B. Papp szerk.: Studia Botanica Hungarica 39. 2008 (Budapest, 2008)

Papp, B., Erzberger, P.; Dragcevic, S.: Contributions to the bryophyte flora of the Orjen Mts, Montenegro

Historically, the bryophyte flora of the Orjen Mts was investigated by several bryologists (GLOWACKI 1906, SCHIFFNER 1915, 1916, WEISS 1866), but also recently (CVETIC and SABOVLJEVIC 2004). Data retrieved from these papers were included in the checklist of DRAGICEVIC and VELJIC (2006). MATERIALS AND METHODS The investigated area The Orjen Mts are a Dinaric Mediterranean limestone mountain range in Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Its peak, Zubacki kabao ( 1,894 m) is the highest peak in the sub-Adriatic Dinarides. The massif of Orjen lies to the northwest of Risan town in the Bay of Kotor (Boka Kotorska) (Fig. 1). At the main summit of the Orjen Mts and the surrounding ridges and high plateaus the influence of quaternary glaciation is evident. Long valley glaciers from Orjen to the Bay of Kotor hollowed U-shaped valleys and cirques in their course. Glaciers also shaped jagged peaks and ridges. Glacial and karst type relief combine now in a unique coastal scenery. In the Mediterranean zone only a few places show similar phenomena. The Orjen Mts are completely built up of folded Cretaceous limestone. Weather conditions are determined by the situation of the Orjen Mts influenced by Mediterranean and continental climatic conditions. While summers are hot and sunny, the autumns, winters and springs are rainy. The lowest temperatures are usually measured in January (as low as -30 °C) and the hottest ones during July and August (up to 33 °C). A peculiarity of the littoral Dinarides is the precipitation regime. The Orjen Mts receive Europe's most heavy precipitation. Crkvice village is the place with the greatest precipitation in Europe (about 8,000 mm) (KOMAR 1995). Similar to monsoon rains the precipitation is seasonally distributed, i.e. in November thunderstorms sometimes pour extreme amounts of water within just a few days, while August is frequently completely dry. The vegetation varies with climate and altitude. While the sub-Adriatic range exhibits Mediterranean-sub-Mediterranean maquis at lower elevations and evergreen or deciduous forests higher up; with increasing elevation the vegetation gradually changes into temperate and montane mixed forests, conifer stands and subalpine meadows. The ridges also have a variety of Mediterranean alpine vegetation - oro-Mediterranean pastures. There are stony meadows in the karst that contrast with the stony slopes and rocky scrubland all round. Higher altitudes are characterised by Fagus sylvatica forests with occasional open grassy pastures. On the northern slopes Abies alba accompanies the stands of Fagus. Above the belt of Abieti-Fagetum there are scattered pure stands of Abies alba and Pinus heldreichii.