Although the knowledge of pollination systems of rare and threatened species is one of the principles for development of optimal conservation and management strategies, the data about their pollination requirements are scarce or incomplete. Different problems are listed (xerothermic habitat disappearance, overgrowing of patches, plant biology i.e., slow plant growth, problems with seed germination) among the possible causes of Adonis vernalis being threatened, but until now no consideration was given to the flowering biology and pollination.The observations of flowering biology of A. vernalis (Ranunculaceae), a clonal species, were conducted in an out-ofcompact-range population, in the Lublin Upland, Poland (51°18'55" N, 22°38'21" E), in 2011-2013. The reproductive potential of A. vernalis is related to the population age structure, pollination syndrome, and breeding system. The flowers exhibit incomplete protogyny. The dichogamy function is supported by different (biological, morphological) mechanisms. Stigma receptivity occurred about one day before anthers started shedding self-pollen, and pollen viability was increasing gradually during the flower life-span (66.3% in distal anthers vs. 77.3% in proximal). The decrease in pollen production and in pollen viability coincided with the lowest degree of seed set, irrespective of the pollination treatment. Pollen vectors are necessary for efficient pollination, as the proportion of pistils setting fruits after open pollination (41-82.1%) was significantly higher compared to spontaneous self-pollination (only 5.5-12.3%). The pollination requirements together with pollen/ovule ratio (P/O = 501) indicate a facultative xenogamous breeding system in A. vernalis. Therefore, in the conditions of the global lack of pollinators, improper pollination may weaken the population by leading to a decrease in the proportion of recombinants, and in addition to other factors, may accelerate extinction of small A. vernalis populations.

No abstract

A b s t r a c t Understanding the factors that have an impact on the diversity of forage flora in the agricultural landscape is a key issue in the maintenance and control of food niches for pollinators. Field margins are common linear structures in the agricultural landscape. In the present study, we evaluated the factors that exert an impact on the forage flora composition and on the diversity in field margins. The study was conducted in the 2010 -2011 time period across the agricultural landscape on the Lublin Upland of SE Poland. Data on the forage flora were obtained while making floristic charts along 45 transect plots x 300 m; the total length being 13500 m. Multivariate ordination techniques (PCA and RDA) were employed to analyse forage-flora characteristics. Field margins represent valuable refuge areas for forage-species richness, but not for the abundance of forage species. On field margins, forage-species diversity benefits from the location of natural habitats (forests or meadows), primarily if the distance from these habitats is <1000 m or the field acreage is <10 ha. The shift from heterogeneous habitats to a more homogeneous landscape causes a reduction of forage floral diversity. Due to lack of dense forage-species patches, the promotion of sowing nectariferous and/or polleniferous species seems to be a reasonable management method to enhance the quantitative food niche on field margins and to support the conservation of pollinators in the areas surrounding farms.

Railway areas are considered as large greenspaces and are recognized important in improving the biodiversity and dynamic of urban flora. In this study, we examined the flora composition and diversity along intra-city railway lines in Lublin, SE Poland and Lviv, W Ukraine. The flora has been analyzed in terms of species composition (multivariate ordination techniques), life span, life form, type of pollination mode, seed dispersal, life strategy sensu Grime, hemerophoby, urbanity degree, and in terms of habitat preferences using ecological indicator values. The multivariate analysis (CCA) clearly revealed that abiotic factors (topographical), weather elements (annual precipitation and air temperature), and soil attributes (moisture, trophy, pH, salinity) differed between two cities and impacted on the differences in railway flora composition. Plants growing on the intra-urban railway areas are mainly hemicryptophytes/perennials, C, CR, CRS-strategists, insect-, self-, or wind-pollinated, reproducing by seeds and mainly dispersed by wind. Intra-urban railway areas are predominated by native species, however the participation of invasive alien species is higher than their proportion in domestic floras. The share of invasive species is greater in railway areas of Lviv, ca. 12% (45 species) compared to 8% in Lublin (36 species). Spontaneous flora in intra-urban railway areas represent distinct adaptations to unique urban-industrial ecosystems with different degree of anthropogenic disturbance.

No abstract

Shortages of nectar and pollen resources in the agricultural landscape of SE Poland are evident. Therefore it is assumed that the landscape structure requires support in terms of food niches for pollinators and creation/supplementation of bee pastures is necessary, e.g. six to nine patches of 0.025-0.3 ha each within an area of 100 ha. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Heterogeneous and disturbed habitats within railway areas create an ideal environment for establishment of invasive plant species. In this study, we compared the invasive species composition and abundance within railway areas of two cities, Lublin, SE Poland and Lviv, W Ukraine. In total, 70 invasive species were recorded. The invasive species list was similar for the two cities, with the most invasive species occurring at both (81.4%), 8.5% occurring only in Lublin and 10% only in Lviv. The proportion of invasive species in the total flora was almost 1.5-fold higher at Lviv compared to Lublin. Invasive species have originated mainly from continental America (45.7%), followed by Asia and Eurasia. The participation of invasive plants derived from Asia and Eurasia at Lviv is higher than at Lublin. The invasive flora includes a wide range of taxonomic groups, with a predominance of Asteraceae and Poaceae. The ecological attributes of invasive species on railway areas are: mainly annual therophytes, mostly wind-and insect pollination modes, a predominance of generative reproduction, anthropochorous and anemochorous dispersal and short-term persistent, long-term persistent or transient seed banks.

The investigations were carried out in 2002-2006 in two municipalities of Konopnica and Jastków close to the western part of Lublin, Poland. The aim of the study was to identify the condition of bee flora and determine the floristic richness depending on the biotops in agricultural landscape. Flora of the anthropogenic refuge areas consists of 214 species, among them 80% were flow taxons. Apophytes (162 species - 78%) predominated on all types of biotops under consideration. Perennials predominated in flora of boundary strips and bush communities. Mainly annual (40%) and biennial (15%) species comprise the flora of fallows. A great number of bee taxons represent meadow, segetal or ruderal communities. Most of flow plants compose loose patches, but their successive blooming ensures a source of food for Apoidea from early spring till the end of summer. The flora of boundary strips, bush communities and fallows significantly increases the biodiversity in agricultural landscape. The treatments including sowing, mainly on fallows with nectariferous and polleniferous species, would enrich generally weak flows in highly agricultural landscape