Title
South Pannonian herb-grass steppes (Festuca rupicola, Festuca valesiaca) with Sternbergia colchiciflora, Dianthus pontederae alternating with oak forests (Quercus robur, Quercus cerris, Quercus pubescens) with Acer tataricum
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
large-scaled in the Pannonian basin: east Hungary: Danube hilly country, Theiß plain; north-east Yugoslavia: Vojwodina; Romania: plains of west Romania (Timiš and Mureš)
area frequency
11 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Salvio nutantis-nemorosae-Festucetum rupicolae Zolyomi 1958, Astragalo austriacae-Festucetum rupicolae Soó 1957, Festucetum sulcatae-valesiacae Csűrős, Aceri tatarico-Quercetum pubescenti-roboris Zolyomi 1957.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
In the south Pannonian forest steppe (on loess), steppe communities with more or less closed, low-growing oak forests occur (mostly alluvial and sometimes “plakor” forests) in the complex. In the steppes Festuca rupicola and Festuca valesiaca appear as community formers. These are joined by other grasses (Koeleria macrantha, Poa bulbosa, Bothriochloa ischaemum) and isolated herbs (Thymus kosteleckyanus, Thymus odoratissimus, Achillea collina, Achillea setacea, Centaurea pannonica, Centaurea rocheliana, Salvia nemorosa, Salvia pratensis, Arenaria serpyllifolia etc.). For these steppes the far-reaching absence of Stipa species and many continental steppe species as well as the heavy participation of meadow plants are all characteristic aspects (e.g. Achillea millefolium, Elymus repens, Lolium perenne, Lotus corniculatus, Taraxacum officinale, Trifolium repens).The forests consist mainly of Quercus robur with admixtures of Q. cerris and Q. pubescens in the upper and Acer tataricum, A. campeste, Pyrus pyraster in the lower tree layer. There is a well developed shrub layer (Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Euonymus verrucosa, Ligustrum vulgare, Rosa canina) and a species-rich herb layer (Melica altissima, Lithospermum purpurocaeruleum, Brachypodium pinnatum, Tanacetum corymbosum, Dictamnus albus, Vincetoxicum hirundinaria, Poa angustifolia, Polygonatum hirtum).
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Quercus robur, admixed Quercus pubescens, Quercus cerris, in the underwood Acer tataricum, Acer campestre, Ulmus minor, Pyrus pyraster
Shrub layer
in forests: Crataegus monogyna, Euonymus verrucosa, Prunus spinosa, Ligustrum vulgare, Viburnum lantana, Cornus sanguinea, Rosa canina
Herb layer
in forests: Brachypodium sylvaticum, Brachypodium pinnatum, Dactylis polygama, Viola hirta, Lithospermum purpurocaeruleum, Melica altissima, Tanacetum corymbosum, Dictamnus albus, Vincetoxicum hirundinaria, Poa angustifolia, Polygonatum hirtum, Geum urbanum, Glechoma hirsuta;
in steppes: Festuca rupicola, F. valesiaca, Koeleria macrantha, Poa bulbosa, Agropyron cristatum, Chrysopogon gryllus, Stipa capillata, Bothriochloa ischaemum, Thymus kosteleckyanus, T. odoratissimus, Adonis vernalis, Achillea collina, A. setacea, Centaurea pannonica, C. rocheliana, Salvia nemorosa, S. pratensis, S. austriaca, S. nutans, Arenaria serpyllifolia, Securigera varia, Galium verum, Medicago falcata, Plantago lanceolata, P. media, P. urvillei, Trifolium campestre, T. striatum, Sternbergia colchiciflora, Dianthus pontederae; Ajuga laxmannii, Aster linosyris, Astragalus austriacus, Crambe tataria, Euphorbia nicaeensis, Inula germanica, Nepeta nuda, N. parviflora, Phlomis tuberosa, Thalictrum minus, Taraxacum serotinum
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
steppes: Sternbergia colchiciflora, Dianthus pontederae; Astragalus austriacus, Euphorbia nicaeensis, Jurinea mollis, Phlomis tuberosa, Ranunculus illyricus, Taraxacum serotinum, Vinca herbacea; forests: Quercus robur, Quercus cerris, Quercus pubescens, Acer tataricum, Iris variegata, Carex michelii, Lithospermum purpurocaeruleum, Pulmonaria mollis
Ecological variants
No details
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
No details
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Alluvial communities with Quercus robur, Fraxinus angustifolia, Populus alba, Populus nigra, Salix alba, Ulmus laevis, locally Alnus glutinosa, Carpinus betulus, Prunus avium; Prunetum tenellae Soó 1947, Potentillo-Festucetum pseudodalmaticae Májovsky 1955, Agropyro pectinati-Kochietum prostratae Zolyomi 1958.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
Pannonian mixed pedunculate oak forests (G4, G5), Balkan oak-bitter oak forests (G20), halophilous steppes (L9), sand steppes (L11), salt vegetation (P32), alluvial forests (U16, U17).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
False acacia plantations are common.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Degraded pastures (Cynodonti-Poetum angustifoliae Rapaics ex Soó 1957, Trifolio fragiferi-Cynodontetum Br.-Bl. & Bolós 1958 em. l. Kárpáti 1965) and extremely overgrazed stands (Botriochloetum ischaemi); in the exploited stands many continental steppe species, including also Stipa species, are absent; in their place there is quite a heavy participation of meadow plants (Achillea pannonica, Elytrigia repens, Lotus corniculatus, Trifolium repens).
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Areas have been converted largely into crop fields.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Plains
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
lowland; 50-250 m
Geology (bedrock)
bluff formation (Pleistocene) above Tertiary-sediments
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
leached and gley-like blck soils, grey-brown forest steppe soils; (calcic, haplic and gleyic chernozems; calcaric phaeozems)
soil texture
loam, sandy loam
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to moderately dry
soil reaction
weakly acidic to neutral
soil fertility
mesotrophic to eutrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
VI(VII)
average annual temperature
9-11 °C
average annual precipitation
550-600 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
July 21-23 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
January -3 to -1 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
summer-warm, semi-arid climate.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
The natural vegetation of the mapping unit has disappeared almost completely. The few still preserved stands are severely degraded and all should be placed under strict protection.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
steppes and oak forest communities.
causes of endangerment
Forest clearing, agricultural use.
required measures for protection and restitution
Protection of the still remaining, near-natural remnants.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Hungary: Monor, Pánd, Albertirsa, Battonya, Csorvás Pitvaros, Pusztaföldvár, Egyek-Telekháza.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
No details
Most important references (author, year)
Borhidi 1996; Borhidi & Sánta 1999; Borza 1962; Soó 1958; Stere 1971; Zólyomi 1957; Zólyomi (Red.) 1958
Compiled by
N. Doniţă, completed by A. Borhidi
