Wild service tree belongs among rare woody plants tolerant to higher temperatures and low soil humidity. There are available data from analyses of 34 wild service tree localities in Slovakia. The majority of analyzed localities (70%) were on south-exposed stands (SE, S, SW); 97% of these were in altitudes up to 600 m. Wild service tree prefers biotopes of the oak-hornbeam forests. The highest frequency of this woody plant was found in group of forest site types Fageto-Quercetum. According to altitudinal vegetation stages, the majority of stands (85%) were in the 3 rd and 2 nd vegetation stage, where potential evapotranspiration is higher than the sum of precipitation. From March to September the water deficit is approximately 100-150 mm. The most frequent are stands with mountain climate (62%) with prevalence of moderately warm (38%) and warm (15%) climate. Wild service tree grows mainly on soils with favourable physical characteristics and adsorbing complex (65% of stands). The soils are fertile and well supplied with nutrients (Luvisols, Cambisols). Some localities (35%) have soils rich in minerals; however, their soil chemistry is one-sided, so they are mostly little fertile (Rendzinas). Regarding the water content in soils, Cambisols have generally sufficient water supply; Luvisols have lower water supply with a possibility of their aridization; Rendzinas are mostly loose soils with good permeability, regarding their shallow profile with lower water capacity they have usually less water supply. According to the obtained data, it is possible to evaluate wild service tree as a light-demanding woody plant with requirements for higher temperatures and higher contents of nutrients in soil, able to grow on drier soils with infrequent occurrence of water deficit. With regard to the expected changes of global climate, wild service tree should substitute some tender woody plants with higher sensitivity to drought in landscape as well as in forestry.
Environmental conditions in sites with service tree and wild service tree are assessed and some ecological differences between them are also identified. Both species are regarded as prospective woody plants with a possibility of wider utilization in forestry and landscape arrangements. They are tolerant to direct sunlight and short-time water deficit in the soils, therefore they are suitable for the afforestation of arid and warm sites (even clear unstocked areas). They prefer soils with favourable physical characteristics and adsorbing complex with acid to neutral soil reaction. Both the mentioned taxa have valuable timber, so the potential of their utilization in forestry is also in conditions of oak and beech-oak forests. They should be used as valuable admixture in oak forests or substitute the sensitive beech in drier sites of oak-beech forests.
In the last decade in European countries attention was already paid to rare woody plants in connection with expected changes of global climate. These were such woody plants that are able to grow in rather warm and arid environmental conditions. Wild pear (Pyrus L.) is one of these woody plants. It is a significant but scattered component of rural landscape and of woodland communities (ROLOFF 1998).In 1994-1999, 64 experimental plots were established in Slovakia where pear occurred more frequently. A comparatively large scope of problems was studied on obtained data: pear requirements for environmental conditions (PAGANOVÁ 2003a), its growth abilities (PA-GANOVÁ 2001), production qualities of pear populations and occurrence of lower taxa of this genus (PAGANOVÁ 2003b).This material allowed to evaluate statistical significance of the morphological characteristics of leaves and fruits within the taxonomic identification of Pyrus pyraster (L.) BURGSD., Pyrus nivalis JACQ. and Pyrus × amphigenea (DOMIN, DOSTÁL in DOSTÁLEK 1989). These taxa were found in the territory of Slovakia. Great attention has been paid to the evaluation of generative pear progenies within the data collection. Scope of problemsThree lower taxa of the genus Pyrus L. are mentioned according to PENIAŠTEKOVÁ (1992) Among the mentioned taxa, Pyrus nivalis JACQ. is quite easily identified according to the morphological characteristics of leaves. Its leaves are elongate obovate, elliptic or even lanceolate, with entire leaf margin. They have the acute leaf base and in maturity they are white pubescent (PENIAŠTEKOVÁ 1992;TERPÓ 1960; KRÁ-LIK 1994).In some cases it is rather difficult to identify wild pear Pyrus pyraster (L.) BURGSD. and common pear Pyrus communis L. emend. BURGSD.WAGNER (1995) compiled all known and published information, results of research work, measured data and experiences of experts from various institutions. He elaborated a table of characteristics that are suitable for the identification of vegetative organs, fruits, shoots, leaves and also blooms of both these pear taxa.Identification is complicated due hybridisation between cultivated pear sorts and wild pear (Pyrus pyraster). Progenies or half-cultivated individuals of hybrid origin are called naturalised pears. Such additional multi-hybridisation induces certain variability of plant habit, leaf shape and fruits of Pyrus pyraster. It is possible to study a conversion of wild pear to cultivated pear sorts within this morphological variability. Therefore it is more and more complicated to identify a bondary between cultivated pear sorts, naturalised plants and wild pear (TERPÓ 1960 ABSTRACT: A population of 1,149 pear individuals from Slovakia is analysed according to their morphological characteristics of fruits and leaves. Three basic taxa were identified -Pyrus pyraster, Pyrus amphigenea and Pyrus nivalis. Qualitative traits (shape of leaf blade, fruit shape, type of leaf or fruit base, etc.) allowed the exact identification of a particular taxon only in some cases. Quantita...
In Slovakia, wild pear belongs among rare woody plants. Often appears in the scattered vegetation of the landscape, but also on the forest margins mainly in the warm oak-tree communities. In many European countries wild pear is in the centre of interest of the landscape designers and foresters, because this species has aesthetic influence in the landscape, good growth rate and valuable timber.Within taxonomical classification of pears, morphological traits of the leaves, shoots and fruits were applied, as well as presence of thorns on shoots (Hecker 1985;Wagner 1995Wagner , 1996Müller, Litschauer 1996; Aas 1999;Rotach, Baume 2004).Pear leaves are different in their size, shape, leaf margin, shape of the leaf tip and base, and also in petiole length. These differences are considered to be characteristics for separation of the many lower taxa. Several analyses however showed leaf variability not only within the taxon, but also within an individual plant (according to the position of the leaves on shoots).The occurrence of lower taxa of wild pear besides the other topics was studied in 1994-1999 within the study of wild pear Pyrus pyraster (L.) Burgsd. variability in Slovakia. The lower taxa of this species were studied in details and described by Terpó (1960Terpó ( , 1985Terpó ( , 1992 on territory of Hungary and with respect to geographic connection the occurrence at least few of lower taxa was expected also in Slovakia.Several authors elaborated various systems of the lower taxa differentiation on subspecies, varieties, or forms of wild pear, according to variability the leaf and fruit morphological characteristics. Classifications are built mainly on shape and covering of the leaves and also on shape and size of the pear fruits. However, opinions about the authenticity of the particular morphological characteristics are different. The leaf covering was considered to be an important trait according to Wallroth (1822), Koch (1869), Rou, Camus (1901) and Domin (1917), the fruit shape according to Ascherson-Graebner (1906), who considered the leaf covering to be only accessory morphological trait. On the other hand, Schneider (1906) considers fruit shape to be a very inconstant characteristic and he refers to Décaisne (1858), in whose opinion the pear-shape and globular fruits can appear on the same individual. These opinions were applied within the systematic classification of the pear also by Maleev (1939), Rehder (1951 and others (Domin 1917(Domin , 1944 ex Terpó 1960 ex Terpó , 1985 ex Terpó , 1992.The leaf shape was considered to be the main and terminative characteristic in the pear systematic according to Terpó (1960). According to this author the fruit shape is less important morphological (populifolia, cordifolia, rhomboidea, ovata, slovenica). All lower taxa were visually classified according to the leaf and fruit characteristics. Numerical classification based on discriminant analysis according to quantitative traits was done. Some discrepancies were found up to 16.7% between visual and numerical clas...
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.