Analele ştiinţifice ale Universităţii Al. I. Cuza Iaşi Tomul LVI, fasc. 2, s.ii a. Biologie vegetală, 2010 CONTRIBUTION TO THE STUDY OF THE HERBACEOUS VEGETATION FROM THE SUHARD MOUNTAIN M. COSTICĂ *, N. ŞTEFAN, I. SÂRBU ** Abstract. The paper presents five herbaceous plant associations from the plant cover of the mountain Suhard. The five herbaceous plant associations are included in the following classes: Molinio Arrhenatheretea R. Tüxen 1937 and Nardo Callunetea Preising 1949. The diversity of herbaceous plant associations indicates the variety in the growing conditions of herbaceous vegetation on this massive. Key words: Plant associations, mountain Suhard, herbaceous vegetation Introduction The Suhard Massif is located in the North Central part of the Eastern Carpathians group. They are a Southeastern extension of the Rodna Mountains. The core range is composed of crystalline rocks. The climate is temperate continental [8]. The lowest monthly average temperature recorded in January and February, is from - 4 to 6 C. The warmest months are June to July and August, with monthly average temperatures of 14. The annual average precipitation has different values: from Vatra Dornei, where rainfall is 672 mm/annually takes place a progressive increase, reaching 1200 mm/annually on Faraoane Peak and Ouşorul Peak and even to 1400 mm/annually on Omu Peak. As mentioned in a previous paper [6] depending on the altitude and the physical and geographical features there were installed herbaceous and woody phytocenosis with moderately-low acidophilous species, mesophilic species, oligo-mesotrophic species and mesothermal species [3]. The herbaceous vegetation is rich and contains varied species. This vegetation is often used for grazing. Material and methods We follow the method of the phytocoenological-floristic school [1] for the study and classification of the vegetation. The species nomenclature has been taking from Ciocârlan 2000 [2]. Results and discussion Deforestation wood phytocoenoses for the extension of the pasture grass favored installing herbaceous cenoze. Overgrazing has altered the floristic composition. There are some situations when the phytocoenoses are monodominant with few accompanying species [4, 5, 7]. * Al. I. Cuza University, Faculty of Biology, Bd. Carol I, No 20 A, 700506, Iaşi, Romania ** Anastasie Fătu Botanical Garden, Iaşi, Romania 69
Abstract of the Associations MOLINIO ARRHENATHERETEAR.Tüxen1937 ARRHENATHERETALIA R. Tüxen 1931 C y n o s u r i o n R. Tüxen 1931 1. Ass. Festuco rubrae - Agrostietum capillaris Horvat 1951 2. Ass. Lolio Cynosuretum Br.-Bl. et De Leeuw 1936 NARDO CALLUNETEA Preising 1949 NARDETALIA Oberdorfer 1949 P o t e n t i l l o N a r d i o n Simon 1959 3. Ass. Scorzonero roseae Festucetum nigricantis (Puşcaru et al. 1956)Coldea 1987 4. Ass. Violo declinarae Nardetum Simon 1966 5. Ass. Carici Nardetum strictae (Resmeriţă 1984)Resmeriţă et Pop 1986 Description of the Associations MOLINIO ARRHENATHERETEA R. Tüxen 1937 ARRHENATHERETALIA R. Tüxen 1931 C y n o s u r i o n R. Tüxen 1931 1. Ass. Festuco rubrae - Agrostietum capillaris Horvat 1951 (Table I; relev.: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) It is a widespread association in the lower and middle mountain floor in the Romanian Carpathians. The association has developed on the deep, brown humic and rich in humus soil. The characteristic species of Agrostis capillaris and Festuca rubra are in codominant fragile relationships. It is the most representative and most widespread association in the beech floor. It represents a transition from the type Agrostis capillaries lower mountain region to the type Festuca rubra from the floor of the spruce. 