Analele ştiinţifice ale Universităţii Al. I. Cuza Iaşi Tomul LIII, s. II a. Biologie vegetală, 2007 CONTRIBUTION TO THE STUDY OF THE PLANT ASSOCIATIONS FROM THE SUB-ALPINE PLATEAU OF THE CEAHLĂU MOUNTAIN (I) OANA ZAMFIRESCU, T. CHIFU, ŞT. ZAMFIRESCU, C. MÂNZU Abstract: Our research aims to describe the plant communities from the sub-alpine plateau of the Ceahlău Mountain. So far, we recorded and described the plant communities of two associations: Artemisio petrosae-gypsophiletum petraeae Puşcaru et al. 1956, and Potentillo chrysocraspedae- Festucetum airoides Boşcaiu 1971. The phytocoenological investigation was based on the relevés analysis. The similarity of relevés was assessed through principal component analysis. In the studied plant communities of the first association, we identified some transgressing mesophilous species like Festuca versicolor, Trisetum alpestre etc. that come into contact with phytocoenoses of the classes Elynio-Seslerietea, Asplenietea trichomanis, etc. Additionally, we recorded 4 endemic species: Androsace villosa, Eritrichium nanum, Thymus pulcherrimus, and Scabiosa lucida ssp. barbata. The differences among relevés are given by the dominance-abundance scores of Dryas octopetala, Gypsophyla petraea, Oxytropis halleri, Festuca versicolor and Helianthemum rupifragum. For the second association, the plant communities with Festuca airoides cover large areas in the sub-alpine zone, forming compact layers on gentle slopes, and at lower altitudes, as secondary vegetation. The Dacian-Balkan species Potentilla aurea ssp. chrysocraspeda has a cover percentage of up to 15%. Four endemic species were identified, as well: Campanula rotundifolia ssp. polymorpha, Campanula serrata, Thymus pulcherrinus, and Thesium kernerianum. The species responsible for this variability of plant communities are Dryas octopetala, Polytrichum commune, Potentilla aurea, Luzula luzuloides and Vaccinium myrtillus. Based on the phytocoenological table, we performed the coenotaxonomic classification and showed the other types of phytocenoses to which the studied plant communities come into contact. The plant communities of the sub-alpine plateau may differ due to the local substratum, which induces the occurrence of certain tolerant species. Probably, the heterogeneity of the local substrata induces a certain degree of variability to the communities of the same associations. Key words: plant associations; similarity; sub-alpine vegetation; Ceahlău Mountain INTRODUCTION The Ceahlău Mountain belongs to the Moldavian Oriental Carpatians and, according to its morphology, petrography, structure and genesis, pertains to the flysch mountain category [5]. It is a complex of peaks derived from a main higher summit, which displays a north-south orientation. The dominant main summit consists in a plateau with two levels; it is approximately 10 Km long and less than 1 to 3 km wide [9]. This summit has an irregular surface and begins from north with a pyramidal peak called Toaca (1906 m) next to which there is a conglomerate giant tower named Panaghia, and continues towards south with the Lespezi and the Ocolaşul Mare (1911 m) peaks. All these peaks form the superior level of the plateau. The main summit is boarded by steep slopes that often can exceed 150 m. On the main summit, above the upper limit of the forest, there are Al. I. Cuza University, Faculty of Biology, Carol I, 20A, RO-700505 Iasi 140
sub-alpine meadows. At the plateau level, the coldest month temperature is -9.5 o C and the warmest one, is 9 o C. The precipitation is relatively poor 738.4 mm at the base of the Toaca peak and 806 mm at the Dochia chalet. METHODS For the vegetation study, we used the phytosociological methods of the Central- European school, elaborated by J. Braun-Blanqet. We classified the plant communities of the association Artemisio petrosae-gypsophiletum petraeae Puşcaru et al. 1956, in the class Asplenietea trichomanis Br.-Bl. 1944, order Potentiletalia caulescentis Br.-Bl. 1926, alliance Gypsophylion petraeae Borhidi et Pócs, 1957, and the ones of the association Potentillo chrysocraspedae-festucetum airoides Boşcaiu 1971, in the class Juncetea trifidi Klika et Hadac 1944, order Caricetalia curvulae Br.-Bl. 1926, alliance Caricion curvulae Br.