Kaszab Zoltán (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 65. (Budapest 1973)

Szujkó-Lacza, J. ; Fekete, G.: Synphenological changes in the vegetation of a submediterranean oak forest (Orno-Quercetum)

ANNALES HISTORICO-NATURALES MUSEI NATT ON ALIS HUNGARICI Tomus 65. Budapest 1973. Synphenological Changes in the Vegetation of a Submediterranean Oak Forest (Orno-Quercetum) By J. SZUJKÓ-LACZA and G. FEKETE, Budapest Abstract — Synphenological observations in an Orno-Quercetum association, on a population of 74 species, for 9 months, to learn its pbenodynamism. A decimal system is elaborated for the 4 stages of individual development. The association is characterized by 72% of all species having a complete developmental cycle; most species hibernate with green organs. In most months, and also in winter, the number of species in a regenerative stage and producing new shoots is considerable; tins number decreases during the culminating period of generative activity. The registration of phenological phenomena — phases well distinguishable in the life cycles of plants — was originally a method of autecological studies, but an increasing number of works are recently encountered which trace the life cycle, in the phenological spectra, of all species of a given community. The phenological method is suitable for the qualitative description of the tempóiul, seasonal alterations and dynamism of a given association, and thus its upswing can be considered natural in the recently characteristic phase of vegetation investigations, with a stress on the study of productivity dynamism (LIIITH 197Ô). In Hungary, MÁTHÉ (1967, 1968) recently conducted synphenological investigations in various associations. The aim of the present paper, a contribution to the IBP (section PP) is to characterize the developmental rhythm of the association by investigating with phenological methods the individual development of the populations of species in the association OrnoQuercetum. Material and method In the xerothermophilous oakwood (Orno-Quercetum) of the Remetehegy in the Mts. Buda, we have observed and registrated the developmental phases of all flowering species growing in a 32x32 m sample area, every month in the years 1970 and 1971 (cf. the description of the sample area in PRÉCSÉNYI, FEKETE & SZUJKÓ-LACZA 1967, SZUJKÓ-LACZA & FEKETE 1971). Table 4 comprises the summary of observations (owing to lack of space containing only observations made in 1971; to supplement the missing early spring phase, also our records from March, 1971, have been used). To mark phenaphases, several kinds of notation systems have already been in use. Illustration by graphs was applied already by SHENNIKOV in 1932. SCHNELLE (1955) described the phenophases of a given species and its changes in diverse areas by the combinations of letter symbols. In Hungary, GYŐRFFY used as early as 1931 letter abbreviations to indicate the phenophases; KÁRPÁTI & KÁRPÁTI (1962) applied combinations of letters and figures. To describe separately the various rates of development of the bud, leaf, and flower, MÁTYÁS (1963) used series of numbers in an increasing order, starting from 1. However, the frequentest method of illustration in synphenology is still recoursing to graphs. In selecting the marking system, we have rejected the usual graph method of illustrating phenophases and introduced a decimal symbol system. In the decimal system, the value II refers to the development and presence of the regenerating buds. The various developmental stages of the buds have not been registered, but the notation method allows a further refining if needs be (interpreting the symbols