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Introduction
Current institution
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March 2025 - present
Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre of the Slovak Academy of Sciences
Position
- Research Assistant
September 2002 - June 2022
Education
September 2004 - August 2009
September 1997 - May 2002
Publications
Publications (92)
English summary:
The proposal of the presented syntaxonomical classification of montane Norway Spruce communities of the class Piceetea excelsae Klika 1948 along with the notes on their distribution elaborated originally within author’s Ph.D. thesis (Kučera, 2010c) are based on the study of literature sources, re-evaluation of all gathered phytocoe...
A syntaxonomical statistical analysis of 110 phytocoenological relevés of the Western Carpathians Norway spruce-Arolla pine and Arolla pine phytocoenoses was performed. Resulting six relevé aggregates were evaluated at the rank of association. Two major groups of Arolla pine woodlands were distinguished following strong floristical differences and...
A second version of the syntaxonomical classification of calcareous Norway spruce communities is presented for the region of Slovak Western Carpathians. Recent knowledge on delimitation of natural Norway spruce woodlands in Slovakia is summarized as well. As result, four in Slovakia traditionally recognized associations are distinguished: Seslerio...
A second version of the syntaxonomical classification of acid Norway spruce communities is presented for the region of Slovak Western Carpathians based on the recent knowledge on delimitation of natural Norway spruce woodlands in Slovakia. As a result, two in Slovakia traditionally recognized associations are distinguished: Lophozio-Piceetum Volk i...
Quercus iberica is an oak taxon identified as Q. polycarpa by some authors. The respective taxonomical approaches to Q. iberica are briefly introduced and the reliable morphological characters for the differentiation of these two taxa which are available during the whole growing season are exemplified on the basis of carefully chosen field samples....
Two new associations of natural acid Norway spruce communities (the order Piceetalia abietis Pawłowski ex Pawłowski et al. 1928 nom. corr.) from Slovakia are introduced: Solidagini virgaureae-Piceetum abietis and Parido quadrifoliae-Piceetum abietis. Their original relevés and floristical characteristics are published as well as their differentiati...
The book summarises over 50 years of intensive botanical research in the Veľká Fatra National Park.
It provides a lot of information and data about one of our largest and best-preserved national parks in a highly professional yet attractive and understandable form. Symbolically, the publication was completed just at the time when the national park...
The heterogeneity of the geological, geomorphological (relief), climatic and soil conditions of the study area (smooth hilly-, but also steep rocky-relief, exposed sunny slopes and cold ravines, snowfields, bogs, etc.) allowed the survival of various flora elements and the existence of a wide range of plant communities.
The species richness and veg...
Knowledge of the overall syntaxonomic and habitat variability of forest communities with Arolla pine (Pinus cembra) within the Tatra Mountains (Western Carpathians) is still insufficient as field research was hindered by their hardly accessible localities and deforestation for high mountain grazing. Arolla pine woodlands were traditionally classifi...
The great book of plants, rocks, minerals and fossils is a unique, richly illustrated work, which in a comprehensive form gives an image of the flora of the whole of Central Europe. The updated texts present in an engaging way information on the life, reproduction, distribution, occurrence of plants and their importance for humans, as well as data...
Milí priatelia botanici, i v tejto neľahkej dobe covidovej Vám opäť prinášame našu rubriku a v nej množstvo cenných údajov od dvanástich autorov. Celkovo si môžete prečítať dáta k 182 taxónom (82 lišajníkov, 100 kvitnú-cich rastlín). Tak ako vždy, i tentoraz sa v rubrike objavujú údaje o mnohých vzácnych taxónoch len kriticky ohrozených je 16 (13 l...
We provide new or amended information on the occurrence of 77 vascular plant and 8 bryophyte taxa recorded in Veľká Fatra Mts and surroundings, most often in adjacent part of Turčianska kotlina Basin. Among vascular plants, 18 taxa are considered archaeophytes, 11 neophytes and 4 of uncertain residence status. Sixteen taxa belong to Near Threatened...
Wet woodlands with domination of Norway spruce are floristically and ecologically distinctive element of coniferous forest vegetation. However, specialized studies on this vegetation are considerably rare. In this survey the syntaxonomical classification of 145 relevés of Sphagnum-rich and other wet woodlands with Picea abies from Slovakia is propo...
Occurrence of Quercus banatus P. Kučera (= Q. aurea Wierzb., nom illeg.; Q. dalechampii auct. medioeur. non Ten.) was confirmed in Slovenia during a brief trip to Škocjan Caves in the Škocjan Caves Regional Park (southwestern Slovenia). The species is not recognized in the national Slovenian flora – Mala flora Slovenije, although it was recorded in...
