The relation of alpine vegetation cover and geomorphic processes in the Belianske Tatra Mts. (Slovakia)

Abstract The geomorphic processes in high-mountain environments are crucial and often limiting factors of vegetation development. Studies based on the long-term field monitoring are still scarce, however, thus limiting our understandng to vegetation dynamics and the knowledge needed for effective conservation management. In this paper we interpret results of a 20 years long observation considering the relationship between alpine vegetation and intensity of geomorphic processes in the territory of seven permanent plots in the Belianske Tatra Mts. (Slovakia, Central Europe). In principle, these sites represent a “battle field” for ongoing geomorphic processes and vegetation. They are either gradually occupied by initial stages of ecological succession of vegetation or were occupied in the past with the vegetation being more or less destructed. The field research was combined with data collection for standard phytosociological relèves. Spatial distribution of particular tussocks or individuals on each field was drawn in detail. We observed the share of species and their spatial arrangement in relation to the control sites with uncovered substrate. Special attention was paid to measuring the intensity of geomorphic processes using various methods and carried out three times a year. The CANOCO software was used for quantitative evaluation of the phytosociological relèves data. We applied indirect gradient analysis of principal components (PCA) to find out the variability of vegetation and sites, and the direct gradient analysis (RDA) to explain the diversity of species ad the habitat characteristicsThe geomorphic processes affecting the extreme high-mountain environment were evaluated as the most crucial elements that determine the spatial distribution of vegetation, its particular species or overall nature of coppice fragmentation. The relief and mainly its spatial geomorphic attributes are therefore relevant phenomena of landscape that enable scientists to understand, for example the scale and hierarchy of vegetation arrangement. The relationship of vegetation and the intensity of geomorphic processes can be only considered and generalized on the basis of longtermed research.