Analele ştiinţifice ale Universităţii Al.. Cuza aşi Tomul LV, fasc., s. a. Biologie vegetală, 0 THE PLANT ASSOCATON ALYSSO BORZAEAN EPHEDRETUM DSTACHYAE TZONEV ET AL. 005 N THE PROTECTED AREA MARNE SAND DUNES OF AGGEA M. FĂGĂRAŞ* Abstract: The plant communities study in the area of Agigea Marine sand dunes Reserve revealed the presence of the new association Alysso borzaeani Ephedretum distachyae Tzonev et al. 005 within the habitat 0* (fixed coastal dunes with herbaceous vegetation). This endemic plant association of Dobrogea (Tzonev et al. 005) was described for the first time from the northern Bulgarian Black Sea coast, near the border with Romania (Anna Maria beach). The characteristic species of the association are Ephedra distachya and Alyssum borzaeanum, plants which are easily distinguished among the accompanying species due to high value of abundancedominance indices. The psammophile species Secale sylvestre and Carex colchyca are missing or are poorly represented quantitatively in the phytocoenosis of the association. nstead, Alyssum borzaeanum is constantly present with high value of abundancedominance (AD=) in this plant community, accompanying the dominant species, Ephedra distachya. Phytocoenosis of this association seems to make the transition from the mobile sand dunes dominated by Secali sylvestri Alyssetum borzaeani to fixed sand dunes covered by the association Ephedro Caricetum colchicae. Keywords: new plant association, maritime sand dunes, psammophile species, Natural Reserve of Agigea. ntroduction Founded in 99 in the area of Prof. Dr. oan Borcea Marine Biological Station, Agigea Marine sand dunes Natural Reserve was designated for the protection of some rare plant and animal species. n 007 (Ministerial Order no. 964/007) the protected area was included in the Natura 000 European ecological network as a Site of Community mportance (ROSC007) in order to conservation of the habitats of Community mportance (Habitats 0 and 0*) and some plant associations of conservative interest. Phytosociological studies started by Borza in 9 [] and continued over the time by other botanists Nyárády [], Morariu [9, 0], Burduja [4], Burduja et Horeanu [5, 6], Boşcaiu [], Mititelu et al. [] led to identification of 4 plant associations within Agigea Marine sand dunes Natural Reserve. But only 0 plant associations and a phytocoenosis with Phragmites australis were reconfirmed by us and by the latest phytosociological observations [6] in the natural reserve (Tab. ); six of them are specific to marine sand dunes and other four are ruderal and woody associations. Our phytosociological studies, carried out between April 00 and March 0, led to identification of association Alysso borzaeani Ephedretum distachyae Tzonev et al. 005, a new plant association for the natural reserve of Agigea and for Romania. Materials and methods Our study has been accomplished in accordance with the methodology of the CentralEuropean phytosociological school, taking into account the recommendations of * Ovidius University Constanţa, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Aleea Universităţii, Nr. B, Constanţa. marius_fagaras@yahoo.com
the authors Borza and Boşcaiu []. The surveys were achieved monthly or bimonthly covering all vegetation seasons. The phytocoenosis within Agigea were compared with those from the northern Black Sea coast of Bulgaria, described by Tzonev et al. (005) from the Anna Maria beach, a small coastal area located near the border with Romania [9]. The coenotaxonomic affiliation of this plant association is according with the scientific papers Syntaxa according to the BraunBlanquet approach in Bulgaria [0] and Coenotic structure and ecological characterization of phytocoenosis from Romania [5]. The phytosociological study which led to identification of this new association in the natural reserve of Agigea was supported by the POS MEDU project Pregătirea documentelor suport în vederea implementării procesului de menţinere şi îmbunătăţire a stadiului de conservare a rezervaţiei naturale Dunele marine de la Agigea coordinated by the University Al.. Cuza of aşi. Results and discussions Alysso borzaeani Ephedretum distachyae Tzonev et al. 005 is an endemic plant association for Dobrogea region, described for the first time in Bulgaria, on Anna Maria beach [9], not far from the border with Romania. The association is present in Bulgaria only in the northern coast of the Black Sea, in the border area. Tzonev et al. [9] consider this area of Bulgaria as the southernmost point in which the westpontic fixed dunes (Palearctic Habitats code 6.B) can be found. This type of dunes (grey dunes) is spread mainly in the Danube Delta (Romania and Ukraine) and the RazelmSinoe lagoon complex but also in the Marine sand dunes reserve of Agigea. n the natural reserve of Agigea the plant association was observed within the habitat 0* (westpontic coastal dunes fixed with herbaceous vegetation) (Tab. ), interposed between other sand dunes plant associations such us Secali sylvestri Alyssetum borzaeani (Borza 9) Morariu 959 and Ephedro Caricetum colchicae (Prodan 99) Sanda et Popescu 97. Table. Habitats within Agigea Marine sand dunes Reserve Habitat Natura 000 code Palearctic Habitats code Embryonic shifting dunes (white dunes) 0 6. 