Two new associations of wet woodlands with Picea abies from the Western Carpathians are described. Stands of the first unit, Leucobryo glauci-Piceetum abietis, are located on dryer margins of mires, on plains where water from snow melting and rains remains considerable long above the soil surface. The most characteristic sign of the species-poor fl...
During field research in 2017, two localities of Salix appendiculata were discovered in the Veľká Fatra Mts (central Slovakia, Western Carpathians). This species is not reported from the Western Carpathians in the recent floras and keys to the flora. The nearest localities of S. appendiculata are known in Austria. Its hybrid, S. ×attenuata, was rec...
In Tuexenia, vol. 38, Zięba et al. published an extensive syntaxonomical study of Arolla pine (Pinus cembra) forests, based on 108 relevés from both Poland and Slovakia. The authors stated that only a few works have been dedicated to the Arolla pine forests of the Tatras, and that calcicolous communi-ties have not been studied previously. However,...
Príspevok pojednáva o prírode blízkom pestovaní lesa na mestských lesoch v Spišskej Belej. Prvá časť prezentuje zhodnotenie doterajších poznatkov o absencii prirodzeného výskytu buka lesného (Fagus sylvatica L.) v oblasti severovýchodného ukončenia Popradskej kotliny (územie lesov mesta Spišská Belá – východná časť Belianskych Tatier a severovýchod...
Quercus dalechampii Ten. is an oak species recognised by numerous authors, but it has an inconsistent taxonomical use depending on any particular author’s concept. Typification of Q. dalechampii in 2012 made this name inapplicable for Central European populations traditionally treated as Q. dalechampii. A new name, Q. banatus, based on Quercus aure...
This are nomenclatural errata to my previous article:
Kučera, P. Two groups of Pinus cembra forest communities in the Tatras. Acta Botanica Hungarica. 2017, Vol. 59, No. 3-4, p. 389–425. DOI: 10.1556/034.59.2017.3-4.7
This contribution provides data on the occurrence of selected vascular plants from the vicinity of Dulice, a village lying on the border zone of the Veľká Fatra Mts and the Turčianska kotlina basin. The area has been deforested for centuries, the anthropic influence – including abandonment of the traditional land exploitation in the last decades –...
This paper summarizes field observations of vascular plant species found in the territory of the Turčianska kotlina Basin and Veľká Fatra Mts. as well as selected data from several mountain ranges of the Western Carpathians. Presented are data on the occurrence of trees (Abies alba, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus aurea etc.), shrubs (Daphne mezereum, Jun...
National Nature Reserve Devínska Kobyla is a renowned protected area lying on the western and southern slopes of the Devínska Kobyla, which forms the westernmost part of the Devínske Karpaty Hills. Published data on oaks of this territory vary in their spatial and taxonomical accuracy, and, the name Devínska Kobyla was misapplied repeatedly when re...
Beginning with pasture abandonment in 1949, artificial plantations and secondary succession of shrub and tree species negatively affect plant species and vegetation diversity of the National Nature Reserve Devínska Kobyla. Current management works (duration 2015–2017) are focused on reduction of woody species expanding at human-induced grasslands,...
The characteristic feature of the Veľká Fatra Mts (Western Carpathians) is the rich development of nivation cirques on various slope aspects of the main mountain chain. Special ecological conditions of these sites determine their high species richness. In one of them was found a willow population which includes individuals indicating a relation to...
The article summarizes new information on the occurrence of 142 vascular plant taxa (including four hybrids) infrequent in the Veľká Fatra Mts. Among them 101 are autochthonous and 39 allochthonous to the flora of Slovakia, while origin of two taxa remains unclear. We recorded new sites of one endangered (EN: Utricularia minor) and three vulnerable...
The paper briefly introduces general differentiation of chosen vegetation types of the Pezinské Karpaty Mts. They were divided into two vegetation belts according to phytocoenological data: oak belt and beech belt. In 1970 was published first comprehensive study where eight main basic phytosociological units were presented: Carici pilosae-Carpinetu...
In Slovak forestry terminology, separate terms “prírodný” (natural) and “prirodzený” (natural) are applied to describe two different though consecutive degrees on the scale of forest naturalness (see the review by Kučera 2014). The two terms under consideration are largely synonymous in Slovak language, with slight semantic differences. However, th...
According to Kulczyński (1928), a natural Picea abies forest occurs in the mountain range of the Pieniny Mts on the slopes of the mountain Vysoké skalky. Later, various data on the altitudinal range of this stand (and thus on the locality itself) were published: (1) 890 (900) – 950 m, (2) 1 000 – 1 050 m or (3) around 1 000 m. The aim of the field...
Hypotheses on the beechless character of montane forests of the Tatry Mts are deep-rooted in the Slovak scientific community. However, field research has shown that Fagus sylvatica is growing also in the region of the lake Štrbské pleso, even up to the altitude 1 323 m a.s.l. On the example of 4 phytosociological relevés the evidence of Fagus sylva...
