Summary

The vegetation in Onuškis area

Zofija Sinkevičienė

The data on vegetation studies carried out in the environs of Onuškis in 2010–2012 are presented. In the research area, most natural vegetation of mire complexes dominated by the communities of bogs (Ledo-Pinetum sylvestris, Sphagnetum magellanici), transitional mires (Caricetum lasiocaropae), quaking bogs (Rhynchosporetum albae Caricetum limosae), wet pine and deciduous forests (Vaccinio uliginosi-Pinetum sylvestris, Carici elongatae-Alnetum glutinosae) and terrestrial pine (Peucedano-Pinetum sylvestris) and mixed forests (Querco-Piceetum sylvestris) on mire islands was found. Other terrestrial forests have been intensively exploited or cleaned of tumbled down trees after storm in 2010. Poor vegetation of fens and grasslands was presented by small fragments communities of sedges (Caricetum vesicariae, Caricetum vulpinae, Caricetum rostratae), ruches (Scirpetum sylvatici, Juncetum effusi) and mat-grasses (Calluno-Nardetum strictae). These types of vegetation were most affected by the land reclamation.

Nine habitat types of European importance in the investigated territory were inventoried: natural dystrophic lakes, active raised bogs, degraded raised bogs, transitional mires and quaking bogs, Fennoscandian herb-rich forests with Picea abies, coniferous forests on, or connected to, glaciofluvial eskers, Fennoscandian deciduous swamp woods, bog woodland, Central European lichen Scots pine forests.

In the study area, seven red-listed species were recorded: Arnica montana, Dactylorhiza traunsteineri?, Huperzia selago, Nuphar pumilum, Pulsatila patens, Peplis portula, Salix myrtilloides. Four species (Coeloglossum viride, Hammarbya paludosa, Orchis morio, Salix lapponum) were not found or overlooked in previously known locations.