-Bl. 1925 [2]. A principal component analysis (PCA) was carried out in order to explore the variability of the relevés, and the differentiating species. The relevés are plotted in a bidimensional chart area based on the abundance-dominance scores of the component species. In addition, the species with the great abundance-dominance variability appear as vectors. A longer vector corresponds to a greater abundance-dominance variability, which means that the respective species could differentiate the relevés to a larger extent. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS 1. The association Artemisio petrosae-gypsophiletum petraeae Puşcaru et al. 1956 includes plant communities with Artemisia petrosa and Gypsophila petraea, which are characteristic for the south-eastern Carpathians [3] (Table 1.). Table 1: Association Artemisio petrosae-gypsophiletum petraea Puşcaru et al. 1956 Relevé number 1 2 3 4 5 K Altitude (m) 1910 1750 1850 1880 1810 Exposition V NV SV V V Slope (degrees) 55 50 35 80 75 Cover (%) 60 35 40 30 25 Ass. Characteristic Sp. Artemisia petrosa + + + + + V Gypsophilion petraea Androsace villosa ssp. Androsacea - + - + - II Eritrichium nana ssp. jankae - + - + + III Gypsophila petraea 3 2 2 2 2 V Helianthemum rupiphragum + + 1 + - IV Saxifraga corymbosa - - - + - I Silene zawadskii + + + - + IV Potentilletalia caulescentis 141
Relevé number 1 2 3 4 5 K Asplenium ruta-muraria - - - - + I Euphrasia salisburgensis + - - + - II Kernera saxatilis - - - + + II Leontopodium alpinum + - + - + III Saxifraga paniculata - + - + - II Asplenietea trichomanis Campanula rotundifolia ssp. kladniana - - - + + II Poa nemoralis + - + - - II Saxifraga oppositifolia + + + + + V Thymus alpestris + + + - - III Trisetum alpestris - + + + + IV Thlaspietea rotundifolii Alyssum repens - - - + - I Bupleurum diversifolium + - - - + II Galium anisophyllum + + - - + III Thymus pulcherrimus - - - + + II Viola alpina - - - + - I Elyno-Seslerietea Anthyllis vulneraria ssp. alpestris + - - + - II Aster alpinus - - - - + I Carex sempervirens - - - - + I Crepis jaqiunii - - - + - I Erysimum wittmanii - - - + - I Festuca versicolor 1 + 1 + + V Helianthemum alpestre - - - + + II Oxytropis campestris - 1 + - - II Ranunculus oreophilus - - - + - I Saxifraga aizoides - - - - + I Scabiosa lucida ssp. barbata - - - + - I Seseli libanotis - - - + - I Carici rupestris-kobresietea bellardii Cerastium alpinum ssp. lanatum + - + - + III Dryas octopetala 2 + - + - III Oxytropis halleri 1 - - - + II Aliae Poa alpina - + + - - II Relevés site and date: 1-2 Ocolaşul Mare (09.06.04), 3-4 Bâtca Ghedeonului (01.08.04), 5 Şaua Lespezi (17.08.04) The heliophilous species characteristic for the alliance Gypsophilion petraeae and for the order Potentiletalia are well represented in these plant communities. Similarly, some transgressing mesophilous species like Festuca versicolor, Trisetum alpestre etc. were also identified since the studied plant communities come into contact with phytocoenoses of the classes Elynio-Seslerietea, Asplenietea trichomanis, etc. Additionally, we recorded 4 endemic species: Androsace villosa, Eritrichium nanum, Thymus pulcherrimus, and Scabiosa lucida ssp. barbata [1]. 142
The principal component analysis (Fig. 1.) revealed that the relevé 1 from Ocolaşul Mare differs from the others because of the high abundance-dominance of the saxicolous, calciphilous species Dryas octopetala, Gypsophyla petraea, and Oxytropis halleri. Similarly, the relevé 3, from Bâtca Ghedeonului, differs from the relevés 2, 4 and 5 because of the great abundance-dominance of the species Festuca versicolor and Helianthemum rupifragum. The relevés 2, 4 and 5 are very similar. Fig. 1: Ordination diagram of the relevés assigned to the association Artemisio petrosae- Gypsophiletum petraea 2. The association Potentillo chrysocraspedae-festucetum airoides Boşcaiu 1971 (Table 2.) consists of plant communities with Festuca airoides, which cover large areas in the sub-alpine zone of the Romanian Carpathian [6], forming compact layers on gentle slopes [7]. Frequently, they occur at lower altitudes, on deforested lands, as a secondary vegetation [8]. The cover value of the Dacian-Balkan species Potentilla aurea ssp. chrysocraspeda is up to 15%. In the plant communities of this association we identified 4 endemic species: Campanula rotundifolia ssp. polymorpha, Campanula serrata, Thymus pulcherrinus, and Thesium kernerianum [1]. 143
