Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Picea abies- and Fraxinus excelsior-dominated wetland forest communities in Latvia

  • Published:
Plant Ecology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper reports on the syntaxonomical structure, the ecological, physiognomical and phytogeographical differentiation of wetland forests in Latvia dominated by Picea abies and Fraxinus excelsior. Data were collected following the Braun-Blanquet approach and treated by the GROUPAGE, TWINSPAN and CANOCO programs. Spruce forests (Sphagno girgensohnii-Piceetum var. Crepis paludosa, S.g.-P. myrtilletosum) form a well-defined community mostly in shallow and medium deep (0.2–1.3 m) peatland. Assemblages of spruce wetlands in NEE Europe point to amazing similarity and little variation from NE Poland and Fennoscandia over the Baltic States to the central parts of Russia. Ash-dominated wetlands (Carici elongatae-Alnetum, Carici remotae-Fraxinetum) refer only to particular localities of the country and lie on wet mineral, gleyey soils, usually along brooks and on undulating ground rich in subsoil streams, mostly in sites without an evident accumulation of peat. In Latvia, these reach the northernmost limit of distribution and are poorer in species compared with the ash wetlands of Central Europe.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ahti, T., Hämet-Ahti, L. & Jalas, J. 1968. Vegetation zones and their sections in northwestern Europe. Ann. Bot. Fennici 5: 169-211.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aleksandrova, V. D. 1973. Russian approaches to classification. In: Whittaker, R. H. (ed.) Ordination and classification of communities. Handbook Veg. Sci. 5: 493-528.

  • Anonymous. 1984. Daba un dabas resursi (Nature and nature resources). In: Encyclopaedia of Latvia, vol. 5(2): 34-115. GER, Riga.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arnborg, T. 1940. Der Valjö-Wald, ein nordschwedischer Urwald. Acta Phytogeogr. Suecica3: 128-154.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arnborg, T. 1943. Granberget. En växtbiologisk undersökning av et sydlappländskt granskogsomrade med särskild hänsyn till skogstyper och föryngring. Norrl. Handbibl. 14: 1-282.

    Google Scholar 

  • Augustin, H. 1991. DieWaldgesellschaften des Oberpfälzer Waldes. Hoppea 51: 5-314.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barkman, J. J., Moravec, J. & Rauschert, S. 1986. Code of phytosociological nomenclature. Vegetatio 67: 145-195.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baleviciene, J. 1991. Sintaksonomo-fitogeograficheskaya struktura rastitelnosti Litvi (Syntaxonomical and phytogeographical structure of vegetation in Lithuania). Mokslas, Vilnius.

  • Braun-Blanquet, J. 1964. Pflanzensoziologie. 3 Aufl. Springer-Verlag, Wien.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brunet, J. 1991. Vegetationen i Skånes alm-och askskogar (The vegetation of elm and ash forests in Scania, S-Sweden). Svensk Bot. Tidskr. 85: 377-384.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chytry, M. & Vicherek, J. 1995. Lesni vegetace Narodniho parku Podyji/Thayatal. Die Waldvegetation des Nationalparks Podyji/Thayatal. Academia, Praha.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diekmann, M. 1994. Deciduous forest vegetation in Boreo-nemoral Scandinavia. Acta Phytogeogr. Suec. 80: 1-112.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dierschke, H., Döring, U. & Hüners, G. 1987. Der Traubenkirschen-Erlen-Eschenwald (Pruno-Fraxinetum Oberd. 53) im nordöstlichen Niedersachsen. Tuexenia 7: 367-379.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dierschke, H., Hülbusch, K. & Tüxen, R. 1973. Eschen-Erlen-Quellwälder am Südwestrand der Bückeberge bei Bad Eilsen, zugleich ein Beitrag zur örtlichen pflanzensoziologischen Arbeitsweise. Mitt. d. Flor.-soz. Arb. N.F. Heft 15/16: 153-164.

    Google Scholar 

  • Döring-Mederake, U. 1991. Feuchtwälder im nordwestdeutschen Tiefland. Scripta Geobotanica 19: 1-122.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellenberg, H., Weber, H. E., Düll, R., Wirth, V., Werner, W. & Paulissen, D. 1992. Zeigerwerte von Pflanzen in Mitteleuropa. 2. verb. u. erw. Aufl. Scripta Geobot. 18: 1-257.

    Google Scholar 

  • Endler, Z. 1991. Charakterystyka fitosocjologizcna zespolow šwierkowych Puszczy Boreckiej (The phytosociological characterization of spruce associations in Puszcza Borecka). Fragm. Flor. Geobot. 35: 295-303.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eurola, S. 1962. Ñber die regionale Einteilung der südfinnischen Moore. Ann. Bot. Soc. 'Vanamo' 33: 1-243.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eurola, S., Aapala, K., Kokko, A. & Nironen, M. 1991. Mire type statistics in the bog and southern aapa mire areas of Finland (60-66 _ N). Ann. Bot. Fennici 28: 15-36.