2. Ass. Lolio Cynosuretum Br.-Bl. et De Leeuw 1936 (Table I; relev.: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10) The association has developed on mezobazic brown soil, rich in nutrients with weak acid reaction. The characteristic species Lolium perenne is accompanied by mesophilic species such as Trifolium repens, Lotus corniculatus, Achillea millefolium, Leucanthemum vulgare. The association is valuable and well exploited as pasture because the component species have superior qualities specific to the meadow. This association evolves in a sindynamic manner to Festuco rubrae- Agrostetum capillaris if it is increased the amount of nutrients in soil. If the meadow is overgrazing, it evolves into the association Lolio-Trifolietum repentis. NARDO CALLUNETEA Preising 1949 NARDETALIA Oberdorfer 1949 P o t e n t i l l o N a r d i o n Simon 1959 3. Ass. Scorzonero roseae Festucetum nigricantis (Puşcaru et al. 1956) Coldea 1987 (Table II; relev.: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) 70
The association grows on the meadows of the Southern and Western slopes, on acid brown soil with medium trophicity. The species Festuca rubra is accompanied by the species Scorzonera rosea (which is a distinctive and differential species). The floristic composition is heterogeneous, with small numbers of species, among which the form a uninterrupted celery. It is an association exclusively used for grazing. 4. Ass. Violo declinarae Nardetum Simon 1966 (Table II.; relev.: 6, 7, 8, 9) It is an association which vegetates on sunny slopes. It prefers acid, tamped, poorly ventilated soil, with low-nutrient minerals. Together with the characteristic species Nardus stricta, Viola decline, there are also the most common species: Campanula serrata, Carex pallescens, Luzula campestris. This association results from the degradation of grasslands with Festuca rubra and Agrostis capillaris. 5. Ass. Carici Nardetum strictae (Resmeriţă 1984) Resmeriţă et Pop 1986 (Table II; relev.: 10, 11) It is an association that inhabits small areas on slopes and plateaus. The characteristic species Nardus stricta, Carex flava are accompanied by the characteristic species for classes Nardo-Callunetea and Molinio-Arrhenatheretea. There are some remarkable species such as: Juncus articulatus, Eriophorum angustifolium, Dactylorhiza maculata and Parnasia palustris belonging to class Scheuchzerio-Caricetea fuscae. This association has a hydrotrophic, meso-hygrophil character, comprising acidophilous microthermal species. Conclusions The described plant associations form the second grassy meadows after deforestation of the spruce stands or mixed forests of fir and beech. These associations are characterized by a rich floral composition, with many accompanying species, with specific combinations such as Campanula serrata, Scorzonera rosea, Campanula abietina (for Scorzonero roseae-festucetum nigricantis) Viola declinata, Carex pallescens, Nardus stricta (for Violo declinatae-nardetum), Campanula patula, Polygala vulgaris, Centaurea phrygia, Rumex acetosa (for Festuco rubrae-agrostietum capillaris). Thus, it is found that the described herbaceous vegetation has a floristic composition of montane and subalpine species (although it cannot be described an alpine floor in this massif [3]). REFERENCES 1. BORZA AL., BOŞCAIU N., 1965 - Introducere în studiul covorului vegetal, Bucureşti, Edit. Acad. R. P. Române. 2. CIOCÂRLAN V., 2000 - Flora ilustrată a României. Pteridophyta et Spermatophyta, Bucureşti, Edit. Ceres. 3. COLDEA GH., PÎNZARU GH., 1987 - Vegetaţia Rezervaţiei Naturale Omul din Munţii Suhard, St., cerc., biol., veget., t.39, nr.2:109-118. 4. COLDEA GH., 1985 - Phytözonologisches Studium der krummholzgebüsche in den Südostkarpaten. Fedes Repert, 96, 5-6: 397-405. 5. COLDEA GH., 1991 - Prodrome des associations vegetales des Carpates du sud-est. (Carpaties Roumanies). Documents Phytosociologiques Camerino, 13: 317-359. 6. COSTICĂ M., ŞTEFAN N.., SÂRBU I., 2010 - Contribution to the study of the wood vegetation from the Suhard Mountain, An. Şt. Univ. Al. I. Cuza Iaşi, tom LVI, f. 1, s. II.a, Biol. veget.: 65-81. 71
