Vegetation of the depressions with Eleocharis quinqueflora in spring fens in Slovenia

Abstract

During the investigations of wetlands in Slovenia over the last decade specific plant communities in spring fens were found. Stands with species Eleocharis quinqueflora occurring in depressions inundated with standing and/or running water were found in the Alpine, pre-Alpine and Dinaric phytogeographic regions of Slovenia. Standard Central European method for vegetation research was used and multivariate analyses were performed using Syn-Tax program. Stands were classified in two different species-poor, small-scale plant communities, most of them into associationEleocharitetum pauciflorae Lüdi 1921. This rare plant community occurs in the Alpine and Carpathian regions and in northern Europe and has not been recorded in Slovenia before. The association Eleocharitetum pauciflorae is a two-layered plant community of calcium-rich fens. It thrives in shallow temporary paddies and on the sandy or stony slopes with seeping water. Smaller group of relevés was classified into association Scorpidio-Utricularietumminoris Ilschner ex T.Müller et Görs 1960. This association thrives in permanent paddies, where the water is deeper as in a case of the first association. Since the dominating species Eleocharis quinqueflora and Utricularia minor, respectively, have the status of a vulnerable species according to Red List of Slovenia, the stands of the studied communities, which represent vital populations, should be preserved as well as the corresponding habitat types.

Keywords

• wetland
• fen
• plant community
• Eleocharis quinqueflora
• Utricularia minor
• vulnerable species