We examined evidence of the recent occurence of Ledum palustre from the
mire of the Rojkovské rašelinisko. We have found altogether three places of Ledum
occurrence, however, partly damaged by executing of mire management. We would like
to call attention to reflect the existence of all Ledum palustre specimen in the nature
conservation and manageme...
In Slovak forestry terminology, separate terms „prírodný“ (natural) and “prirodzený”
(native) are applied to describe two different although adjacent stages within the scale of forest
naturalness. As shown, such approach originated by adoption of a special nomenclature published
by Alois Zlatník. This paper is a review on usage of these two terms i...
Mapping unit fir and fir-spruce woods is by definition a specific vegetation type without natural occurrence of Fagus sylvatica, established within the works on the reconstruction of vegetation cover of the Western Carpathians. However, field research in the Veterné hole Mts (phytogeographical subdistrict Lúčanská Fatra) has shown that data on the...
By the means of ten phytocoenological relevés from the mountains of the Veterné hole (phytogeographical subdistrict Lúčanská Fatra) is here presented genuine Montane forest in which Fagus sylvatica is the dominant tree species building canopy. However, only minor part of its original distribution was preserved up to present. It is confirmed, that p...
The increasing altitude causes natural changes of the vegetation cover. This change is much more expressed in mountainous regions. In Slovakia, several classifications of the altitudinal vegetation zones were published. Presented paper gives a brief overview of such classifications used in Slovak botany, geography and forestry. There is a significa...
During the research on the origin of differentiation of the geobotanical mapping unit fir woods and fir-spruce woods, a special connection to forest typological literature was found. It is concluded that concept of the fir and fir-spruce woods presented in the Slovak geobotanical maps of the 1980’s had arisen from an older delimitation of the recon...
This paper comments on nomenclature of the name Piceion excelsae of Pawłowski et al. (1928), which should be preferably referred using the form “Piceion excelsae Pawłowski ex Pawłowski et al. 1928”. In the author’s opinion, the definition of Recommendation 46D in the current International Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature (author citations wit...
This paper deals with the conclusions of RYBNÍČEK &
RYBNÍČKOVÁ (2009) on natural climazonal forests of the northwestern
foothills of the Kremnické vrchy Mts (central Slovakia).
Pollen-analytical data indicate, according to these authors, the
prevalence of natural Picea abies and Abies alba forests in that
region. We present phytocoenological eviden...
By the means of four phytocoenological relevés from the group of Mt. Horná lúka, part of the mountains of the Veterné hole (the Western Carpathians) are here extended examples of genuine Upper Montane forest, in which Fagus silvatica is the dominant tree species building canopy (cf. Kučera, 2013). It is confirmed, that plant community like this is...
An unique Slovak mire combining fen and bog biota protected within the Rojkovské
rašelinisko Natural Reserve became once again threatened: this time by one of potential versions
of planned (and already started) highway construction. The mire was to a great extent exploited
in the past: bog part of the mire suffered at most, and degraded. Recent thr...
We present new findings of vascular plants for the protected area Sosnina
(Oravská kotlina) – Tephroseris crispa, Empetrum nigrum, Senecio hercynicus
var. hercynicus, qCarex paniculata, and extended data on the occurence of
Sparganium natans, S. erectum subsp. neglectum, Carex nigra subsp. juncella,
Dactylorhiza ericetorum and Dryopteris cristata,...
Field research in the mountains Spišská Magura (NE Slovakia) was perfomed in the forests of the most elevated parts of the mountain ridge. Published records on the development of a Picea abies altitudinal vegetation zone in these mountains proved erroneous. Recent spruce forest stands are there secondary plant communities. According to the author,...
A number of authors (e.g. Tschermak, Svoboda, Zlatník) stated that a zone of continental climate without Fagus sylvatica was present between the Tatry Mts and the Nízke Tatry Mts, in the so-called central part of the Western Carpathians. However, recent research confirmed the autochthonous occurrence of Fagus within the Podtatranská kotlina and the...
We found interesting stands of wetland vegetation in the floodplain of the river Váh during the field research of slopes of the Kopa (1 187 m) by Kraľovany. We classified recorded phytosociological relevés of stands dominated by Eleocharis acicularis, with Persicaria spp., Callitriche sp., Alisma plantago-aquatica, as well as Limosella aquatica, as...
This paper deals with nomenclatural proposals by the recent Austrian phytosociological survey “Die Wälder und Gebüsche Österreichs” (WILLNER et al. 2007). In respect of the International Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature, we re-evaluate the authors’ approach to syntaxa names. An explanation
is given of names assigned to the class Piceetea exce...
