L. Hably szerk.: Studia Botanica Hungarica 18. 1985 (Budapest, 1985)

Dobolyi, Z. Konstantin; Szerdahelyi, Tibor: Vegetation studies on the rocky grassland of the "Várhegy" at Sümeg

The dates of the sampling: 16 July 1983, samples Nos 7-14, 21-25; 1 June 1984, samples Nos 1-6, 15-20, 26-29; 31 August 1984, samples Nos 30-40. Table 1 contains the features of the samples (exposure, angle of slope, total cover value). RESULTS The two sample groups differ significantly from each other with respect to species composition. The total number of species is 79, out of this 47 have been found in both groups.The second group is considerably richer in species than the first one. The second group contains 70 species whilst the first one only 56, It is worth mentioning that the difference in species composition is caused first of all by the accessorial species. The constant and subconstant species are largely the same in both groups. The data of life-forms is shown in Table 4. The high value of the chamaephyton species is characteristic. The most important difference between the two sample groups is that the value of the therophyton species (SSE part) is higher in the first sample group than in the second group (NNW part). This occurence is in agreement with the differences in microclimate of the two slopes caused by the exposure. The therophyton life-form is adapted to tolerate the summer heat that is more effective in the southern part than on the northern slope. The other conclusion that can be drawn is with respect to the floral elements: the values of the Mediterranean and SEurasian elements are high in the SSE part of the hill compared with the opposite slope. There are several submediterranean, continental-like, Pontian and Balkan elements on both slopes (Table 5). Fig. 1 shows the distribution of the sample groups with respect to cenological character. We can see that there is no great difference between the two sample groups. Both groups contained the same elements. The values show some percentile differences only. The Festuco-Bromea, Festuco-Brometea and Festucetalia valesiacae species have the highest values and the number of Asplenio-Festucion species is remarkable. The poorness in species of the first group, the number of the indifferent and ruderal species indicate the succès of the degradational effects. This processing is caused by the increased tourist traffic (trampled place, littering), as can be seen on the hill. The two sample groups are rather similar to each other as far as their ecological requirements are concerned (Table 6). Essential differences are shown in the number of termophilous (T^) species that is unambigously explained by the differences in exposure. The distributions according to soil pH, water and N requirements reflect the characteristic habitat features of the limestone mountains of medium height. The degradational effects are indicated by the presence of the indifferent species (marked with 0). Figure 1. Cenological spectrum of the 1st and 2nd sample groups % F-B Fv A-F Fr SF Sec Que Che Ind Cenological characters: F-B = Festuco-Bromea and Festuco-Brometea, Fv = Festucetalia valesiacae, A-F = Asplenio-Festucion, Fr = Festucion rupicolae, S-F = Seslerio-Festucion pallentis, Sec = Secalietea, Que = Querco-Fagea and Quercetea, Che = Chenopodio-Scleranthea and Chenopodietea, Ind = Indifferent as