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The range of acidophilous oak forest from Quercetea robori-petraeae Br-Bl. et Tx. ex Oberd. 1957 in Central Europe depends largely on the syntaxonomical concept used and is still provisional. The most continental association from this class occurring in Poland is Calamagrostio arundinaceae-Quercetum petraeae Hartm. 1934 Scam. et Pass. 1959. It is present in western and central Poland, but its eastern boundary is not well known. The aims of the study were to survey and document new patches of Calamagrostio-Quercetum in central Poland, to check the internal variation of the association and to summary the known distribution of it in lowlands of central-western and central Poland. 23 phytosociological relevés were made within new stands together with soil sampling. New relevé data was subjected to the numerical Wards classification together with acidophilous oak forests datasets from western Poland and oak-pine forests ones from eastern part of the Country. The new dataset was similar to Calamagrostio-Quercetum. Three subassociations were distinguished. Soil parameters and oak site index did not differ from acidophilous oak forest stands from other parts of Poland. The provisional range of Calamagrostio-Quercetum in central Poland was proposed to be moved by circa 60–90 km to the north-east (approximately as far as the Vistula river line) in order to include south-western part of Mazowsze.

The encroachment of woody vegetation on abandoned agricultural lands and the processes shaping forests on former farmland are very topical issues in recent years. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of selected environmental variables on the vegetation diversity of birch stands at the early stages of succession. The research was conducted in 2012 in central Poland, at 10 locations consisting of 4 areas of various age (chronosequence). On each plot, one phytosociological releve was made on an area of 100 m in accordance with the standard methodology. Within a radius of up to 100 m from each site, a list of the main forms of land management were noted. In order to determine the relationship between the species composition of the analyzed communities and the age of the stand deriving from natural succession, selected soil properties and landscape parameters, canonical correlations analysis (CCA) was performed. Species with a specific diagnostic value in syntaxonomy were assigned to appropriate classes of vegetation. The collective shares were calculated for each of the distinguished groups, and then a second CCA analysis was performed, aimed at checking the differentiation of the total occurrence of species from individual classes against the background of the analyzed variables. The conducted analyzes show that the examined age groups represent the initial stages of succession. None of the plots is a fully developed forest community representing a specific plant phytocenosis towards which the succession is heading to. They all represent the early stage of succession. With little differentiation of the developmental stages of individual groups of plots, age was not the most important factor in shaping the undergrowth flora. The most important variables significantly related to the differentiation of vegetation in young birch stands in both CCA analyzes turned out to be some landscape parameters, e.g. the presence of wetlands, overgrown meadows, and then the age of the oldest trees, which turned out to be more important than the ground properties. The availability of seeds related to the presence of non−forest habitats in the vicinity and the high availability of ecological niches in the studied plots at the early stages of succession may in this case be of greater importance than the properties of the substrate., Sylwan 165 (5): 392-401

The long−term changes of vegetation cover at the level of woodland community taking place between 1959 and 2016 on the permanent study plot located in the compartment 319 of Białowieża National Park are discussed. In 1959 two distinctive woodland community types occurring on sample plot were distinguished: subboreal mixed pine−oak forest (Serratulo−Pinetum) and hornbeam−lime forest (Tilio−Carpinetum). The phytosociological investigations, carried out almost 60 years later, revealed that in case of both communities, significant, directional changes of their floristic composition took place. Particularly high rate of change occurred in case of the phytocoenosis representing the Serratulo−Pinetum community. In 1959 it contained a full set of characteristic plant species. During the study period, this community type representing the Vaccinio−Piceetea class, was replaced by the initial form of lime−hornbeam forest belonging to the Querco−Fagetea class. Also, in case of the previous Tilio−Carpinetum association, the significant changes in the floristic composition occurred, although not as large as in case of Serratulo−Pinetum community. 60 years ago this community type contained several plant species typical for thermophilous oak forests. Nowadays, it represents a typical form of lime−hornbeam association. The changes in both community types were mainly related to the strong expansion of lime and hornbeam, which took place during the study period and involved the whole study plot. As a result, the vegetation occurring on the study plot is much more homogenous now than it was ca. 60 years ago. The maintenance of Serratulo−Pinetum phytocoenoses distinguished by a high floristic diversity calls for active protective measures in all cases where such measures are allowed and where this community type can potentially develop., Sylwan 162 (11): 907-914

Changes in the herbaceous layer (vascular plants), taking place between 1959 and 2016 on the permanent study plot in the compartment 319 of the Strict Reserve in the Białowieża National Park are presented. Zaręba [1972] presented phytosociological research carried out in 1959 on the 1.2 ha plot. The author established 10 relevés (size between 100 and 400 m), in which in total 91 different species of vascular plants were noted. In 2016, the similar study was conducted, using slightly modified methods (the inventory of plants involved the total area of the study plot). The comparison of data recorded during both investigations revealed that the total number of plant species declined from the initial 91 to current 83. During the ca. 60−year long period, 43 plant species disappeared completely and were replaced by 35 new species. In the declining group, almost the half (20) were species important from the point of view of nature conservation, including four Red List species (emArnica montana/em, emGoodyera repens/em, emLathyrus laevigatus/em, emTrolius europaeus/em), 10 plant species protected by law, and several other precious species related to rare and declining woodland community types. The obtained results confirm the findings of other authors describing unfavourable changes in the flora of the Białowieża Forest during the past several tens of years. The floristic richness is an important part of the overall biodiversity of Białowieża Forest. It appears that strict protection does not secure the maintenance of this key component. Thus, an attempt to preserve diverse values of Białowieża Forest on a sustainable basis should, first of all, look for a proper balance between strict and active protection. The later can (and should) be integrated within the multifunctional forest management, conducted on the prevailing area of the Białowieża Forest., Sylwan 162 (12): 980-988

Sylwan 149 (2): 35-41

Sylwan 149 (4): 3-14

Sylwan 148 (9): 20-28

Sylwan 148 (7): 20-30

Sylwan 148 (11): 59-66

Article gives short story of pasturage in Tatra Mountains, the most important effects of its influence on forests and changes in pasturage development and its importance for nature protection., Sylwan 147 (11): 80-85