PNRP 37(3) – 2018 r.
Bryophytes from meadow habitats SUMMARY The paper presents a list of 50 bryophyte species (44 mosses, 5 liverworts, 1 hornworth) with short descriptions of their localities and habitats. It is a result of the investigation conducted in 2011 – 2017 on meadows, pastures and tall forb communities in Ojców National Park (ONP) (Kraków Upland). The list includes 7 species partly protected by law (Abietinella abietina, Calliergonella cuspidata, Climacium dendroides, Eurhynchium angustirete, Pseudoscleropodium purum, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Thuidium philibertii). Synusial moss communities illustrated by 40 phytosociological relevés were listed and briefly characterized. The main group of meadows in ONP represents the Arrhenatheretum elatioris association. Those meadows occur in different microclimatic regions. They are also characterized by different management history. The high ecological differentiation of meadow bryoflora is a consequence of the mosaic distribution of plant communities. Further studies on seedling recruitment and vascular plant-bryophyte interaction are important for the effective conservation of species-rich fresh meadows in ONP.
Epiphytic lichens of circular permanent plots SUMMARY Monitoring of lichens was carried out in three stages in 2004 – 2016 on 708 circular monitored permanent plots distributed evenly in the forests of Karkonosze National Park (SW Poland). In total, over 130 lichen taxa were found, out of which 114 were determinated for the species. The work presents their list, including the selection of which species were found in the monitoring stage. Only a few taxa have turned out to be ephemeral, and their attempts to settle in the Park have been unsuccessful so far. An increase in the taxonomic diversity of the biota of lichens was found. The quantity of most species and the number of their localities are also increasing. These phenomena are part of the recolonization process of lichens observed throughout Europe.
Herpetofauna of the Jeleniowska Refuge SUMMARY
The observations were carried out in the years 2016 – 2017
in the area of the Site of Community Importance Jeleniowska Refuge. The SCI
Jeleniowska Refuge was established in the central part of ¦wiêtokrzyskie Province
to protect the eastern part of the ¦wiêtokrzyska Primeval Forest. The ¦wiêtokrzyskie
Mountains are among the oldest in Europe. They were moved up during the Palaeozoic
orogeneses and are the only mountains in Central Poland. The mountains are
isolated from the other ones, and are their characteristic features are: low
altitude and specific habitat conditions (geology, geomorphology, soils,
climate, plant cover, etc.).
Herpetofauna of the Stawiany Refuge SUMMARY
The research was carried out in the years 2017 – 2018
in the area of the Site of Community Importance Stawiany Refuge. The SCI is
located in the Szyd³ów Foothills and Po³aniec Basin (¦wiêtokrzyskie Province,
central Poland). The refuge is characterized by high environmental and
geological diversity (e.g. karst phenomena). Sedimentary rocks from the
Jurassic, Cretaceous and Neogene Period are exposed and include most of all
marls, limestone, gypsum, clays and sands. The gypsum rocks occurring there are
built of large crystals often joined together, of impressive length up 3.5 m.
The area of the refuge covers agricultural lands, meadow communities, forests
and numerous ponds.
Satellite images as a useful tool for detecting the Great Egret Ardea alba SUMMARY This article presents the usefulness of satellite images for the assessment of the number of Great Egret Ardea alba breeding pairs in the studied area, and in the reconstruction and tracking of the expansion and colonization of new areas. The research used free satellite images from Google Earth showing the area of Biebrza National Park. Photos of this area came from 30.04.2014, that is from the optimal time to search for Great Egret nests. During the research (1), the results of the breeding pairs counts during the inventory of occupied nests obtained with the classic method from the ground by ornithologists, and from satellite images were compared based on the example of a breeding colony known since 1997. (2) Next, it was checked whether this method can be used to search for earlier nesting of the Great Egret in a given area that is commonly known. (3) Finally, potential breeding habitats were analyzed in a 50-kilometre section of the Biebrza River to detect potential new breeding colonies. (1) The results suggest that counting nests on low-resolution satellite images due to low contrast may reduce their number by as much as 70%. (2) The satellite images allow the detection of much earlier nesting of the Great Egret in a given area that is commonly known (55 breeding pairs were discovered in a colony known from 2016). (3) And finally, the satellite images allow the detection of completely new breeding colonies of the Great Egret – 3 colonies of 91, 19 and 18 breeding pairs were detected. The presented method gives a great opportunity to trace back-colonization of new areas by the Great Egret. In addition, it allows a more precise estimation of the breeding population in the studied area, especially in extensive wetland areas. More accurate results should be achieved by using high-resolution paid for images.
Restitution of European bison (Bison bonasus) SUMMARY
At the beginning of the 20th century, free-living European bison (Bison
bonasus) survived only in the Bia³owie¿a Forest and the Caucasus. As a
consequence of the First World War, all lowland-bison living in the Bia³owie¿a
Forest have been killed. In May 1923, a strategy to reintroduce the European
bison in Bia³owie¿a was presented at the international congress for nature
conservation in Paris. ln the same year, the international Society for the
Protection of the European Bison was founded. ln 1931, the goal to maintain the
purity of the species led to creating a studbook that is known as the European
Bison Pedigree Book. Since 1991, the
editorial office of this studbook is located in the Bia³owie¿a National Park.
SHORT FLORISTIC, FAUNISTIC AND MICOBIOTIC NOTES
New breeding record SUMMARY Leisler's bat Nyctalus leisleri is associated with forest habitat. It is also one of the most rarely found bats in Poland. Most of the observations of this species come from the east of the country. Lubuskie province is characterized by the largest percentage of forest cover in Poland – 49.1%, and seems to be an appropriate region for the species. In spite of this, in Lubuskie province only a couple of individuals of Leisler's bat have been caught up to now, in the south, near the town of Leszno Dolne UTM – WT40 (£ochyñski et al. 2002). Three individuals of Leisler's bat Nyctalus leisleri (Kuhl, 1817), including a pregnant female, were caught during faunal research in the "Nietoperek" Natura 2000 site. Bats were caught during a netting session carried out near Pieski village (UTM – WU20 Polish Atlas of Mammalian distribution: square – 03Hi), 200 m outside the site boundary, on 28th May 2014. Finding a pregnant female suggests the presence of a breeding colony near the netting site. In addition, the proximity of the Natura 2000 site, containing fragments of well-preserved deciduous woodland, suggests that this is an area of suitable habitat for Leisler's bat. |