Statistical determination of diagnostic, constant and dominant species of the higher vegetation units of Poland

Abstract

This paper presents a syntaxonomical revision and statistical determination of diagnostic, constant and dominant species of higher syntaxa of Poland based on releves stored in the Polish Vegetation Database. All the analyses were performed on a data set consisting of 43,686 releves containing 2,853 species of vascular plants, bryophytes, algae and lichenized fungi. The data set was subjected to formalized and hierarchical classification, which revealed 44 classes and 153 alliances. The vegetation of Poland is divided into the classes: Zosteretea marinae, Charetea, Elyno-Seslerietea, Violetea calaminariae, Stellarietea mediae, Cakiletea maritimae, Salicetea herbaceae, Isoëto-Nano-Juncetea, Oxycocco-Sphagnetea, Ammophiletea arenariae, Potametea, Thero-Salicornietea, Carici- Kobresietea, Festuco-Puccinellietea, Erico-Pinetea, Juncetea trifidi, Loiseleurio-Vaccinietea, Lemnetea, Quercetea pubescentis, Littorelletea unifiorae, Koelerio-Corynephoretea, Roso pendulinae-Pinetea mugo, Cymbalario-Parietari- etea, Bidentetea tripartitae, Alnetea glutinosae, Scheuchzerio-Caricetea, Robinietea, Montio-Cardaminetea, Thlaspi- etea rotundifolii, Festuco-Brometea, Salicetea purpureae, Molinio-Arrhenatheretea, Mulgedio-Aconitetea, Carpino- Fagetea, Calluno-Ulicetea, Quercetea robori-petraeae, Vaccinio-Piceetea, Polygono arenastri-Poëtea, Asplenietea trichomanis, Phragmito-Magno-Caricetea, Artemisietea vulgaris, Epilobietea angustifolii, Galio-Urticetea, Rhamno- Prunetea. In order to determine a diagnostic species for allianc sures of fidelity were used. A revised list of vegetation units of Poland is presented.