7. MITITELU D., CHIFU T., PASCAL P., 1989 - Flora şi vegetaţia judeţului Suceava, Anuar. Muz. Suceava: 93-120. 8. POPESCU- ARGESEL I., 1983 - Masivul Suhard. Ghid turistic, Bucureşti. 72
Table I - Associations from the Orders of Arrhenatheretalia R. Tüxen 1931 Association Festuco rubrae - Agrostietum capillaries Lolio Cynosuretum Number of surveying 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Altitude 820 850 790 880 835 720 615 680 635 720 Exposition E SE NE N E NV SE SE N NE Slope (degrees) 15 15 20 10 15 5 3 3 5 5 Cover herbaceous layer 90 95 95 90 98 90 90 95 95 90 % Cover moos layer % 10 15 10 5 10 3 3 5-3 Sample surface m 2 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 Charact. ass. Festuca rubra 3 4 4 3 4 - + + - 1 Agrostis capillaris 2 1 2 3 1 + + - + - Lolium perenne - - + - - 2 3 3 2 3 Cynosurus cristatus + 1 + + + 3 2 1 3 1 Cynosurion Trifolium repens + - + + + 1 1 + + 1 Hypochoeris radicata + + - + + - - + - - Bellis perennis + - + + + - + + - + Carlina acaulis + - + + - - - - - - Leontodon autumnalis - + - + + - + + - + Phleum pratense + + - - + - + - - - Plantago major - - - + - + - -- + 1 Odontites vernus ssp. - + - - - - + + - + serotinus Euphrasia rostkoviana - + + + - - + - + - Gentianopsis ciliata + - + - - - - - - - Phyteuma tetramerum - + - - - - - - - - Arrenatheretalia Lotus corniculatus + + - + + + - 1 + + Leucanthemum vulgare + + + + 1 - + + + + Trifolium campestre - + - + + - + - + + Carum carvi 1 + + + + - + - - + Campanula patula + + + - + + - + - - Arnica montana - + + - + - - - - - Rhinanthus minor + - + - + - - + - - 73
Stellaria graminea + Taraxacum officinale - Knautia arvensis - Thymus pulegioides 1 Arrenatherum elatius + Tragopogon pratensis + Briza media - Orchis morio + Luzula campestris + Achillea millefolium + Medicago lupulina + Holcus lanatus + Veronica chamaedrys - Daucus carota - Molinio- Arrhenatheretea Anthoxanthum + odoratum Trifolium pratense + Trifolium dubium - Potentilla erecta + Prunella vulgaris + Cerastium holosteoides - Plantago lanceolata + Polygala vulgaris - Ononis arvensis - Centaurea phrygia + Rumex acetosa - Trollius europaeus - Ranunculus acris - Festuca pratensis - Primula elatior - Linum catharticum + Colchicum autumnale - Succisa pratensis - Gymnadenia conopsea - Dactylorhiza maculara - Juncus effusus - + + - + - + + - + - - - + + - + + + - - + - - + - + - 1 + + + + + 1 + 1 - + - - - - - - - - + + + - - - + - + + - + - - - - - - + - - - + - - - + - + + - + - - - + + + + - + + + + - + + + + - + + + - - + + - - - - - - + - - + - + - + - - - - - + + + - + + + 1 - + - - - + - + + - + + + + + - + - - - + - - + + + + - + - - + - + + + + + - + - + + + - + - - + - - + - - + + - + + + + + - + - + + - + - + - - + - - + + + + + + - + + + - + - + - + + - + + - - + - - - - - + - - + - + + - + - - - - + - + - - - + - - - - - - - - + + - + - - - - + - - + - + - - - - + - - - - - - - + - - - - + - - + - - + - + - - - - - - + - - - - - + 74
