Hainard Pierre

Flore et végétation du Parc jurassien vaudois: typologie, écologie et dynamique des milieux

Project Number: CH-5806

Project Type:	Dissertation
Project Duration:	05/01/1995 - 09/30/1998 project completed
Funding Source:	other ,
Leading Institution:	Université de Lausanne
Project Leader:	Monsieur Pierre Hainard

related to this project.

for which the project has a relevance.

Research Areas:

Biodiversity

Disciplines:

general biology

Abstract:
Flora and vegetation of the Parc jurassien vaudois (Switzerland): typology, ecology and dynamic of the ecosystems

A good knowledge of species and ecosystems is an essential component for the management of a protected area. The flora and the vegetation of the Parc jurassien vaudois were studied in this aim. This region is situated in the Jura Mountains, canton of Vaud (Western Switzerland) at an altitude 1200 to 1570 meters, with a suboceanic climate.
The natural vegetation corresponds to beech and fir forests in the mountain level, and beech and maple forests in the subalpine level. But this vegetation was strongly influenced by the overexploitation at the last centuries, which caused a decrease of the beech, replaced by the spruce.

The integrated synusial phytosociology is used for the description of the vegetation, as it is more suitable for the study of complex environments. The relevés are made on two levels: the synusiae, which contain only one stratum and put together the different species sharing the same ecological conditions, and the phytocoenoses, formed by a group of synusiae. These relevés are compared in order to draw up a classification of the synusiae and the phytocoenoses, completed with the description of soil profiles and structural profiles, as with vegetation maps. All these informations helped to understand the ecological and dynamic relationships linking up these plant formations.

More than 550 species was listed on 68 km2, among which 13 % appear on a red list. The relevés of synusiae were classified in 76 plant communities (8 for the tree layer, 13 for the shrub layer, 55 for the herb layer). They are described on the basis of the main species, the required ecological conditions, and the relationships linking up them with the other communities. The relevés of phytocoenoses were classified in 32 plant formations (8 pastures, 8 wooded pastures, 3 very wooded pastures, 10 forests and 3 meadows). Their descriptions is made up of the main present synusiae, the required ecological conditions, the internal relationships linking up the different synusiae and the existing links with other formations, which allows to define series of vegetation.

On the basis of different criterions, the limit between the mountain and subalpine levels were set between 1300 and 1450 m following the aspect. A map, accompanied with some management proposals, shows the most important areas for the conservation of the flora and the vegetation.
The phytosociology with Braun-Blanquet’s method and the integrated synusial phytosociology are compared in order to list the respective advantages and disadvantages. These two methods are complementary and should not be mutually exclusive.

Publications:
Vittoz P. 1998. Flore et végétation du Parc jurassien vaudois: typologie, écologie et dynamique des milieux. Thèse de doctorat, Université de Lausanne.
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Last update: 7/18/17
Source of data: ProClim- Research InfoSystem (1993-2024)
Update the data of project: CH-5806

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