The possibility to reconcile the conflict between the preservation of synanthropic vegetation and the development of cities

Ewa Trzaskowska

doi:10.5586/aa.2011.065

Abstract

The impoverishment of synanthropic vegetation has been observed in Polish cities for at least half a century. It relates to both the decrease in the area of its occurrence and reduction in species diversity. This is associated with changes in land development, a faster construction process, and an increasingly smaller area of wasteland as well as with the fact that agricultural land and farm buildings are found in cities less and less frequently. Municipal management has been modernised and rubbish, soil or rubble dumps are encountered less often. Besides, the aesthetics adopted by modern man does not allow for the existence of spontaneous vegetation, since in an ordered world such great freedom and liberty are not accepted. Nevertheless, synanthropic flora is one of elements of greenery co-creating a unique urban ecosystem. It increases species richness, improves the climate, and contributes to a reduction in pollution and noise. The present paper highlights difficulties related to the preservation of this flora in cities, and a concept is presented how to introduce it into urban green spaces. Different forms of green spaces are presented in the case of which it is possible to use synanthropic plants, e.g.: ecological lawns and flower meadows, extensive roof gardens, and ecological parks.

Highlights

The 19th century became a period of absolute dominance of man over nature
Segetal species, accompanying crops, and ruderal species found near human settlements belong to them
The possibility of extinction of segetal plants was highlighted in the 1960’s by Kornaś (1968). This problem was addressed by Faliński (1972), Kornaś (1972), Mirek (1976), Olaczek (1976), Warcholińska (1986-87) as well as many other authors (Jackowiak and Latkowski, 1996)

Summary

INTRODUCTION

The 19th century became a period of absolute dominance of man over nature. Plant species began to die out, while increasingly more numerous alien, unspecialised species replaced native ones (Dubos , 1986; Poskrobko , 2003; Wilson , 2003). In spite of their different views on the place of synanthropic flora in cities, all these authors are in agreement that plant cover is the basis for biological management of green areas It comprises landscaped greenery, remnants of natural communities, and spontaneous synanthropic flora. Apart from several species of segetal plants, synanthropic plants have not been included in any conservation directive (Mędrzycki , 2007) They can contribute to an improvement in environmental conditions prevailing in the city and it is worth identifying the parts of green areas where the reduction of tending treatments to a minimum will not collide with other aspects, e.g. safety (Trzaskowska , 2009), but will have a stabilising effect on the urban ecosystem, and properly managed land overgrown with such vegetation will become an attraction of the urban landscape. The analysis in the present study is of practical importance and can be used in the process of green space development

Characteristics of urbanised areas

Difficulties with preserving synthropic vegetation in cities

Findings

The use of synanthropic vegetation in green spaces