Abstract

<p>Floristic studies were carried out in eight botanical gardens in Poland in the years 1992-1999. It was demonstrated that the spontaneous synanthropic flora of the gardens consisted of 1092 taxa in the rank of a genus or lower, among which alien species constituted 55% of the flora studied. Ergasiophygophytes, of which the introduction is closely associated with the activities of the botanical gardens, dominated in the latter group of species.</p><p>It appeared that the flora of the studied botanical gardens was rather similar. However, the structure of the flora of different spatial units (six types of microhabitats) distinguished in the particular gardens varied, which was associated with the various management practices. The flora of microhabitats identified in the gardens differed with respect to the number of taxa and spectra of geographical-historical groups of species and life forms. Ruderal sites, arable lands and roadsides supported the highest number of taxa (the flora of the above spatial units was represented by 646, 645 and 597 taxa, respectively). Moreover, they were characterized by a high proportion of annual plants in the flora (43, 38 and 34%, respectively) and by a relatively small representation of apophytes (39% in all the three types of microhabitats). The flora of wet areas and parks was, however, poor in species (154 and 403 species, respectively), but relatively rich in apophytes (72 and 55% of the flora, respectively) and with a low contribution of therophytes (19 and 20%, respectively).</p><p>The present data were compared with the findings of other authors who investigated the synanthropic flora of cities in which the botanical gardens were located. The comparative analysis of the flora of Poznań and Łódź showed a great richness of species (in relation to size of the area studied) and a high incidence of aliens (especially those, which had not become established permanently) in the botanical gardens. However comparative studies of the flora of Warsaw and that of the two botanical gardens established in the city revealed that the proportion of alien species was lower in case of these gardens.</p><p>In Warsaw the flora of areas, which had been managed in the same way as those of the botanical gardens, was also investigated. It was found that the botanical gardens in Warsaw were more similar to cemeteries with respect to the structure of flora than they were to the allotments. The present study showed that the high variability of flora within the particular gardens is attributed to the different ways the area is utilized.</p>

Highlights

  • Botanical gardens are associated with banking, cultivation and exhibition of plants

  • The synanthropic flora of the eight botanical gardens in Poland was relatively rich in taxa

  • The present study showed floristic similarities between the particular botanical gardens, while the floristic composition of the various microhabitats identified in the gardens was markedly different

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Summary

Introduction

Botanical gardens are associated with banking, cultivation and exhibition of plants. The way the botanical garden is managed is determined by introduction of a large number of plants for cultivation (which belong to many taxa: species, subspecies, varieties and hybrids).The plant cover of botanical gardens was investigated in different aspects by a number of authors. Botanical gardens are associated with banking, cultivation and exhibition of plants. The way the botanical garden is managed is determined by introduction of a large number of plants for cultivation (which belong to many taxa: species, subspecies, varieties and hybrids). The synanthropic flora of vascular plants (Adamczewska et al 2000) and bryophytes (Filipiak 1996; Kalinowska-Kucharska 1998, 2001) was surveyed in the Botanical Garden of £ódŸ. In the Botanical Garden of Wroc3aw the flora of algae, bryophytes, myxomycetes, lichens and fungi was determined (Panek, Burzyñski 1985; Berdowski 1988; Stojanowska 1992; Wójcik 1996; Kossowska 1997). Studies on weeds accompanying the plants cultivated in greenhouses of the Botanical Garden in Powsin (near Warsaw) were published as well (Galera, Ratyñska 1999).

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