Title
Pannonian sand steppes (Festuca vaginata, Festuca wagneri) with Dianthus bessarabicus, Astragalus varius, Echinops ruthenicus, Anthemis ruthenica alternating with oak forests (Quercus robur) with Iris variegata, Convallaria majalis
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Hungary: region between Danube and Theiß in central Hungary; Yugoslavia: Vojvodina; Romania: small-scaled in the north-western part (not shown on the map); Slovakia: south-western part near Stúrovo (not on the map)
area frequency
3 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Festucion vaginatae Soó 1938, Festucetum vaginatae Soó 1929, Festuco vaginatae-Corynephoretum Soó (1939) 1941 (Festucetum vaginatae crisanensis Resmerita et al. 1967), Festuceto-Caricetum stenophyllae Resmerita et al. 1967, Corispermo nitidae-polygonestum arenarii Stjepanovic-Veselicic 1953, Alysso-Festucetum vaginatae Stjepanovic-Veselicic 1953, Galio veri-Holoschoenetum vulgaris (Hargitai 1940) Borhidi 1996, Pseudolysimachio spicati-Salicetum rosmarinifoliae (Hargitai 1940) Borhidi 1996; Festuco-Quercetum roboris Soó (1934) 1957, Convallario-Quercetum roboris Soó (1934) 1957, Iridi variegatae-Quercetum roboris (Hargitai 1940) Borhidi 1996, Polygonato latifolio-Quercetum roboris (Hargitai 1940) Borhidi 1996, Populo canescentis-Quercetum roboris (Hargitai 1940) Borhidi 1996.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Vegetation complex consisting of sand steppes on inland dunes, xerophytic oak light forests on flat locations and moist forests in hollows between the dunes. The Pannonian species Festuca vaginata in combination with psammophytes (Koeleria glauca, Euphorbia seguieriana, Kochia laniflora, Scabiosa argentea, Onobrychis arenaria, Polygonum arenarium, Secale sylvestre, Plantago arenaria etc.) is characteristic for the highly interspersed sand steppes. For lime-free sandy locations the occurrence of a number of psammophytes distributed in western and northern Europe is characteristic (Corynephorus canescens, Vicia lathyroides, Jasione montana, Cerastium semidecandrum etc.). Apart from steppe species (Thymus odoratissimus, Nepeta ucranica, Eryngium campestre, Taraxacum laevigatum) meadow species also occur (Pulsatilla pratensis subsp. hungarica, Leontodon hispidus, Verbascum chaixii subsp. austriacum, Peucedanum oreoselinum, Hypochaeris radicata etc.).
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
in forests: predominately Quercus robur, dry forms with Acer campestre, Acer tataricum, Ulmus minor, isolated with Quercus pubescens, Malus sylvestris, Pyrus pyraster; moist forms with Populus alba, Populus tremula, Populus x canescens
Shrub layer
in dry forests: Prunus spinosa, Cornus sanguinea, Rhamnus cathartica, Crataegus monogyna, Juniperus communis; in moist forests: Corylus avellana, Sambucus nigra, Viburnum opulus, Frangula alnus
Herb layer
in dry forests: Festuca valesiaca, Festuca rupicola, Poa angustifolia, Carex stenophylla, locally Dictamnus albus, Lithospermum purpurocaeruleum, Helleborus odorus, Iris variegata, Polygonatum hirtum, Scorzonera rosea; in moist forests: Rubus caesius, Festuca gigantea, Milium effusum, Convallaria majalis, Circaea lutetiana, Dryopteris filix-mas, Dactylis polygama, Brachypodium sylvaticum; in sand steppes: Festuca vaginata, Koeleria glauca, Euphorbia seguieriana, Kochia laniflora, Onosma arenaria, Onobrychis arenaria, Polygonum arenarium, Thymus odoratissimus, Nepeta ucranica, Eryngium campestre, Sedum acre, Achillea ochroleuca, Ephedra distachya, Secale sylvestre; on non-calcic sand: Corynephorus canescens, Vicia lathyroides, Jasione montana
