Ecological features of vascular flora on ski trails on NP Kopaonik mountain, Serbia

Abstract

Mt. Kopaonik is distinguished by a high level of biodiversity. In 1981 Kopaonik is promoted into the National park within former Social Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Part of the National park is known as the oldest and the biggest ski resort in Serbia. The aim of this study was to determine key environmental factors influencing a floristic composition of a surveyed ski trails. The data set included 58 phytosociological releves recorded between 2010 and 2013. A total of 322 plant species was recorded in the analyzed ski areas of the Mt. Kopaonik taxonomically belong to 42 families and 136 genera. The main environmental gradients of species composition were analyzed by Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA). Ecological indicator values were used for ecological interpretation of ordination axes. The results of the DCA indicate that the main environmental gradient in the plant species composition of the ski trails was related to the moisture and nutrients. This is due to construction and the maintenance of ski slopes. The represented study gives useful information for the future maintenance of the ski slopes (primarily mowing, grazing, fertilize and overseeding) and selecting species for seed mixtures for restoration of ski slopes.