International Journal on Advances in Life Sciences, vol 7 no 3 & 4, year 2015, http://www.iariajournals.org/life_sciences/ 158 Contribution to the Knowledge of Plant Diversity in the Malopolska Region Focus on Invasive Plants in Kraków and Vicinity Aleksandra Wagner Dario Hruševar Dept. Geoinf., Photogrammetry & Remote Sensing of Env. Division of Botany and the Botanical Garden AGH University of Science and Technology Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb Kraków, Poland Zagreb, Croatia e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] Abstract— The objective of this paper was to identify plant former decantation ponds, etc. Natural water bodies in the species around the water bodies and examine the possible area can be an effect of the karst phenomena or the formation impact of alien plants. Sixteen locations were examined of oxbow lakes [3]. Not knowing the history of a specific referring to the vegetation and alien species in particular. The water body it is sometimes difficult to say about its origin, locations were the areas surrounding anthropogenic water because in the process of natural ecological succession and bodies in Krakow and vicinity. Most of them were borrow pits sometimes due to human-made reclamation measures, left to the process of natural succession. Only one water body human-made ponds get covered with vegetation and become was of natural origin. In all the locations alien species were inhabited by animal species [4]. Finally, they form semi- found. In total, alien species made 20.9% of all species found in natural environment and can contribute to biodiversity of the these locations, which is slightly less than overall percentage in Poland (27.4%). There were 30 neophyte species found in total, region. The objective of the study is to examine the six of them invasive transformers. One species – the bur vegetation of selected water bodies focusing on the presence marigold (Bidens frondosa) – was found in nine locations. of non-native species and the attempt to assess their possible Three species were found in eight locations: the Canada influence on the environment in the area, looking at their golden-rod (Solidago canadensis,), Canadian horseweed abundance and frequency of the occurrence. (Conyza canadensis) and annual fleabane (Erigeron annuus). Non-native species can be divided into two groups: Most neophytes (16 species), including the four mentioned archaeophytes and neophytes. Archaeophytes are plants above were of North American origin. 18 archaeophytes were which arrived in the area in pre-historic or early historic found. Four species had uncertain status. Most alien species times and neophytes were introduced in modern times and were covering less than 5% of surveyed vegetation plots. Only the usual border date is accepted as ca. 1500 – the beginning the cockspur (Echinochloa crus-galli) covered more than 50% of the era of great geographical discoveries [5]. Most and the sweet flag (Acorus calamus) covered more than 25% archaeophytes in Europe arrived with the agriculture, as (in both cases in one location). In urban areas, alien species are weeds growing in the fields and nowadays they make an common, usually without making much problem (exceptions integral part of the flora, although can also be invasive. are allergy-causing plants), however; in rural semi-natural Neophytes, however, are usually regarded more dangerous to areas the monitoring is recommended. biodiversity. Cross-breeds between native and non-native plants are Keywords – vegetation; alien species; water bodies; suburban regarded non-native and crossbreeds having a neophyte as areas. one of the parental species are regarded neophytes [5]. Apart from the origin, the degree of naturalization in the I. INTRODUCTION environment is important; Pyšek et al. [5] distinguished The paper is based on the authors’ work [1] on plant casual species - alien species that do not form self-sustaining species around the selected water bodies in the Krakow city populations and naturalized species (synonym: established and the surrounding area. Compared to [1] three more species) that form self-sustaining populations for several life locations were added, including one natural water body. In cycles. Invasive species make a subset of naturalized species [1] only artificial water bodies were examined. The present forming self-replacing populations, having the potential to paper provides the list of all the plant taxa found in the spread over long distances. Tokarska-Guzik et al. [6], after studied locations, including the native ones, which was not Richardson et al. [7] also differentiated the category of possible in the previous work. transformers (a subset of invasive plants) for the species Water bodies (natural and artificial) attract many plant which change the character of ecosystems. and animal species, both native and alien. The region of In Section II and Figure 1, respectively, the list and map Krakow is not very rich is natural lakes, but human-made of locations are given. In the same section a short description water bodies are abundant there [2]. They have various of every place and methods of studies are provided. In origin, including: borrow pits of various size, made after the Section III and Tables I-III the results are presented. Section exploitation of limestone, gravel, sand or clay, fishing ponds, IV provides the conclusions and recommendations for further studies. 