FLORISTIC AND EDAPHIC PATTERNS IN TYPICAL FIR AND SPRUCE FOREST ON MOUNTAINS TREBEVIC AND ROMANIJA, IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

The bi-dominant spruce and fir forests are secondary plant communities in beech-fir with spruce climax forests belt with hotspot range in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) in the zone of Internal Dinarides (Central Bosnia mountains and Southeastern Bosnian area).The aim was to assess floristic composition and interaction with edaphic factors in typical sub-association of spruce-fir forests (Abieti-Piceetum abietis typicum) on mountains Trebevi and Romanija, in south-eastern B&H.Phytocoenological and pedological data were collected from 12 sample plots.Interactions between plant communities and edaphic factors were assessed using Redundancy Analysis (RDA) in R. A high degree of floristic homogeneity was observed with 104 registered plant species in total.In spectrum of life forms the community is hemicrypto-phanerophyto-geophytic with 42%, 29% and 21% share, respectively.The statistical significance of edaphic factors is the highest for the following variables: concentration of potassium oxide (K2O) and hygroscopic water content (HWC).Species Picea abies and Festuca drymeia showed significant response to edaphic gradients: nutrient availability and soil texture.Floristic composition corresponds to typical silver-fir community with fagetal elements and tendency to beech-fir with spruce climax forest.The research highlights the necessity for management measures that can increase the resilience of typical fir-spruce communities.These forests also need careful monitoring and assessment regarding their response to climate change.