RESUMEN
Carex pulicaris is considered an endangered species, and further losses are forecast under the influence of even moderate climate change. Local studies indicate that temporal declines in C. pulicaris abundance are positively correlated to decreases in precipitation and increases in air temperature. Determining ecological properties on larger scales than local ones can help develop effective protection programs for the species. We hypothesize that the local relationships observed between C. pulicaris abundance and precipitation, air temperature and soil properties will be confirmed in a spatially-oriented large-scale study performed in situ. Therefore, the present study takes a novel, large-scale integrated approach to (1) precisely characterize the ecological requirements of C. pulicaris within its eastern distribution range, and (2) determine the influence of its community type, soil properties and climatic conditions on its abundance. It was found that C. pulicaris is not a dominant or codominant species in the studied phytocoenoses in the eastern distribution range. Five natural vegetation groups including C. pulicaris, with significantly diverse species compositions, were resolved: well supported Estonian, Polish, Slovak and Radecz groups, and a weakly-supported Ambiguous group. The abundance of C. pulicaris was found to be positively correlated with the composition of the geographically-diversified plant communities and atmospheric precipitation, and to be also negatively associated with latitude and soil pH. Although the species is adapted to a relatively wide range of soil types, such adaptation requires appropriate substrate moisture level and light conditions. The species prefers moist organic and mineral soils and grows on both acid and neutral medium, characterized by a narrow C:N ratio, with various amounts of digestible total P, Mg and N, and low levels of digestible K. Climate change, manifested by reduced rainfall, may be one of the most important predictors negatively affecting the occurrence of C. pulicaris.
RESUMEN
Owing to variable water conditions, chemical conditions of water or ash substrate, ash settling ponds belong to anthropogenic objects which do not easily undergo plant succession. However, there are plants exhibiting biological traits allowing colonisation of a substrate characterised by variability in terms of acidity and heavy metal content. The aim of the study was to determine differences in morphology of plants colonising spontaneous surfaces of ash settling ponds with variability moisture level. We identified also differences in morphology of the plants. Identified: Agrostis stolonifera, Atriplex patula, Juncus bufonius, Phragmites australis, Poa pratensis and Ranunculus sceleratus. The obtained results broaden the knowledge on the bioremediation of degraded areas, indicate species that inhabit the surface of ash settlers. Lower water level in ash settling pond I created more favourable conditions for growth of the aboveground parts of plants, and higher waterlevel in ash settling pond II contributed to a more intensive development of the root part of plants. Considering the generative factors and measurement values of the aboveground part of plants, the best adapted species were Juncus bufonius and Atriplex patula. Due to changing water level in ash settling ponds, the species to be monitored is Phragmites australis-most deeply colonising the surface of ash settling ponds.