Table 2: Association Potentillo chrysocraspedae - Festucetum airoides Boşcaiu 1971 Relevé number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 K Altitude (m) 1790 1910 1900 1780 1770 1750 1835 1790 Exposition SV SV SV SV NV NV E NV Slope (degrees) 2 2 5 8 5 15 10 5 Cover (%) 95 100 100 80 90 95 90 100 Ass. Characteristic Sp. Potentilla aurea + - - - + - + - II Caricion curvulae et Caricetalia curvulae Campanula alpina + - + + + - + - IV Festuca supina 4 5 4 3 4 4 4 5 V Hieracium alpinum - - + - - - + - II Pedicularis comosa - - - - + - - - I Nardion strictae Antennaria dioica + - - + - + + + IV Carex ovalis + - + - - - - + II Carex pallescens + - + + - - - + III Gentianella austriaca - - - - - - + - I Juncetea trifidi Carex sempervirens - + - + - 1 + - III Cetraria islandica - + - - + - - - II Erigeron alpinus - - - - + - - + II Ligusticum mutellina - - - - - + - + II Polygonum viviparum - - 1 + - + - + III Potentilla aurea 2 + + + + + 1 + V Thamnolia vermicularis + - + + - - + - III Campanula rotundifolia ssp. polymorpha + - + - - - + - III Campanula serrata - - - - - - - + I Hieracium lactucella - - - - - - - + I Luzula sudetica + - - + - - - - II Elyno Seslerietea Cerastium alpinum ssp. lanatum - - + - - - + - II Galium anisophyllum - - - - - + - + II Helianthemum rupifragum - - - - - + - + II Oxytropis campestris - - + - + + - + IV Phyteuma orbiculare - - - - - - + - I Saxifraga paniculata - - - - - + - - I Seseli libanotis - - + - - - + - II Sesleria bielzii - + - - - 1 - - II Sesleria heufleriana - - - - - + - - I Silene zawadskii - - - - - + + - II Thesium kernerianum - - - - - - + - I Thymus pulcherrimus - - - - - + + + III Asplenietea trichomanis Euphrasia salisburgensis - - - - - - + - I Gypsophila petraea - - - - - + - - I Saxifraga oppositifolia - - - - - + - - I Viola alpina - - - - - + + - II Loiseleurio Vaccinietea 144
Relevé number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 K Cladonia rangiferina - - - - - + - - I Juniperus alpestris - - - - + + - + II Vaccinium gaulterioides + - - + 1 - + - III Vaccinium myrtillus - + - 2 1 - - + III Vaccinium vitis-idaea - - + + 1 - + - III Carici Kobresietea Dryas octopetala - + - - - 1 - + II Minuartia verna - - - - - - - + I Salicetea herbacea Gentiana verna - - - - - + - - I Pedicularis oederi - - - - - + - - I Molinio Arrhenatheretea Anthoxanthum odoratum + + - + + - - - III Deschampsia caespitosa + - - - - - - + II Leucanthemum vulgare - - - - - + - - I Poa alpina - - - - - - + - I Ranunculus montanus ssp. pseudomontanus - - - - - + - + II Trifolium repens - - - - - + + + II Vaccinio-Piceetea Luzula luzuloides + + 1 1 + + + + V Luzula sylvatica - - - - - + - - I Homogyne alpina - + - - - - - - I Pinus mugo - - - - - + - - I Soldanella hungarica - - - - - - - + I Alliae Cruciata glabra - - - - - + - - I Polytrichum commune + + + + + 1 + + V Polytrichum strictum - - + + + + - - IV Relevés site and date: 1-2 Ocolaşul Mare (09.06.04), 3-4 Bâtca Ghedeonului (10.06.04), 5-6 Platoul Dochia (02.08.04), 7-8 Şaua Lespezi (17.08.04) The principal component analysis (Fig. 2) revealed that the relevés 2, 6, and 8 are separated from the others because of the high abundance-dominance of the saxicolous species Dryas octopetala and Polytrichum commune. The relevés 1 and 7, from Ocolaşul Mare and Şaua Lespezi, are distinguished because of the high scores of the acidophilous species Potentilla aurea. The relevés 3 and 5, from Bâtca Ghedeonului and Dochia, have in common the high abundance-dominance of the moderate acidophilous species Luzula luzuloides and Vaccinium myrtillus. 145
Fig. 2: Ordination diagram of the relevés assigned to the association Potentillo chrysocraspedae - Festucetum airoides Based on the phytocoenological table, we performed the coenotaxonomic classification and showed the other types of phytocenoses to which the studied plant communities come into contact. The plant communities of the sub-alpine plateau may differ due to the local substratum, which induces the occurrence of certain tolerant species. Probably, the heterogeneity of the local substrata induces a certain degree of variability to the communities of the same associations. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. BELDIE AL., 1967, Endemismele si elementele dacice din flora Carpaţilor Românesti, Comunic. de bot. la a V- a Consfatuire de Geobot., Bucuresti: 113-120. 2. BELDIE AL., 1968, Asociatiile vegetale din Carpatii Romaniei. Soc. de St. biol., Comunic. de bot., Bucuresti, 6: 133-238. 3. BORHIDI A., 1958, Gypsophilion petraeae Foed. nova et contribution a la vegetation du Mont Ceahlău (Carpathe orientales), Acta Bot. Acad. Sci. Hung., 4, 3-4: 211-231. 4. BURDUJA C., 1968, Muntele Ceahlău flora şi vegetaţia, Ocrotirea Naturii, Bucureşti, 6: 63-92. 146
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