TWO ASSOCIATIONS WITH SESLERIA AUTUMNALIS IN THE FOOTHILLS OF THE SAVINJA ALPS (NORTHERN SLOVENIA) ASOCIACIJI Z VRSTO SESLERIA AUTUMNALIS V PRIGORJU SAVINJSKIH ALP (SEVERNA SLOVENIJA) Andrej SELIŠKAR1 & Igor DAKSKOBLER2 ABSTRACT UDC 581.9(234.323.5:49Z4):581.55 Two associations with Sesleria autumnalis in the foothills of the Savinja Alps (northern Slovenia) In the Upper Savinja Valley (Juvanje near Ljubno ob Savinji, 'Oferija' above the Bezovnjak homestead), in the foothills of the Savinja Alps we studied beech (Fagus sylvati-ca) and hop hornbeam (Ostrya carpinifolia) stands on steep, sunny dolomite-limestone slopes and classified them into the associations Seslerio autumnalis-Fagetum and Seslerio autumnalis-Ostryetum. This is the northeasternmost and expressly disjunct locality of two forest communities that are otherwise characteristic for the sub-Mediterranean phy-togeographical region of Slovenia and for the coastal part of the Dinaric Mountains. It is associated with the warm local climate of this part of the Alpine phytogeographical region of Slovenia. Key words: phytosociology, phytogeography, Sesleria autumnalis, Seslerio autumnalis-Fagetum, Upper Savinja Valley, northern Slovenia IZVLEČEK UDK 581.9(234.323.5:497.4):581.55 Asociaciji z vrsto Sesleria autumnalis v prigorju Savinjskih Alp (severna Slovenija) V Zgornji Savinjski dolini (Juvanje pri Ljubnem ob Savinji, Oferija nad domačijo Bezovnjak) v prigorju Savinjskih Alp smo preučili bukove (Fagus sylvatica) in črnogabrove (Ostrya carpinifolia) sestoje na strmih prisojnih dolomitno-apnenčastih pobočjih in jih uvrstili v asociaciji Seslerio autumnalis-Fagetum in Seslerio autumnalis-Ostrye-tum. To je najbolj severovzhodno in izrazito disjunktno nahajališče dveh gozdnih združb, ki sta sicer značilni za submediteransko fitogeografsko območje Slovenije in za priobalni del Dinarskega gorstva. Povezujemo ga s toplim krajevnim podnebjem v tem delu alpskega fitogeografskega območja Slovenije. Ključne besede: fitocenologija, fitogeografija, Sesleria autumnalis, Seslerio autumnalis-Fagetum, Zgornja Savinjska dolina, severna Slovenija 1 Grobeljska cesta 6 b, 1234 Mengeš, Slovenia, ase@siol.com 2 Institute of Biology, Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Regional unit Tolmin, Brunov drevored 13, SI-5220 Tolmin and Biotechnical Faculty of the University in Ljubljana, Department of Forestry and Renewable Forest Resources, Večna pot 83, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Igor.Dakskobler@zrc-sazu.si FOLIA BIOLOGICA ET GEOLOGICA 54/2, 177-192, LJUBLJANA 2013 1 INTRODUCTION Sesleria autumnalis is a Mediterranean-montane or southeastern-European species; in Slovenia, it grows contiguously in the western and southwestern parts of the country (Figure 1). It is widespread in the Soča Valley, in Karst and Istria, relatively common in the Notranjska region and in the Kolpa Valley, and has individual localities also in the Polhograjsko hribovje and Zasavsko hribovje hills, as well as in the vicinity of Ljubljana (Šmarna gora). It is not known in the northern part of the Julian Alps belonging to Gorenjska nor in the eastern Slovenia. The literature source for its occurrence in the Karavanke Mts. (Ljubelj, 9551/4) that was considered by Praprotnik (1987: 48) in the distribution map is Wulfen (1858: 108: Aira alba Wulf.). Paulin (1902: 120) could not confirm this locality and to our knowledge, nor did other botanists. The only locality in the Savinja Alps, in their foothills near Ljubno, was discovered during vegetation mapping by Milan Prešeren on 20 August 1975 and his specimen of autumn moor grass is still kept in the LJU herbarium (No. 10052794). Unfortunately, the quadrant identified on the herbarium label before the name of the location, "the Kamnik Alps: Oferija under Tirske peči" is incorrect, i.e. the quadrant of Tirske peči (9655/1) instead of the Oferija quadrant (9655/3). The incorrectly identified quadrant on the herbarium label was later referred to by Praprotnik (ibid.) and one of the authors of this article (Dakskobler 1991: 19). The correct quadrant of Prešeren's locality is therefore 9655/3. Stands of the association Seslerio autumnalis-Fage-tum are not necessarily associated with joint growth of beech and autumn moor grass (Dakskobler 1991: 4). In the Soča Valley, their northernmost distribution area extends across the south-Alpine valleys of the Tolminka, the Zadlaščica, the Knežica with the streams Lipovšček and Liščak, the Koritnica and the Bača with the Driselpoh stream. The stands of this association have not yet been spotted in the Bovec region, but the Figure 1: Distribution of Sesleria autumnalis in Slovenia Slika 1: Razširjenost