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The Żabieniec mire is located in central Poland. Its high thickness of organic sediments enabled paleoecological analyses and a description of environmental history during the Late Glacial and the Holocene. This article presents the record of vegetation development during the Younger Dryas in terms of pollen analysis. It is divided into three phases and the chronology is determined by radiocarbon dating. The first phase lasted ca 900 years and shows a cooling, the development of colddemanding plant communities, deforestation and an increase in trophy. The second phase lasted not longer than 230 years and shows the preservation of cold-demanding vegetation and high trophy of the lake. The third phase lasted ca 120 years and shows a decrease of cold- and light-demanding tundra and steppe taxa. Trophy was clearly decreasing. Pollen analysis results for several other sites in Poland suggest that vegetation succession driven by macro-climatic features is significantly modified by local factors such as geomorphology, topography and physico-chemical properties of the ground. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, the results of studies conducted in the Łagiewnicki Forest in the city of Łódź (central Poland) in 2010--2012 are presented. These were the first long-term observations into myxomycetes in the Łagiewnicki Forest and in central Poland. Investigations were conducted using the route method for the entire forest complex (2010--2012). Additionally, twelve logs were selected in the "Las Łagiewnicki" forest reserve for detailed observations in 2011--2012; these logs belonged to four tree species: Betula pendula Roth, Carpinus betulus L., Quercus sp., and Picea abies (L.) H. Karst. In total, 1,561 specimens were collected and were classified into 96 taxa (91 species and five varieties). Three species (Diderma saundersii, Oligonema flavidum, and Didymium eximium) are new to the biota of Poland, while five (Arcyria stipata, Hemitrichia calyculata, Oligonema schweinitzii, Physarum flavicomum, and Physarum robustum) are included on the red list of rare myxomycetes in Poland. Stemonitopsis amoena is also classified as a rare species; to date, this species has been reported in one locality in Poland. The scale by Stephenson et al. was used to determine the frequency of occurrence of individual taxa; 55 taxa were classified as rare, nine as sporadic, 26 as common, and six as abundant taxa. Three ecological groups of slime molds were identified based on the type of substrate they colonized: lignicolous (54 taxa), foliicolous (seven taxa), and corticolous (two taxa). No preference for the substrate was noticed in a group of 33 taxa that occurred on different substrate types. The phenology of myxomycete occurrence was also analyzed; 49 taxa occurred throughout the entire vegetative season, while only single records of species that were found in specific months were noted. The biota collected in the "Las Łagiewnicki" forest reserve and that in a Łagiewnicki Forest segment outside it (of the same size and the same occurrence of plant communities as in the reserve) in 2011--2012 were also compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Construction of central Poland's Jeziorsko Reservoir in 1986 has been followed by a 30-year period of secondary succession in the direction of zonation of vegetation typical for the valley of a major river. While the southern part is protected as an ornithological reserve, the whole area falls within the Jeziorsko Reservoir Natura 2000 area called „Jeziorsko Reservoir", there have never been more intensive geobotanical studies carried out here - hence. The aim of our work to describe the plant cover in the area of the river Warta's inflow and discharge into the Reservoir. To the above end, field studies were conducted along 6 transects (10 m wide and 513 to 2416 m long, depending on the influence of surface waters) intended to reveal abrasive, accumulative and stabilised impacts of water. Thus, while erosion and long-term inundation prevail in the north, the middle part features a river of braided form, with many arms and old river beds, with a prevalent process of the accumulation of river sediments. In turn, in its southern studied part, the river channel has been straightened, and the wider valley is cultivated. The flora here is not rich (with just 235 taxa of vascular plant), and this is deemed to reflect habitat uniformity and limited anthropopressure. The spectra of life forms and of geographical/historical groups of species along the transects do nevertheless present distinct differences. Native species dominate (to the tune of 91.4-96.1%), but the northern part under lesser human impact mainly has non-synanthropic spontaneophytes, while the southern area with its meadows and pastures supports apophytes. Anthropophytes do not extend over any more-major area, and pose not competition to native flora, contemporarily at least. The group of endangered species is only represented by Najas marina and Pulicaria vulgaris; both in the NT category. Najas marina is also present on the IUCN Red List, with the same status. Though rare in Poland in general, Ulva flexuosa was found to occur quite frequently in the Reservoir. Regionally endangered status would in turn apply to both Populus nigra (LC) and Senecio paludosus (VU). The similarity of actual vegetation to potential natural vegetation can be explained in terms of regular inundation and limited human influence. Factors hindering the process of spontaneous succession entail active bird-protection measures that involve the removal of trees and shrubs (over 70 ha in 2016). Away from the Reservoir itself - with its differentiated hydrophytic vegetation - the association accounting for the highest share of plant cover, and also present in the delta of the Warta and along old river beds, is Salicetum albae. Permanent herbaceous vegetation is represented by different swamp communities. On river banks and within the complex of forest or swamp, willow scrub of the Salicetum triandro-viminalis type has emerged. In turn, temporarily-exposed bottom areas support therophytic communities. The meadows prevalent in the vicinity of Warta town are mostly the subject of regular mowing. Grazed swards were also found within forests, their presence evidently being promoted by the activity of wild animals. Ruderal vegetation was scarce, like the psammophilous grassland vegetation found only on embankments. The total number of plant communities observed was 80, and the highest shares (68% to over 92%) were of natural communities. The endangered communities categorised as facing an unidentified threat (I) were 26 in number, while the E (endangered) category was ascribed to Populetum albae only. 8 protected Natura 2000 habitats were identified, as represented by 20 communities. Among these are psammophilous grasslands and slightly halophilous pastures not typical of this area, and hence very limited. All others communities proved to be very well-developed and common. The vegetation map presents the distribution of 6 vegetation formations (forest, scrub, riverside therophytes, reedswamp, grazed pasture and meadow and hydrophytic vegetation). The central part of the studied area, in which all of these formations create a mosaic, is most differentiated. This fact was confirmed by the highest recorded value for the Shannon-Wiener diversity index. The diversity of vegetation and dynamics of succession processes related to the activity of surface waters indicate a need for legal protection, not only of birds, but also of habitats. This area well exemplifies phenomena linked with the activity of a large river, with a diversity of vegetation in successional series of a kind that it is no longer possible to find below the Reservoir dam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]