Plant communities with Carex frigida in the Julian Alps (northwestern Slovenia)

In already known localities in the Julian Alps (Mangart, Malo Polje, Zeleno Jezero, Blehe under Sostar) and in several new ones (Loska Koritnica, Bavh, Spodnji Lepoc, Mlinarica, Konjska planina, Mali Babanski Skedenj) we inventoried the stands along the subalpine-alpine springs and spring areas where Carex frigida frequently occurs as the predominant vascular plant. We classified them into the following associations: Saxifrago aizoidis-Caricetum ferrugineae, Caricetum davallianae s. lat., Ranunculo traunfellneri-Paederotetum luteae, Carici frigidae-Petasitetum albi (alliance Adenostylion alliariae) and Festuco nitidae-Caricetum frigidae (alliance Cratoneurion). The latter two were described as new. Based on comparisons with similar communities along mountain springs we deliberated on the most appropriate classification of the latter into higher syntaxonomic units.