2015, © Copyright by authors, Published under agreement with IARIA - www.iaria.org International Journal on Advances in Life Sciences, vol 7 no 3 & 4, year 2015, http://www.iariajournals.org/life_sciences/ 159 II. STUDY AREA AND METHODS 12. The pond on the border between the localities of The study on the vegetation taken in the areas of the Niepołomice, Podłęże and Staniątki (c.a. 0.6 ha), water bodies in Krakow and vicinity was carried out in marked as S. summer 2009 (in the case of Bagry and Zakrzówek also 13. Two borrow pits in the Commune of Liszki called 2008). The studied areas are named below. More detail Zalew na Piaskach and Budzyń, formerly known as descriptions of the water bodies can be found in [4] [8] [9] ‘Kryspinów’ area 24.5 ha and 20.3 ha, respectively. Marked as ZP. [10] [11]. The geographic distribution of the sites is 2 presented in Figure 1. The given below area of the water In each location, plots of the area of 10 m were bodies was calculated by the program Quantum GIS, based randomly chosen and the plants growing there were on the airborne images of the Central Cartographic and identified to the species or – if not possible – to the genus. Surveying Resource. The area included: The plants were listed and identified as native, archaeophytes 1. Two borrow pits situated south-east from the centre or neophytes, invasive or not invasive, harmful or not of Kraków in the area called Płaszów. The area of harmful. In the latter case “not harmful” means that harmful the bigger pond, called Bagry is 30.1 ha and the effects have not been known. However, the expression “not smaller one – called Staw Płaszowski (the Płaszów harmful” may be a simplification, because it cannot be excluded that such effects will be found in the future. To Pond) is 9.0ha. Formed after the exploitation of sand and gravel in 1930s [11]. In Table I, they are identify the species and define their status literature data marked as BG and SP, respectively. from Poland [6] [14] [15] and other countries of Central 2. Staw Dąbski (the Dąbie Pond, marked as D), 2.1 ha Europe [5] [16] [17] [18] were used. In most locations the – situated in Kraków, east from the centre, formed Brown-Blanquet method was applied. The plant cover in 1930s after the exploitation of clay - by the abundance was given according to the scale: Resolution no. XC/1202/10 of the City Council of 5 - 75-100%, 4 - 50-75%, Krakow the pond was established “Ecologically Useful Area” [12]. 3 - 25-50%, 3. Zakrzówek (marked ZK) - a borrow pit south-west 2 - 5-25%, from the centre of Kraków of 17.0 ha surface, made 1 - <5%, numerous individuals, in 1990s after quarrying limestone [2]. + - <5%, few individuals, 4. The Pond of the Kaczeńcowa Street (KA) – by the r – solitary, with small cover. Resolution no. XXXI/405/07 of the City Council of Some more characteristic species were also noted even if Krakow established Ecologically Useful Area – the found outside the plot. In case of smaller ponds, where it was area is 0.82 ha [13]. The pond is situated in the difficult to mark the plots, only the list of species was given. quarter of Nowa Huta in Krakow. The pond was III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION formed as a result of clay exploitation. 5. Former decantation pond of the Steelworks in Nowa The results are given in Tables I-III. There were 30 Huta in the region called Kujawy (marked KU), the neophyte species found (Table I), which makes 12.0% of all area of 2.9 ha. the taxa found. Eighteen archaeophytes (Table II) 6. Przylasek Rusiecki (PR) – a group of 10-11 gravel constituted 7.2% of all the species and four species of borrow pits (the number is changeable, because uncertain status made 1.6% (Table II). In total alien species some water bodies can temporarily be joint or constituted 20.9%, which is slightly less than the percentage separated), of the total area of 82.19 ha, situated in of alien species in the whole Polish territory, which is the eastern part of Kraków, quarter Nowa Huta. 27.4% - 939 out of 2537 species [15]. According to the 7. Borrow pits in Wola Batorska (W B) – the gravel same study, neophytes (together with casual plants) made quarrying is still going on, so the area has been 22% of the total number of species.