PHYTOCENOLOGICAL RESEARCH INTO THE MEADOW ASSOCIATIONS ON FOREST HUNTING GROUNDS OF SERBIA

The floristic composition of meadow associations within the fenced areas of forest hunting grounds was investigated in the spring of 2008 at three sites: Karakuša (Srem), Miloševa voda (Mt. Sokolovica) and Lomnička reka (Mt. Veliki Jastrebac), Serbia. At the first location three associations were determined (Agrostio-Juncetum effusi Cinc.1959., Trifolio-Agrostietum stoloniferae L. Mark.1973., and Agrostietum vulgaris. Z. Pavl. 1955 sensu lato.); at the second location Festuco-Agrostietum Horv. (1952) 1982. em Trinajest. 1972., and at the third location AgrostioFestucetum valesiacae Gajić 1961. Hemicryptophytes were the dominant life form in all the sites (ranging from 61.1 to 72.9%). Also, the presence of 24 floral elements was recorded. The largest number of floral elements was determined at the site of Mt. Sokolovica (17), and the lowest at the third site, Mt. Veliki Jastrebac (9).


INTRODUCTION
The damage caused by large herbivorous animals in forestry and agriculture, and especially that caused by species of the deer family (Cervidae), represent a constant and very serious problem in many European countries (Gill, 1992;Putman and Moore, 1998;Čermák and Strejček, 2007;Trdan and Vidrih, 2008;Schley et al., 2008).In spite of this, there is no collective data on the amount and frequency of damage caused by wild game in the forest eco-systems of Serbia (Medarević et al., 2008).Recently, damage caused by red deer (Cervus elaphus) was established in several hunting grounds of Serbia, such as the fenced part of the hunting grounds "Podunavsko lovište Plavna" (Bačka) and "Posavsko lovište Karakuša" (Srem), but also in the fenced breeding ground "Lomnička reka" on Mt Veliki Jastrebac (Gačić et al., 2006;Gačić and Danilović, 2009).These authors have stated that the main causes of damage are the high numbers and disturbed population structure (sex and age), lack of coordination between forest management and hunters, and the lack of natural food, especially pasture surfaces.Therefore, recommended measures to eliminate or significantly reduce the damage include the emergency establishing of areas of green food (pastures and meadows), and improvement of the quality of existing pasture surfaces.
Natural meadows and pastures are eco-systems whose plant cover is made up of herbaceous associations of a more or less closed composition consisting mainly of herbaceous mesophytes.A large number of plant species grow in these areas, and their values range from very harmful and poisonous species to those of high quality (Mrfat-Vukelić et al., 2003).It is well known that grasses are a very important component of red deer nutrition throughout the year, and this importance is especially apparent in the vegetation period (Adamič, 1988).The author stated that grasses in the red deer nutrition samples from the region of Kočevje (Slovenia) represented 50% of their total nutrition during the period from April to October.This indicates that pasture is even more important within smaller fen- ced areas where red deer and wild boar are reared together intensively (sections of hunting ground or breeding locations), because the natural production of food for wild game is inadequate on such terrains in regard to quantity and quality.
The first detailed research into meadow associations in forest hunting grounds of Serbia, according to our knowledge, was carried out within the project "Investigation of damage caused by large wild game and their effect on forest the eco-systems of Republic of Serbia (pilot project)", requested and financed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management -Forest Directorate.The obtained results showed that meadow plants have almost double the energy value of tree bark (beech and hornbeam), and revealed distinct differences between hunting grounds with regard to production and quality of meadow associations (Tomić et al., 2009).For the purpose of their revitalization, these authors suggested the application of certain meliorative agro-technical measures such as draining, fertilization with mineral fertilizers and the sowing of the seeds of suitable species and cultivars for the preparation of hay and pasture.Also, for their proper utilization, timely cutting in the phenol-phase of ear-forming in grasses, and the beginning of blooming in leguminous plants, will contribute to increase the yield and quality of the hay.
The objective of this paper was to determine (1) the phytocenological composition, (2) number of species and covering, and (3) life forms and floristic elements, which influence the productivity and quality of natural meadow associations within smaller fenced areas of hunting grounds and breeding locations for large wild game (red deer and wild boar).
The first location (2257 ha) is located in the south-east of Srem (region Vojvodina) along the left bank of the Sava river.The relief of the study area is lowland (75-80 m a.s.l.).The second location (ca.600 ha) is on Mt.Sokolovica (municipality of Kuršumlija).The relief of the study area is mountainous (600-1000 m a.s.l.).The third location (381 ha) is in the central part of Mt.Veliki Jastrebac (municipality of Kruševac).The relief of the study area is mountainous (530-890 m a.s.l.).The species of reared wild game on all three locations are red deer and wild boar.
Meadow and pasture associations are described according to the principles and methodology of the Swiss-French phytocenological school (Braun-Blanquet, 1964).In all phytocenological recordings/screenings a scale for number and covering was used (Braun-Blanquet, 1928) with the following numerical marks: + (rare species), 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. (the highest mark shows the greatest domination of species in regard to both traits).Plant species are grouped in three categories: grasses, leguminous plants and other plant species.
Meadow associations are determined on the basis of results obtained in previous phytocenological researches carried out on the territory of Serbia (Kojić et al., 2004).The determination of life forms was done according to criteria of Raunkiaer (1934) and Kojić et al., (1997), and the determination of floristic elements was done according to the phytogeographical classification of Gajić (1984), Stevanović (1992) and Jovanović (1994).

