This paper presents the results of lysimetric research on the volume of eva-potranspiration and water runoff from grasslands used for different purposes. In the area studied (Small Pieniny Mountains), the vegetation season accounts for the largest proportion of total runoff, which is determined by the volume and dis-tribution of precipitation in this region (approx. 68% of annual volume). The amount of water discharge from the soil profile of grasslands was found to be sig-nificantly related to the rate of crop yield, which is determined by utilization (meadow, pasture, sward of 8-15 cm height) or rate of nitrogen fertilization used. By increasing the amount of water used during evapotranspiration by grasses, the higher yield contributes to reduced amounts of water discharged from the soil pro-file.
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The Malopolska Upland, with its beneficial geo-morphological, soil and climatic conditions is a place where xerothermic plant communities are quite numerous. Natural hazards to which these communities are exposed cause that in a vast majority they have been covered by various forms of protection. Vascular flora of Inuletum ensifoliae alliance in the Kalina-Lisiniec Special Habitat Protection Area, which reveals a considerable biodiversity, unique character and occurrence of protected and endangered species, plays a crucial role in the natural environment of the Miechowska Upland. The habitat covered by Inuletum ensifoliae alliance are mainly sandy loams and silt deposits. These are usually moderately poor (mesotrophic) soils, in vast majority alkaline, dry or ranging from dry to alkaline. Habitat conditions are characterized by a full or moderate insolation. ...
The work presents the data on the productive efficiency of water used for evapotranspiration by the sward of mountain grasslands. Mean grassland water productive efficiency for the vegetation period in the Małe Pieniny Mts. region fluctuates from 14.1 to 33.4 kg•ha-1•mm-1. The efficiency of water use under the discussed conditions is significantly influenced the amount of produced yield. Water was the least efficiently used by low-yielding sward. Water was the least effectively utilized by the low-yielding sward. Efficiency of water utilization by grasslands is growing with increasing yielding. Maintaining constant ground water level in the meadow habitats at the depth of 0.6m in the Pieniny region leads to a decrease in productive efficiency of water used for real evapotranspiration. ...
Vascular flora of the investigated plant associations is characterized by a considerable biodiversity, unique character and occurrence of protected and threatened species, therefore playing an important role in the natural environment and being an important element of shaping the natural landscape. The assessment of the requirements of edaphic species of the investigated associations allowed for a characterization of the soil habitat as soils with granulometric composition from rubble, scree and gravel to sandy loams and silt deposits. These are mainly moderately poor (mesotrophic) to poor (oligotrophic) soils, prevailingly alkaline (pH>7), dry or to a lesser extend fresh. Climatic conditions in the presented habitat are characterized by full or moderate insolation. They are thermally privileged areas or moderately warm. ...
Xerothermic swards occurring in Poland are extremely valuable communities because owing to the presence in them of plant species originating from warmer climatic zones they increase the biodiversity of domestic grass ecosystems. They also contribute to improvement of landscape amenities in the areas where they occur. The Malopolska Upland is a region where xerothermic swards are quite numerous. Generally they cover small areas, usually on sites where warm and dry habitats are found, mainly on strongly sun-heated slopes with southern aspect. Four plant alliances are present in the xerothermic swards on the Malopolska Upland Sisymbrio-Stipetum capillatae alliance can be encountered on gypsum rocks 129 covered with thin layer of loess soil. Another alliance forming on gypsum substratum covered with slightly thicker loess layer is Thalictro-Salvietum pratensis assemblage. The alliance frequently found on the Malopolska Upland is Inuletum ensifoliae covering the southern steep slopes of the terrain elevations developed from senonian marles. The fourth alliance of xerothermic vegetation commonly present on the Malopolska Upland is Adonido-Brachypodieto pinnati plant assemblage, encountered on deeper loamy-clay or humus brown soils similar to chernozems. Xerothermic swards, which are not climatic assemblages undergo a natural plant succession, changing into forest ecosystems. Therefore, human interference is crucial ...
The Malopolska Upland beside the Lubelska Upland is the region of Poland where the greatest number of xerothermic habitats occur. During the 2007 vegetation period, phenological investigations were conducted on the southern slope of Lisiniec hill in the Miechów town vicinity. The investigations focused on the occurrence spectra of development stages of selected xerothermic plants with particular regard to the flowering stage. The observations covered the following species: Adonis vernalis, Agrimonia eupatoria, Anemone silvestris, Anthemis tinctoria, Aster amellus, Brachypodium pinnatum, Campanula sibirica, Centaurea scabiosa, Centaurea stoebe, Cirsium pannonicum, Coronilla varia, Cypripedium calceolus, Galium verum, Inula ensifolia, Linum flavum, Linum hir-sutum, Medicago falcata, Orchis pallens, Peucedanum oeroselinum, Salvia prat-ensis, Sanguisorba minor and Stachys recta. The state of their development stages was described and compared with the data given in the botanical key “Polish Plants” [Szafer et al. 1967]. On the basis of conducted investigations it was found that flowering of almost all analysed plant species began later and ended earlier than stated by Szafer et al. [1967]. Delay of flowering and acceleration of flowering cessation was most probably caused by strong spring drought and vegetation period not much abundant in rainfall. Further research is necessary for better identification of ...
Various phytosociological plant communities may develop on fallowed arable lands depending on soil-and-climatic and topographic conditions. In this paper the Authors have presented conditions under which xerothermic vegetation encroaches on arable lands. Characteristics of fallowed arable lands, which during the diversified in time process of self-sodding changed into xerothermic communities of sward type, was presented on the basis of phytosociological characteristics of selected fallowed arable lands situated in the vicinity of Pińczów and Staszów. It was found, that depending on the substratum, plant communities belonging to various phytosociological units develop on the fallowed arable lands. Communities forming automatically in the initial period of fallowing are characterized by a considerable degree of fortuity. The course of plant succession on fallowed arable lands situated in soil-and-climatic zones favouring xerothermic vegetation advances a development of steppe plant communities through a process of self-sodding. Depending on the geological substratum (gypsums, marls or limestone) and also on the thickness of soil deposit they are diversified in respect of their phystosiociology. ...
Evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) is a wild species growing in lighter and barren soils, which for a long time has aroused interest due to its usable value. Its root was used as a vegetable with considerable dietetic values. Interest in evening primrose grew even more by the end of the 20th century when it was discovered that oil in the primrose seeds is rich in unsaturated fatty acids, particularly in linolic and gamma-linolic acids, which beside biological activation of human organism can be successfully used for treatment of various diseases, including Alzheimer disease, allergies, diabetic neuropathy, dementia, hypertension, vascular disease and various consequences of post-viral diseases. Cultivation of evening primrose on plantations decreases slightly therapeutic values of the oil obtained from seeds, therefore in the Authors' opinion evening primrose seeds should be gathered from wild plants, particularly when it occurs so massively as at Tokarnia in the swietokrzyskie province. The Authors found large numbers of evening primroses growing in light sandy soil covering several dozen of idle arable lands. Spontaneous settling by this species of such large area may be regarded as a some kind of botanical curiosity which inclined the Authors to undertake further studies ...
