Spruce mire types on the Pokljuka plateau, Slovenia

In addition to some of the most southerly peat bogs in Europe, Slovenia als o has some spruce mires. In general, these are transitional bogs with a mix ture of ombrotrophic and minerotrophic elements. The vegetation of the spru ce mires and the surrounding ecosystems was examined on the Pokljuka platea u in the north-western part of Slovenia. In accordance with the heterogeneous site conditions we found different typ es of vegetation. We found some spruce forests with Sphagnum mosses (Sphagn o girgensohnii-Piceetum var. geogr. Carex brizoides) on supposedly autochth onous sites. The edges of the mires melded into the serried spruce forest ( Rhytidiadelpho lorei-Piceetum). In the centre of the mires we found Sphagno -Pinetum mugo or other vegetation: Sphagno-Caricetum rostratae s. lat. and the plant communities where Carer davalliana Sm. or Trichophorum alpinum (L .) Pers. dominated. We also found some transitional types. Because of the harsh conditions both the height and radial growth of the sp ruce trees on mire sites are very slow and variable. Differences between th e group means of spruce height and diameter were significant.