The Western - Pontic Steppe Vegetation in Bulgaria

Abstract The paper presents results of a syntaxonomic analysis of the herbaceous phytocoenoses on the steep stony slopes and the plainy watersheds along the Northern Black Sea Coast and in the internal part of the South Dobrudzha (North-Eastern Bulgaria). The specific patterns of the vegetation in this part of the Balkan-Moesian (Lower-Danubian) forest-steppe province of the Eurasian steppe area is discussed. The comparatively preserved relict steppe vegetation includes relatively high numbers of endemic, rare and threatened species, which is the reason for its importance for conservation of biodiversity and the specific habitats. Two new associations are described: 1) Alysso caliacrae – Atremisietum lerchianae with two subassociations – typicum and camphoresmetosum monspeliacae, and 2) Paeonio tenuifoliae-Koelerietum brevis with three variants. The associations belong to the alliance Pimpinello-Thymion zigoidi – an endemic syntaxon for Bulgarian and Romanian Black Sea coasts. Kеy words: syntaxonomy, Festuco-Brometea, Festucetalia valesiacae, NATURA 2000