0* 6.B Subcontinental peripannonic scrubs 40A0*.8B Anthropogenic plant communities 87. Fixed westpontic coastal dunes with herbaceous vegetation (grey dunes) 4 Plant associations Elymetum gigantei Morariu 957 Convolvuletum persici (Borza 9) Burduja 968 Secali sylvestri Alyssetum borzaeani (Borza 9) Morariu 959 Ephedro Caricetum colchicae (Prodan 99) Sanda et Popescu 97 Alysso borzaeani Ephedretum distachyae Tzonev et al. 005 Scabioso argenteae Marrubietum peregrini (Borza 9, Morariu 967) Popescu et Sanda 987 Pruno spinosae Crataegetum (Soó 97) Hueck 9 Euonymo Prunetum spinosae (Hueck 9) Tx. 95 em. Pass. et Hofm. 968 Agropyretum repentis Felföldy 94 Bromo sterilis Robinietum (Pocs 954) Soó 964
From coenotaxonomical point of view, the association Alysso borzaeani Ephedretum distachyae Tzonev et al. 005 belong to Scabiosion ucrainicae Boşcaiu 975 alliance [0], Festucetalia vaginatae Soó 957 order and Festucetea vaginatae Soó 968 class. The phytocoenosys from Bulgaria were initially classified in the Ammophiletalia arundinaceae BrBl. 95 order and Ammophiletea BrBl. et R. Tx. ex Westhoff et al. 946 class [9]. The alliance Scabiosion ucrainicae Boşcaiu 975 bring together the psammophile plant communities with a pronounced continental specific of the Black Sea littoral area [5]. Ephedra distachya and Alyssum borzaeanum are characteristic species of the association and they are readily distinguished among the accompanying species because of high indices of abundancedominance. Other 7 psammophile species (Alyssum hirsutum, Carex colchica, Scabiosa argentea, Centaurea arenaria subsp. borysthenica, Cynanchum acutum, Syrenia montana, Silene thymifolia) are characteristics to Scabiosion ucrainicae Boşcaiu 975 alliance (Tab. ). Alyssum borzaeanum is a euxinic species, with general spreading only in Romania, Bulgaria and Ukraine (inclusive Crimea) according to Flora Europaea (Vol. ) [8, 9]. The plant is very rare in Romania [8] and is currently known only from tree locations: Agigea Sand Dunes Natural Reserve where it has the largest population of Romania, near Histria ancient fortress (Saele sandbank) and on the Lupilor sandbank [7]. t is a critically endangered (CR) species in Romania [7], also endangered (E) at the European level according to UCN Red List 008 [4]. Ephedra distachya is a species with eurasiatic origin, considered rare (R) in Romania [] because of small populations at national level. n the Agigea Marine sand dunes Reserve there is probably the largest population from Romania consist of male and female specimens. Other important populations there are in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve [4]. n the sand dune reserve of Agigea, Alysso borzaeaniephedretum distachyae (Figs., ) can be found on the high and medium weak fixed or fixed dunes. Ephedra distachya, one of the dominant plant of the association [AD = 4] is a ligneous plant developed as a bushes with a height of 050 cm on the sand dunes. The gaps remaining between the bushes of Ephedra are occupied by Alyssum borzaeanum, herbaceous perennial plant grouped on the sand dunes in clusters or in the small colonies. The coverage rate of phytocoenosis within the natural reserve of Agigea (6090%) is higher than that of the association Secali sylvestrialyssetum borzaeani (Fig. ) but lower than that corresponding to association EphedroCaricetum colchicae (Fig. V), other dune plant communities belong to Scabiosion ucrainicae alliance. The phytocoenosis coverage rate in Bulgaria is 8000% [0] because higher abundancedominance value of Ephedra distachya [AD = 5]. n comparison with other psammophile plant associations of the alliance Scabiosion ucrainicae (Secali silvestrialyssetum borzaeani and EphedroCaricetum colchicae), the species Carex colchica and Secale sylvestre are missing or have small values of abundencedominance indices [AD= /] in the phytocoenosis of Alysso borzaeaniephedretum distachyae association (Tab. ). nstead, Alyssum borzaeanum is constantly present with high value of abundancedominance [AD=] in this plant community, accompanying Ephedra distachya. The coenotic affinity (calculated by Sorensen similarity index) between the dominant species Alyssum borzaeanum and 5
