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The Slovakian part of the protected area covers mountains lower than the
Bieszczady, with very few peaks over 1,000 m above the sea level. The Bukovske
Vrchy elevations vary from 198 m to 1,221 m, with the highest peak - Kremenaros
- lying at the meeting point of the borders. The only other peaks over 1,000 m
are Stinska (1,092 m), and the two tops of Velky Bukovec (1,012 and 1,002 m).
This wooded area has a low population density and little agriculture. Wildlife
has been affected more in lower areas, but natural features are still preserved
in the mountains despite prolonged exploitation of the forests and meadows. The
vegetation zones in the Bukovske Vrchy are similar to those in Bieszczady. The
poloniny level is only present on the highest mountains and the slopes are
covered by forests of beech Fagus silvaticus, sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus and
silver fir Abies alba. Between the forests there are meadows and pastures,
which are also present in river valleys. Arable land occurs in the margins of
valleys. In the past, these were covered by forests with oak Quercus robur
and hornbeam Carpinus betulus, as well as, to a lesser extent, by ash Fraxinus
excelsior and alder Alnus glutinosa. Fragments of them are still preserved
along with many remnants of the flora typical of the Carici pilosae-Carpinetum
and Mercuriali-Fraxinatum communities. Some of them are preserved in reserves.
The best preserved forests are those of the lower forest zone. These are mainly
of beech differentiated into 6 vegetation communities. The most important of
these is Carpathian beech forest Dentario glandulosae-Fagetum and the similar
sycamore forest Aceri-Fagetum. In lower parts of the mountains, the beech
prevails, higher up beech and fir, and still higher - beech and sycamore. The
most beautiful beech-fir forest is preserved near Osadny and Nova Sedlica,
where firs may be more than 50 metres tall. The timber line of the forests is
marked by beech, often in dwarfy form. Along mountain streams there are the
alder forests Alnetum incanae and Matteucio-Alnetum incanae, and at the foot of
the mountains - willow shrubs Agrostio-Salicetum pupureae.
The poloniny zone has mountain meadows and grasslands of which the following
have an Eastern-Carpathian character: Poo chaixii-Deschampsietum caespitosae,
Poo chaixii-Calamagrostietum arundinacae, Gentiano-Poetum chaixii,
Leontodono-Nardetum and Polygalo-Nardetum. Grasses mingle with berry-bearing
species in Homogyno-Vaccinetum. The vegetation of the Bukovske Vrchy has a
total of c.60 communities of which 15 are forest, 10 meadow and 10 mountain
meadow. There are also numerous sedge, herb, xerotermic and other communities.
Throughout the Bukovske Vrchy there are about 960 species of vascular plants,
230 species of moss, 70 liverworts and over 260 fungi. This floristic diversity
stems from the variety of conditions, and the transitional location of the area
between the Western Carpathians and the massif of the Eastern Carpathians. The
flora of mountain meadows is especially diversified with numerous Eastern
Carpathian species, such as Senecio papposus, the spurge Euphorbia sojakii (an
endemic species), viper's grass Scorzonera rosea, the bellflower Campanula
abietina and others. Rare East Carpathian forest plants include the vetchling
Lathyrus laevigatus, the buttercup Ranunculus carpaticus, the squill Scilla
kladnii, and the bastard balm Melittis melissophyllum.
There is a large group of legally-protected species, including the orchids
Epipactis helleborine, E. microphylla, Coeloglossum viride, Leucorhis albida,
Orchis cariophora, O. ustulata, O. laxiflora elegans, Dactylorhiza sambusina,
D. maculata transsilvanica and Traunsteinera globosa, and the gentians Gentiana
pneumonathe, G. cruciata, G. lutescens carpatica etc.
The wildlife of this region has many unique species, especially intervebrates.
Many species live at the limits of their ranges and others are endemic. Birds
include species living in isolated habitats.
Amongst the rarest are the Ural owl, several eagles, and the red and black
kites, Milvus milvus and M. migrans. The poloniny meadows are the home of the
water pipit Anthus spinoletta. Among the mammals, the most important larger
species of the forest are brown bear, moose Alces alces, deer, and - wandering
over from the Bieszczady Mountains - bison. The Bukovske Vrchy are also
inhabited by lynxes, as well as by wolves, which are rare. The Aesculapian
snake is another rare species. Endemic animals are intervebrates, such as
Polydesmus polonicus, Leptoiulus baconyensis stuzicensis, Polyzonium
transsilvanicum, Stenus obcuripes and Deltomerus carpaticus. A group of less
common East Carpathian intervebrates include the earthworms Allelobophora
carpatica and Eisenia lucens, the snail Trichia bielzi, and the insects
Strangalia thoracica and Rosalia alpina. Among butterflies, the rare species
Apatura iris, Aglia tau, Fabriciana aglaia, Papillo machaon and Parnassius
mnemosyne are worthy of note.
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