The share of xerothermic species in vascular flora of the city of Lublin (Poland)

Abstract

A b s t r a c tThe purpose of this study is to present the distribution and characteristics of xerothermic flora located within Lublin (51 o 08'-51 o 18'N and 22 o 27'-22 o 41E). The data on this flora have been derived from the literature and herbarium collections as well as they were collected during field research conducted in 2002-2009. Family affiliation, life forms, geographical-historical groups, the degree of synanthropization of species and habitat, categories of threat are discussed in this paper. 107 xerothermic species belonging to 26 families and 70 genera were reported from the area of Lublin. The number constitutes 10% of the city's flora. The most numerous are plants from the classes Festuco-Brometea (70 species), Trifolio-Geranietea sanguinei (21) and Rhamno-Prunetea (16). All extinct species (8) belong to the class Festuco-Brometea. The analysis of the spectrum of life forms indicates that the biggest share in the flora of Lublin was observed in the group of hemicryptophytes (57 species) and phanerophytes (14). The native species (103) dominate over the group of alien ones (4 species). The group of xerothermic plants comprises 21 legally protected and endangered species. Xerothermic plants exhibit a mosaic distribution in the area of Lublin. The frequency (measured as the presence of a species in a study unit, one ATPOL square) ranged from 1 to 44 species. Two main features of the analyzed area seemed to be responsible for species distribution: the value of the Real Hemeroby Index (RIH) and the history of the flora.

The urban heat island and the features of the flora in the Lublin City area, SE Poland

“…The UHI is associated with therophytes, alien plants including thermo-and heliophilous species, and areas with dense development. The study has shown a diversity of thermal preferences of the vascular plants of Lublin, which is characteristic for major urban areas [20][21][22]30,40,[53][54][55][56][57]. The average temperature indicator values for the floras of the study areas in the Lublin center (CzH, LSq) and suburban area (DF) are close to the values reported by Wittig and Durwen [56] and Witosławski and Bomanowska [57].…”

“…In total, the contemporary flora of the Lublin City area included 1,052 vascular plant species. Among them, there is the group of thermophilous and heliophilous species including 194 xerothermic and psammophilous grassland species, and 236 therophytes [30,40]. The proportion of squares with presence of the species analyzed varied between the different habitats in the whole Lublin area.…”

“…At the beginning of the twenty-first century, authors paid attention to the occurrence of the xerothermic flora within the city limits on habitats with varying degrees of transformation [27][28][29]. For example, Rysiak [30] evaluated the distribution and contribution of the group of xerothermic species (i.e., thermo-and heliophilous plants together) in the whole contemporary flora in the Lublin territory.…”

Does vegetation impact on the population dynamics and male function in Anemone sylvestris L. (Ranunculaceae)? A case study in three natural populations of xerothermic grasslands

“…Anemone sylvestris, the rare species of xerothermic grassland, exhibited decrease in the number of individuals, in the abundance of flowering, considerable changes in pollen properties and in the seed production in the case of two out of the three populations studied. The reduction in individuals of A. sylvestris was exacerbated by the expansion of the shrub community, dominated by Prunus spinosa, Cornus sanguinea, or Rhamnus cathartica L. Similarly, in other studies, dominance of the shrub communities on xerothermic patches was responsible for the decrease in the population size of many species, especially heliophytes [5][6][7]60]. The shrub removing intervention undertaken by local authority to prevent grassland overgrowing contributed to the tendency towards restoration of numerous individual plants of A. sylvestris.…”

“…These habitats significantly contribute to the biodiversity of both flora and fauna [4][5][6]. The xerothermic vegetation has become strongly endangered, dramatic losses are due to habitat destruction, fragmentation, secondary succession, or even competition from invasive species [7][8][9][10].…”