Ecological Questions 29 (2018) 1: 63–75 http://dx.doi.org/10.12775/EQ.2018.005 Influence of functional environmental processes on selected FRDVWDOHFRV\VWHPVRIWKH*GDĔVNVHDVKRUH :RMFLHFK6WDV]HN 8QLYHUVLW\RI*GDĔVN)DFXOW\RI2FHDQRJUDSK\DQG*HRJUDSK\,QVWLWXWHRI*HRJUDSK\ Department of Physical Geography and Environmental Management, -%DĪ\ĔVNLHJR6W*GDĔVN3RODQG e-mail: [email protected] Received: 31 October 2017 / Accepted: 28 February 2018 $EVWUDFW The paper discusses the diversity of the main functional processes that determine the formation of specific types of ecosys- WHPVLQWZRW\SHVRIFRDVWDODUHDVFOLIIVDQGORZODQGV7KHVXUYH\ZDVFRQGXFWHGLQVHOHFWHGDUHDVRIWKH*GDĔVN&RDVW In the case of low coasts, the objective was to identify the effects of the sea on the formation of the surface water properties that determine the presence of halophytes. The studies conducted indicate that these properties in brackish areas differ significantly in re- spect of electrolytic conductivity and chloride content from waters occurring in areas not occupied by halophyte communities. Based on the results obtained, it was found that in the studied coastal zone the occurrence of salt grassland ecosystems is associated with water conductivity above 2,000 PScm-1 and chloride content above 600 mgdm-3. These values are many times higher than average values for typical inland waters in the Pomerania area, which clearly indicates the dominant role of the brackish water inflow from the Baltic Sea in shaping the environmental conditions for the occurrence of such ecosystems. At the same time, it was found that high ZDWHUFRQGXFWLYLW\DQGVDOLQLW\FRQGLWLRQVZHUHPDLQWDLQHGDWDGLVWDQFHRIDERXWP :áDG\VáDZRZR WRPRUHWKDQP from the seacoast (Beka). This differentiation depends both on the local conditions of seawater intrusion inland and on the intensity of inland surface and ground water inflows. In the case of cliff shores, the results of soil and habitat identification and their relationships with the dynamics of morphodynamic processes (abrasion, slope processes) were summarised. On this basis, the characteristics of the main types of cliff ecosystems (initial grassland communities, scrub with sea buckthorns, low stemmed scrub and sycamore forests) were presented. The results indicate that the varying intensity of the slope processes significantly affects the diversity of soil types and soil properties, including the presence of calcium carbonate and the high pH values in active cliffs. These features, among others, discriminate the cliff ecosystems commonly found in the Pomerania region. .H\ZRUGV: saline waters, saline ecosystems, halophytes, coastal habitats, cliff ecosystems, Baltic Sea. ,QWURGXFWLRQ of coasts, as well as in the formation of specific hydrologi- cal and hydrochemical conditions associated with ingresses The shore area is characterized by a specific nature, re- of sea waters into the land area. The activity and dynamics sulting largely from the very high intensity and speci- of these processes lead to the development of very spe- ficity of functional processes related to the impact of the cific soil and habitat as well as phytocentric conditions, VHD RQ WKH ODQG$FFRUGLQJ WR 3U]HZRĨQLDN LW LV which determine the distinctness of the ecosystems exist- a zone of material-energy impact of the sea, manifested ing in this area, creating distinct coastal systems, strongly most strongly, for instance, in the changes in the coastline, differentiated from the ones occurring on the land surface the formation and continuous shaping of specific types 3U]HZRĨQLDN 64 Wojciech Staszek The specificity of the ecosystems of flat coastland has and glaciofluvial deposits (sands and fluvioglacial grav- been quite well been recognized in recent years, especial- els), and in some places the deposits are marginal. In their ly in relation to the soil and habitat conditions of saline lower parts, there is an ancillary share of neogene deposits, communities (Hulisz, 2013; Hulisz et al., 2016, Piernik mainly quartz sand and silt, and lignite deposits in some +XOLV] DQG DOVR LQ WKH VFRSH RI K\GURORJLFDO places. A total absence of neogene deposits was found VWXGLHV %áDV]NRZVNDHWDO&LHĞOLĔVNL-RNLHO LQWKH.ROLENLVHFWLRQ .% 2016). Nevertheless, there is still no comprehensive cross- The height of the studied cliffs and the abrasion activ- sectional study on the evolution of hydrochemical condi- ity, and therefore, the development of the slope processes, tions on these types of coastlines, especially in terms of the varied. The lowest part of the cliff, up to about 10 m high, properties that predispose specific saline ecosystems and LV.ROLENLVHFWLRQ .