Kovács I. (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 78. (Budapest 1986)

Szujkó-Lacza, J. ; Rajczy, M.: Similarity investigations on a loess steppe fragment in a forest-steppe in Hungary

This Festuca is a characteristic steppe species. Attention must be directed to the fact that this species is dominant in Cluster A though the propagation strategy of Brachypodium is far more effective than that of the Festuca (that means Brachypodium pinnatum can live mainly in the edge of the forest here and Festuca is the species which is adapted to the special light and temperature conditions). In the course of the RISE analysis light was also thrown on the role of several dicotyledonous species (e. g. Inula salicina, Vicia spp., Dictamnus albus, Peucedanum cervaria, Pulmonaria mollissima, etc.). Anyhow, these species have a great effect at lower fusion levels only. The process of changes in the diversity of the relevés can be seen in Fig. 6. Relevés 1 and 2 have the highest diversity values (because of their high species number) and then it decreases. Two local maxima exist, at relevés 4-5 and 15-16. Between these maxima the trend-like decrease in the diversity values is moderate but after relevé 16 it is definite. As to the DIVDROP analysis the diversity minimum at the end of the relevé series is due only to Braxhypodium pinnatum, while Festuca valesiaca ssp. pseudodalmatica is responsible for the local minimum in the middle of the series (Figs. 7 and 8). Other species have no general effect on the trend. The diversity values of species (covering diversity) are given in Table 4 (only those with diversity greater than 3.5 are listed). We can sum up the conclusions of the computations as follows. Relevés 1 and 2 are separated; relevés 4-5 and 14-15 are the boundaries of a real steppe fragment and the remaining part of the series is a forest-steppe fragment. It is unambiguous now that the development (and/or the survival) of a real steppe fragment is connected here with the width of the forest track. The whole 7 m wide track is covered by steppe vegetation, moreover the adjoining two 5 m wide relevés (3 and 15) have the same vegetation as well. The relationship of this steppe fragment with the extensive zonal steppes in S-Ukraine is proven by the numerous species they have in common. The absence of any Stipa species nevertheless decreases the degree of this similarity because Stipa species are very characteristic for those steppes. References BOROS Á. (1953): A Mezőföld nö vény földrajzi vázlata. [Plantgeographical sketch of the Mezőföld.] — Földi: Ért, 2: 234-253. BOROS, Á. (1959): A Mezőföld növényföldrajza. [Plant geography of the Mezőföld.] — In: Pécsi, M. (ed.): A Mezőföld természeti földrajza. Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest: 365-383. BORZA, A. (1937): Cercetari fitosociologice asupra padurilor Basarabene. (Phytosociological studies on the Forests of Basarabia.) — Bui. Gräd. bot. Muz. bot. Univ. Cluj. 17: 1-85. CZEKANOWSKI, J. (1909): Zur differential Diagnose der Neandertalgruppe. — KorrespBl. dt. Ges. Anthrop. 40: 44-47. DOBOLYI, Z. K., SZABÓ, L., SZERDAHELYI, T. & SZUJKÓ-LACZA, J. (1981): Data to the GenLsto pilosaeQuercetum and the flora of the Bükk Mountains. — Studio bot. hung. 15: 77-90. DOHMAN, G. I. (1968): Lesostep evropeiskoi casti SSSR. (Die Waldsteppe des europäischen Teiles der UdSSR.). — Nauka, Moscow. ELAGIN, I. N. (1963): Tipy lesa nagornoi casti tellermanovskovo opytnovo lesnicestva i hozjaistvennoe znatchenie. — In : SUKATCHEV, B. N. (ed) : Biogeocenotitcheskie issledovanija v dubravah lesostepnoi zony. — Akad. Nauk. SSSR, Moscow: 52-98. ENDRÉDI, L. & HORVÁTH, I. (1976): Organic matter production and photosynthetic energy utilization of a plant association loess grassland. — Acta bot. hung. 22: 39-49. HAJDÚ, L. & RAJCZY, M. (1982): RISE analysis: a new method for interpretation of dendrograms. — Proc. 3rd Hung. Biometr. Conf., p. 129-133. HORÁK, J. (1980): Templomilné doubravy Jihomoravskych sprasovych tabuli a pleistocennich teras (Aceri campestri Querceta a Ligustri Querceta). (The thermophilic groves of oak on SouthMoravian loessal tablelands and pleistocene terraces (Aceri campestris querceta and Ligustri querceta)). — Lesnictvi 26: 587-620.