vrste Sesleria autumnalis v Sloveniji Figure 2: Sesleria autumnalis, Juvanje near Ljubno ob Savinji (September 8, 2013) Slika 2: Sesleria autumnalis, Juvanje pri Ljubnem ob Savinji (8. September 2013) association is known almost everywhere else in the Primorska region, including the sunny, ridge-like slopes of high-karst plateaus and convex slopes above the Idrijca Valley, as well as in the vicinity of Idrija and in the Zgornja Idrijca landscape park. Stands of this association can also be found in the Notranjska region (even in the vicinity of Ljubljana, e.g. in the valley of the Iška with its tributaries) and in the Kolpa Valley. Its altitudinal range is considerable, from about 100 m a.s.l. (Koper hills, the valley of the Branica, in fragments also in the Central Soča Valley - Dakskobler 2013) to 1200 m a.s.l. (Snežnik mountains - Marincek & Šilc 1997). When examining the unexpected autumn moor grass locality near Ljubno, or more precisely, near Juvanje above the Bezovnjak homestead (Oferija, subcompartment 10 b in the Ljubno forest management unit, classified as protective forest - Vid Preložnik, in litt.), we determined not only the occurrence of this grass (Figure 2), but also the occurrence of its community with beech (Seslerio autumnalis-Fa-getum) and a degradation stage dominated by hop hornbeam (Seslerio autumnalis-Ostryetum carpinifoli-ae) (Figure 3). We conducted a phytosociological study of these stands, which are undoubtedly peculiarity of the vegetation in the Upper Savinja Valley. 1.1 Ecological description of the research area Ljubno and its vicinity are part of the Upper Savinja Valley, but in terms of phytogeography they belong to the Alpine region (M. Wraber 1969). Zupančič et al. (1989) classify this part of the Savinja Valley into the district of Štajerska-Koroška, the pre-Alpine subsector of the Southeastern Alpine sector of the Illyrian floral province. Although igneous rocks prevail in the vicinity of Ljubno (Mioč & Žnidarčič 1983, Buser 2009), the geological bedrock of the study area consists of do- Figure 3: View to the stands with Sesleria autumnalis (marked with ellipse) under Tirske peči (August 19, 2013) Slika 3: Pogled na sestoje z vrsto Sesleria autumnalis (označeno z elipso) pod Tirskimi pečmi (19. avgust 2013) lomite-limestone (Anisian strata of limestone and dolomite - Mioč 1983, Mioč & ŽNIDARČIČ 1983); the soil type is rendzina. Ogrin (1996, 1998: 111) classifies the vicinity of Ljubno into the temperate continental climate of central Slovenia. This climate is characterised by a mean annual precipitation of around 1,300 to 1,400 mm (B. Zupančič 1998: 99) and mean annual temperature of between 8 °C and 10 °C (Cegnar 1998: 101). The region is comparable to the southern Julian Alps in terms of temperature conditions, but is quite different in terms of precipitation, which is much lower in the upper Savinja river basin than in the Soča river basin. The surroundings of the study area are dominated by acidophilous forests of the associations Castaneo-Fage-tum sylvaticae and Galio rotundifolii-Abietetum. The Oferija area was mapped by phytosociologists from the Institute of Biology of SASA (Marinček, Puncer & Zupančič 1977) as the association Ostryo-Fagetum. 2 METHODS Phytosociological releves of forest stands above the Bezovnjak homestead were made on July 7, 2013 applying the Central-European method (Braun-Blan-QUET 1964) and entered into the FloVegSi database (T. Seliškar, Vreš & A. Seliškar 2003). Combined cover-abundance values were transformed into numerical values 1- 9 (van der Maarel 1979). Releves were mutually compared by means of hierarchical classification using the software package SYN-TAX 2000 (Podani 2001). We selected the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) and used Wishart's similarity ratio. The results of these comparisons are presented in analytic table 1. All recorded species were classified into sociological groups (groups of diagnostic species), taking into consideration a number of conspectuses and our long-standing experience. The nomenclature source for the names of vascular plants is the Mala flora Slovenije (Martinčič & al. 2007). Moses are named according to Martinčič (2003, 2011), lichens according to Sup-pan, Prügger & Mayrhofer (2000), syntaxa according to Šilc & Čarni (2012), and soil types according to Urbančič et al. (2005). The author of photographs is A. Seliškar. 3 RESULTS 3.1 Conspectus of determined and described syntaxa Querco-Fagetea Br.