Kanitzia 18. - NYME Természettudományi Kar - Nyugat ...

strongly related to the other disturbed steppic vegetation units, and also to the dry- and
semi-dry grassland communities in Transylvania, but differing basically from them by the
dominancy of the character species (K. ceratoides A-D: 12-75%, Agropyron cristatum A-
D: 5-35%), by special/narrow habitat conditions, its role in the vegetation succession and
relationships, being one of the ancient community type which probably persists continously
from the early Holocene survived as relic enclaves in the vegetation of Transylvania.
2. Bothriochloetum ischaemi (Kristiansen 1937) I. Pop 1977 (Table 2)
Dry grasslands dominated by Bothrichloa ischaemum (Andropogon ischaemum)
with the coenotic participation of K. ceratoides (A-D: 1-12%) were identified near Vultureni,
Groapa Rădăii and Poiana Frăţii (Table 2, Fig. 2). They occur as mosaic-like microsites
of warm southern slopes with high inclination (20-40%), sunshine places, eroded
slopes, ancient landslides and very often abandoned fields. The anthropogene influences
(once pasturing) and the site disturbancy is more evident also. Coenotic relations with the
former plant community is presented by the characteristic species of the alliances
(Agropyon cristatum, Artemisia campestris, Artemisia pontica, Brassica elongata, Astragalus
mosnspessulanus, Vinca herbacea, Linum austriacum; Agropyro-Kochion s.l., Festucion
rupicolae) but in the vegetation structure with high constancy value several
xerothermic generalist species participate: Festuca rupicola, Elymus hispidus, Stachys
recta, Jurinea mollis, Cleistogenes serotina, Phlomis tuberosa, Astragalus onobrychis, Poa
angustifolia, Salvia nemorosa, Euphorbia cyparissias (Festucetalia valesiacae, Festuco-
Brometea). Relationships with the fringe communities and the semi-dry grasslands are indicated
by the frequency of the following species: Galium glaucum, Agrimonia eupatoria,
Bupleurum falcatum, Brachypodium pinnatum, Dorycnium herbaceum etc.
The presence of ’variae syntaxa’ and weeds like Daucus carota, Achillea millefolium,
Elymus repens, Melilotus officinalis, Plantago lanceolata etc. indicate a kind of
ruderalization of this community mentioned formely by SOÓ (1945), who considered it initially
as an „Agropyron intermedium-Andropogon ischaemum” grassland type, (Vultureni)
for which afterwards proposed just a new, but presently invaluable name [Agropyro intermedii-Eurotietum
SOÓ (1945) 1980. n. nudum (art. 3.)]. About the coenotic relations with
the ruderalized vegetation types of the K. ceratoides it can be noted the view of MUCINA
(1997), who included the species in the Artemisietea vulgaris vegetation classe („perennial
and sub-xerophilous ruderal communities of temperate and mediterranean regions”).
The dendrogram of the cluster analysis of the sampled plots (Fig. 5) and the ordination diagram
(Fig. 6) shows that all relevés separated in the group of Bothriochloetum ischaemi
have intermediate position between the group of Agropyro cristati-Krascheninnikovietum
ceratoidis and the Potentillo-Stipetum capillatae plant community with main coenological
relationships with the latter community. The distance between the relevés (11-17), their
field fragmentation and separation show the specific niche and ecological conditions.
3. Potentillo arenariae-Stipetum capillatae (HUECK. 1931) (Table 3, Fig.4)
Dry grasslands dominated by Stipa capillata belong to the steppic plant communities
with Continental and Pontic-Subpannonic character of the Festucion rupicolae al-
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