Forest Communities Floristically Specific to Eastern Romania

Abstract

A series of forest communities from the eastern part of Romania (Moldova) are presented synthetically. Phytosociologically, these communities appertain to the following associations: Aro orientalis - Carpinetum (Dobrescu et Kovacs 1973) Täuber 1992 (typicum subass. nova hoc loco; quercetosum pedunculiflorae Chifu et al. 2002); Dentario quinquefoliae - Carpinetum (Dobrescu et Kovacs 1973) Täuber 1992 (typicum Chifu et Zamfirescu 2001; fraxinetosum excelsioris Chifu et Zamfirescu 2001); Lathyro veneti - Fagetum (Dobrescu et Kovacs 1973) Chifu 1995 (typicum (Chifu 1995) Chifu et Zamfirescu 2001; quercetosum dalechampii (Chifu 1995) Chifu et al. 1999). Floristic analysis reveals the dominance of Pontic and Balkan elements compared to Central European species. The reason for this pattern is the location of the studied communities in the zone where Central European and Pontico-South-Siberian regions overlap. Based on the similarity between them, the relevés studied fall into three clusters that correspond to the three above-mentioned associations of the same coenotaxon - suballiance Aro orientalis - Carpinion. The grouping of Lathyro veneti - Fagetum with Dentario quinquefoliae - Carpinetum relevés results from the overlapping altitudinal distribution of the two forest types. Quercus dalechampii dominance-abundance scores distinguish the communities of Dentario quinquefoliae - Carpinetum, whereas Fraxinus excelsior discriminates between the two subassociations. The communities belonging to Aro orientalis - Carpinetum distinguish themselves through the high cover scores of Quercus robur and Q. pedunculiflora. Furthermore, Quercus pedunculiflora has higher cover scores in southern relevés (Vaslui County), whereas Q. robur dominates in the northern relevés (Iaşi County). The group of relevés of Lathyro veneti - Fagetum is clearly discriminated by the high cover of Fagus sylvatica.