    Google Scholar 

  • Faber, A. 1937. Ñber Waldgesellschaften auf Kalksteinböden und ihre Entwicklung im Schwäbisch-Fränkischen Stufenland und auf der Alb. Ber. Jahrestag. Deut. Forstver. Landesgr. Württ. 1936 (Anhang): 1-53.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fatare, I. 1989. Flora dolini reki Daugavi (Flora of the Daugava river valley). Zinatne, Riga.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gauch Jr., H. G. 1982. Multivariate analysis in community ecology. Cambr. Univ. Press, Cambridge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Härdtle, W. 1995. Vegetation und Standort der Laubwaldgesellschaften (Querco-Fagetea) im nördlichen Schleswig-Holstein. Mitt. d. Arb. Geobot. in Schl.-Holst. u. Hamb. 48: 1-441.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hill, M. O. 1979. TWINSPAN-a FORTRAN program for arranging multivariate data in an ordered two-way table by classification of individuals and attributes. Cornell Univ., Ithaca, N.Y.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hofmeister, H. 1990. Die Waldgesellschaften des Hildeheimer Waldes. Tuexenia 10: 443-473.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hörnberg, G. 1995. Boreal old-growth Picea abies swamp-forests in Sweden-disturbance history, structure and regeneration patterns. Dissert. in Forest Veg. Ecol. 7: 1-25 C Supplem. I-IV, Swed. Univ. Agricult. Sci., Umeå.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hultén, E. & Fries, M. 1986. Atlas of North European vascular plants. Vols. 1-3. Koeltz Sci. Books, Königstein.

  • Jongman, R. H. G., ter Braak, C. F. R. & van Tongeren, O. F. R. (eds.) 1987. Data analysis in community and landscape ecology. Pudoc, Wageningen.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kielland-Lund, J. 1965. Fichtenwaldgesellschaften in NO-Polen und SO-Norwegen. Mater. Zakl. Fitosoc. Stos. UW 3: 37-41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kielland-Lund, J. 1981. Die Waldgesellschaften SO-Norwegens. Phytocoenologia 9: 53-250.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kielland-Lund, J. 1994. Syntaxonomy of Norwegian forest vegetation 1993. Phytocoenologia 24: 299-310.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirstein, K. 1929. Lettlands Waldtypen. Acta Forest. Fennica 34: 1-20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klötzli, F. 1970. Eichen-, Edellaub-und Bruchwälder der Britischen Inseln. Schweiz. Zeit. f. Forstwes. 121: 329-366.

    Google Scholar 

  • Korotkov, K. O. 1986. Sintaksonomicheskij analiz lesov Valdaya (Syntaxonomical analysis of forests in the Valday Highland). Thesis Cand. Sci., Tartu University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Korpela, L. & Reinikainen, A. 1996. A numerical analysis of mire margin forest vegetation in South and Central Finland. Ann. Bot. Fennici 33: 183-197.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuusk, V., Laasimer, L., Tabaka, L., Lekavicius, A. & Jankeviciene, R. (eds.) 1993-1999. Flora of the Baltic Countries. Vols. 1-3. Acad. Sci., Tartu.

    Google Scholar 

  • Linkola, K. 1929. Zur Kenntnis der Waldtypen Eestis. Acta Forest. Fennica 34: 1-85.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lohmeyer, W. 1960. Zur Kenntnis der Erlenwälder in den nordwestlichen Randgebieten der Eifel. Mitt. Flor.-soz. Arb. 8: 209-221.

    Google Scholar 

  • Matuszkiewicz, W. 1952. Zespoly lesne Bialowieskiego Parku Narodowego (Forest communities of the Bialowieza National Park). Ann. Univ. Curie-Sklodowska Sect. C Suppl. 4: 1-218.

    Google Scholar 

  • Matuszkiewicz, W. 1984. Die Karte der potentiellen natürlichen Vegetation von Polen. Braun-Blanquetia 1: 1-99.

