Andrej Seliškar

Determinants of within-patch microdistribution and movements of endangered butterfly Coenonympha oedippus (Fabricius, 1787) (Nymphalidae: Satyrinae).

Determinants of Within-Patch Microdistribution and Movements of Endangered Butterfly Coenonympha Oedippus (Fabricius, 1787) (Nymphalidae: Satyrinae) The within-patch microdistribution and movements of adults of the critically endangered butterfly, Coenonympha oedippus, were studied using mark-recapture data from an isolated patch network, which consisted of 8 patches in central Slovenia. The impact of patch characteristics on both parameters was analyzed. Males fly longer distances and spend more time flying than females. The distances and seasonal pattern of male movements were dependent on the patch size, and on the microdistribution and density of freshly emerged (receptive) females. The spatial and temporal pattern of female microdistribution was influenced by vegetation height, the homogeneity of host plant stands and the shading of the ground and/or the lowest parts of herb layer. In the case of near continuous distribution of host plants within a patch, the structure of herb vegetation appears to be the major determinant of adult microdistribution. It affects the dynamics of butterfly emergence and the selection of oviposition sites. The per cent cover of the nectar plant, Potentilla erecta, does not play an important role in butterfly microdistribution. V izoliranem omrežju osmih habitatnih krp v osrednji Sloveniji smo z metodo markiranja, izpusta in ponovnega ulova raziskovali prostorsko razporeditev in gibanja imagov kritično ogrožene vrste Coenonympha oedippus v habitatni krpi in vpliv značilnosti krpe na oba proučevana parametra. Samci preletavajo daljše razdalje in v dnevni aktivnosti več časa porabijo za let kot samice. Preletne razdalje in vzorci preletavanja samcev v sezoni so odvisni od velikosti krpe ter prostorske razporeditve in populacijske gostote sveže izleglih (receptivnih) samic. Na prostorske in časovne vzorce disperzije samic vplivajo višina vegetacije, homogenost sestoja hranilnih rastlin gosenic in osončenost spodnje plasti zeliščne vegetacije. Če je razporeditev larvalnih hranilnih rastlin v krpi enakomerna in kontinuirana, je struktura zeliščne vegetacije najpomembnejši dejavnik, ki določa disperzijo imagov, saj vpliva na dinamiko izleganja iz bub in izbiro mest za ovipozicijo. Pokrovnost vrste Potentilla erecta, ki je hranilna rastlina odraslih osebkov, ne vpliva na razporeditev odraslih osebkov v krpi.

Stellaria nemorum L. andS. montana Pierrat (Caryophyllaceae) in the Forest Communities of Slovenia

Morphological and coenological differences between closely related speciesStellaria nemorum L. andS. montanaPierrat are described.Stellaria montana is frequent in Slovenia and occurs mostly in the montane belt (altitude 600–1200 m). It has been recorded in thirty two forest communities (associations or lower syntaxa). Although widely distributed in EuropeS. nemorum is more rare in Slovenia. It occurs mostly in upper-montane (altimontane) and subalpine belt (altitude 1200–1600 m) in ten forest or shrubby communities. Both,S. nemorum andS. montana are valuable diagnostic species for certain associations. They characterize sites with fresh soil, rich in nitrogen. As an example we present two syntaxa of beech forests of Slovenia, in which the species of theS. nemorum group have high constancy and cover value.

Two new montane grassland communities from the SE Alps (N Slovenia)

Abstract On very steep dolomite slopes in the western foothills of the Kamnik Alps (Ravni hrib, Javorov vrh, Zaplata, Kriška gora) and southwestern Karavanke Mountains (Dobrča) we conducted a phytosociological study into montane grasslands (former hay meadows, partly pastures) where Gladiolus palustris, a species of European conservation concern, also occasionally occurs. They were compared with similar montane grasslands (former hay meadows) on sunny slopes of the Stol ridge above Breginj in the southwestern foothills of the Julian Alps. Based on this comparison we described three new syntaxa: Centaureo julici-Laserpitietum sileris gladioletosum palustris, Festuco amethystinae-Seslerietum calcariae and Pediculari julici-Bromopsietum transsilvanicae. Both new associations are classified into the alliance Caricion austroalpinae and treated as a long-term successional stage in the belt of altimontane beech forests from the association Ranunculo platanifolii-Fagetum.