-Bl. & Vlieger in Vlieger 1937 Fagetalia sylvaticae Walas 1933 Aremonio-Fagion (Ht. 1938) Borhidi in Török, Podani et Borhidi 1989 Ostryo-Fagenion Borhidi 1963 Seslerio autumnalis-Fagetum (Ht.) M. Wraber ex Borhidi 1963 Ostryo-Fagetum M. Wraber ex Trinajstic 1972 Quercetalia pubescentis Klika 1933 Carpinion orientalis Horvat 1958 Seslerio autumnalis-Ostryetum Horvat & Horva-tic ex Horvat et al. 1974 Fraxino orni-Ostryion Tomažič 1940 Fraxino orni-Ostryetum Aichinger 1933 corr. Franz 2002 3.2 Description of beech and hop-hornbeam stands with Sesleria autumnalis above Bezovnjak Five releves made on steep dolomite-limestone slopes above the Bezovnjak homestead at the elevation of between 600 m and 700 m (Figure 7 form three groups (Table 1). The first releve is a slightly degraded beech forest of mainly coppice origin that can undoubtedly be classified into the association Seslerio autumnalis--Fagetum (Figure 4). Beech in the tree layer is admixed with hop hornbeam and individually spruce (Picea abies) and manna ash (Fraxinus ornus) trees. In addition to these species, the shrub layer comprises the midland and common hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata, C. monogyna), wild pear (Pyrus pyraster), common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) and field rose (Rosa arvensis). Autumn moor grass (Sesleria autumnalis) covers the largest area in the herb layer. Other more abundant species include Vinca minor, Helleborus odo-rus, Cyclamen purpurascens, Hedera helix and Vince-toxicum hirundinaria. Sessile oak (Quercus petraea) seedlings are also abundant. The moss layer mainly covers rocks. Several species were determined, with the most frequent being Ctenidium molluscum and Homa-lothecium lutescens. The second group comprises the releves whose tree layer is dominated by hop hornbeam. In places, manna ash is almost equal in abundance to hop hornbeam. Similarly to sessile oak, beech occurs only as individual trees, while whitebeam (Sor-bus aria) and spruce are even rarer. The site is unfavourable for spruce; during the dry and hot summer of 2013 the one- to two-metre-high spruce trees completely withered away. Downy oak (Quercus pubescens) was found in the tree layer on one of the releves. The shrub layer is more abundant compared to the preserved beech forest and comprises, in addition to the listed tree species and the species recorded in beech stands, also Acer campestre, Tilia platyphyllos, Amelan-chier ovalis, Cotoneaster tomentosus, Rosa canina and Juniperus communis. White sedge (Carex alba) is al- most as abundant in the herb layer as autumn moor grass; as well as the species that are common in beech stands, the species Anthericum ramosum, Genista janu-ensis, Silene nutans, Teucrium chamaedrys, on one rel-eve also Piptatherum virescens, also have high abundance in these stands. Silene hayekiana and Festuca stenantha were recorded in rocks. The full species composition undoubtedly indicates potential beech community from the association Seslerio autumnalis-Fage-tum. The real vegetation is a degradation stage classified into the syntaxon Seslerio autumnalis-Ostryetum carpinifoliae (Figure 5). The fifth releve above Bezovn-jak differs from the other three releves whose tree layer is dominated by hop hornbeam mostly by the absence of autumn moor grass. The herb layer is dominated by white sedge (Carex alba); other species occurring with a slightly higher proportion are thermophilous species from classes Rhamno-Prunetea, Trifolio-Geranietea and Festuco-Brometea, such as Melica ciliata and Gali- Figure 4: Seslerio autumnalis-Fagetum on the western slope (September 8, 2013) Slika 4: Seslerio autumnalis-Fagetum na zahodnem pobočju (8. september 2013) um verum. The thermophilous Campanula persicifolia was recorded only in this stand. We have concluded that the thermophilous beech forest (perhaps from the association Ostryo-Fagetum) used to be the potential vegetation also on this site. The abundance of common juniper (Juniperus communis) in the shrub layer also indicates probable degradation, possibly due to the grazing of small ruminants in the past. With its existing vegetation this stand is classified into the association Fraxino orni-Ostryetum carpinifoliae (Figure 6). 