Ephedra distachya is maximal (00%) while the affinity between Alyssum borzaeanum and Secale sylvestre or between Ephedra distachya and Carex colchica is lower (only 66.66%) than in the first case. n the phytocoenosis of Agigea the number of plant species is much higher (58 taxa) compared with that from Bulgaria where only taxa (in majority psammophile) have been recorded [0]. The differences are given especially by the steppe species of FestucoBrometea class and Festucetalia valesiacae order (Table ) which are numerous on the sand dunes of Agigea. The number of ruderal species within association Alysso borzaeaniephedretum distachyae (Table ) is small compared to that of EphedroCaricetum colchicae; most of them belong to Sisymbrion alliance and Secalietalia order. The presence of ruderal species is especially favored by the human activities from the proximity of the sand dunes area. Eight critical endangered (CR), endangered (EN or E), vulnerable (VU) and rare (R) plant taxa according to the Red Book of Romanian vascular plants [7] and the Red List of Romanian higher plants [] have been identified in the floral composition of association: Alyssum borzaeanum (CR), Syrenia montana (EN), Silene borystenica (EN), Silene thymifolia (VU), Astragalus varius (VU), Salvia aethiopis (E/R), Silene exaltata (R), Seseli tortuosum (R). Other rare plant species which are missing or are very rare in Romania such us Verbascum purpureum, Syntrichia ruralis and Ammophila arenaria subsp. arundinacea were mentioned in the association phytocoenosis from Bulgaria [0]. Table. Association Alysso borzaeani Ephedretum distachyae Tzonev et al. 005 Relevee number Area (m) Cover (%) Number of taxa Ephedra distachya Alyssum borzaeanum Alyssum hirsutum Carex colchica Scabiosa argentea Centaurea arenaria borysthenica Cynanchum acutum Syrenia montana Silene thymifolia R R R R4 R5 R6 00 00 00 00 00 50 60 60 90 80 8 6 8 6 Caracteristic taxa of association 4 Diagnostic taxa of higher units Festucetalia vaginatae, Scabiosion ucrainicae ssp. R7 50 5 R8 00 80 5 R9 00 6 R0 50 60 5 K V V V V Festucion vaginatae Bassio laniflorae Bromion tectorum Euphorbia segueriana Silene exaltata Secale sylvestre Astragalus varius Silene conica Erysimum diffusum Apera spicaventi ssp. maritima Silene boryshtenica 6
FestucoBrometea, Festucetalia valesiacae Festucion rupicolae Stachys atherocalyx Sideritis montana Linaria genistifolia Medicago falcata Anchusa officinalis ssp. procera Cerastium pumilum Salvia aethiopis Petrorhagia prolifera Seseli tortuosum Festuca valesiaca Melica ciliata Marrubium peregrinum Valerianella locusta Artemisia austriaca Achillea pannonica Senecio jacobaea Verbascum banaticum Euphorbia virgata Xeranthemum annuum Galium humifusum Eryngium campestre Stipa capillata Sisymbrion Bromus tectorum Tragopogon dubius Lappula squarrosa Sisymbrium orientale Secalietea, Secalietalia Papaver rhoeas Thlaspi perfoliatum Senecio vernalis Erodium cicutarium Geranium pussilum Aliae Polytrichum piliferum Crepis pulchra Cerastium brachypetalum Asparagus pseudoscaber Erophila verna Euphorbia glareosa Leymus racemosus ssp. sabulosus Crepis sancta Cichorium intybus Lamium amplexicaule Relevee number and Dates: R (0.04.00); R (.05.00); R4 (6.05.00); R56 (4.06.00); R78 (.06.00); R9 (07.07.00); R0 (.08.00). 7
Figures,. Alysso borzaeaniephedretum distachyae association Figure. Secali sylvestri Alyssetum borzaeani Figure 4. Ephedro Caricetum colchicae Conclusions Alysso borzaeani Ephedretum distachyae is an endemic plant association of Dobrogea which was described for the first time by Tzonev et al. (005) from the northern coastal area of Bulgaria, near the border with Romania. The association belong to Scabiosion ucrainicae Boşcaiu 975 alliance and Festucetalia vaginatae Soó 957 order and is characteristic to the westpontic fixed dunes habitat. Our phytosociological studies have revealed the presence of this plant association in Agigea Marine sand dunes Reserve on the high and medium fixed and weak fixed sand dunes. The phytocoenosis within Agigea natural reserve are different from those in Bulgaria because of the large number of steppe species. These are a result of the microclimatic and soil transformations in the dunes caused by the building of the Constanta SouthAgigea Harbor, but also by other human activities around the reservation. The phytocoenosis of this association seems to make the transition from the mobile sand dunes dominated by Alyssum borzaeanum and Secale sylvestre to fixed sand dunes covered by Ephedra distachya and Carex colchica. 8
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