The plant communities of root‐crop fields in lowlands and highlands of Poland: floristic, ecologic and regional differentiation

Abstract

AbstractAbove one thousand records of root‐crop plant associations, from published as well as unpublished sources, were analysed. It was found that in the post‐glacial Lowlands and in the Central Highlands, eight types of root‐crop plant communities occur which deserve being ranked as associations.The following belong to Panico‐Setarietum: Echinochloo‐Setarietum (Krusem. et Vlieger 1939 = Spergulo‐Echinochloetum Tx. 1950) on loamy sands in the Belt of Great Valleys; in Central Highlands and in Lakeland Belt it covers smaller areas showing considerable floristic and ecologic differentiation; the Digitaria ischaemum sub‐ass. occurs on warm, permeable soils in the Highlands Belt.Digitarietum ischaemi (Tx. et Prsg. 1950) on the poorest, acid sandy soils in the Lowlands Belt and in the coastal region.Spergulo‐Chrysanthemetum segeti (Br. Bl. et Leeuw 1936) Tx. 1937 only on loamy sands in the northern part of the Kasubian Lakeland.Lycopsetum as the poorest form on loamy sands in the Belt of Lakelands and in the maritime region.An association of a transitional character between the Panico‐Setarion and Eu‐Polygono‐Chenopodion is the Euphorbia helioscopia‐Sonchus asper Ass. on lighter morainic clays and sandy loams in the Belt of Lowlands.The following communities belong to Eu‐Polygono‐Chenopodion: Lamio‐Veronicetum politae Kornaás 1950 on rendzinas of Central Highlands and on rich in calcium carbonate loamy and clayey soils of the Lowlands and also on loamy sands in the eastern part of the Lakeland Belt, with a typical sub‐ass. on rendzinas of the Little Poland Highland and one with Matricaria inodora on clayey and loamy soils of the Lowlands, both with a typical variant and one with Veronica agrestis, the latter on poorer and more humid habitats.Veronico (agrestis)‐Fumarietum officinalis Tx. (1949) 1950 on loams and loamy sands in the central part of the country to the north‐west.Oxalido‐Chenopodietum polyspermi Sissingh 1950 as an azonal association in river valleys on loamy alluvials.In Poland, the plant communities which have the greatest territorial range and, consequently, the greatest floristic and ecologic differentiation are: Echinochloo‐Setarietum, Lamio‐Veronicetum politae and Euphorbia helioscopia‐Sonchus asper‐ass.