4 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS The association Seslerio autumnalis-Fagetum is more or less contiguously distributed in different geographical variants along the Adriatic coast and on sunny edges of the Dinaric Mountains from Slovenia to Montenegro (Dakskobler 1997). Its northernmost known localities in Slovenia so far have been in the southern Julian Alps. Its occurrence in central and south Slovenia was reported by Accetto (1998, 1999a, b, 2010). The locality in the foothills of the Savinja Alps is situated far from the so far known distribution areas of this community; it is a distinctly disjunct and the northeasternmost locality in the entire distribution area of the association Seslerio autu-mnalis-Fagetum. Its surface area is far from negligible; according to our estimates the total forest area on calcareous bedrock consists of around 10 ha and the area of the stands of the association Seslerio-Fagetum comprises at least 5 ha and can be shown also on small- Figure 5: Seslerio autumnalis-Ostryetum carpinifoliae on the eastern slope (September 8, 2013) Slika 5: Seslerio autumnalis-Ostryetum carpinifoliae na vzhodnem pobočju ((8. september 2013) Figure 6: Fraxino orni-Ostryetum carpinifoliae on the southern ridge (May 1, 2013) Slika 6: Fraxino orni-Ostryetum carpinifoliae na južnem grebenu (1. maj 2013) scale vegetation maps (Figure 7). These stands definitely used to be managed and small ruminants are likely to have grazed here, so their physiognomy has changed considerably. The locals at the Bezovnjak homestead under the autumn moor grass site and at the Sedovnik homestead above it have assured us that there had been no grazing activity there in the past 50 years. However, on the vegetation map dating back almost 40 years (Marinček, Puncer et Zupančič 1977) the part of Oferija where we recently made the phytosociological releves with the dominating hop hornbeam in the tree layer is nevertheless still marked as a non-forest area. The species composition of the association Seslerio autumnalis-Fagetum on the northern edge of its distribution area is slightly impoverished in terms of its diagnostic species. The same phenomenon is known from the southern Julian Alps (Dakskobler 1991) where one of the diagnostic species, Lathyrus venetus, was no longer found. In comparison with the floristic composition of stands above Bezovnjak, the synthetic table of the association Seslerio autumnalis-Fagetum (Dakskobler 1997, Table 6) comprises most of the species occurring also in other forms of this association. Its potential differential species are Orchis pallens and Genista januen- sis. Both indicate certain similarity with thermophil-ous beech stands on dolomite bedrock that are classified into the association Ostryo-Fagetum. The contact and similarities between the stands of both thermo-philous beech associations (Seslerio autumnalis-Fage-tum and Ostryo-Fagetum) in the southern Julian Alps were discussed several years ago (Dakskobler 1991: 37-39) and those findings can be translated to the foothills of the Savinja Alps. Despite general floristic similarity with the stands of the association Ostryo--Fagetum, beech stands with dominating autumn moor grass in the herb layer should therefore be classified into the association Seslerio autumnalis-Fage-tum. Beside Sesleria autumnalis the forests above Be-zovnjak comprise other thermophilous species that are relatively rare in the foothills of the Savinja Alps and in this part of Slovenia in general, and which indicate a very warm local climate. These species include, among others, Quercus pubescens, Crataegus laevigata, Piptatherum virescens and Melica ciliata. In terms of phytogeography, forest stands of associations Seslerio autumnalis-Fagetum and Seslerio autumnalis--Ostryetum in Oferija above Bezovnjak can be treated as a peculiarity of the Upper Savinja Valley. Their current status as protective forests is appropriate. 5 POVZETEK 5. 1 Uvod Sesleria autumnalis je mediteransko-montanska oz. ju-govzhodnoevropska vrsta, ki v Sloveniji sklenjeno uspeva v njenem zahodnem in jugozahodnem delu (slika 1). Splošno razširjena je v Posočju, na Krasu, v Istri, razmeroma pogosta na Notranjskem in v dolini Kolpe, posamezna nahajališča so tudi v Polhograjskem in Zasavskem hribovju ter v okolici Ljubljane (Šmarna gora). Ne poznamo je v severnem delu Julijskih Alp, ki pripada Gorenjski, prav tako ne v vzhodni Sloveniji. Literaturni vir za njeno uspevanje v Karavankah - Ljubelj (9551/4), ki ga je v arealni karti upoštevala Pra-protnik (1987: 48), je Wulfen (1858: 108: Aira alba Wulf.). Tega nahajališča Paulin (1902: 120) ni mogel potrditi, in po našem vedenju ga tudi kasnejši botaniki niso. Edino nahajališče v Savinjskih Alpah, v njihovem prigorju pri Ljubnem, je med vegetacijskim kartira-njem odkril Milan Prešeren, 20. 8. 