In terms of statistical methodics, use of the arithmetic mean is limited to ratio and interval scale data. Though, it is used within phytosociology most frequently for evaluation of the “average species cover" computed from the Braun-Blanquet cover-abundance scale, which is of ordinal character. Instead, application of more appropriate descriptive...
The paper includes assignation of nomenclatural types to Slovak syntaxa dominated naturally by Picea abies, i.e. to 1 order (Athyrio filicis-feminae-Piceetalia Hadač ex Hadač et al. 1969) and 14 associations and 5 subassociations of the alliances Piceion excelsae Pawłowski ex Pawłowski et al. 1928, Athyrio alpestris-Piceion Sýkora 1971, Oxalido-Pic...
Recent field research in the area of distribution of the alliance Abietion albae communities indicate that stands originally included in the alliance are no more beechless. As the alliance Abietion albae comprise secondary forest communities primarily from the order Fagetalia sylvaticae it should be evaluated as superfluous syntaxon. Detailed nomen...
Several syntaxa of the suballiances Galio-Abietenion Oberdorfer 1962 and Vaccinio-Abietenion Oberdorfer 1962 are referred from the territory ofSlovakia (cf. Mucina et al. 1985), and accepted in literature sources. However, all associations included in the frame of the two suballiances in Slovakia face to various nomenclatural and syntaxonomical pro...
The major part of the literature sources state that there is a beechless zone of south-eastem part of the Belianske Tatry Mountains, especially in the Dolina Siedmich pramenov Valley. The absence of the beech in the region was there justified by natural reasons. During the field research the author found out several localities of the occurence of t...
Continentality as a factor determining the distribution of flora and vegetation is used often within geobotany. Continentality is frequently used also in Slovakia – its effects are applied in interpretation of differences in forest vegetation of some regions (e. g. the Popradská kotlina Basin, southern slopes of the Vysoké Tatry Mts) in comparison...
Data on species of mires of Mt. Kubínska Hoľa (northern Slovakia) are available since the 19th century, either as floristic entries or detailed studies. Our recent field research did not confirm presence of Andromeda polifolia, Calluna vulgaris and problematic data on occurrence of Carex elata and Scheuchzeria palustris as well. We recorded some un...
Recent findings and evolution of forest stands composition in the Demänovská dolina valley (the Nízke Tatry Mountains) have shown that some older opinions on naturally beechless woodlands of the Demänovská dolina Valley are not in accordance with the nature of habitats of this region. The beech expands now and grows succesfully in various phytocoen...
Spruce woodlands in the highest elevations of the plateau of the Muránska planina Mts, above 1 250–1 300 m a. s. l., were regarded as natural ones sensu several authors (Cvachová & Urbanová 1985, Burkovský 1985, Magic 1990, Ložek 1991, Pelikán 1991, Vološčuk 1991). According to my field knowledge of that area, there is no ecological or phytocoenolo...
Although the issue of classifying Abies alba woodlands has been tackled by many authors, the greatest influ-ence had a trend-setting work of Braun-Blanquet (Braun-Blanquet et al. 1939): he described the suballiance Abieti-Piceenion Br.-Bl. in Br.-Bl et al. 1939. Another important conception was created later by Oberdorfer (1957) who later (1962) di...
The main target of the thesis is a comprehensive survey of published literature concerned on spruce woodlands of Western Carpathians. Introductory chapters comprise information on the manner the thesis was worked out and notes on used methods. The major part of thesis, Survey of literature with notes on nomenclature and syntaxonomy, contains chrono...
When studying vascular plants on the main ridge of the Veľká Fatra Mts (central Slovakia) in 2006, we gained new knowledge on the distribution of some species. This was particularly the first record of Pyrola carpatica in the region, findings of new sites for some rare taxa (Festuca alpina subsp. alpina, Hieracium crassipedipilum, H. halleri, Omalo...
Two new localities of rare species Carex limosa L. were discovered during 2005 in Slovakia from several types of plant communities. Authors’ aim is to contribute to knowledge of distribution of this species.
For selected vascular plant, bryophyte and stonewort taxa and populations, we contribute new, updated and/or reviewed information on their distribution and, whenever possible, abundance and viability or threatening in the Turčianska Kotlina Basin (central Slovakia). From the total of c. 800 vascular plant taxa found (including 14 hybrids), 90 are o...
We present results of phytocoenological research of Belianska dolina valley in mountain range Veľká Fatra. In this area climax beech and fir-beech forests (in lower altitudes) and spruce forests (higher altitudes). In some localitities, the beech forests were partially replaced by spruce monocultures. The following associations were found for these...
The review of bryophytes, growing on the territory of the Muránska Planina Mts, and the adjacent area (central Slovakia) based on both published and unpublished data is presented. Altogether 372 taxa of bryophytes (98 liverworts, and 274 mosses), representing about 40 % of the bryoflora of Slovakia, have been recorded in the study area hitherto. Da...