RESULTS AND DISCUSION
Using phytocenological analysis of the collected samples, species were determined according to the plant associations to which they belong.The number and covering of the species evaluated in the field are presented in Table 1.
On the location Karakuša the following three plant associations were determined: (I) ass.Argostio-Juncetum effusi Cinc. 1959;(II)  In the phytocenological study of 20 locations in Serbia, where the numerical presence and covering of species were analyzed (Cincović, 1959), the association Argostio-Juncetum effusi Cinc.1959 was determined, among others.The characteristic species in this association were Juncus effusus L., Juncus articulatus L. and Agrostis alba L., but the highest numerical presence and covering was established for the species Juncus effusus L. (from 1.1 to 5.4).
On four locations of ass.Agrostietum vulgaris Z. Pavl.1955.on the territory of Stara Planina mountain, the share of useful grasses, legumes and other species varied in the interval of 70.1 -85.8% (Tomić et al., 2005).The share of useful grasses was 47.8 -62.8%, whereas the share of useful legumes was 12.4 -30.8%.Kojić et al., (1993) reported that in the same association on the Rudnjan plateau, the highest numerical presence and covering for the Table 1.Numerical presence and coverage by species in meadow associations of the hunting grounds of Serbia: fenced part of hunting ground "Posavsko lovište Karakuša" (I, II, III); fenced breeding center "Miloševa voda" -Mt.Sokolovica (IV); and fenced breeding center "Lomnička reka" -Mt.Veliki Jastrebac (V).On the other location ("Miloševa voda" -Mt.Sokolovica) two meadows were studied and described with one recording/screening, and it was established that both meadows belonged to the same plant association, (IV) ass.Festuco-Agrostietum Horv. (1952) 1982. em Trinajest. 1972 In previous studies of meadow eco-systems on the territory of Mt.Veliki Jastrebac (Jovanović-Dunić et al., 1986) eight associations were determined, of which Festuco-Hordeestum secalini and Agrostio-Chrysopogonetum grylli were present.Because of the influence of an anthropogenic factor (their utilization) a change in the floristic composition occurred, which is the reason why on the meadow studied on the third location (former forest nursery) ass.Agrostieto-Festucetum valesiacae is dominant with 34 species, whereas previously stated associations had 31 and 45 species.
In Serbia, many authors have studied plant associations in different habitats (low land, hilly  (Mijatović et al., 2007).
The great number of weed species compared to the total number of species determined on the meadows within the hunting grounds of Serbia shows that insufficient attention is paid to these meadows in sense of application of agro-technical measures and improvement of the quality of a potential forage mass for the nutrition of wild game (cutting, fertilizing, etc.).
ass.Trifolio-Agrostietum stoloniferae Lj.Mark.1973; and (III) ass.Agrostietum vulgaris Z. Pavl.1955 sensu lato.The first plant association (I) is described in two recordings/screenings.The first recording/screening contains 36 species of which 8 are from the family Poaceae, 7 from the family Fabaceae and 21 from other families.The second recording/screening contains 33 species of which 8 are from the family Poaceae, 7 from the family Fabaceae and 18 from other families.The highest numerical presence and covering was established for Agrostis capillaris L. (5.4 and 3.3), Poa pratensis L. (3.3 and 3.3), Juncus effusus L. (3.3 and 3.2) and Agropyrum repens L (3.3 and 2.2).The most present legume species were Medicago falcata L. (3.2 and 3.2), Trifolium repens L. (2.2 and 2.2) and Vicia cracca L. (2.1 and 2.1).The second plant association (II) is described in two recordings/screenings.The first contained 43 species of which 7 are from family Poaceae, 7 from the family Fabaceae and 29 from other families.The second contains 38 species of which 6 are from the family Fabaceae and 26 from other families.The highest numerical presence and covering was established for Trifolium repens L. (4.3 and 3.3) and Agrostis stolonifera L. (3.3 and 3.3), after which the name of this association was defined.The third plant association (III) is described in two recordings/screenings.Both contain 33 species of which 8 are from the family Poaceae, 3 from the family Fabaceae and 22 from other families.The highest numerical presence and covering was established for Agrostis capillaris L. (4.4 and 5.4), Bromus inermis Leyess.(2.3 and 2.3), Ambrosia maritima L. (3.3 and 1.1), Agropyrum repens L. (3.3 and +.1), Ranunculus repens L. (3.3 and +.1), Trifolium repens L. (2.2 and 1.1) and Convolvulus arvensis L. (2.2 and 1.1).

Table 2 .
Life forms and floral elements in studied meadow associations (%)