1975, in njegov primerek jesenske vilovine hranijo v herbariju LJU (št. 10052794). Žal je na herbarijski etiketi pred imenom lokacije »Kamniške Alpe: Oferija pod Tirskimi pečmi« napisan napačen kvadrant, namreč kvadrant Tirskih peči (9655/1) in ne kvadrant Oferije (9655/3). Napačen kvadrant je s herbarijske etikete povzela Praprotnik (ibid.) in za njo tudi eden od naju (Dakskobler 1991: 19). Pravilen kvadrant Prešernovega nahajališča je torej 9655/3. Sestoji asociacije Seslerio autumnalis-Fa-getum (primorski bukov gozd) niso nujno povezani s skupnim uspevanjem bukve in jesenske vilovine (Dakskobler 1991: 4). V Posočju so najbolj severno razširjeni v južnoalpskih dolinah Tolminke, Zadlašči-ce, Knežice z Lipovščkom in Liščakom, Koritnice in Bače z Driselpohom. Na Bovškem sestojev te asociacije za zdaj nismo opazili, pač pa jo poznamo skoraj povsod drugod na Primorskem, vključno s prisojnimi, grebenskimi pobočji visokokraških planot in izbokli-mi pobočji nad dolino Idrijce, tudi v okolici Idrije in v krajinskem parku Zgornja Idrijca. Sestoje te asociacije ponekod najdemo tudi na Notranjskem (tudi bližje Ljubljani, na primer v dolini Iške s pritoki) in v Kolpski dolini. Višinski razpon njenega uspevanja je zelo velik, od okoli 100 m nm. v. (Koprsko gričevje, dolina Brani-ce, fragmentarno tudi srednja Soška dolina - Dakskobler 2013) do 1200 m nm. v. (Snežniško pogorje - Marinček & Šilc 1997). Ob preverjanju presenetljivega nahajališča jesenske vilovine pri Ljubnem, natančneje pri kraju Juvanje, nad domačijo Bezovnjak (Oferija, odsek 10 b v gozdnogospodarski enoti Ljubno, uvrščen je med varovalne gozdove - Vid Preložnik, in litt.), smo ugotovili ne samo prisotnost te trave (slika 2), pač pa tudi prisotnost njene združbe z bukvijo (Seslerio autu-mnalis-Fagetum) in degradacijskega stadija, v katerem prevladuje črni gaber (Seslerio autumnalis-Ostryetum carpinifoliae) (slika 3). Fitocenološko smo preučili te sestoje, ki so nedvomno vegetacijska posebnost zgornje Savinjske doline. 5.1.1 Ekološka oznaka raziskovanega območja Ljubno z okolico sodi v Zgornjo Savinjsko dolino, fito-geografsko pa v alpsko območje (M. Wraber 1969). Figure 7: The extent of stands of associations Seslerio autum-nalis-Fagetum and Seslerio autumnalis-Ostryetum above Bezovnjak with points marking the releves Slika 7: Obseg sestojev asociacij Seslerio autumnalis-Fagetum in Seslerio autumnalis-Ostryetum nad Bezovnjakom s točkami fitocenoloških popisov Zupančič et al. (1989) ta del Savinjske doline uvrščajo v štajersko-koroški distrikt predalpskega podsektorja jugovzhodnoalpskega sektorja ilirske florne province. V okolici Ljubnega sicer prevladujejo magmatske kamnine (Mioč & Žnidarčič 1983, Buser 2009), a v raziskanem območju je geološka podlaga dolomitni apnenec (anizijski skladi apnenca in dolomita - Mioč 1983, Mioč & Žnidarčič 1983), talni tip pa je rendzina. Ogrin (1996, 1998: 111) okolico Ljubnega uvršča v zmernocelinsko podnebje osrednje Slovenije. Zanj je značilna povprečna letna množina padavin okoli 1300 mm do 1400 mm (B. Zupančič 1998: 99) in povprečna letna temperatura med 8 °C in 10 °C (Cegnar 1998: 101). Glede toplotnih razmer je območje primerljivo z južnimi Julijskimi Alpami, nikakor pa ne glede padavin, ki jih je v porečju zgornje Savinje precej manj kot v porečju Soče. V okolici raziskovanega območja prevladujejo acidofilni gozdovi asociacij Castaneo-Fage-tum sylvaticae in Galio rotundifolii-Abietetum. Območje Oferije so fitocenologi Biološkega inštituta SAZU (Marinček, Puncer & Zupančič 1977) kartirali kot asociacijo Ostryo-Fagetum. 5.2 Metode Fitocenološke popise gozdnih sestojev nad domačijo Bezovnjak smo naredili 9. julija 2013 po srednjeevropski metodi (Braun-Blanquet 1964) in jih vnesli v podatkovno bazo FloVegSi (T. Seliškar, Vreš & A. Seli-škar 2003). Kombinirane ocene zastiranja in obilnosti smo pretvorili v števila od 1 do 9 (van der Maarel 1979). Popise smo med seboj primerjali s hierarhično klasifikacijo in pri tem uporabili programski paket SYN-TAX 2000 (Podani 2001). Izbrali smo metodo kopičenja na podlagi povezovanja (netehtanih) srednjih razdalj (UPGMA) in kot količnik različnosti uporabili Wishartov koeficient similarity ratio. Na podlagi teh primerjav smo izdelali analitsko preglednico 1. Vse popisane vrste smo razvrstili v sociološke skupine (skupine diagnostičnih vrst) in se pri tem ob upoštevanju številnih preglednih del ravnali po lastnih dolgoletnih izkušnjah. Nomenklaturni vir za imena praprotnic in semenk je Mala flora Slovenije (Martinčič & al. 2007). Imena mahov so povzeta po Martinčič (2003, 2011), lišajev po Suppan, Prügger & Mayrhofer (2000), sintaksonov po Šilc & Čarni (2012) in talnih tipov po Urbančič et al. (2005). Avtor fotografij je A. Seliškar. 5.3 Rezultati 5. 3.1 Pregled ugotovljenih sintaksonov Querco-Fagetea Br.