Ábrahám Levente (szerk.): Válogatott tanulmányok III. - Natura Somogyiensis 12. (Kaposvár, 2008)

Salamon-Albert Éva-Horváth Ferenc: Vegetation of Külső-Somogy in Hungary I.

Basic woody habitat types and their abbreviations: J la: Salix cinerea mires, J2: Aider and ash swamp woodlands, J5: Riverine ash-alder woodlands, J6: Riverine oak-elm-ash woodlands, Kla: Lowland oak-hornbeam woodlands, K2: Oak-hornbeam woodlands, K5: Beech woodlands, LI: Closed termophilous oak woodlands, L2a: Turkey oak-sessile oak woodlands, L2b: Turkey oak-pedunculate oak woodlands, L2x: Closed and mixed steppe oak woodlands on foothills, L5: Closed lowland steppe oak woodlands, Lyl: Ravine woodlands, M2: Open loess steppe oak woodlands with openings, M8: Thermophilous woodland fringes, P2a: Mesic shrub vegetation, P2b: Dry shrub vegetation with Crataegus, Prunus spinosa and Juniperus, P45: Wooded pastures and sweet chestnut woodlands, P7: Extensive orchards with ancient cultivars, RA: Scattered native trees or narrow tree lines, RB: Uncharacteristic (often pioneer) softwood woodlands and plantation, RC: Uncharacteristic hardwood woodlands and plantation, RD: Uncharacteristic woodlands and plantation mixed with non-native tree species in accordance with MÉTA guide (Bölöni et al. 2007). Habitat groups and their abbreviations are: J-group: J la + J2 + J5 + J6, K-group: Kla + K2 + K5, L-group: LI + L2a + L2b + L2x + L5 + Lyl, M-group: M2 + M8, P-group: P2a + P2b + P5 + P7, R-group: RA + RB + RC + RD. Finally we introduced a new habitat variable 'associated habitat group' forming riverine, swamp and mesic woodlands: J-group + K-group, dry or/and rocky woodlands: L-group, (semi)-natural bush vegetation: P2a + P2b, uncharacteristic woody habitats: R-group. Taxonomical nomenclature is by SIMON (2000), syntaxonomical nomenclature is by BORHIDI (2003), habitat nomenclature is by BÖLÖNI et al. (2007). Results Habitat types and diversity Totally 48 habitat types are identified in Külső-Somogy region, together they represent more than the half of the total number of habitats listed for Hungary (55,8%). Among them 23 types are attached to the stands of woodlands and shrubs, so the relative importance of woody habitat types is high (47,9%). Summarized area of woody habitat types compared to the geographical area of the region is 11,2%, divided into 10,4% for the woodlands and 0,8 % for the shrubs. Participation of woodlands in sum of vegetation cover is 76,8%, divided into 71,7% for the forests and 5,1 % for the connecting shrubs. The total area of woodlands is 32500 hectares, including shrub habitat types that is less than a tenth part of the sum (7%). The greater part of woody vegetation stands represent semi-natural woody habitat types attached to J, K, L, M habitat groups (55%). It could be divided into two additional parts: associated groups of mesic and dry woody habitats with their appropriate shrub habitats. Between them mesic woody habitats attached to J, K and P2a habitat types are dominating (44%), the associated group of dry habitats attached to L and P2b habitat types is in subordinate position (17%). The lesser part of habitats is the associated habitat group attached to R and M habitat types represent nonnatural woody vegetation patches and plantations (38%). It is concluded that vegetation stands of mesic, semi-natural habitat types are the most important in the region (Table 1). Analysing and comparing woody habitat types and groups (Fig. 2) oak and ash woods dominated mesic woodlands have the greatest area proportion (30%). In K habitat group oak-hornbeam woodlands (K2, 8957 ha, 21%) and lowland oak-hornbeam woodlands (Kla, 3648 ha, 9%) occur with the largest percentage. Ratio of beech woodland stands