Dolina Smrti in Žerjav, Carinthia, is a site where a lead smelter operated until 1990. In this study, we were interested in the spatio-temporal impact of the smelter on the vegetation in its immediate vicinity, focusing on the central ridge of the area. The study was carried out in the form of a phytocenological survey of higher plants and floristic survey of mosses on sample plots where surveys had already been conducted in 1981 and 2001. The second part of the study then involved a comparison of survey inventories from these three time periods which were approximately 20 years appart. We analyzed vegetation cover, species composition and site conditions using ecological indicator values (EIV) and functional characteristics of the vegetation. The species composition of the stands varied significantly over the years; these differences resulted from a gradual shift in species over time, as survey inventories from one year did not differ significantly from those of another. The core of dry calcareous grasslands has been preserved. Among the analyzed variables, EIVs contributed the most to interannual differences; they varied both between years and within a single year, but do not unambiguously correspond to pollution levels. In the stands of 2024, we observed greater vegetation cover, smaller differences in stand species composition, reduced species diversity, and greater heterogeneity of functional traits. Metallophytic species persisted in the area throughout the entire period, and we also confirmed the presence of a small number of metal-tolerant bryophyte species.
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