    Google Scholar 

  • Matuszkiewicz, W. & Borowik, M. 1957. Materialy do fitosocjologicznej systematiki lasow legowych w Polsce (Zur Systematik der Auenwälder in Polen). Acta Soc. Bot. Poloniae 26 (4): 719-756.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meusel, H. & Jäger, E. J. 1992. Vergleichende Chorologie der Zentraleuropäischen Flora. Bd.3. Fischer, Jena.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meusel, H., Jäger, E. J., Rauschert, S. & Weinert, E. 1978. Vergleichende Chorologie der Zentraleuropäischen Flora. Bd.2. Fischer, Jena.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meusel, H., Jäger, E. J. & Weinert, E. 1965. Vergleichende Chorologie der Zentraleuropäischen Flora. Bd.1. Fischer, Jena.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mikyška, R. 1943. DieWälder im Pilsner Gebiet. Vestnik Kralovské České Spol. Nauk 8: 1-60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moravec, J., Husova, M., Neuhäusl, R. & Neuhäuslova-Novotna, Z. 1982. Die Assoziationen mesophiler und hygrophiler Laubwälder in der Tschechischen Sozialistischnen Republik. Vegetace ČSR, Ser. A, 12: 1-292.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moravec, J. et al. 1995. Rostlinna spole?censtva České republiky a jejich ohroženi. Severo?ces. Prir., Litomerice, Append. 1995: 1-206.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mueller-Dombois, D. & Ellenberg, H. 1974. Aims and methods of vegetation ecology. Wiley & Sons, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Müller-Stoll, W. R. & Hartmann-Dick, U. 1992. Pflanzensoziologische Untersuchungen der Laubwald-Gesellschaften der Umgebung von Tharandt bei Dresden. Folia Geobot. Phytotax. 27: 1-48.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neuhäuslova-Novotna, Z. 1977. Beitrag zur Kenntnis des Carici remotae-Fraxinetum in der Tschechischen Sozialistischnen Republik. Folia Geobot. Phytotax. 12: 225-243.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neuhäuslova-Novotna, Z. 1981. Lužni lesy v ČSR (Floodplain forests in ČSR). Zpr. Čs. Bot. Spol. 16: 18-22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oberdorfer, E. 1953. Der europäische Auenwald. Beitr. nat. Forsch. SW-Deutschl. 12: 23-70.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oberdorfer, E. 1992. Süddeutsche Pflanzengesellschaften. Teil 4: Wälder und Gebüsche. 2. Aufl., Fischer, Jena.

    Google Scholar 

  • Passarge, H. 1978. Ñbersicht über mitteleuropäischen Gefässpflanzengesellschaften. Feddes Rep. 89: 133-195.

    Google Scholar 

  • Patalauskaite, D. 1991. Sintaksonomiya berezovykh lesov Litvi (Syntaxonomy of birch forests in Lithuania). Thesis Cand. Sci., Inst. of Bot., Vilnius.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pfadenhauer, J. 1969. Edellaubholzreiche Wälder im Jungmoränengebiet des Bayerischen Alpenvorlandes und in den Bayerischen Alpen. Dissert. Botanicae 3: 1-212.

    Google Scholar 

  • Polakowski, B. 1962. Bory šwierkowe na torfoviskach (zespol Piceo-Sphagnetum girgensohnii ass. nova) w polnocnowschodniej Polsce (Spruce forests on peatland (ass. nova Piceo-Sphagnetum girgensohnii) in NE-Poland). Fragm. Flor. Geobot. 8: 139-158.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prieditis, N. 1993a. Geobotanical features of Latvian peatland forest communities. Flora 188: 413-424.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prieditis, N. 1993b. Spruce forests (ass. Sphagno girgensohnii-Piceetum (Br.-Bl. 39) Polak. 62) on excessively moistened peatlands in Latvia. Acta Soc. Bot. Poloniae 62: 199-202.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prieditis, N. 1997a. Alnus glutinosa-dominated wetland forests of the Baltic Region: community structure, syntaxonomy and conservation. Plant Ecol. 129: 49-94.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prieditis, N. 1997b. Vegetation of wetland forests in Latvia: a synopsis. Ann. Bot. Fennici 34: 91-108.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodi, D. 1975. Die Vegetation des nordwestlichen Tertiär-Hügellandes (Oberbayern). Schrift. Veget. 8: 21-78.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodwell, J. S. (ed.) 1991. British plant communities. Vol.1. Woodland and scrub. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

  • Rühl, A. 1936. Geobotanische Untersuchungen in den Wäldern des südwestlichen und nordöstlichen Eesti. Loodusuurijate Seltsi Aruanded 42: 1-92.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sakss, K. 1955. Shirokolistvennye lesa Latvii (Broad-leaved forests in Latvia). Rastitelnost' Latvii 1: 141-180.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sakss, K. 1958. Oša mežaudzes un to atjaunošanas pamati (Ash forests and the basis for their restoration). LVI, Riga.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scamoni, A. & Passarge, H. 1959. Gedanken zu einer natürlichen Ordnung der Waldgesellschaften. Arch. Forstw. 8: 386-426.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schrautzer, J., Härdtle, W., Hemprich, G. & Wiebe, C. 1991. Zur Synökologie und Synsystematik gestörter Erlenwälder im Gebiet der Bornhöveder Seenkette (Schleswig-Holstein). Tuexenia 11: 293-307.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shaposhnikov, E. S., Korotkov, K. O. & Minyaeva, T. Yu. 1988. K sintaksonomii elovikh lesov Centralno-lesnogo zapovednika. Ch. I. Nemoralnye travyano-bolotnye elniki (Syntaxonomy of spruce forests in the Central-Russian forest reserve. Nemoral spruce mires). Moscow.

