Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 89. (Budapest 1997)

Dobolyi, K.: Phytosociological studies on the rocky grasslands in Csíki-hegyek (Budaörs, Hungary)

ANNALES HISTORICO-NATURALES MUSEI NATIONALIS HUNGARICI Volume 89. Budapest, 1997 pp. 53-62. Phytosociological studies on the rocky grasslands in Csíki-hegyek (Budaörs, Hungary) K. DOBOLYI Department of Botany, Hungarian Natural History Museum H-1087 Budapest, Könyves Kálmán krt. 40, Hungary DOBOLYI, K. (1997): Phytosociological studies on the rocky grasslands in Csíki-hegyek (Budaörs, Hungary). - Annls hist.-nat. Mus. natn. hung. 89: 53-62. Abstract - Open dolomite rocky grasslands were investigated cenologically on the basis of twenty samples at four sites of Csíki-hegyek. The sites were analysed statistically according to the floral elements, phytosociological characters, social behaviour types, value of naturalness and ecological parameters of the species. The associations of the investigated sites belong to the Bromo-Festucion pallentis association group. With 10 tables. INTRODUCTION Csíki-hegyek (= Hills) are a part of Buda Mountains and situated west of Budapest. Its territory is a nature conservation area belonging to the Nature Preservation Area of Buda. The average height of the hills is cca. 250-350 m. The parent material of the hills is mostly Triassic diplopore dolomite. The original vegetation types of this area are: open and closed dolomite rocky grasslands, dolomite slope steppe, karst-shrubbery and xerotherm oak forests. In the last century and in the first part of this century black pine forests were planted in this area. The vegetation of the rocky grasslands is in most cases natural but signs of degradation appear in their composition. The most important cause of degradation is tourism. The structure of dolomite grasslands of this area is more or less known. The phytosociological description and analysis of dolomite vegetation of Buda Mountains were published by ZÓLYOMI (1958). Rocky grasslands were studied by DOBOLYI et al. (1991) in Odvas-hegy. Open dolomite grassland is a special xerophilous and thermophilous vegetation type containing a great number of protected plant species. The aim of this work was to follow the temporal changes of the open rocky grasslands. This vegetation type was chosen for investigation because of its botanical values and because it is very sensitive to environmental changes and degradation effects. The four investigated sites: Odvas-hegy, Szekrényes-hegy, Farkas-hegy and Kőhegy. At these sites there are large, homogeneous grassland areas of natural condition but changes of their vegetation are expectable or possible.