Habitat variability and classification of Utricularia communities: comparison of peat depressions in Slovakia and the Třeboň basin.

Daniel Dítě 1 , Jana Navrátilová 2 3 , Michal Hájek 3 4 , Milan Valachovič 5 & Drahoslava Pukajová 6

Affiliations

  1. Administration of the Tatra National Park, Headquarters Liptovský Mikuláš, Hodžova 11, SK-031 01, Liptovský Mikuláš, Slovakia
  2. Department of Plant Ecology, Institute of Botany, Academy of Sciences, Dukelská 135 , CZ-379 82 Třeboň, Czech Republic
  3. Department of Botany, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, CZ-611 37 Brno, Czech Republic
  4. Department of Ecology, Institute of Botany, Academy of Sciences, Poříčí 3b, CZ-603 00 Brno
  5. Institute of Botany, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 14, SK-845 23 Bratislava, Slovakia
  6. Hattalova 474/2, SK-027 43, Nižná, Slovakia
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Abstract

Vegetation with species of Utricularia and that dominated by Eleocharis quinqueflora, which occupy the same habitats. was studied in minerotrophic mires and oligotrophic wetlands associated with ponds. Relative towater and soil chemistry, the communities of Utricularia ochroleuca s.l. and U. intermedia occurred in mineral-poor and those of U. minor and U. australis in mineral-rich conditions. Rare stands with U. vulgaris occurred in conditions that were intermediate in mineral richness. Four communities belonging to the class Isoëto-Littorelletea were distinguished. Vegetation without bladderworts and dominated by E. quinqueflora occurs in calcareous fens and belongs to the class Scheuchzerio-Caricetea fuscae (the Caricion davallianae alliance). Vegetation with U. intermedia is characterized by high vascular plant cover and belongs to the class Scheuchzerio-Caricetea fuscae. Utricularia ochroleuca s.l. prefers open, acidic and waterlogged depressions in peat, whereas U. intermedia grows mostly in the shade under vegetation canopy. In this study, U. minor and U. australis have been found mainly in the more alkaline and mineral-rich habitats, and both species also tolerated extremely high mineral richness.

Keywords

fens, Isoëto-Littorelletea, mire, syntaxonomy, water pH, wetland vegetation, Třeboň basin, West Carpathians

How to cite

Dítě D., Navrátilová J., Hájek M., Valachovič M. & Pukajová D. (2006) Habitat variability and classification of Utricularia communities: comparison of peat depressions in Slovakia and the Třeboň basin. – Preslia 78: 331–343