  • Sjörs, H. 1965. Forest regions. Aca Phytogeogr. Suec. 50: 48-63.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sokolowski, A. W. 1966. Fitosocjologiczna charakterystyka borow šwierkowych Puszczy Bialowieskiej(Phytosociological character of spruce woods in Bialowieza forest). Prace Inst. Badaw. Lesn. 304: 46-69.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sokolowski, A. W. 1980. Zbiorowiska lesne polnocno-wschodniej Polski (Forest communities of north-eastern Poland). Monogr. Bot. 60: 1-206.

    Google Scholar 

  • Szczepanski, A. J. 1990. Forested wetlands of Poland. Pp.437-446. In: Lugo, A. O., Brinson, M. & Brown, S. (eds.) Forested wetlands. Ecosystems of the World, Vol. 15, Elsevier, Amsterdam.

    Google Scholar 

  • ter Braak, C. J. F. 1990. Update notes: CANOCO version 3.10. Agricult. Mathem. group, Wageningen.

    Google Scholar 

  • Valk, U. & Eilart, J. (eds.) 1974. Eesti metsad (Forests of Estonia). Valgus, Tallinn.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vassilevich, V. I. 1983. O rastitel'nikh assotsyatsiyakh jelnikov severo-zapada (Plant communities of spruce forests in NWRussia). Bot. Zh. 68 (12): 1604-1613.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wallnöfer, S., Mucina, L. & Grass, V. 1993. Querco-Fagetea. Pp. 85-236. In: Mucina, L., Grabherr, G. & Wallnöfer, S. (eds.) Die Pflanzengesellschaften Österreichs. Teil III. Wälder und Gebüsche. Fischer, Jena.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wardle, P. 1961. Biological flora of the British Isles. Fraxinus excelsior L. J. of Ecol. 49: 739-751.

    Google Scholar 

  • Westhoff, V. & van der Maarel, E. 1973. The Braun-Blanquet approach. In: Whittaker, R. H. (ed.) Ordination and classification of communities. Handbook Veg. Sci. 5: 617-726.

  • Wittig, R. & Dinter, W. 1991. Die Erlenbruch-(Alnion glutinosae) und Hartholz-Auenwälder (Alno-Ulmion) in Nordrhein-Westfalen. Geobot. Kolloq. 7: 17-38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wojterska, M. 1989. Forest associations of Seili Island in the archipelago of Turku(Finland). Studies Plant Ecol. 18: 269-271.

    Google Scholar 

  • Woschée, R. 1993. Laubwaldgesellschaften der Donau-Niederterrasse östlich von Regensburg. Hoppea 54: 103-190.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yurkevich, I. D. & Aderikho, V. S. 1973. Tipi i assotsiyatsii yasenevikh lesov (po issledovaniyam v BSSR) (Types and associations of ash (on the basis of investigations conducted in the Byelorussian SSR). Nauka i Technika, Minsk.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yurkevich, I. D., Aderikho, V. S. & Geltman, V. S. 1970. Tipi yasenevikh lesov Berezinskogo zapovednika (Community types of ash forests in the strict nature reserve Berezinskij). Berezinskij zapovednik 1: 112-121.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yurkevich, I. D., Golod, D. S. & Aderikho, V. S. 1979.Rastitelnost' Byelorussii, jejo kartografirovanije, ohrana i ispolzovanie (Vegetation of Byelorussia, its cartography, protection and utilisation). Nauka i Technika, Minsk.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yurkevich, I. D., Golod, D. S. & Parfenov, V. I. 1971. Tipi i assotsiatsii jelovikh lesov (Types and associations of spruce forests). Nauka i Technika, Minsk.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zielski, A. 1978. Zespoly lesne projeziera Brodnickiego oraz wplyw na nie gospodarki lesnej i turystyki (Forest associations of Brodnica lake district and the effect of forest exploatation and tourism). Studia Soc. Sci. Torunensis 10: 1-88.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Gandrs Publishers, P.O. Box 1400, LV-1050, Riga, Latvia

    Normunds Prieditis

Authors
  1. Normunds Prieditis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Prieditis, N. Picea abies- and Fraxinus excelsior-dominated wetland forest communities in Latvia. Plant Ecology 144, 49–70 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009854423333

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009854423333

Search

Navigation