Abstract
The number of <i>Adonis vernalis</i> populations, their size and abundance in xerothermic communities of the Lublin Upland have decreased significantly in the last 40-50 years, which indicates that there is a real risk of species extinction in the studied area. The paper is an attempt to indicate the possible factors which influence the decrease of <i>Adonis vernalis</i> populations. Detailed studies were carried out in six sites differing habitat conditions, land use and the size of <i>Adonis vernalis</i> populations. Observations were made of the abundance of blooming and the number of anthers per flower. The ability for reproduction was estimated indirectly by the mass of pollen delivered and its biological value. The populations of <i>Adonis vernalis</i> differ in number of anthers per flower (94.4 - 131.5, on average), the mass of pollen delivered (0.83 mg - 3.18 mg per 100 anthers, on average), the biological value of pollen and the size of pollen grains. Generally, stronger populations were characterized by better quality and a higher quantity of pollen. Potential energy of pollen in flowers from Pliszczyn and Łabunie was 69-72%, compared to 36%-47% in the remaining populations. Grass burning did not cause a reduction of potential biological value of <i>Adonis vernalis</i> pollen. Xerothermic swards in Pliszczyn and Kąty regularly burnt developed strong, most abundant populations of <i>Adonis vernalis</i> with favorable pollen. The development of the shrub layer, if it is out of control, stands in the way of satisfactory reproduction of halophilous <i>Adonis vernalis</i>.
Highlights
Species have wider or narrower ranges of distribution depending on habitat requirements
The population of Adonis vernalis in Łabunie, which had been estimated as large as 6 thousands individuals back in 1961, had decreased significantly since and was estimated at only 70 indiviluals with 1-5 flowering stamens each
We found the biological value of pollen and its abundant mass delivered by anthers to be satisfactory only in flowers from the vital populations at Pliszczyn and Kąty
Summary
Species have wider or narrower ranges of distribution depending on habitat requirements. Adonis vernalis L. forms a pontic-panonnic subelement distributed in grassland communities in the south-east Europe steppe zone and is characteristic for different xerotermic swards of continental-submediterranean type, belonging to the order Festucetalia valesiaceae. Its distribution is disjunct with some isolated growth places of extrazonal xerothermic habitats in the Lublin Upland, Małopolska, and the lower Warta or Wisła rivers (Gawłowska , 1956; Zając and Zając , 2001). Because of the small size of its populations, the disappearance of their habitats or a small number of locations, Adonis vernalis is a threatened element of the flora and is protected by law Fijałkowski (1961) described in Lubelszczyzna (the Lublin region) 32 stations, including 8 with abundant populations composed of over one thousand individuals. Entomophilous, pollen yielding flowers of Adonis vernalis has been found valuable for bee-like hymenoptera because of the early blooming period (Denisow and Wrzesień , 2006)
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