-Bl. & Vlieger in Vlieger 1937 Fagetalia sylvaticae Walas 1933 Aremonio-Fagion (Ht. 1938) Borhidi in Török, Podani et Borhidi 1989 Ostryo-Fagenion Borhidi 1963 Seslerio autumnalis-Fagetum (Ht.) M. Wraber ex Borhidi 1963 Ostryo-Fagetum M. Wraber ex Trinajstic 1972 Quercetalia pubescentis Klika 1933 Carpinion orientalis Horvat 1958 Seslerio autumnalis-Ostryetum Horvat & Horva-tic ex Horvat et al. 1974 Fraxino orni-Ostryion Tomažič 1940 Fraxino orni-Ostryetum Aichinger 1933 corr. Franz 2002 5.3.2 Opis bukovih in črnogabrovih sestojev z jesensko vilovino nad Bezovnjakom Pet fitocenoloških popisov, ki smo jih naredili na strmem dolomitno-apnenčastem pobočju nad domačijo Bezovnjak na nadmorski višini med 600 m in 700 m (slika 7), se združuje v tri skupine (preglednica 1). Prvi popis je nekoliko degradiran bukov gozd, pretežno pa-njevskega porekla, ki ga nedvomno moremo uvrstiti v asociacijo Seslerio autumnalis-Fagetum (slika 4). V drevesni plasti je bukvi primešan črni gaber, posamično tudi smreka (Picea abies) in mali jesen (Fraxinus ornus) . V grmovni plasti poleg omenjenih vrst uspevajo še navadni in enovrati glog (Crataegus laevigata, C. monogyna), drobnica (Pyrus pyraster), čistilna kozja češnja (Rhamnus cathartica) in njivni šipek (Rosa ar-vensis). Največjo površino v zeliščni plasti zastira jesenska vilovina (Sesleria autumnalis). Vrste z večjo obilnostjo so še Vinca minor, Helleborus odorus, Cyclamen purpurascens, Hedera helix in Vincetoxicum hi-rundinaria. Precej je podmladka gradna (Quercus pe-traea). Mahovna plast prekriva predvsem skale. Določili smo nekaj vrst; najbolj pogosti sta Ctenidium mol-luscum in Homalothecium lutescens. V drugi skupini so popisi, kjer v drevesni plasti prevladuje črni gaber. Ponekod mu je skoraj enakovreden mali jesen. Bukev se pojavlja le posamično, podobno kot graden, še redkejša sta mokovec (Sorbus aria) in smreka. Rastišče je za smreko neugodno; v sušnem in vročem poletju leta 2013 so se smreke, visoke en do dva metra, povsem po- sušile. Na enem popisu smo našli v drevesni plasti puhasti hrast (Quercus pubescens). Grmovna plast je v primerjavi z ohranjenim bukovim gozdom bolj obilna, v njej so poleg naštetih drevesnih vrst in vrst, ki smo jih popisali tudi v bukovju, še vrste Acer campestre, Tilia platyphyllos, Amelanchier ovalis, Cotoneaster to-mentosus, Rosa canina in Juniperus communis. V zeliščni plasti je skoraj enako obilen kot jesenska vilovi-na beli šaš (Carex alba), poleg vrst, ki so pogoste že v bukovju, imajo v teh sestojih večjo številčnost vrste Anthericum ramosum, Genista januensis, Silene nu-tans, Teucrium chamaedrys, na enem popisu tudi Pip-tatherum virescens. V skalovju smo popisali tudi vrsti Silene hayekiana in Festuca stenantha. Celotna vrstna sestava nedvomno kaže na potencialno bukovo združbo iz asociacije Seslerio autumnalis-Fagetum. Realna vegetacija je degradacijski stadij, ki ga uvrščamo v sin-takson Seslerio autumnalis-Ostryetum carpinifoliae (slika 5). Peti popis nad Bezovnjakom se od ostalih treh popisov, kjer v drevesni plasti prevladuje črni gaber, razlikuje predvsem v odsotnosti jesenske vilovine. V zeliščni plasti prevladuje beli šaš (Carex alba) in v njej se z nekoliko večjim deležem pojavljajo toploljubne vrste iz razredov Rhamno-Prunetea, Trifolio-Geranie-tea in Festuco-Brometea, na primer vrsti Melica ciliata in Galium verum. Samo v tem sestoju smo popisali to-ploljubno vrsto Campanula persicifolia. Sklepamo, da je bila tudi na tem rastišču potencialna vegetacija nekoč toploljubni bukov gozd (morda iz asociacije Ost-ryo-Fagetum). Na verjetno degradacijo, morda pašo drobnice v preteklosti, kaže tudi pogostnost navadnega brina (Juniperus communis) v grmovni plasti. Po zdajšnji vegetaciji ta sestoj uvrščamo v asociacijo Fraxino orni-Ostryetum carpinifoliae (slika 6). 5.4 Razprava in zaključki Asociacija Seslerio autumnalis-Fagetum je v različnih geografskih variantah bolj ali manj sklenjeno razširjena vzdolž Jadranske obale in na prisojnih robovih Dinarskega gorstva od Slovenije do Črne gore (Daksko-bler 1997). Njena doslej znana najbolj severna nahajališča v Sloveniji so bila v južnih Julijskih Alpah. O njenem pojavljanju v osrednji in južni Sloveniji je poročal Accetto (1998, 1999a, b, 2010). Nahajališče v prigorju Savinjskih Alp je od zdaj znanih območij razširjenosti te združbe precej oddaljeno, izrazito dis-junktno in najbolj severovzhodno nahajališče v celotnem arealu asociacije Seslerio autumnalis-Fagetum. Njegova površina ni zanemarljiva, po naši oceni je skupna površina gozda na karbonatni podlagi okoli 10 hektarov, površina sestojev asociacije Seslerio-Fage- tum pa vsaj 5 ha in jo lahko prikažemo tudi na vegetacijskih kartah v manj podrobnem merilu (slika 7). Nedvomno so v teh sestojih v preteklosti gospodarili, najbrž tudi pasli drobnico in je njihova zdajšnja podoba precej spremenjena. Domačini na kmetijah Bezov-njak, ki je pod rastiščem jesenske vilovine in Sedov-nik, ki je nad njim, so nam zagotovili, da v obdobju zadnjih petdeset let tam ni bilo paše. Kljub temu je na vegetacijski karti izpred skoraj