Two new montane grassland communities from the SE Alps (N Slovenia)

Abstract

On very steep dolomite slopes in the western foothills of the Kamnik Alps (Ravni hrib, Javorov vrh, Zaplata, Kriška gora) and southwestern Karavanke Mountains (Dobrča) we conducted a phytosociological study into montane grasslands (former hay meadows, partly pastures) where Gladiolus palustris, a species of European conservation concern, also occasionally occurs. They were compared with similar montane grasslands (former hay meadows) on sunny slopes of the Stol ridge above Breginj in the southwestern foothills of the Julian Alps. Based on this comparison we described three new syntaxa: Centaureo julici-Laserpitietum sileris gladioletosum palustris, Festuco amethystinae-Seslerietum calcariae and Pediculari julici-Bromopsietum transsilvanicae. Both new associations are classified into the alliance Caricion austroalpinae and treated as a long-term successional stage in the belt of altimontane beech forests from the association Ranunculo platanifolii-Fagetum.