Permanent plots in dry grasslands on Děvín Hill, southern Moravia, Czech Republic

The permanent plots are located on Děvín Hill (549 m a.s.l.) in the northern part of the Pavlov Hills, southern Moravia, Czech Republic. The climate of the area is subcontinental with annual temperature means of 8–9.5 °C and total annual precipitation of 500–550 mm, of which 300–325 mm falls in the growing season (Chytrý et al., 2017; Tolasz et al., 2007). The temporal variation in precipitation is considerable and long periods of drought are common. The area is well-known for its high species richness caused by a high diversity of habitats within a relatively small area (Danihelka et al., 2015). Thanks to the limestone bedrock, the Pavlov Hills host a significant number of Sub-Mediterranean plant species, which co-occur here with continental steppe species. South-facing slopes and crests are covered by dry grasslands of the alliances Festucion valesiacae (on shallow soils) and Bromo pannonici-Festucion csikhegyensis (on rock outcrops; Chytrý 2007; Danihelka et al. 2015).

Seven permanent plots of 4 × 4 m2, marked by metal rods, were established in 1993 in the summit area of Děvín at an altitude of ~500-520 m, at 48°52'04.0'' N, 16°38'46.0'' E. These plots were placed in a relatively homogeneous area of dry grassland of the alliance Festucion valesiacae (Chytrý, 2007) and intentionally located in places representative of the dry grassland vegetation in a broader area of Děvín Hill’s crest, on the same slope with inclination ~20° and SE aspect, with a maximum between-plot distance of 87 m. The bedrock is a Jurassic limestone, with rendzina soil of an average depth of 15 cm, and rock outcrops covering ~10% of the area. Surveys were performed every spring, in May or June, from 1993 until 2018 (except for 1995) by the same surveyor (J. Danihelka, sometimes with additional observers), recording all vascular plant species rooted within the plot with covers visually estimated using the modified nine-degree Braun-Blanquet scale (Westhoff & Maarel, 1978). Plant taxon concepts and names follow Danihelka et al. (2012).
Chytrý, M. (eds.) (2007). Vegetace České republiky. Vol. 1. Travinná a keříčková vegetace [Vegetation of the Czech Republic. 1. Grassland and heathland vegetation]. Academia, Praha.
Chytrý, M., Danihelka, J., Kaplan, Z., & Pyšek, P. (Eds.). (2017). Flora and Vegetation of the Czech Republic. Springer, Cham, Switzerland.
Danihelka, J., Chrtek, J. Jr., & Kaplan, Z. (2012). Checklist of vascular plants of the Czech Republic. Preslia 84: 647–811.
Danihelka, J., Grulich, V., & Chytrý, M. (2015). Pavlov Hills. In: Chytrý, M., Danihelka, J. & Michalcová, D. (eds), Botanical excursions in Moravia. Field guide for the 58th IAVS Symposium, pp 117–138. Masaryk University, Brno.
Tolasz, R., Míková, T., Valeriánová, A., & Voženílek, V. (eds) (2007). Atlas podnebí Česka [Climate atlas of Czechia]. Český hydrometeorologický ústav, Praha & Univerzita Palackého v Olomouci, Olomouc.
Westhoff, V., & van der Maarel, E. (1978). The Braun-Blanquet approach. In: Whittaker, W. H. (ed.), Classification of Plant Communities, pp. 287–399. Dr W. Junk bv Publishers, The Hague.