Anthropogenic elements of the Ukrainian landscape and the problem of local steppe restoration Vast agricultural fields as well as kurgans and protective forest belts are characteristic, anthropogenic ...components of the Ukrainian landscape. The paper discusses the role that kurgans and windbreaks could play in the local restoration process of the steppe in areas excluded from agricultural use (abandoned fields, orchards and pastures). Three examples are presented schematically. The investigated areas are located in three different climate-vegetation zones: desert steppe zone, west Pontic grass steppe zone and Pontic herb(-rich) grass steppe zone. Special attention is paid to how the local restoration process of the steppe proceeds. In addition, the effectiveness of the process and the role of alien tree species are assessed. The present study also attempts to identify future research directions which will be useful in a wide range of applications. On a European scale, the steppe vegetation has been destroyed to a greater degree (80-90%) than any other type of zonal vegetation. Therefore, the analysis and determination of regularities in the local restoration process of the steppe are of particular importance.
Floristic studies were carried out in eight botanical gardens in Poland in the years 1992-1999. It was demonstrated that the spontaneous synanthropic flora of the gardens consisted of 1092 taxa in ...the rank of a genus or lower, among which alien species constituted 55% of the flora studied. Ergasiophygophytes, of which the introduction is closely associated with the activities of the botanical gardens, dominated in the latter group of species. It appeared that the flora of the studied botanical gardens was rather similar. However, the structure of the flora of different spatial units (six types of microhabitats) distinguished in the particular gardens varied, which was associated with the various management practices. The flora of microhabitats identified in the gardens differed with respect to the number of taxa and spectra of geographical-historical groups of species and life forms. Ruderal sites, arable lands and roadsides supported the highest number of taxa (the flora of the above spatial units was represented by 646, 645 and 597 taxa, respectively). Moreover, they were characterized by a high proportion of annual plants in the flora (43, 38 and 34%, respectively) and by a relatively small representation of apophytes (39% in all the three types of microhabitats). The flora of wet areas and parks was, however, poor in species (154 and 403 species, respectively), but relatively rich in apophytes (72 and 55% of the flora, respectively) and with a low contribution of therophytes (19 and 20%, respectively). The present data were compared with the findings of other authors who investigated the synanthropic flora of cities in which the botanical gardens were located. The comparative analysis of the flora of Poznań and Łódź showed a great richness of species (in relation to size of the area studied) and a high incidence of aliens (especially those, which had not become established permanently) in the botanical gardens. However comparative studies of the flora of Warsaw and that of the two botanical gardens established in the city revealed that the proportion of alien species was lower in case of these gardens. In Warsaw the flora of areas, which had been managed in the same way as those of the botanical gardens, was also investigated. It was found that the botanical gardens in Warsaw were more similar to cemeteries with respect to the structure of flora than they were to the allotments. The present study showed that the high variability of flora within the particular gardens is attributed to the different ways the area is utilized.
W pracy przedstawiono wyniki badań dotyczące zawartości wybranych metali ciężkich (As, Mn, Ni, Sn, Ti) w glebie i roślinach na obszarze węzła kolejowego Iława Główna. Próby gleby i roślin pobierano w ...czterech częściach węzła, a mianowicie na rampie załadowczej, torowisku głównym, myjni i bocznicy kolejowej. Na całym obszarze węzła kolejowego stwierdzono podwyższone stężenia metali ciężkich w porównaniu z terenem kontrolnym. Najwyższe stężenia stwierdzano na torowisku głównym i bocznicy kolejowej. Stężenie arsenu, manganu i niklu w roślinach występujących na tym obszarze przekracza poziom toksyczny. Najwyższe zanieczyszczenie gleby i roślin stwierdzane na torowisku wskazuje na występowanie procesów emisji metali spowodowanych ścieraniem kół i szyn. Porównanie z danymi literaturowymi wskazuje, że stężenie badanych metali w glebie jest większe niż w glebach centów miast i wzdłuż drogowych szlaków komunikacyjnych, co dowodzi, że linie kolejowe stanowią istotne liniowe źródło zanieczyszczenia gleby
In the years 2004-2010 floristic studies were carried out on kurgans in 4 different climatic/vegetation zones: 3 steppe zones (west and central Pontic desert steppe, west Pontic grass steppe, west ...and central Pontic herb-rich grass-steppe) and a forest steppe zone. Among the 450 kurgans surveyed, 106 barrows met the selection criteria. The species composition and the contribution of different life forms to the flora of kurgans changed along the north-south gradient. Jaccard's similarity coefficient and Wards clustering method were used to compare the qualitative composition of flora in particular zones. The results of this comparison confirmed floristic differences between kurgans located in the four zones. Kurgans in the desert steppe zone proved to have the most distinct flora among the floras considered. The biggest similarities were found between the flora of kurgans in the forest steppe zone and that of barrows in the west and central Pontic herb rich grass steppe.
