Site characteristics of selected mires and surrounding spruce forests on the Pokljuka plateau

This research focuses on the spruce mires of the Pokljuka plateau, which like raised bogs can also be classified as peat bogs. By using cluster analysis of the phytosociological relevés, we have classified the mires into several groups that belong to different syntaxa. Apart from a similar vegetation structure, the defined groups also have specific hydrological and ecological conditions, which emphasises the indicative value of the vegetation. Because of significant differences, the vegetation groups are classified mainly according to the levels of soil humidity, the pH value of the soil, the amount of total carbon and the C/N ratio of the soil. The groups are, apparently, also different according to their average quantities of Ca, H and Al exchangeable cations