Orchis coriophora + Accompanying Juncus tenuis + Poa annua - Cichorium intybus - Polygonum aviculare - Scorzonera rosea - Gnaphalium sylvaticum + Erigeron annuus - Cirsium arvense - Carduus acanthoides - Clinopodium vulgare - Inula hirta - Helianthemum - nummularium Rumex obtusifolius - Sambucus ebulus - Urtica dioica - Geum urbanum - Trifolium montanum - Hieracium pilosella - - - - + - - - - - - - + + - + + - - - - - - + - + + - - - - - - + + - - - - - - + - - + - + - + - - - - - - - - + - + - - - - - - - - - + - + - - - - - + - + + - - - - - - + - + - - - - - - - + + - - - - - + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - - - - + + - - - - - - - + - + - - - - + - - + - - - - - - + - + + + - + - + - - + - - - + - + + - + + The moos layer: Thuidium abietinum, Rhytidium rugosum, Pleurozium schreberi, Dicranum scoparium 75
Table II - Associations from the Order Nardetalia Oberdorfer 1949 Association Scorzonero roseae Festucetum nigricantis Violo declinatae Nardetum Carici Nardetum strictae Number of surveying 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Altitude 985 955 970 1020 995 1035 985 1050 1005 955 945 Exposition NE SE V NV N SE SE SV - E SE Slope (degrees) 10 10 15 20 15 10 5 10-10 5 Cover herbaceous layer % 90 95 90 90 95 95 95 90 100 90 90 Cover moos layer % 10 5 5 10 5 15 5 10 5 25 30 Sample surface m 2 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 Charact. ass Festuca nigrescens 4 5 5 4 5 + 1 + + - + Nardus stricta + + + - + 5 4 4 4 3 4 Scorzonera rosea + + + + + - - - - - - Viola declinata - + - + - + + + + - - Carex flava - - - - - - - - - 2 1 Carex curta - - - - - - - - - 1 1 Potentillo-Nardion Campanula abietina + + - + - + - - - - - Campanula rotundifolia ssp. polymorpha - + - - - - - - - - - Campanula serrata - - + + + - + + - - - Potentilla ternata + + - + - + - - - - - Hieracium aurantiacum + - + - - - - - - + - Hypochoeris uniflora + + - + + - + - - - - Gentianella austriaca - - + - + - - - - - - Thymus balcanus - + - + - + - - + - - Nardetalia Carex pallescens + + + - + - + + + - + Arnica montana - + - - + - - - - - - Hypericum maculatum + - - + - + - - - - - Alchemilla glaucecens + - + - - - - + - - - 76
Antennaria dioica - Nardo-Callunetea Luzula campestris + Hieracium pilosella - Hieracium umbellatum - Veronica officinalis + Potentilla erecta + Carex ovalis - Danthonia decubens - Lycopodium clavatum - Vaccinium myrtillus - Vaccinium vitis-idaea - Molinio-Arrhenatheretea Alchemilla vulgaria 1 Festuca rubra - Agrostis capillaris - Anthoxanthum odoratum + Cynosurus cristatus - Deschampsis caespitosa - Gymnadenia conopsea + Centaurea phrygia + Trisetum flavescens - Traunsteinera globosa + Thymus pulegioides + Succisa pratensis - Ranunculus repens - Polygonum bistorta - Phleun alpinum - Linum catharticum + Scheuchzerio-Caricetea fuscae Juncus articulatus - - + + - + - - + - - - + + + - + + + + + + - - - - - + - - - + - + - - - - + - - - + - + - - - - - - + + + - + - - - - - - + - - + - - - + + + - + - + + + - - - - + - - + - + + + - - - - - + + 1 1 - + - - - - - 1 + + - - + + 1 + - + + - + - + - - - - - - - - - + - + - - - - - - - - + - + + - + - - - + + + - - - - - - - + - + - - - - - 1 1 - + - - - - - - - - - + + + - - - - - - + + - + - - + - - - + - + + - - - - - - - - + - + - - - - - - + - + - - - - - - + - - - - - - - + + - - - + - + - - + - - + - - + - + - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - + + 77
Eriophorum angustifolium - Dactylorhiza maculata - Parnasia palustris - Accompanying Cirsium arvense - Luzula luzuloides - Homogyne alpina - Gnaphalium sylvaticum + Lycopodium selago - Cirsium vulgare - Melampyrum sylvaticum - - - - - - - - - 1 + - + - - - - - - + + - - + - + - - - + + + - + - - - - - - - - + - - + + + - - - - - - - + - + + - - - + - - - + - + - + - - - - - - - - + + + - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - - The moos layer: Dicranum scoparium, Thuidium abietinum, Polytrichum juniperinum, Polytrichum commune 78