Changes of species composition of the Poa pratensis-Festuca rubra plant communities in drainage peatland

Abstract

AbstractThe objective of this study was to examine the vegetation cover and describe the floristic diversity of selected plant communities of extensive and abandoned grasslands within the Forest of Parczew PLB060006 – a Natura 2000 protected area. Floristic surveys were conducted in the meadows in years 2001 and 2013 under the conditions of natural succession of the communities Poa pratensis-Festuca rubra. The area is situated in the northern part of the Lublin Voivodeship, in the physiographic mesoregion the Łęczna-Włodawa Lakeland. Those communities were characterized by average species richness and floristic diversity index values. The cover index decreased considerably in the case of 8 species, and increased for 12 species. A large increase in the cover index of Holcus lanatus, Deschampsia caespitosa, Galium mollugo, Anthriscus sylvestris and Polemonium caeruleae is particularly noteworthy. In 2001, 39 species of plants were recorded in all relevés, compared to 41 species recorded in 2013. Over 12 years, 11 species disappeared, but 13 new ones emerged. For the time being, the average species richness N increased from 12 to 16 per relevé. The biodiversity index H' increased from 2.8 to 3.6.