Diversity of floodplain forests in the Igneada region (NW Thrace - Turkey)

Abstract

The work deals with the floodplain forests of the Igneada region (NW Trace, Turkey). 69 relevés were sampled from wet to mesic sites according to the Braun-Blanquet approach and analyzed using different multivariate methods. The dataset was divided into five groups (associations), which demonstrate the diversity of forests in the region. In the wettest sites, forests dominated by Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus angustifolia appear; on wet and nutrient rich sites along rivers there are forests dominated by Ulmus laevis and Fraxinus angustifolia; on wet and less nutrient rich sites Ulmus minor and Fraxinus angustifolia appear; on humid sites Fraxinus angustifolia and Carpinus betulus forests thrive and on mesic sites Carpinus betulus forests appear. The ecological conditions are estimated by bioindicator values and the gradient from wet and nutrient rich forests to mesic and nutrient poor forests is presented by numerical analysis. The species richness and geo-elemental structure for each community is evaluated. Finally, a syntaxonomical scheme is proposed and the following associations were determined Leucojo aestivi-Fraxinetum angustifoliae, Fraxino angustifoliae-Ulmetum laevis, Smilaco excelsae-Fraxinetum angustifoliae (Alno-Quercion roboris, Populetalia albae) and Geranio robertiani-Carpinetum betuli, Trachystemo orientalis-Carpinetum betuli (Castaneo-Carpinion betuli, Rhododendro pontici-Fagetalia orientalis) all within Querco-Fagetea.