Traditional husbandry fostered rich semi-open oakwood communities composed of forest and non-forest species. In the eastern Carpathian region, silvo-pastoralism was commonplace by the mid-1900s. This study aimed to determine the state of the preservation of the ecotonal character of grassland-woodland interfaces in formerly pastured cultural landscapes of SE-Polish Carpathian foothills and W-Ukrainian Ciscarpathia in the context of land-use change. In the first region, despite the long-lasting history of forest grazing amongst mainly arable land, the post-WWII collapse of husbandry and the imposed ban on forest grazing, has led to swift development of dense undergrowth and establishment of impermeable ecological woodland-open habitat barrier. As a result, former silvo-pastoral oakwoods developed the features of the Tilio-Carpinentum forest community although some forest species have not yet moved in due to their poor dispersibility. The much younger oakwoods in the Ukrainian study region are remnants of the sparsely treed grasslands, some of which had been ploughed in the mid 20th century. Their semi-open canopy structure, maintained through repetitive grass burning, contributes to the communities ecotonal character, but without regular livestock-led plant “spill-over” from the grassland, the oakwoods remain species-poor. The restoration of species-rich semi-open oak woods requires “unsealing” the forest-grassland interface, reducing the degree of canopy closure, and opening that zone up to extensive grazing—an important seed dispersal vector.

The aim of the research was to show the distribution of fractions as well as bioavailability and the total forms of Zn in the profiles of soils from domestic gardens and family allotment gardens in six cities in south-eastern Poland. Results found that the level of Zn total form varied in the ranges from A horizon: 12.75–154.75 mg·kg−1 in sandy soils and 18.20–104.00 mg·kg−1 in silty soils. Accumulation of metals was assessed using concentration indices, Igeo, and the Cav/Ct and BF indices of bioavailable forms. The analysis took into account the role of organic matter as an important component in binding the analyzed metals in soil horizons subjected to long-term horticultural cultivation. In the two groups of sandy and silty soils distinguished according to their particle size distribution, horticultural treatments were found to exert a greater impact on sandy soils. Additionally, higher contents of the examined element were stated in the humus horizons, as indicated by the high values of concentration and Igeo indices showing high Zn pollution in the soils. The content of bioavailable zinc forms was significantly high, especially in soils with a higher metal content.

Background Birch is a tree with a common occurrence in the environment and its organs are used in the form of herbal material. An important aspect of this study is birch pollen, which is a problem for allergy sufferers, and due to a variety of environmental conditions, its allergenicity may increase. Among the organs studied, inflorescences deserve attention, which, as seen from an overview of the literature, are analysed for the content of heavy metals for the first time in this study. Results This paper investigated the relationship between antioxidant properties and the content of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Ni and Cr) as the plant's response to stress, taking into account both the vegetative and generative organs of the tree Betula pendula. While studying the accumulation of elements in individual organs, the research was extended to include the aspect of different environmental conditions, reflected in two soil types of differing physicochemical properties: sandy and silty soils. In order to thoroughly analyse the transport of the studied heavy metals from the soil to individual organs (leaves, inflorescences and pollen), ecotoxicological indicators were used. A modified translocation factor (TF) index into sTF (sap translocation factor) was presented as a novelty in research, calculated based on the content of selected heavy metals in the sap flowing to individual birch organs. This allowed for a more complete description of the transport of elements in the aerial parts of plants, indicating the accumulation of zinc and cadmium, especially in leaves. Among the studied environmental conditions which may affect the accumulation of heavy metals, sandy soil is of particular significance, conditioning lower pH values, among other things. However, analysis of the reaction of birch to the conditions of the soil environment and the content of heavy metals, based on antioxidant properties, demonstrated an evident reaction to stress, but without an unambiguous response among the studied vegetative and generative organs. Conclusions As birch is a plant with wide utility values, monitoring studies are advisable to exclude the risk of accumulation of heavy metals in its organs, and for this purpose it may be useful to use the sTF indicator and assess the antioxidant potential.

The aim of the research was to estimate changes in soil properties caused by intensive recreation and tourism in protected areas within the urban borders of Rzeszów (south-east Poland). The research was conducted on two objects: (1) on protected areas of the Lisia Góra Nature Reserve and (2) along the Wisłok Valley. The difference in anthropopressure between the areas was taken into consideration. Soil penetration resistance and moisture were analysed in the spring and autumn period. Soil texture, pH, total carbon, and electrical conductivity (EC) in a 1:10 soil:water suspension were measured in soil material collected in spring. The ion content (Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, Na+) was measured in the same suspension with an ion chromatograph. There were significant correlations (determined by the Pearson coefficient) between soil acidity, EC, total exchangeable bases, ions of calcium and magnesium, and soil penetration resistance. A significant difference was found in soil penetration resistance between objects (higher in the Wisłok Valley area) and between the distances from the border of the intensively managed area (a decrease as the distance increased). The Z coefficient (the ratio of sodium ions, the sum of calcium and magnesium ions) was significantly lower for the the Lisia Góra Nature Reserve sites.

Spontaneous hybrids between alien and native plant species are alien taxa and they threaten native biodiversity due to their high competitive ability or introgression. Thus, we tested the effect of soil conditions, elevation and type of ramet clusters (clonal clumps of shoots) on sexual and asexual ramets of Solidago × niederederi, a hybrid between the invasive alien S. canadensis and the native S. virgaurea. We also tested the relationships between the size of sexual ramets and habitat conditions in the hybrid and its parental species, based on ten sites in NE and S Poland, respectively. The hybrid and its parental species occurred on mineral soils with a wide range of textures (sand, loamy sand, sandy loam, silty loam and loam) and pH (from strongly acidic to slightly alkaline). Sexual ramet clusters dominated in S. × niederederi populations, while the total number of ramets was highest in mixed ramet clusters. The cluster × site interaction had a significant effect on the length and biomass of sexual ramets in hybrid populations. Moreover, we found a significant effect of the taxon × site interaction in the case of biomass of sexual ramets and synflorescences (capitula arranged in panicles). Based on the biomass of sexual shoots and synflorescences, the competitive abilities of the hybrid may be more or less similar to S. canadensis or S. virgaurea albeit depending on site conditions.