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This pilot case study compares genome sizes of two groups of species (conspecific plants) which spontaneously colonize interior space within abandoned industrial area and/or deposits, and those ones occurred in adjacent vicinity. Testing of the hypothesis “There is functional significance of small versus large genomes of plant species by comparing their occurrence in unreclaimed toxic deposits as an example of stressed environment and in their populations from neighbouring habitats” confirmed this idea.

The aim of this study is to differentiate old-field plant communities along the abandonment time and/or environmental gradient in the landscape surrounded villages with established Czech settlers in Romanian Banat area conserving traditional agriculture, and to identify site factors which cause plant diversity of particular vegetation types. Study area: Wider territory centered by the village Sfânta Elena, southern Romania ((44°40’ N; 21°43’ E). Methods: We collected 97 phytosociological relevés covered the same number of old-fields in the area and the following habitat parameters were measured: soil pH, available phosphorus, total carbon and nitrogen, Heat Load Index. Software TURBOVEG / JUICE was used to collect and elaborate the data set of relevés. Old-field vegetation was classified into five basic plant communities using TWINSPAN (all the botanical material includes 291 plant species). For each community, we detected diagnostic species according to their fidelity index. The presence of mowing, grazing or burning was registered for recorded stands. Ecological preferences of each community were examined using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Vegetation-environment relationships were analysed using ordination method – Cannonical correspondence analysis (CCA) in CANOCO for Windows (version 4.5) to find the main variability gradients within the dataset. Scatter plot relationships between variables were constructed. Main results and conclusions: Dependence of number of species (alpha diversity) on the abandoned field’s age exhibits an unimodal shape of this relationship with the maximum peak of species diversity in plant stands aged approximately 13 years. The most importnat ecological factors and/or type of management in the relationship to the old-field plant composition show the following significance order: available phosphorus content in the soil (P), total nitrogen content in the soil (N), presence of burning, length of abandonment (old-field age), carbon/nitrogen ratio in the soil (C/N). Other parameters (grazing, mowing, zero management) do not demonstrate effective impact according to our dataset and seem to be equal to the absence of burning.

Set of phytocoenological records obtained in nineties of the twentieth century from extensively farmed patches and/or grasslands dominated by invasive grass Bromus catharticus in suburban area of Cairo, Egypt, is related to running and perspective expansion of this vegetation formation in the “city ecotone” at the metropolitan boundry.

This paper summarizes those substantial theoretical concepts or methods for applications within interdisciplinary or practical uses published by Czech autors (geobotanists = ecological botanists, plant ecologists and ecophysiologists) during the second half of the 20th century, that were internationally cited. All selected thematical clusters are of landscape-ecological relevance through various contexts. Examples include the concepts of (potential) reconstructed vegetation in maps (R. Neuhäusl, Z. Neuhäuslová), linear vegetation features (corridors in landscape) and deductive classification of vegetation (K. Kopecký), analysis of soil seed bank (Z. Kropáč), dependency of macrophyte plant stands on ecodynamics (S. Hejný), dynamic periodicity in segetal vegetation (Z. Kropáč, E. Hadač, S. Hejný), anemo-orographic system explaining species richness in mountain regions (J. Jeník), productivity in grassland ecosystems (M. Rychnovská, J. Květ), elementary landscape units based on homogenity and potential vegetation (E. Hadač), landscape dispensation phenomena (V. Ložek), afforestation of coastal sandy dunes – the Netherlands, and polluted areas - the Czech Republic (J. Fanta), invasive plants and invasions into landscapes (M. Rejmánek).

The paved (tarmac) roads had been constructed on Soqotra island over the last 15 years. The vegetation along the roads was disturbed and the erosion started immediately after the disturbance caused by the road construction. Our assumption is that biotechnical measurements should prevent the problems caused by erosion and improve stabilization of road edges. The knowledge of plant species which are able to grow in unfavourable conditions along the roads is important for correct selection of plants used for outplanting. The vegetation succession was observed using phytosociological relevés as a tool of recording and mapping assambblages of plants species along the roads as new linear structures in the landscape. Data from phytosociological relevés were analysed and the succession was characterised in different altitudes. The results can help us to select group of plants (especially shrubs and trees), which are suitable to be used as stabilizing green mantle in various site conditions and for different purposes (anti-erosional, ornamental, protection against noise or dust, etc.).

Clonal plants are very often among the first species to establish during primary succession. They may rapidly capture available space due to efficient vegetative propagation, but the question arises whether they may also rely on seed bank or seed rain during expansion and recovery after a possible disturbance. This question becomes increasingly important in extreme conditions of industrial deposit investigated in this study. We explored the two aforementioned seed sources in a clonal grass Calamagrostis epigejos within an ecotoxicologically stressed environment - abandoned tailings containment (former sedimentation basin) - from manganese-ore mining. Density of seeds found in seed rain was 617 seeds m-2, and in soil seed bank 220 seeds m-2, based on an autumn survey. Soil seed pool was almost depleted until the following spring as only 13 seeds m-2 were present. This pattern contrasted with the capacity of C. epigejos to build a persistent soil seed bank as shown by a burial experiment. Seed rain was thus identified to be the sole reliable seed source that may assist in recovery of this species after a possible disturbance

Three to four dominant seed-transporting ant species of different size categories (Tetramorium caespitum, Lasius niger, Formica rufibarbis/Formica pratensis) on the plateau of abandoned ore sedimentation basin (tailings containment) were studied as pioneer and subsequent colonisers of this industrial waste deposit, from the viewpoint of their functioning in plant seed dispersal. We examined the role of ants in primary vegetation succession. Experiments of seed removal by ants with plant species found within close proximity of tailings were related to the succession. Ant activity generates a considerable shift in the quality of the colonised surface, as they collectively act as ecosystem engineers

This article examines the consequences of a fire (August 1994) which burned the vegetated surface of abandoned tailings containment in mosaic pattern, in Chvaletice (Eastern River Elbe basin, Czech Republic). Vegetation succession with adjacent processes (such as leaf litter decomposition) was then monitored in comparisons on burned and unburned plots. The influence of the introduced plant organic matter by mulching on the biological soil crust was also investigated. Apart from the naturally burned plots, some plots were also experimentally burned. The soil moisture and surface temperatures in different temporal distances from the fire experiment were measured. There were no significant differences in decomposition rate between the plots that were affected and/or unaffected by fire. The daily temperatures of the burned soil surface increased after the fire, while its night temperatures decreased. The moisture content of the soil surface was reduced after the fire. Addition of dry local aboveground plant biomass on the substrate surface suggests that substrate roughness provides retention to seeds transported by wind, and protects the rhizosphere against extreme heat, drought and salt incrustation. Furthermore, it positively modifies the hydrological regime of microsites and stimulates the creation of a humus soil layer and enrichment of the substrate by nutrients. Finally, it facilitates colonisation by plant seedlings from seeds transported by anemochorous or zoochorous mechanisms.