Mauergesellschaften der Sächsisch-Böhmischen Schweiz

Kolbek, J., Hartel, H., Bauer, P.: The plant communities of walls in Saxon-Bohemian Switzerland. - Hercynia N. F. 48 (2015): 137 – 158. From 1991 to 2014, the vegetation of walls in the territory of the Saxon-Bohemian Switzerland National Park on the north-western boundary of the Czech Republic and the eastern boundary of Germany was studied. 140 phytocoenological releves were sampled at 71 locations and classified using the Braun-Blanquet approach. Eleven plant associations and communities were distinguished: Asplenietum rutae-murariae-trichomanis, Cymbalarietum muralis (including the subassociations typicum, poetosum nemoralis, and poetosum compressae), and Corydalidetum luteae. Stands of these associations grow mainly on warm or dry walls in central and southwestern Europe. Within the newly described association Athyrio filicis-feminae-Aruncetum vulgaris, three subassociations (cystopteridetosum fragilis, cardaminopsietosum halleri, and chrysosplenietosum oppositifolii) were distinguished. This association occurred in deep, cold, and damp ravine valleys and represents the most shaded plant community of old stone walls. The Antirrhinum majus , Asplenium viride , Calluna vulgaris , and Gymnocarpium robertianum community and the non-distinguished communities of the alliance Cystopteridion were also found. Saxifraga cymbalaria stands are an example of the occurrence of a plant community containing a non-native alien species from the eastern Carpathians. Antirrhinum majus is a typical cultivated and invasive plant, and is naturally most frequent in the warm regions of southern Europe and the Mediterranean region. The native occurrence of Asplenium viride in the territory is very rare due to absence of calcareous rocks. One stand with Aurinia saxatilis and Sedum spurium was also found. The Cardaminopsis arenosa-Poa nemoralis community was found at one location and is documented by three releves. Each unit is characterised by the correct name and short paragraphs are included on diagnostic species, synmorphology, synecology, intra-association variability, distribution, and references. Key words : Asplenietea trichomanis, Tortulo-Cymbalarietalia, Braun-Blanquet methodology, vegetation units, classification, ecology