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

facing exposition, ancient landslide processes, arid niches, support well the rapid changes
of warming up-drying up processes inducing subdesert-like microclimate and local steppe
conditions on sand, clay and marl substrates. The favourable biological and ecological features
of the species explain his historical succes to colonize altered areas and contribute to
preserve of particular coenotic stands.
As a result of the coenological analysis a new plant community (Agropyro cristati-
Krascheninnikovietum cedratoidis ass. nova), was described with presponderant continental
and pontic characteristics, given by the dominant stands (K. ceratoides) and the xerothermic
diagnostic species groups (Krascheninnikovia ceratoides, Agropyron cristatum,
Artemisia campestris agg., Artemisia austriaca, Artemisia pontica, Brassica elongata, Astragalus
monspessulanus) which indicate transitional characteristics between the Artemisio-Kochion
s. l. and Festucion rupicolae alliances. The new plant community has close
coenotic and ecologic relationships with the Artemisietum pontico-campestris (Transylvanian
Basin) and with the Agropyro cristati-Kochietum prostratae (Pannonian Basin).
Stabilized coenotic stands of K. ceratoides were reported from the disturbed dry glasslands
(Bothriochloetum ischaemi, Potentillo arenariae-Stipetum capillatae) also. Small and rare
populations of K. ceratoides can be found in other steppic meadows, and eroded dry grasslands
(Stipetum pulcherrimae, Stipetum lessingianae, Cariceto humilis-Festucetum rupicolae,
Artemisietum pontico-campestris, Artemisietum campestris-Agropyretum
intermedii). In addition K. ceratoides can create recurrent fragmentary stands with other
eroded land-colonizing species like: Elymus hispidus, Calamagrostis epigeios or with various
weeds.
It can be concluded that the species K. ceratoides with a large biological adaptability
present a great resistency to the continuous natural landslide processes, site erosion
and fragmentation, but supports less the annual vegetation burning, the intensive grazing
pressure, clearings, strong afforestations, different agricultural and economic interventions.
Therefore the species surviving in the habitats and plant communities investigated must
be considered as vulnerable, so for these particular steppic vegetation, as a relic enclave of
the Holocene vegetation history, it would be necessary to apply a saving and protection
regime using the ’European priority habitats’ and the Transylvanian IPA-system also.
Acknowledgement
The study was supported by the Grant of TAMOP-4.2.1/B-09/-2010 University of
West Hungary, Faculty of Natural Sciences. The author are greatfully aknowledge to L. PÓLYA
(Debrecen) and I. DANCZA (Budapest) for their scientific remarks, to J. BÜKI (Budapest) for
bibliographic data and to B. KEDVES and L. MÉSZÁROS for the field investigations.
REFERENCES
ADLER W., OSWALD K., FISCHER R. (Eds.) (1994): Excursionflora von Österreich. – Verlag
Eugen Ulmer, Wien.
AELLEN P. (1967): Krascheninnikovia Gueldenst. In: Flora of Turkey and East Aegyan Islands
Vol.2. P. H. Davis Ed. 313p. - Edinburg Univ. Press.
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