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Funkcionalni pristop pri raziskovanju sukcesije na opuščenih 
kmetijskih terasah v submediteranskem okolju
Functional approach in succession study on abandoned 
agricultural terraces in sub-Mediterranean environment
M i T j a k a l i g a r i č ; So n j a Šk o r n i k ; ni n a Ša j n a ; na T a Š a pi p e n B a h e r ; a n d r e j p a u Š i č
Univerza v Mariboru, Fakulteta za naravoslovje in matematiko, Koroška c. 160, 
2000 Maribor, Slovenija; natasa.pipenbaher@uni-mb.si
The chronosequence method was applied for studying successional sere of still managed 
and abandoned terraced vineyards in NW Istria (Slovenia). 54 relevés were collected 
using standard procedure of the Braun-Blanquet approach. DCA ordination of the relevés 
showed clear gradient of successional series. With TWINSPAN classification six groups of 
relevés were defined: still active vineyards (1), ruderal stage (stg.) after abandonment (2), 
late ruderal/early grassland stg. (3), grassland (4), grassland/scrub/forest stg. (5) and scrub/ 
late forest stg. (6). PCA ordination of 190 species according to 18 plant traits delineated 
two main groups: annuals, with high SLA, overwintering leaves, seed-propagated species 
(1) and perennials with high LDMC and vegetative propagation (2). In order to identify 
the predominant plant traits for studied vegetation the matrix of 43 traits x 54 relevés 
was analyzed with PCA. The PCA ordination of relevés along the first and second axis 
delineated three main groups. The first and second groups showed active vineyards and 
early succession stages, the third DCA group was composed by post-ruderal grasslands and 
scrub/woodland formation. Earlier stages have significantly lower percentages of perennial, 
phanerophytes, tussock growth-species and proportion of scleromorphic leaves. The C-S-R 
components, calculated cumulatively for the relevés of each of the 6 groups showed shifts 
of declining R component from active vineyards to grasslands and increasing C component 
from active vineyards, through ruderal stage to grassland (and declining again in reforested 
stage). The S component did not show any clear trend. It was concluded that relatively 
quick species turnover during the secondary succession in mild sub-Mediterranean climate 
and fertile soils of flysch bedrock showed roughly the same patterns by using floristic and 
functional approach. The post-ruderal (grassland/scrub) phase appeared to be much more 
homogenous when analyzed by functional approach in comparison with floristic approach.
Mi T j a k a l i g a r i č eT al.: Funkcionalni pristop pri raziskovanju sukcesije …