• plant communieties, syntaxonomy and synecology - grassland communities
• chorology and ecology of selected vascular plants - Tephroseris longifolia ssp. moravica
• succession and dynamics of plant communities

Classification and ecological differenciation of the mesophilous and xerophilous grassland communities in the Slovak part of Western Carpathians

VEGA 2/5084/25

1.1.2005 - 31.1.2007

Principal investigator: M. Janišová

Scientific co-workers: K. Hegedüšová, I. Škodová, E. Uhliarová

Mesophilous and xerophilous grassland vegetation covers substantional area of Slovakia and recently has been subjected to marked changes related to land use alteration. Since the introduction of Zurich-Montpellier phytosociological approach many plant communities were described mostly in regional context without a broader evaluation of their relationships to the existing syntaxonomical system. The main task of the project is to summarize the recent knowledge on grassland vegetation in Slovakia and to make it accessible for international synthesis as well as for practical utilization (nature conservation and landscape planning). Firstly, it is planned to revise the current approach to grassland classification and to evaluate the relevancy of the syntaxa description. A new national classification will be proposed thereafter based on the results of modern analytical and synthetic methods that may increase its transparency and objectivity concerning the delimitation of vegetation units. A comprehensive stand analysis as to the variability of species composition related to the environmental factors and to the management type will be used as a base for the detailed synecological characteristic. The project will result in proposing criteria for the identification of grassland communities which could serve as a basis for the elaboration of a widely used computerised expert system.

Formalized classification system for identification of grassland vegetation

APVT-51-015804

1.1.2005 - 31.1.2007

Principal investigator: M. Janišová

Scientific co-workers: P. Hájková, M. Havlová, K. Hegedüšová, I. Škodová, L. Tichý, K. Ujházy

The project is aimed at the processing of knowledge on grassland vegetation obtained by the methods of the Zurich-Montpellier school. The published phytosociological data will be completed by means of field research in less investigated regions and stored in a central database of phytocenological relevés. Using the formalised aproach to the vegetation classification which are suitable for the large areas analysis we will create a system of criteria for the identification of grassland vegetation in Slovakia. The classification system will be compared with the existing concepts of vegetation evaluation, tested in various field conditions and customised for a wider use in environmental and landscape protection.

Scrub and thickets formations

VEGA 4041

Principal investigator: Valachovič M.

Scientific co-workers: Hegedüšová K., Hrivnák R., Jarolímek I., Mikuška B., Škodová I.

A study of some selected formations of scrub, small-scrub and thickets from the following points of view:
i/ vegetation dynamics - the study of succession processes, strategies and population dynamics of shrubby plants;
ii/ phytogeography - mapping the distribution of selected shrubby formations;
iii/ environmental importance - the position and function of scrub and thickets in the cultural country-side (bio-corridors) and partly;
iv/ syntaxonomy - processing of data for the future classification synthesis.
A part of the project will be aimed at actualisation of methodology for mapping of scrub and thickets using combination of field analyses, aerial photographs and GIS methods.