% ZKRVHDFWLYLW\FDQEHDVVHVVHGDV the extent of the influence of the sea on water chemistry. VPDOO7KHKLJKHVWDQGPRVWDFWLYHFOLIIVDUH2UáRZR 25 In turn, the nature of the cliff ecosystems is yet poorly DQG-DVWU]ĊELD*yUD -6* ZLWKDOWLWXGHVRIXSWRP recognized, in terms of a comprehensive, synthetic ap- 7KHUDWHRIFOLIIUHWUHDWLQ2UáRZRLVHVWLPDWHGDWDERXW proach. The studies, so far, carried out have dealt mainly P\HDUZKLOHLQ-DVWU]ĊELD*yUDGHSHQGLQJRQWKH with issues related to plant communities (Chojnacki, 1979; years, from about 0.45 to appromately 0.9 m per year Markowski, 1998; Markowski et al., 1998), rarely to soils 6XERWRZLF] 7KHKHLJKWRIWKHFOLIIVLQ&KáDSRZR (Bednarek, 1979). Only a few of them attempted a some- Rozewie section (CHR) ranges between 40-50 m and even what broader overall characterics of the conditions for their more (Cape Rozewie). This cliff exhibits varied activity, development (Piotrowska, 1993, 2003). while the section directly at the cape was reinforced with The main aim of the study was to analyse the key en- a concrete band, which protects it against the direct effect vironmental processes leading to form a very specific set of abrasion. This section should be regarded as a dead cliff, RIHFRV\VWHPVZLWKLQWKH*GDĔVNVHDVKRUH±VDOLQHKDELWDWV anthropogenically reinforced. with halophytes and cliff ecosystems. Therefore the main All of the flat coast sections studied are within the Puck environmental determinants of their occurrence were stud- Bay, forming relatively narrow stripes of wetland and peat- ied and described. The important problem of study was to ed coastal plains, rising to a small height above sea level, set water salinity limits determining the occurrence of hal- generally not exceeding elevations of approximately 0.5 m ophytes habitats, as well as the range of the sea’s influ- above sea level. In the geological structure, there is a sig- ence on the mainland forming the appropriate conditions nificant share of organogenic sediments – peat, layers for this. In the case of cliff seashores the most important of sand and gravel of maritime accumulation, while in the factor of differentiation of habitats and ecosystems is the FDVHRI%HNDVXUIDFH %. WKHVKDUHRIULYHUDOOXYLDOGH- morphological activity and, as the result, soil forming pro- posits. The formation of the coastal line and dunes banks cesses and main properties of soils. is usually very weak – the height does not exceed 1.0-1.5 The studied ecosystems are crucial for the natural P,WGRHVQRWRFFXURQODUJHVHFWLRQVRI%HND %. DQG values of several number of forms of nature protection :áDG\VáDZRZR :à ZKLFK OHDGV WR SHULRGLF VHDZDWHU in which the researched sites are located, what emphasizes floods during storm accumulations. the significant meaning of this subject of study. Mechelin area (MCH) is located in the peripheral part RIWKH5HGàHED3URJODFLDOVWUHDPYDOOH\ZLWKDVOLJKWHO- HYDWLRQRIPRUDLQHSODWHDX7KH%HND %. DUHDLVORFDWHG 6WXG\DUHD LQWKHHDVWHUQSDUWRIWKH5HGàHED3URJODFLDOVWUHDPYDO- ley and includes the Reda River estuary. Compared to the 7KH UHVHDUFK DUHD FRYHUV WKH PDULQH EHOW RI WKH *GDĔVN remaining sections of the studied flat coastline, it is char- &RDVWVLWXDWHGRQWKH*XOIRI*GDĔVNDQG3XFNDVZHOO acterized by an active inflow of inland river waters (Reda DV ZLWKLQ WKH VKRUH DUHD RI .ĊSD 6ZDU]HZVND ,Q WHUPV 5LYHU 7KHVHFWLRQRI:áDG\VáDZRZR :à LVDQDUURZ RISK\VLFDOJHRJUDSK\ .RQGUDFNL LWUHSUHVHQWVHV- EHOWRIFRDVWDOORZODQGVDWWKHMXQFWLRQRI.ĊSD6ZDU]H- VHQWLDOO\WZRPHVRUHJLRQV.DVKXELDQ&RDVWDQG+HO3HQ- wska and the base of Hel Peninsula, while the last area, insula. Jastarnia (JS), is a marshy, peat plain developed on the The study area, which was subjected to detailed analy- back of the dune banks of Hel Peninsula. sis, covered the following sections of the coast (Fig. 1): FOLIIV .ROLENL .% 2UáRZR 25 &KáDSRZR 5R]HZLH &+5 -DVWU]ĊELD*yUD -6* 0DWHULDODQGPHWKRGV ORZODQGFRDVWOLQHV0HFKHOLQNL 0&+ %HND %. :áDG\VáDZRZR :à DQG-DVWDUQLD -6 The study was conducted in different ways depending on The cliffs covered diverse parts of postglacial eleva- the type of coast. In the case of flat coasts (where the im- tions, built primarily from glacial sediments (glacial till) pact of brackish marine waters was crucial for the devel- Influence of functional environmental processes on selected coastal ecosystems of the Gdańsk seashore 65 opment of specific saline ecosystems) the research was di and Triglochin maritima, more seldom Glaux maritima focused on the identification of the characteristics of sur- and Plantago maritima, and occasionally Aster tripolium IDFHZDWHU %áDV]NRZVND+XOLV]+XOLV]HWDO IRXQG RQO\ RQ :áDG\VáDZRZR ± :à DUHD ,Q WKH DUHD 2016). These included measurements of electric conductiv- of Jastarnia (JS) no halophyte communities were found, ity (EC) and water pH analyses of basic ionic composition. although it is reported in literature (Meissner et al., 1999). Measurements of electric conductivity