2012. augusztus 14-én a Mindszent (Csongrád megye) közigazgatási határában lévő Hegyes-halmon (KEF: 9487.3) a szagtalan rezeda (Reseda inodora) kisebb állománya került elő. A kb. 50–100 tőre tehető ...állomány a kunhalom (kurgán) szélén, a gyér növényzetű, gyomos szántásszegélyen élt. 2014. július 19-én a faj ismét előkerült a területen, a legnagyobb, több száz töves egyedszámban ekkor a halom szélén, a szomszédos kukoricás erősen felnyíló, gyomos szegélyében fordult elő. A védett Reseda inodora-nak nem volt ismert élő állománya a Körös–Maros Nemzeti Park Igazgatóság működési területén. A fajt a „CR” (Kipusztulással veszélyeztetett) kategóriában javasoljuk felvenni a regionális vöröslistára. A halmon több más ritka, jellemzően gyom, illetve pionír jellegű faj (Caucalis platycarpos subsp. muricata és subsp. platycarpos, Erodium ciconium, Lappula squarrosa, Melica transsilvanica, Papaver hybridum) előfordulása is ismertté vált az elmúlt években. Az eredmények egyúttal arra is rámutatnak, hogy a természetes sztyepp-, löszfalnövényzet-, illetve sztyeppcserjés-fajok fenntartása mellett a halmok fontos szerepet kaphatnak egyes, mára erősen visszaszorult, veszélyeztetetté vált gyomfajok (köztük ójövevény-fajok) megőrzésében is.
The aim of the paper was to determine a group of plant species whose distribution is highly correlated with the urbanization pattern in Poland. For this purpose the atlas of species distribution in ...Poland providing about 2300 cartograms was used. The population density was taken as an urbanization marker. By means of χ2-test and the linear correlation coefficient species whose distribution was highly correlated with population density were selected. The raw list of species was consequently narrowed down to alien taxa, which did not reach the limits of their distribution in Poland. Species proposed as urban indicators have a continental character as well as high light and temperature requirements. Distributions of nine such species were mapped. Some synthetic variables showing cumulative distribution (referred to as mean and sum) proved to be even better urban indicators. The urbanophiles determined for Warsaw and cities from the western part of central Europe shared about 50% of the species.
The aim of the studies conducted in 2004-2008 was to estimate and compare the diversity of synanthropic flora of the kurgans and their microhabitats in three steppe zones in southern Ukraine. Kurgans ...located among large fields and pastures are very characteristic element of the Ukrainian landscape. Among the 400 visited kurgans, 81 were investigated within an area of about 20 000 km2 in the desert steppe, Pontic grass steppe and herb-grass steppe zones. The total number of species (613), as well as percentage of synanthropic species (55%) was estimated. The number of species on the kurgans in each zone increased along a south-north gradient. However, the percentage of groups of synanthropic species on the kurgans was comparable. Differences between microhabitats (within kurgans) with regard to the proportion of synanthropes were smaller in the case of the desert steppe zone. Contrasts between the microhabitats were more significant in the case of the steppe zones further to the north. The flora of kurgans is determined by the climate conditions of a particular zone and by the form of utilization of the area.
Floristic studies of four different habitats in Warsaw were carried out: two habitats strongly transformed by man (tramlines and the exterior horizontal surfaces of the highest building in the city, ...the Palace of Culture and Science), and two green areas (cemeteries and botanical gardens). A floristic list, which included only the spontaneous vascular flora, was compiled for each habitat. The aim of the study was to analyse the differences between the floras of the four habitats. The richness and composition of the flora were investigated with respect to the historical-geographical groups of species, the spectrum of life forms, and the mode of plant dispersal. The richness of the flora of cemeteries and botanical gardens reflected the particular land use of those habitats. There was a higher incidence of therophytes in the strongly transformed habitats (tramlines, Palace). A high incidence of tree seedlings (mostly species producing light seeds) and anemochorous species was observed in the flora of the Palace.
The flora of the Palace of Culture and Science, which is the highest office building in Poland, was analysed. The exterior horizontal surfaces of the building (roofs, terraces, stairs) could be ...regarded as polyhemerobic habitats. A total of 111 species of vascular plants (native species - 65%) and 6 species of bryophytes were recorded from an area of 16 500 m2. It was found that the flora was relatively rich in species, of which some occurred in considerable quantities (over 1000 individuals of such species as: Eragrostis minor, Sagina procumbens, Chaenarrhinum minus were encountered). Moreover anemochorous species dominated (85%) in the flora of the Palace. Thermophilous species and species indifferent to temperature were also strongly represented. The relatively high incidence of hygrophilous species was noteworthy. With regard to life forms an increased proportion of therophytes and phanerophytes (40% and 22%, respectively) was observed. No significant differences were found between the flora of roofs situated on different floors of the building. However, slight differences between - the flora of north-facing and south-facing horizontal roof surfaces were marked.
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