Slovenija je ekološko, floristično, favnistično in vegetacijsko izredno pestra dežela, z mnogimi bolj ali manj ohranjenimi biotopi. Zato ni naključje, da je bila med prvimi evropskimi državami, ki je začela z načrtno inventarizacijo svojih naravnih danosti, med drugim tudi s kartiranjem gozdne vegetacije.
Več kot polovico naše države pokrivajo gozdovi, ki so relativno dobro ohranjeni. Njihov pomen je mnogostranski: so neizčrpen vir pridobivanja kakovostnega lesa, ohranjajo ekološko ravnotežje v naravi, varujejo tla pred erozijo, uravnavajo vodni režim ter dajejo slovenski kulturni krajini poseben čar. Pri nas smo se relativno zgodaj zavedli, da so ekološke in socialne funkcije gozda pogosto pomembnejše kot proizvodnja lesne mase.
Za objektivno ugotavljanje večplastnega pomena gozda, tako z gospodarskega, kot z naravovarstvenega vidika, je nujno potrebna takšna inventarizacija gozda, ki nam bo dala osnovne podatke o njegovi razširjenosti, o gospodarskem pomenu s stališča pridobivanja lesne mase, o njegovi retenzijski sposobnosti za vodo, varovalnem pomenu in podobnem.
Izkušnje so pokazale, da je, če gre za gozdove, najcenejša in najzanesljivejša inventarizacija naravnih danosti na osnovi rastlinskih oziroma gozdnih združb. Te so vidni odraz vzajemnega delovanja ekoloških dejavnikov žive in nežive narave, če so ustrezno ekološko preučene (makro-, mezo- in mikroklimatske lastnosti, reliefne razmere, edafske lastnosti, varovalni pomen, gospodarski pomen itd.) in gospodarsko ovrednotene. V tem primeru so fitocenološke karte gozdnih združb neprecenljiva osnova pri presoji in načrtovanju raznovrstnih posegov v naravo.
Na področju kartiranja gozdne vegetacije smo Slovenci med vodilnimi državami Srednje Evrope. Vsa Slovenija je skartirana v merilu 1 : 50.000, velik del gozdov pa tudi v merilu 1 : 10.000, predvsem za potrebe gozdnih gospodarstev (danes Zavod za gozdove Slovenije). Večina kart gozdnih združb je opremljena z elaborati z množico raznovrstnih podatkov o ekoloških razmerah določenega kraja in načinu gospodarjenja z gozdovi.
Največji del tega materiala je zbran na Biološkem inštitutu ZRC SAZU, ki je bil tudi nosilec kartiranja gozdne vegetacije za Slovenijo v merilu 1 : 50.000 v okviru Vegetacijske karte Jugoslavije.
Da bi bil ta dragoceni material čimbolj dosegljiv, smo se odločili, da ga v skladu s sodobnim informiranjem postopoma predstavimo na internetu – za začetek vegetacijsko karto 1 : 400.000.
Kot osnova za izdelavo fitocenološke karte gozdnih združb v merilu 1 : 400.000 je služila vegetacijska karta v merilu 1 : 250.000, ki jo je priredil A. Seliškar na osnovi vegetacijskih kart 1 : 50.000. Glede na manjše merilo in nova spoznanja zlasti o sinsistematiki gozdnih združb je bilo treba karto v merilu 1 : 400.000 posodobiti.
Vsaka gozdna združba oziroma tip gozda je predstavljen na posebnem listu v slovenščini in angleščini. Združbe so poimenovane po binomskem principu na floristični osnovi v skladu s Kodeksom poimenovanja rastlinskih združb (Weber, Moravec & Theurillat 2000). Združba je označena s slovenskim in strokovnim imenom. Da bi že z imenom združbe ločili potencialno od drugotne vegetacije, smo gozdne združbe, ki so nastale pod vplivom človeka in njegovih živalskih spremljevalcev, npr. drugotni smrekovi gozdovi na bukovih rastiščih (smrekov gozd s smrdljivo laknico – Aposerido-Piceetum), poimenovali kot drugotne.