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Festuca vaginata, Koeleria glauca, Achillea ochroleuca, Dianthus serotinus, Dianthus bessarabicus, Dianthus diutinus, Astragalus varius, Astragalus asper, Astragalus exscapus, Tragopogon floccosus, Pulsatilla pratensis subsp. hungarica, Chamaecytisus supinus, Melampyrum nemorosum subsp. debreceniense, Iris hungarica, Iris humilis, Echinops ruthenicus, Anthemis ruthenica; in dry forests: Festuca valesiaca, Festuca rupicola, Carex stenophylla; in moist forests: Convallaria majalis
Ecological variants
Xerophytic and hygrophilous types of the oak forests; acid types of sand steppes.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
In Deliblat (east of Belgrade) a form of mixed oak forest with Tilia tomentosa, Quercus pubescens, Cotinus coggygria; Dictamnus albus, Lithospermum purpurocaeruleum, Helleborus odorus; sand steppes with Paeonia tenuifolia, Rindera umbellata
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
In wet, forest-free hollows Caricetum davallianae Dutoit 1924, Succiso-Molinietum (M. Kovács 1962) Soó 1969, Junco obtusiflorae-Schoenetum Allorge 1921; on dry sandy areas Festuco-Caricetum stenophyllae Resmerita et al. 1967.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
mixed pedunculate oak forests (G4, G5), forest steppes (L10), alder carrs (T1), alluvial forests (U16).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
False acacia forestry for the stabilisation of sands.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Grazing leads to the degradation of sand steppes with secondary communities such as Brometum tectorum Soó 1957, Poeto bulbosae-Cynodontetum dactyloni Resmerita et al. 1969, Potentillo arenariae-Festucetum pseudovinae Soó 1940, Cynodonti-Festucetum pseudovinae Soó (Aszód 1935) 1957, Agrostietum albae Ujvárosi 1941, Carici vulpinae-Alopecuretum pratensis (M. Kovács & Máthé 1967) Soó 1971, Cirsio cani-Festucetum pratensis Májovsky & Ruzicková 1975.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
---
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
Inland dune landscape in the Danube-Theiss plain with a characteristic relief of dunes and dune valleys with varying microclimate and water balance.
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
lowland; 80-120 m
Geology (bedrock)
eolian silicate sands (Pleistocene above Tertiary sediments and river sediments
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
weakly developed, mostly calcareous sand soils, partly very base-poor; (haplic and calcaric phaeozems; dystric and calcaric regosols)
soil texture
sands, predominately lime-rich, partly non-calcic
soil moisture, water balance
in steppes: dry, in forests: moderately dry to moist
soil reaction
weakly acidic, neutral
soil fertility
mesotrophic to oligotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
VI(VII)
average annual temperature
9-11,5 °C
average annual precipitation
500-600 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
21-22,5 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
-2 to -1 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
summer warm, moderately dry climate.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
The vegetation cover regenerates badly after damage. In Hungary the natural vegetation is still well preserved. There is a series of nature reserves in which the most important associations are being protected.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
steppe forests and sand steppes.
causes of endangerment
Intensive grazing, afforestation with false acacia.
required measures for protection and restitution
Protection of all semi-natural remnants.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Hungary: Csévharaszt, Tatárszentgyörgy, Pusztavacs, Fülöpháza, Kunfehértó, Bugac, Bátorliget; Romania: Săcueni, Carei.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
No details
Most important references (author, year)
Bondev 1991; Borhidi 1956; Borhidi 1996; Borhidi & Sánta 1999; Resmeriţă, Spîrchez & Csűrős 1967; Soó 1941; Stjepanović-Veseličič 1953
Compiled by
N. Doniţă, revised and completed by A. Borhidi