štiridesetih let (Ma-RINCEK, Puncer et Zupančič 1977) del Oferije, kjer smo nedavno naredili fitocenološke popise s prevladujočim črnim gabrom v drevesni plasti, še označen kot negozdna površina. Vrstna sestava asociacije Seslerio autumnalis-Fagetum na severnem robu njenega areala je nekoliko obubožana v smislu diagnostičnih vrst. To poznamo tudi iz površin v južnih Julijskih Alpah (Dakskobler 1991), kjer prav tako nismo več našli ene izmed diagnostičnih vrst, Lathyrus venetus. Če primerjamo floristično sestavo sestojev nad Bezovnja-kom s sintezno tabelo asociacije Seslerio autumnalis--Fagetum (Dakskobler 1997, tabela 6), najdemo v njej večino vrst, ki se pojavljajo tudi v drugih oblikah te asociacije. Kot mogoči razlikovalnici lahko omenimo vrsti Orchis pallens in Genista januensis. Obe kažeta na določeno podobnost s toploljubnim bukovjem na do-lomitni podlagi, ki ga uvrščamo v asociacijo Ostryo--Fagetum. Stik in podobnosti sestojev dveh toploljub-nih bukovih asociacij (Seslerio autumnalis-Fagetum in Ostryo-Fagetum) v južnih Julijskih Alpah smo obravnavali pred leti (Dakskobler 1991: 37-39), in takratne ugotovitve lahko prenesemo tudi na prigorje Savinjskih Alp. Zato je kljub splošni floristični podobnosti bukove sestoje s prevladujočo jesensko vilovino v zeliščni plasti smiselno uvrščati v asociacijo Seslerio au-tumnalis-Fagetum. Poleg jesenske vilovine v gozdovih nad Bezovnjakom uspeva še nekaj toploljubnih vrst, ki so v prigorju Savinjskih Alp in v tem delu Slovenije sploh razmeroma redke, in ki tudi kažejo na precej toplo krajevno podnebje. Take vrste so na primer Quercus pubescens, Crataegus laevigata, Piptatherum virescens in Melica ciliata. Gozdne sestoje asociacij Se-slerio autumnalis-Fagetum in Seslerio autumnalis-Ost-ryetum v Oferiji nad Bezovnjakom lahko v fitogeograf-skem smislu obravnavamo kot posebnost zgornje Savinjske doline. Njihov zdajšnji status varovalnega gozda je zanje ustrezen. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS - ZAHVALA Sincere thanks to Prof. Dr. Jurij Diaci and Mag. Vid Preložnik for their advice and information on the status of forest stands above the Bezovnjak homestead. We are grateful to Doc. Dr. Tinka Bačič for the quota- tion of Milan Prešeren's herbarium sheet in LJU and to Academician Dr. Mitja Zupančič and Dr. Lado Kutnar for their review of the text, comments, corrections and advice. English translation by Andreja Šalamon Verbič. REFERENCES - LITERATURA AccETTO, M., 1998: Nova spoznanja o rastlinstvu in rastju Kočevske. Gozdarski vestnik (Ljubljana) 56 (3): 157167. AccETTO, M., 1999 a: Floristična in vegetacijska opazovanja v ostenjih severovzhodne Kostelske. Gozdarski vestnik (Ljubljana) 57 (1): 3-22. AccETTO, M., 1999 b: Novo in neznano o rastlinstvu in rastju z območja nad Srebotnikom ob Kolpi. Gozdarski vestnik (Ljubljana) 57 (9): 368-380, Ljubljana. AccETTO, M., 2010: Rastlinstvo Iškega Vintgarja. Praprotnice in semenke. Folia biologica et geologica (Ljubljana) 51 (4): 5-149. Braun-Blanquet, j., 1964: Pflanzensoziologie. Grundzüge der Vegetationskunde. 3. Auf., Springer Verlag, Wien-New York, 865 pp. BusER, S., 2009: Geološka karta Slovenije 1:250.000. 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Table 1: Stands of the associations Seslerio autumnalis-Fagetum (SF), Seslerio autumnalis-Ostryetum (SO) and Fraxino orni-Ostry-etum carpinifoliae (FO) in the Upper Savinja Valley Preglednica 1: Sestoji asociacij Seslerio autumnalis-Fagetum (SF), Seslerio autumnalis-Ostryetum (SO) in Fraxino orni-Ostryetum carpinifoliae (FO) v Zgornji Savinjski dolini Number of releve (Zaporedna številka popisa) Database number of releve (Delovna številka popisa) Elevation in m (Nadmorska višina v m) Aspect (Lega) Slope in degrees (Nagib v stopinjah) Parent material (Matična podlaga) Soil (Tla) Stoniness in % (Kamnitost v %) Cover in % (Zastiranje v %) : Upper tree layer (Zgornja drevesna plast) Lower tree layer (Spodnja drevesna plast) Shrub layer (Grmovna plast) Herb layer (Zeliščna plast) Moss layer (Mahovna plast) Maximum height of tress (Največja drevesna višina) Maximum diameter of trees (Največji prsni premer dreves) Number of species (Število vrst) Releve area (Velikost popisne ploskve) Date of taking releve (Datum popisa) Locality (Nahajališče) Quadrant (Kvadrant) Coordinate GK Y (D-48) Coordinate GK X (D-48) Association (Asociacija) Diagnostic species of the association Seslerio autumnalis-Fagetum Diagnostična vrsta asociacije Seslerio autumnalis-Fagetum OF Sesleria autumnalis OF Ostryo-Fagenion Ostrya carpinifolia Ostrya carpinifolia Ostrya carpinifolia Fraxinus ornus Fraxinus ornus Fraxinus ornus Fraxinus ornus Euonymus verrucosa Peucedanum austriacum AF