STATIONAL CONDITIONS AND THEIR INFLUENCE UPON THE WOOD VEGETATION IN PIONEER STAGE OF SECONDARY SUCCESSION FROM THE NORTH OF THE ORIENTAL CARPATHIAN MOUNTAINS

• Published in: Annals of Faculty Engineering Hunedoara 2016-11, Vol.14 (4), p.191
• Main Authors: Piticar, Michaiel, Popovici, Adrian Laurentiu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ecosystems; Forests; Vegetation; Wood
• ISSN: 1584-2665; 2601-2332

In the present research, two forest ecosystems have been studied located in the spruce ecological zone, differentiated by their environmental variables, vegetation levels (Lala Valley - subalpine level; Vama - mountain level) and by the disturbances directing the ecological succession. Both of them fall under the pattern of a secondary succession. The ecosystem in the Lala Valley (Rodna Mountains National Park) is frequently affected by avalanches, whereas the ecosystem in the Vama area (Bucovina Ridges), the succession's trigger factor is represented by windfalls. The scope of the research consisted in: i) determining the stational conditions in the two ecosystems, ii) identifying the vegetation classes; iii) analyzing the influence of the stational conditions upon the vegetation in the two ecosystems. The ecological conditions led to the formation of some vegetal communities (vegetation classes). These may be distinguished by the presence of the diagnostic species and offer important information concerning the variability of the stational conditions. In the Vama ecosystem, 4 vegetation classes (Salix, Populus-Sorbus, Picea Coryilus si Populus-SaliX, and in the Lala Valley - 3 classes (Pinus m, Vaccinium 1, Vaccinium 2 were identified. It appears that in both habitats, the micro-stational conditions led to the formation of some distinct vegetal communities. The nutrients quantity makes the difference between the two similar classes in the Lala Valley. Moreover, the fertility of the soil influences also the vegetation classes in the Vama area, which has, along with the competition for light, a significant contribution in their formation. To conclude with, we can state that the in the pioneer stage of secondary succession, stational conditions have a greater importance in the ecosystems highly affected by disturbances, compared with the habitats more developed, where the competition is the main factor governing the formation of the vegetal groups.