This paper examines alluvial forested swamps of 6 paleomeanders of the former Dudváh river (at Žitný ostrov island, SW Slovakia). Cluster analyses, Twinspan and gradient ana
lysis (DCA) have been adopted to analyse material of 16 phytosoziological relevées and a total of 98 plant species obtained in the course of 2005-2007 seasons. Based on these analyses, examined stands were subdivided into three major groups. First group (2 sites) is represented by poplar monocultures (Populus x canadensis), second (7 sites) by willow – poplar stands with Populus x canescens, Salix alba and S. fragilis and the third one (7 stands) by predominantly willow stands on rather moist sites at the depression bottoms. All examined forests are of secondary origin. They occupy areas of former marshes,
which had been partially drained since the early 19th century. Some stands were established naturally, others were intentionally planted for being used as pollard trees. Some species tolerating higher soil salinities (Atriplex prostrata) also occur in the groundlayer vegetation. Today, studied forests represent an important landscape elements in the almost completely deforested agricultural landscape, providing suitable habitats for local flora and fauna. These forest are also valuable as being still free of some common invasive and neophytic tree and plant species (as Negundo aceroides, Aster lanceolatus etc.).Download pdf (Stiahnuť článok)
