Správa národního parku Podyjí

Podyjí National Park is one of the most notable territories in central Europe for its wealth of flora and vegetation. There are several reasons for this. The most important factors are the phytogeographical position of the territory, the microclimatic and mesoclimatic conditions, the geomorphology of the territory and the geological conditions.

The flora in Podyjí is mainly determined by the position of the national park on the border of two biogeographical units – the Central European Deciduous Forest Province and the Pannonian Province. According to the phytogeographical classification of the Czech Republic the eastern third of the NP lies in the Pannonian Thermophyticum phytogeographical region (in district No. 16 – the Znojemsko-brněnská pahorkatina – Znojmo-Brno Hills). The remaining two thirds of the territory belong to the Českomoravská Mesophyticum and also to phytogeographical district No. 68 – Moravské podhůří Vysočiny (Moravian foothills of the Vysočina Highlands). The border between these two units runs from Znojmo-Hradiště along the upper left rim of the Dyje canyon to the abandoned meander called “Lipina” near Podmolí and then the border turns to the south and runs through the Austrian border (Grulich 1997). The geomorphology of the breakthrough valley allows two basic influences to meet and interact. The rocky headlands and exposed, sunny places are the home of thermophyte flora on isolated enclaves which lie deep in the heart of the mesophyticum but on the other hand the inversions in the deep valley allow sub-montane species to descend to very low elevations above sea level (Grulich 1985). Due to the gradient of elevations (sloping up to the west) and the anaemo-orographic conditions we can also detect a very distinct west-east gradient of climatic factors. We can find sub-montane vegetation at the highest elevations in the west of the park (> 500m). The eastern edge of the national park, with its steppe and forest steppe with thermophyte vegetation lies in a rain shadow (Grulich 1986).

Botanical research in Podyjí has a relatively long tradition and several books on the flora of Znojmo county (including the current Podyjí NP) have been published since the late 19^th century. A relatively wide range of botanical literature referring to the territory exists and the most notable works can be found here:

 literature (only in Czech) (19,61KB)

The territory of the national park can be divided into two parts with differing vegetative development (Vicherek et. al. 1991 – unpublished material): A) the plateau with a slightly wavy hill country relief and B) the canyon-like valley of the Dyje.

 Botanical_handbook.pdf (111,43 KB) 

Basic Characteristics of the Flora and Vegetation

Invasive and Expansive Plants