Na kratko so opisane ekološke razmere združb, njihova razširjenost v Sloveniji, razpon nadmorskih višin, relief, klimatske razmere in edafske lastnosti. Rastlinski inventar združbe smo podali z diagnostično kombinacijo rastlinskih vrst.
Diagnostično kombinacijo rastlinskih vrst dobimo na osnovi analitske fitocenološke tabele preučevane združbe – vanjo uvrščamo značilne in razlikovalne vrste združbe ter stalne spremljevalke s stalnostjo IV in V. Tam, kjer ni dosegljivega zadostnega tabelarnega gradiva, smo uporabili različne rokopisne vire. Pri združbah, ki imajo manjše število rastlinskih vrst, smo upoštevali tudi posamezne vrste, ki dosegajo najmanj 40-odstotno prisotnost.
Rastlinske vrste smo opisali v štirih plasteh: drevesna, grmovna, zeliščna in mahovna. V drevesni plasti smo poleg strokovnih navedli tudi slovenska imena – po vrstnem redu glede na njihovo prisotnost. V vseh naslednjih plasteh smo strokovna imena rastlinskih vrst navedli po abecednem redu. V angleškem besedilu smo prevajali samo imena drevesnih vrst, ki so na splošno razširjene po Evropi. Za drevesne in druge rastlinske vrste, ki so optimalno razširjene v jugovzhodni Evropi in za katere se uporablja poimenovanje ilirske vrste, smo uporabili samo strokovna, latinska imena.
Rastlinska nomenklatura je navedena po Trpin & Vreš (1995), Martinčič (1968) in Wirth (1995), imena rastlinskih združb pa po Marinček et al. (1993), Marinček (1994), Mucina et al. (1993) in Zupančič (2000).
Imena tal v angleškem povzetku so navedena po FAO-UNESCO: Soil Map of the World (Pedološka karta sveta), ISRIC, Wageningen, 1994.
Na kratko opisujemo biotsko stabilnost gozdne združbe in njeno razvojno dinamiko, posebno pionirske stadije pri zaraščanju opuščenih kmetijskih površin. Podani sta prevladujoča gojitvena oblika gozdov in njihov gospodarski oziroma naravovarstveni pomen.
Uporabili smo samo slovenska imena, v angleškem prevodu pa samo strokovna (latinska) imena.
Pod črto so navedeni literaturni viri, iz katerih smo črpali podatke za opis gozdnih združb.
Posebno se zahvaljujeva dr. Igorju Dakskoblerju za popravke in koristne nasvete ter pregled besedila. Dolžna sva zahvalo akademiku dr. Mitji Zupančiču za tekstovne dopolnitve opisa nekaterih gozdnih združb zveze Vaccinio-Piceion in reda Quercetalia pubescentis. Iskrena zahvala velja prof. dr. Veri Gregorič in mag. Tomažu Prusu, ki sta besedilo komentarja dopolnila s sodobno terminologijo na področju geologije in pedologije.

INTRODUCTION

Relative to the many biotopes in Slovenia that have maintained their original character, Slovenia is an extremely diversified country with regard to its ecology, flora, fauna, and vegetation. Therefore, it is not unexpected that it is among the first European countries to introduce the planned taking of an inventory of its natural heritage, among other methods by mapping the forest vegetation.
Forests cover more than half of the country. The forests have been relatively well preserved, and they play an important role either in the sense of obtaining good quality timber and being a basic natural regulator or in the sense of protecting nature against erosion, regulating the water level regime, and forming the cultural landscape. Very early on, we became aware that the ecological and social functions of the forest sometimes assume an even greater importance than the production of the standing volume of trees.
In order to establish an objective evaluation of the multi-layered character of the forests from the economic standpoint and from the general standpoint concerning nature protection, it is of vital interest to make an inventory of forests specifying their distribution, economic significance as to their yields, a calculation of the water retention capability of different forest types, their protection role under various conditions, and the like.