Aremonio-Fagion Cyclamen purpurascens Aremonia agrimonoides EC Erythronio-Carpinion Helleborus odorus FS Fagetalia sylvaticae Fagus sylvatica Fagus sylvatica Fagus sylvatica Fagus sylvatica Acer pseudoplatanus Brachypodium sylvaticum Salvia glutinosa Cephalanthera damasonium Melica nutans Orchis pallens Poa nemoralis Tilia platyphyllos Epipactis helleborine QP Quercetalia pubescentis Melittis melissophyllum Piptatherum virescens Carex flacca 1 2 3 4 5 249093 249095 249094 249097 249096 660 660 660 615 650 W SE SE SW SSE 25 35 40 35 30 A A A A A R R R R R 20 15 40 30 30 E3b 70 90 80 90 80 E3a 20 E2 10 5 20 20 15 E1 80 90 60 70 70 E0 10 5 20 10 20 m 17 16 12 12 10 cm 35 25 20 30 25 53 45 53 47 52 m2 200 200 200 200 200 7/9/2013 7/9/2013 7/ 9/2013 7/ 9/2013 7/9/2013 N e- « N e- « ^^ : ^ N O e- « ^^ : ^ N O e- « ^^ : ^ N O e- « 9655/3 9655/3 9655/3 9655/3 9655/3 o n e egat m 489856 489892 489891 489797 489822 e 3 ^ tn e c m 5133668 5133653 5133658 5133544 5133594 e r e P SF SO SO SO FO E1 4 5 2 2 4 80 E3 1 3 5 4 4 5 100 E2b + + + 3 60 E2a + + + 3 60 E3 + 3 + 1 5 100 E2b 1 1 + 4 80 E2a + 1 1 4 80 E1 + + + 4 80 E2a + 1 20 E1 + 1 20 E1 1 + + + 4 80 E1 + + 2 40 E1 1 1 + + 1 5 100 E3b 4 + + 3 60 E2b + + + 3 60 E2a + 1 20 E1 + 1 20 E1 + + 2 40 E1 + + 2 40 E1 + + 2 40 E1 + + 2 40 E1 + 2 40 E1 + 1 20 E1 + 1 20 E2a + 1 20 E1 + 1 20 E1 + + + + 4 80 E1 + 1 + + 4 80 E1 + + 2 40 QF EP VP RP FB Number of releve (Zaporedna številka popisa) 1 2 3 4 5 Fr. Pr. Arabis turrita E1 + + 2 40 Sorbus aria E3a + 1 20 Sorbus aria E1 + 1 20 Quercus pubescens E3b + 1 20 Campanula persicifolia E1 + 1 20 Quercetalia roboris-petraeae Quercus petraea E3b 1 + + 3 60 Quercus petraea E2a + 1 2 40 Quercus petraea E1 1 + + 3 60 Melampyrum pratense subsp. vulgatum E1 + + + 3 60 Rubus hirtus E1 + 1 20 Serratula tinctoria E1 + 1 20 Hieracium sabaudum E1 + 1 20 Chamaecytisus supinus E1 + 1 20 Querco-Fagetea Hedera helix E3a + 1 20 Hedera helix E1 1 + 1 + + 5 100 Clematis vitalba E2a + + + + + 5 100 Rosa arvensis E2a + + + + 4 80 Rosa arvensis E1 + + 2 40 Vinca minor E1 2 + + + 4 80 Pyrus pyraster E2b + 1 20 Pyrus pyraster E2a + + 2 40 Pyrus pyraster E1 + + 2 40 Acer campestre E2a + 1 20 Acer campestre E1 + 1 20 Carex digitata E1 + + + + 4 80 Cephalanthera longifolia E1 + 1 20 Corylus avellana E1 + 1 20 Crataegus laevigata E2a r 1 20 Cruciata glabra E1 + 1 20 Festuca heterophylla E1 + + 2 40 Platanthera bifolia E1 r + 2 40 Erico-Pinetea Buphthalmum salicifolium E1 + + + + 4 80 Polygala chamaebuxus E1 + + 1 3 60 Genista januensis E1 1 1 1 3 60 Calamagrostis varia E1 + + 2 40 Amelanchier ovalis E2b + + 2 40 Amelanchier ovalis E2a + 1 20 Cotoneaster tomentosus E2a + 1 20 Pinus sylvestris E3b r 1 20 Vaccinio-Piceetea Picea abies E3 + r 2 40 Picea abies E2b + + + + 4 80 Picea abies E2a + 1 + 3 60 Picea abies E1 + 1 20 Luzula luzuloides E1 + + 2 40 Hieracium murorum E1 + 1 20 Abies alba E1 r 1 20 Rhamno-Prunetea Rhamnus catharticus E2a + + + + + 5 100 Rhamnus catharticus E1 + 1 20 Crataegus monogyna E2b + 1 20 Crataegus monogyna E2a + + 2 40 Rosa canina E2b + 2 40 Rubus fruticosus agg. E1 + 1 20 Berberis vulgaris E2a + 1 20 Trifolio-Geranietea Vincetoxicum hirundinaria E1 1 1 1 1 1 5 100 Anthericum ramosum E1 + 1 2 2 4 80 Viola hirta E1 + + + 4 80 Silene nutans E1 1 1 1 3 60 Polygonatum odoratum E1 1 + 3 60 Digitalis grandiflora E1 + + 2 40 Clinopodium vulgare E1 + 1 20 Festuco-Brometea Carex humilis E1 + 1 4 3 4 5 100 Teucrium chamaedrys E1 + 1 + 1 4 80 Euphorbia cyparissias E1 + + + 3 60 Number of releve (Zaporedna številka popisa) 1 2 3 4 5 Fr. Pr. Dorycnium germanicum E1 + 1 2 40 Arabis hirsuta E1 + + 2 40 Pimpinella saxifraga E1 + 1 20 Gymnadenia conopsea E1 + 1 20 Potentilla pusilla E1 + 1 20 Melica ciliata E1 1 1 20 Galium verum E1 + 1 20 Molinio-Arrhenetheretea Galium mollugo E1 + 1 20 Asplenietea trichomanis Asplenium ruta-muraria E1 + + + + + 5 100 Asplenium trichomanes E1 + + 2 40 Hieracium glaucum E1 + + + 3 60 Festuca stenantha E1 + + 2 40 Hieracium bupleuroides E1 + + 2 40 Hieracium bifidum E1 + + 2 40 Polypodium vulgare E1 1 20 Moehringia muscosa E1 + 1 20 Silene hayekiana E1 + 1 20 Sedum album E1 + 1 20 Other species (Druge vrste) Fragaria vesca E1 + + + 3 60 Juniperus communis E2a + + 1 3 60 Juglans regia E1 + 1 20 Mosses and lichens (Mahovi in lišaji) Schistidium apocarpum E0 1 + 1 + 1 5 100 Homalothecium lutescens E0 1 + + + 1 5 100 Homalothecium sericeum E0 + + + + 1 5 100 Ctenidium molluscum E0 1 1 1 1 4 80 Isothecium alopecuroides E0 + + + + 4 80 Tortella tortuosa E0 + + 1 3 60 Hypnum cupressiforme E0 + 1 2 40 Anomodon viticulosus E0 + + 2 40 Porella platyphylla E0 + 1 20 Anomodon attenuatus E0 + 1 20 Scleropodium purum E0 + 1 20 Peltigera canina E0 + 1 20 O