugoslavia/Slovenia/Croatia: Querco-Luzulo-Fagetum var. geogr., Luzulo-Carpinetum, Vaccinio myrtilli-Carpinetum praedinaricum, Melampyro vulgati-Quercetum petraeae, Querco-Carpinetum croaticum, Fagetum croaticum boreal montanum, Molinio-Quercetum petraeae, Querco-Castanetum croaticum, Leucojo-Fraxinetum angustifoliae, Aceri tatarici-Quercetum; Slovakia: Aceri tatarici-Quercetum, Potentillo albae-Quercion.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
acidophilous mixed oak forests (F20), sessile oak-hornbeam forests (F58), species-rich beech forests (F120), mixed Tatar maple-pedunculate oak forests (G4), mixed sand steppe-oak forests (G5), sessile oak-bitter oak forests (G16), alluvial forests (U9, U16).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Mainly middle and low forests that have often been devastated; false acacia forestry, noble-poplar forestry, Prunus spinosa scrub.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Arrhenatherion elatioris Koch 1926, Cynosurion cristati R. Tuexen 1947, Festucion vallesiaceae Klika 1931, Mesobromion, Agrostion albae; Anthoxantho-Agrostietum tenuis Sillinger 1933.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Wheat, tobacco, corn, vegetables, vineyards.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
Arction lappae.
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Lowland plains, basins, higher floodplain terraces and hills of the sand and loess hill areas of the (sub)Pannonian region
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
lowland, colline; 70-200 m
Geology (bedrock)
eolian (eolian sands, bluff formation covers; Pleistocene) and fluviatile (Pleistocene) sediments (lime-rich and -poor alluviation of rivers and streams in low plains, alluvial cone on adjacent foot mountains); Tertiary sediments
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
Hungary: Smonitza, parabrown soils partly gleyed; Austria: black earth-like alluvial soil, partly gleyed; Slovakia: carbonate tschernozem, partly gleyed soils on loess clay; brown soils on bluff formation, gleyed alluvial soils; (chromic cambisols; orthic, chromic and gleyic luvisols; calcaric phaeozems; saline calcic chernozems)
soil texture
clayey, loamy, silty
soil moisture, water balance
dry to moist
soil reaction
weakly acidic to alkaline
soil fertility
oligo-mesotrophic to eutrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
VI(VII)1 VI2b, VI3c, VI6b
average annual temperature
8,5-10 EC
average annual precipitation
in the north: 550-800 mm; in the south: 1000-1100 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
July 18-21 EC
average temperature of the coldest month
January -2,5 to 2 EC
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
The southwestern part of Slovakia has a more mild and less continental climate than the southeastern part. Longterm droughts (especially during the growth period, sometimes also in winter) of several weeks (also up to 2 months).
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
In Austria, Hungary and further south the forests have been greatly hampered by man. Remnants of semi-natural forests are scattered to almost completely absent and are at great peril because of the general lowering of the groundwater table. Sometimes only scrub remnants remain preserved at the edges of the flumes. In Slovakia there are natural stands in some areas (20 %), but these have greatly receded and are potentially endangered in areas.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
Hungary: All included nearly-natural remnants are worthy of protection. Protected species: Cephalanthera damasonium, Crocus tommasinianus, Cyclamen purpurascens, Daphne mezereum, Dryopteris affinis subsp. borreri, Epipactis microphylla, Hepatica nobilis, Inula helenium, Listera ovata, Platanthera bifolia, Scilla vindobonensis; Slovakia: type of the Pannonian mesophilous forests of low plains and hilly countries with unique composition. Worthy of protection in the whole variability. Species worthy of protection or rare species: Polygonatum hirtum, Arum besserianum, Pulmonaria mollis, Pulmonaria murinii, Viola suavis, Orchis purpurea, Leucojum vernum, Dictamnus albus, Gagea spathacea, Staphylea pinnata, Galanthus nivalis
causes of endangerment
Transformation into agriculturally useful areas (clearing, habitat drainage, water regulation, melioration).
required measures for protection and restitution
Protection of representative semi-natural stands.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Slovakia: Wald Dubník near Sered', lower terraces of the Latorica river, Košická kotlina basin (PaÁonský les); Hungary: northern Alföld, forest of Baktalórántháza in Nyirség.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
---
Most important references (author, year)
Accetto 1974; Bartha, Kevey, Morschhauser & Pócs 1995; Michalko & Džatko 1965; Michalko, Magic, Berta, Rybníček & Rybníčková 1986(1987); Neuhäusl & Neuhäuslová-Novotná 1964; Soó 1958; Sturm 1978; Wallnöfer, Mucina & Grass 1993; Zólyomi 1958; Zólyomi (Red.) 1958; Zukrigl 1979
Compiled by
A. Borhidi; H. Wagner, completed by K. Zukrigl; Z. Neuhäuslová based on documents by M. Zupan…i… und J. Michalko, completed by Š. Maglocký
