Vegetation with species of Utricularia and that dominated by Eleocharis quinqueflora, which occupy the same habitats. was studied in minerotrophic mires and oligotrophic wetlands associated with ponds. Relative towater and soil chemistry, the communities of Utricularia ochroleuca s.l. and U. intermedia occurred in mineral-poor and those of U. minor and U. australis in mineral-rich conditions. Rare stands with U. vulgaris occurred in conditions that were intermediate in mineral richness. Four communities belonging to the class Isoëto-Littorelletea were distinguished. Vegetation without bladderworts and dominated by E. quinqueflora occurs in calcareous fens and belongs to the class Scheuchzerio-Caricetea fuscae (the Caricion davallianae alliance). Vegetation with U. intermedia is characterized by high vascular plant cover and belongs to the class Scheuchzerio-Caricetea fuscae. Utricularia ochroleuca s.l. prefers open, acidic and waterlogged depressions in peat, whereas U. intermedia grows mostly in the shade under vegetation canopy. In this study, U. minor and U. australis have been found mainly in the more alkaline and mineral-rich habitats, and both species also tolerated extremely high mineral richness.
From 1983–2001, nest and chick losses in capercaillie and hazel grouse were studied in the mountains of Central Slovakia (Veľká Fatra Mts, Malá Fatra Mts, Kremnické vrchy Mts, Starohorské vrchy Mts, and Nízke Tatry Mts, 18°50’–19°10’E; 48°47’–49°19’N). Out of 75 capercaillie clutches 49 (65%) were destroyed. Out of 159 hazel grouse clutches 104 (65%) were destroyed. The main mammalian egg predators were stone marten (Martes foina), pine marten (Martes martes), mustelids (Mustela sp.), and red fox (Vulpes vulpes) (altogether 22%), wild boar (Sus scrofa) (9%), and brown bear (Ursus arctos) (3%). The predation pressure on capercaillie and hazel grouse nests decreased significantly during the incubation period (74% nest losses during the first half of May, 54% in the second half of May). Nest losses in both capercaillie and hazel grouse followed the fluctuation in small rodents, with lowest losses during peak year (57%) and highest losses during crash year (82%) and prepeak year (80%). Average number of capercaillie chicks accompanying a hen in June significantly decreased during the study period (5.0 in 1983, 2.6 in 2001). In contrast, in hazel grouse, no significant decrease in number of chicks per hen in June was recorded during the study period.
Dnešní moderní, jakož i starší prvkové analýzy kovových artefaktů na bázi mědi z období staršího eneolitu a starší doby bronzové dokládají v západní části středního Podunají, a tedy i na území dnešní Moravy, rozšíření měděné suroviny původem kromě východních Alp a jihovýchodní Evropy také z oblasti Západních Karpat. V uvedených obdobích jde o měď pocházející z tetraedritové rudy. V daném kontextu se nabízí otázka, jaký význam sehrávala na Moravě měď západokarpatské provenience při produkci bronzové industrie v období popelnicových polí. Prvkové a izotopové analýzy měděných slitků z depotu Blučina 1 z mladší doby bronzové prokázaly jejich tetraedritovou chemickou signaturu. Tento poznatek autoři předkládaného článku doplnili o další analýzy slitků z depotů Blučina 1 a 13 metodou ICP-MS a ICP-OES a také analýzami stabilních izotopů olova. Na základě získaných výsledků je diskutována otázka provenience tetraedritové měděné suroviny z ložisek ležících v Západních Karpatech a východních Alpách. and Current modern, as well as older elemental analyses of metal artefacts from the period of Early Copper and Early Bronze Age are showing the distribution of copper material, originating in the area of Western Carpathians, in the western part of central Danube area, i.e. in the area of current Moravia, with the exception of Eastern Alps and south-east Europe. In all above mentioned chronological periods it is a copper from West Carpathians area coming from tetrahedrite ore. In given context appears a question of the importance of the copper from West Carpathians area in Moravia in times of peak production of bronze industry in the period of Urnfields cultures. Basic results of chemical and isotope analyses of the hoard Blučina 1 from the Late Bronze Age, uncovered in South Moravia show the presence of copper with tetrahedrite chemical structure. The authors of submitted article decided to add another analyses of metal ligatures by the methods ICP-MS and ICP-OES, as well as the analyses of stable isotopes of hoard 1 and 13 from Blučina to this known fact. On the basis of the results, the authors of the article are discussing the origin of the tetrahedrite copper material from the deposits in the Western Carpathians and Eastern Alps.
A phytosociological study of the West Carpathian mesic hay meadows and pastures (order Arrhenatheretalia elatioris) was performed and is the first unified investigation into the vegetation diversity in the area, which is situated in three countries (Slovakia, Czech Republic and Poland). Because of the differences in the current classification systems used in different countries it was not possible to make a single selection of the Arrhenatheretalia relevés from the databases, so a data set containing relevés originally assigned to three orders encompassing this vegetation in hay meadows and pastures in the area (Arrhenatheretalia elatioris, Molinietalia and Nardetalia strictae) was established. This data set was classified using cluster analysis. Only the cluster corresponding to the order Arrhenatheretalia elatioris at the level of three clusters was further classified in the same way as the whole data set. The ecological interpretation of the classification was based on altitude, Ellenberg indicator values and geological bedrock. The clusters were also compared with the syntaxonomical assignment of the relevés by their authors. The classification at the level of 12 clusters reflected the most widespread vegetation types of mesicmeadows and pastures recorded in the area. The vegetation of extensive pastures, corresponding to the association Anthoxantho odorati-Agrostietum tenuis, seemed to be more similar in floristic composition to the mesic meadows of Arrhenatherion elatioris than to the intensive pastures of Cynosurion cristati, where it was traditionally classified, which has important conservation consequences because of the different position of these units in conservation systems such as Natura 2000. Higher altitude meadows were divided into four vegetation types including meadows corresponding to the association Gladiolo imbricati-Agrostietum capillaris, which is a frequent community in the Polish Carpathians that does not occur in the other regions. Montane meadows currently classified in Polygono bistortae-Trisetion flavescentis were less clearly distinguished, probably because of their patchy distribution in theWest Carpathians. The differences in vegetation diversity of meadows and pastures between particular countries were confirmed, with Gladiolo imbricati-Agrostietum capillaris occurring predominantly in the northern part of the West Carpathians and Anthoxantho odorati-Agrostietum tenuis virtually absent here. The ecological determinants of variation in montane meadows are discussed.