We conducted a study focusing on the rocky habitats of the Stara Planina mountains in Serbia with the primary objectives of identifying and classifying rock communities and determining the most significant environmental factors influencing their floristic composition. Analyzing a dataset comprising 181 relevés and 151 taxa, hierarchical cluster analysis delineated 21 groups of relevés corresponding to distinct communities or associations, belonging to two different classes (Asplenietea trichomanis and Sedo-Scleranthetea), six orders (Potentilletalia caulescentis, Violo biflorae-Cystopteridetalia alpinae, Tortulo-Cymbalarietalia, Asplenietalia septentrionalo-cuneifolii, Androsacetalia vandelli, and Sedo-Scleranthetalia) and seven alliances (Edraiantho graminifolii-Erysimion comati, Violo biflorae-Cystopteridion alpinae, Cymbalario-Asplenion, Asplenion septentrionalis, Silenion lerchenfeldianae, Saxifragion cymosae, and Sedo-Scleranthion). Canonical correspondence analysis revealed that temperature, moisture, and altitude are the main environmental gradients shaping the dominance of particular species within these communities and distinguishing them from one another. Field observations supported these findings and highlighted additional factors, including exposure, local topography, and shading, which significantly affect temperature patterns and, consequently, the floristic composition of these communities. The findings of this study contribute to filling gaps in knowledge of the rock vegetation of the Stara Planina Mts., especially considering the sparse existing phytocoenological data, which are focused on the Silenion lerchenfeldianae alliance.

We conducted a study focusing on the rocky habitats of the Stara Planina mountains in Serbia with the primary objectives of identifying and classifying rock communities and determining the most significant environmental factors influencing their floristic composition. Analyzing a dataset comprising 181 relevés and 151 taxa, hierarchical cluster analysis delineated 21 groups of relevés corresponding to distinct communities or associations, belonging to two different classes (Asplenietea trichomanis and Sedo-Scleranthetea), six orders (Potentilletalia caulescentis, Violo biflorae-Cystopteridetalia alpinae, Tortulo-Cymbalarietalia, Asplenietalia septentrionalo-cuneifolii, Androsacetalia vandelli, and Sedo-Scleranthetalia) and seven alliances (Edraiantho graminifolii-Erysimion comati, Violo biflorae-Cystopteridion alpinae, Cymbalario-Asplenion, Asplenion septentrionalis, Silenion lerchenfeldianae, Saxifragion cymosae, and Sedo-Scleranthion). Canonical correspondence analysis revealed that temperature, moisture, and altitude are the main environmental gradients shaping the dominance of particular species within these communities and distinguishing them from one another. Field observations supported these findings and highlighted additional factors, including exposure, local topography, and shading, which significantly affect temperature patterns and, consequently, the floristic composition of these communities. The findings of this study contribute to filling gaps in knowledge of the rock vegetation of the Stara Planina Mts., especially considering the sparse existing phytocoenological data, which are focused on the Silenion lerchenfeldianae alliance.

This dataset contains the digitized treatments in Plazi based on the original journal article Zbiljić, Miloš, Lakušić, Dmitar, Stevanoski, Ivana, Kuzmanović, Nevena (2022): Lectotypification of names related to Teucrium montanum L. (Lamiaceae) reported for the Balkan peninsula. Phytotaxa 530 (2): 198-204, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.530.2.6

The heterogeneity of the ultramafic vegetation of the Central Balkans is rather great. Although this vegetation has been continuously investigated, some gaps are still to be filled. For example, the lack of available data on ultramafic vegetation of the Republic of Macedonia is evident. In that light, we have investigated different relic Stipa species-dominated dry grasslands over ultramafic bedrock. Twenty relevés were made and compared to the similar vegetation types (i.e. Potentilla visianii, Centaureo kosaninii-Bromion fibrosi, “Thymion jankae”, Saturejo-Thymion and Alyssion heldreichii) by means of numerical analyses. We distinguished one new association and one informal community, providing them with diagnosis and lists of diagnostic, constant and dominant species. We also determined their syntaxonomic positions and relations to ultramafic syntaxa from the neighboring countries.