Experience has shown that the most inexpensive and reliable inventory of natural attributes is based on vegetation communities (associations). Associations are a clear expression of the mutual process of ecological biotic and abiotic factors, provided they are studied properly from the ecological point of view (macro-, mezzo-, and microclimatic characteristics, diverse land configurations, edaphic factors, the importance of protection, economic significance, etc.) and that they are assessed economically. In this case, the phytocenological maps of forest associations provide a valuable basis for diversified activities affecting nature.
Relative to the mapping of forest vegetation, Slovenia is one of the leading countries in Central Europe. The entire territory of Slovenia has been mapped in a scale of 1:50,000 and a large part of the forests in a scale of 1:10,000 as well, specifically for the needs of forest management—at present by the Slovenian Forest Service—and including many elaborations rich in numerous diverse data on ecological conditions of certain places and on the economic value of the forests.
The major part of this material has been collected at the Jovan Hadži Institute of Biology of the Scientific Research Center of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, which was responsible for mapping the forest vegetation of Slovenia in a scale of 1:50,000 within the framework of the Vegetation Map of Yugoslavia project.
In order to facilitate the dissemination of this valuable material, it was decided to present it on the Internet, initially with a vegetation map in a scale of 1:400,000.
The vegetation map in a scale of 1:250,000 prepared and adapted by A. Seliškar on the basis of vegetation maps in a scale of 1:50,000 provided the basis for drawing the phytocenological map of forest associations in a scale of 1:400,000. Taking into consideration the larger scale and new knowledge, in particular with regard to the synsystematics of forest associations, it was necessary to update the map to the scale of 1:400,000.
Every forest association or type of forest is presented separately in Slovene and in English. The associations are designated according to the binomial principle on a floristic basis in accordance with the Code of Nomenclature (Weber, Moravec & Theurillat 2000). The association is designated by a Slovene and a scientific name. In order to distinguish the potential natural (primary) vegetation name from the secondary vegetation name, forest associations that have grown under the influence of the activities of humans and their animal companions, for example, secondary spruce tree forests on beech tree sites (Aposerido–Piceetum), have been designated as secondary.
The ecological site conditions of the associations, their distribution in Slovenia, altitude range, land configuration, climate conditions, and edaphic factors are described briefly. A plant inventory of the association has been taken, including the diagnostic combination of plant species.
Diagnostic combination of plant species includes charater and differential species as well as companion species that attain the constancy value IV and V. In cases, where such a material was not available, the manuscripts have been used. With regard to associations with a smaller number of plant species, individual species reaching at least 40% constancy have also been taken into account.
The plant species are described in four layers: tree, shrub, herb, and moss layers. In addition to scientific names, Slovene names are also used for the tree layers, however, in the sequence of their occurrence. The scientific names of plant species are stated for all further layers in alphabetical order. Only scientific Latin names are used for the tree species and other plant species.
The nomenclature of plant species is taken from Trpin & Vreš (1995), Martinčič (1968) and Wirth (1995) and the names of associations are applied according to Marinček et al. (1993), Marinček (1994), Mucina et al. (1993), and Zupančič (2000).
The soil names which are used in the English translation are aplical according to FAO -UNESCO Soil Map of the World, ISRIC, Wageningen, 1994.
Furthermore, the biotic stability of a forest association and its development dynamics, particularly the pioneer stage in overgrowing abandoned agricultural areas, are concisely described.
The predominant form of forest cultivation, the economic significance of forests, and the importance of nature protection are emphasized.
The Slovene names only are used in the Slovene pages, while scientific Latin names are used in the English translation.
Below the line, the literature sources from which data was taken for the description of forest associations are cited.
We thank to dr. Igor Dakskobler for correction of the mauscript and usefull advices. We owe thanks also to akad. dr. Mitja Zupančič for some textual complection of the description of the associations of the alliance Vaccinio-Piceeion and order Quercetalia pubescentis. We thank also to prof. dr. Vera Gregorič and mag. Tomaž Prus who adjusted the terminology in the field of geology and pedology.