Vegetation and landscape on crystalline limestone bedrock in the vicinity of Lánov (Giant Mountains, Czech Republic)

This paper evaluates the structure of the landscape and vegetation in an area of 106.4 ha near the quarry by the village Horni Lanov (4 km east of Vrchlabi) situated in a low part of the Giant Mountains. The bedrock (crystalline limestone), rugged terrain, soil moisture and management affect the biodiversity at this locality. It is botanically well known and a very valuable region because of the high number of nature conservation-important species and habitats that occur there. A total 517 species of vascular plants were recorded there between 2002 and 2010. The whole area was divided into 36 segments each with a relatively homogeneous vegetation cover consisting of particular species of plants. Classification of the segments was done using a numerical classification (Sorensen’s similarity index) and Ellenberg’s indicator values were used to describe the basic environmental features of the individual segments. The species presence/ absence data together with indicator values (light conditions, temperature, water availability, soil reaction and nitrogen activity) were evaluated. The PCA ordination of this data set distinguished three basic types of vegetation cover (“forest”, “dry” and “wet”) and that the species composition of the vegetation in the area is mostly determined by land-use (deforestation, limestone mining, pasturing and management of forests) and soil moisture.