The heterogeneity of the ultramafic vegetation of the Central Balkans is rather great. Although this vegetation has been continuously investigated, some gaps are still to be filled. For example, the lack of available data on ultramafic vegetation of the Republic of Macedonia is evident. In that light, we have investigated different relic Stipa species-dominated dry grasslands over ultramafic bedrock. Twenty relevés were made and compared to the similar vegetation types (i.e. Potentilla visianii, Centaureo kosaninii-Bromion fibrosi, “Thymion jankae”, Saturejo-Thymion and Alyssion heldreichii) by means of numerical analyses. We distinguished one new association and one informal community, providing them with diagnosis and lists of diagnostic, constant and dominant species. We also determined their syntaxonomic positions and relations to ultramafic syntaxa from the neighboring countries.

Grasslands, wet meadows, fens, bogs, and marshes represent important ecosystems that host many orchid species. However, research on the joint effect of the multi-scalar abiotic drivers on orchid distribution and abundance in these habitats is limited. In this study, we investigated factors associated with the occurrence and abundance of 42 orchid taxa in grasslands and herbaceous wetlands of 29 mountains and the surrounding low altitude areas in western Serbia (eastern Dinaric Alps, southeastern Europe). Niche analysis of orchids was performed using outlying mean index analysis (OMI). In addition, we used similarity profile analysis (SIMPROF) to classify orchid taxa into ecological groups, multi response permutation procedure (MRPP) to analyse the differences in orchid composition between vegetation types, and indicator species analysis (ISA) to detect orchids with an affinity to a certain type of vegetation and geological bedrock. The most important gradients that separate orchids within the sampled environmental conditions were moisture, temperature, altitude and soil pH. Moreover, this study underlines the importance of certain vegetation types and geological bedrocks in determining the distribution and abundance of orchids. In total, eight ecological groups of orchids were distinguished. The results have shown that 11 orchid taxa are indicators of specific vegetation types, whereas 13 orchid taxa are indicators of specific bedrock types. The study area provides suitable conditions for survival of some rare and endemic orchid species that have southern limits of their distribution in this part of southeastern Europe. The study suggests that the joint effect of ecological factors, especially vegetation communities and bedrock types, is important to consider in the planning and management of orchid species conservation.

Grasslands, wet meadows, fens, bogs, and marshes represent important ecosystems that host many orchid species. However, research on the joint effect of the multi-scalar abiotic drivers on orchid distribution and abundance in these habitats is limited. In this study, we investigated factors associated with the occurrence and abundance of 42 orchid taxa in grasslands and herbaceous wetlands of 29 mountains and the surrounding low altitude areas in western Serbia (eastern Dinaric Alps, southeastern Europe). Niche analysis of orchids was performed using outlying mean index analysis (OMI). In addition, we used similarity profile analysis (SIMPROF) to classify orchid taxa into ecological groups, multi response permutation procedure (MRPP) to analyse the differences in orchid composition between vegetation types, and indicator species analysis (ISA) to detect orchids with an affinity to a certain type of vegetation and geological bedrock. The most important gradients that separate orchids within the sampled environmental conditions were moisture, temperature, altitude and soil pH. Moreover, this study underlines the importance of certain vegetation types and geological bedrocks in determining the distribution and abundance of orchids. In total, eight ecological groups of orchids were distinguished. The results have shown that 11 orchid taxa are indicators of specific vegetation types, whereas 13 orchid taxa are indicators of specific bedrock types. The study area provides suitable conditions for survival of some rare and endemic orchid species that have southern limits of their distribution in this part of southeastern Europe. The study suggests that the joint effect of ecological factors, especially vegetation communities and bedrock types, is important to consider in the planning and management of orchid species conservation.