Changes of 70 years in the non-native and native flora of a Hungarian county seat (Pécs, Central Europe)

Abstract

The research of European urban flora is still based on the study of Western and Central European settlements, while relatively few data are available from the southern and eastern parts of Europe. This paper presents the first grid-based approach that surveyed the spontaneous and sub-spontaneous flora and its temporal changes of a Hungarian city located in this latter region of Europe. The changes during 70 years in the flora of a Hungarian county seat, Pécs were investigated. The contemporary city areas were used as two different study areas in the analyses. Changes in species richness, proportions of dispersal types, life form traits and alien statuses were examined during the mentioned period. With 1641 vascular plant species found at 232.88 km2 in the last 70 years, the flora of Pécs represents a diversity hotspot within Europe. In contrast with other European cities we found significant (19.37%) increase in the number of species over the last 70 years. As a result of temporal changes in the city flora, differnces were found only in the case of neophytes’ life forms regardless of the spatial approach. Similar to the other cities globally the number of woody species neophytes and short-lived alien plants increased.