Biodiv. Res. Conserv. 56: 29-54, 2019 BRC www.brc.amu.edu.pl DOI 10.2478/biorc-2019-0017 Submitted 25.10.2019, Accepted 31.12.2019 Environmental factors shaping water-peat vegetation and its neighbouring surface waters in Lower Silesian Forests (Western Poland) Żaneta Tomaszewska1, Katarzyna Możdżeń1, Peiman Zandi2, Ingrid Turisová3 & Beata Barabasz-Krasny1 1Institute of Biology, Pedagogical University, Podchorążych 2, 30-084 Kraków, Poland; ORCID: KM http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5695-4474, BB-K http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5800-6953 2Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing 100081, P. R. China; ORCID: PZ http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3520-3994 3Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Matej Bel University in Banska Bystrica, Tajovského 40, 974 01 Banská Bystrica, Slovakia; ORCID: IT http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2753-5246 *corresponding author (e-mail:
[email protected]) Abstract. Phytosociological and physicochemical studies of endangered habitats of swamp and peat-bog areas were carried out in the Lower Silesian Forest complex (Western Poland), in the vicinity of Węgliniec village. The total of 63 phytosociological relevés were made and three syntaxonomic units were distinguished as associations (Cicuto-Caricetum pseudocyperi, Typhetum latifoliae, Phragmitetum australis) and two as communities (with Sphagnum girgensohnii and with Juncus effusus). Using the phytoindication method, it was found that among four analysed habitat parameters (L – light availability, F – humidity, R – soil pH, N – soil nitrogen), only nitrogen content did not play a significant role in shaping the composition of these phytocoenoses. Physicochemical studies of surface waters using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method indicated, among others, a higher level of nitrogen compounds in some samples.