PNRP 37(4) – 2018 r.

Bryophytes of the Kampinos Forest and surrounding areas. Outline of the history of research

SUMMARY

The Kampinos Forest is protected within the borders of the Kampinos National Park, which is one of the largest national parks in Poland. It is also one of the richest and well described in terms of the number of species of vascular plants as well as mushrooms, but it lacks a full and current monograph of bryoflora. For many years a study from 1930 by Roman Kobendza entitled "Phytosociological relationships of the Kampinos Forest" was given as the main, and most often, the only source of data on this topic. An important complement to this work is another monograph entitled "Mosses of the Warsaw surroundings" (authors: B. Hryniewiecki, K. Stefanowicz-Owczarska, I. Rejmentówna, K. Lublinerówna), which appeared in 1937, in the same publishing series, i.e. "Planta Polonica. Materials for Polish flora" edited by Bolesław Hryniewiecki, as the work of R. Kobendza. Materials derived from other various works, both earlier, from the 19th century (by F. Błoński and by J. Steinhaus), as well as from the second half of the 20th century, which include bryological publications (I. Rejment-Grochowska, D. Sobotka, J. Mickiewicz), selected unpublished studies (herbal publications and diploma works among others), phytosociological works and various contemporary publications, now allow the presentation of a synthesis of collected data. The study presents the history of bryophyte research in Kampinos Forest and its surroundings, including, among others, Bielany, in the vicinity of Warsaw. A list of the bryophyte species reported from the study has been drawn up, along with details of the original works containing the source data. For each species the positions from which the data originated on their occurrence are given separately for the Forest within the Kampinos National Park, the buffer zone of the Park, and the surrounding areas. A total of 254 species of bryophytes were reported from the area of the Kampinos Forest and the surrounding areas, including: 44 liverworts and hornworts, and 210 mosses. In this number, 234 species (41 liverworts and hornworts, and 193 mosses) were given from the area of the Kampinos National Park together with its buffer zone, and 210 species from the Park itself (38 liverworts and hornworts, and 172 mosses). These figures do not include species given incorrectly, but there are several taxa among them whose occurrence in this area may be considered uncertain. According to the presented compilation, the number of bryophytes found so far in the Forest and its vicinity is now more than twice as large as in the first compilation from the monograph by R. Kobendza, and also significantly higher than in the estimates presented so far in the literature. A significant part of the data in this review is of a different historical character, and the developed list of bryophytes certainly does not cover all species occurring in this area. The Kampinos Forest, therefore, requires further research in this respect, and one can expect that the number of species found here will be greater.