Alder-ash and willow communities and their diversity in the Pogórze Strzyżowskie foothills (Western Carpathians)
The results of phytosociological studies on the diversity of alder-ash and willow communities in the Pogórze Strzyżowskie foothills are presented. These communities, especially <em>Carici remotae-Fraxinetum</em> are increasingly rare in the landscape of the Carpathians. The paper supports new data allowing better understanding of the diversity of the <em>Carici remotae-Fraxinetum</em> in the southern Poland. On the basis of 59 phytosociological releves two sub-associations were identified: <em>C.r.-F. chrysosplenietosum</em> and <em>C. r.-F. equisetetosum maximii</em> and the form with <em>Alnus incana</em>. The association <em>Carici remotae-Fraxinetum</em> belongs to submontane regional form and to East Carpathian variant. The significance of <em>Caltha palustris-Chaerophyllum hirsutum</em> community is also presented, along with the role of <em>Carex pendula</em> and <em>Matteucia struthiopteris</em>. The paper provides also documentary data on sporadic occurrence of <em>Salicetum triandro-viminalis</em> and <em>Salicetum albo-fragilis</em> communities.