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Chemical composition of plant litter, properties of the soil, and climatic conditions are the major factors determining rate of organic matter decomposition. Although the process of decomposition in degraded areas plays a significant role in accumulation of soil organic carbon (SOC), this issue is poorly studied. SOC content is a crucial factor determining the success of land restoration. We measured rates of decomposition of the grass Calamagrostis epigejos, the dicotyledonous N-fixer Medicago sativa, the dicotyledonous non-N-fixing Cirsium arvense and cellulose paper as a standard carrier in forest stands on a reclaimed spoil heap of the opencast lignite mine in Belchatow (central Poland). We considered the 10 cm topsoil particle size distribution and pH as factors that can affect the rate of organic matter decomposition and soil organic carbon content. Rate of litter decomposition was slowest for the grass (mean half decay time 2.6 years), while the N-fixing litter was not decomposed faster than the dicotyledonous non-N-fixing litter (mean half decay time of both species 0.9 years). Cellulose was decomposed most quickly (mean half decay time 0.8 years). Decomposition rate was faster under the canopy of Robinia pseudoacacia (deciduous N-fixing tree species, mean half decay time 0.9 years), whereas the rate of decomposition under Pinus sylvestris (coniferous canopy) was not slower than under Betula pendula (deciduous non-N-fixing tree species, mean half decay time under both species 1.5 years). Irrespective of litter type, decomposition was faster on the northern slope (mean half decay time 0.9 years) than on the southern slope (1.6 years). The plots where decomposition was faster (under R. pseudoacacia and on the northern slope) were characterized by higher SOC content (1.95% and 1.96%, respectively) than the plots under B. pendula (1.15%), P. sylvestris (1.29%), and those located on the southern slope (0.97%).

Spoil heaps, resulting from open-pit mining, are deprived of soil cover. A common method of reclamation for such sites is afforestation aimed at creating whole forest ecosystems. Forest stands planted on soilless areas make it possible to determine the effects of different tree taxa on the species composition of flora. The study focused on the vascular species of herb layers in young forest stands formed by Alnus glutinosa, Betula pendula, Pinus sylvestris, Quercus petraea and Robinia pseudoacacia, and mixed stands dominated by Acer pseudoplatanus or Betula pendula. The study included 227 randomly selected plots across the afforested Belchatow Brown Coal Mine spoil heap. Species composition of the herb layer was composed mainly of synanthropic species (over 70%), and was clearly related to the overstory tree species composition of forest stands. TWINSPAN divided sample plots into two groups that developed under the canopy of stands formed by: (1) Betula pendula, Pinus sylvestris or Quercus petraea, or mixed stands with Betula pendula, or (2) Alnus glutinosa or Robinia pseudoacacia, or mixed stands dominated by Acer pseudoplatanus. The first group was dominated by meadow species (25.8%), while the second had higher richness of ruderal (18.6%) and forest-edge species (14.1%). Plant species associated with fertile and moist forest habitats were more frequent in the second group (Alnus-Robinia), whereas species of acidic and dry forests occurred only in the first group (Betula-Pinus). Non-parametric tests on Ellenberg’s indicator values showed that forest stands of Betula-Pinus group created habitat conditions for light-demanding species with low fertility requirements, whereas forest stands of Alnus-Robinia group created habitat conditions for nitrophilous and shade-tolerant plant species. Our data revealed that tree species composition of forest stands is a key factor shaping herb layer conditions and – as a consequence – herb layer species composition despite of initial habitat variability on the spoil heap. These results highlight a key role of forest stand composition in the development of herb layer richness on post-industrial habitats.

Tree species effects in afforestation of post-industrial lands have important impacts on biodiversity of restored sites. We aimed to assess tree species effects on bryophytes in a novel ecosystem – a reclaimed lignite mine spoil heap. We investigated bryophyte species pools in tree stands of six species: Alnus glutinosa, Betula pendula, Pinus sylvestris, Quercus robur, Q. rubra and Robinia pseudoacacia in two substratum groups: epigeic and epiphytic species. We assessed beta-diversity among tree stand types and bryophyte guilds. We also analyzed impacts of light availability, pH and C/N ratios of bark and soil, annual litterfall and bark water capacity of the main tree species, on bryophyte species pools among tree stands and species groups, using canonical correspondence analysis. Our study revealed tree species effects on bryophyte species richness, beta-diversity and composition. Main mechanisms connected with tree species effects were light availability and substratum C/N ratio, as well as substratum pH and bark water capacity. We confirmed that tree species traits connected with C/N ratios and light availability affect bryophyte species composition. Guilds of bryophytes responded differently to tree species effects on ecosystem properties and their turnover differed between tree stands. Influence of the factors studied on species pools was similar to those reported from mature woodlands. Presence of many woodland specific bryophytes has shown restoration success ca. 30 years after afforestation of post-industrial land. Different tree species provided different habitats for bryophytes, and therefore decisions regarding what tree species to plant affect restoration success and the future bryophyte species pool.

According facilitative models of succession, trees are great forest ecosystem engineers. The strength of tree stand influences on habitat were tested in rather homogenous conditions where heterogeneity of site condition was not an important influence. We hypothesized that canopy composition affects total aboveground vascular herb layer biomass (THB) and species composition of herb layer plant biomass (SCHB) more significantly than primary soil fertility or slope exposure. The study was conducted in 227 randomly selected research plots in seven types of forest stands: pure with Alnus glutinosa, Betula pendula, Pinus sylvestris, Quercus petraea and Robinia pseudoacacia, and mixed with dominance of Acer pseudoplatanus or Betula pendula located on hilltop and northern, eastern, western, and southern slopes on a reclaimed, afforested post-mining spoil heap of the Belchatow Brown Coal Mine (Poland). Generalized linear models (GLZ) showed that tree stand species were the best predictors of THB. Non-parametric variance tests showed significantly higher (nearly four times) THB under canopies of A. glutinosa, R. pseudoacacia, B. pendula and Q. petraea, compared to the lowest THB found under canopies of P. sylvestris and mixed with A. pseudoplatanus. Redundancy Analysis (RDA) showed that SCHB was significantly differentiated along gradients of light-nutrient herb layer species requirements. RDA and non-parametric variance tests showed that SCHB under canopies of A. glutinosa, R. pseudoacacia and mixed with A. pseudoplatanus had large shares of nitrophilous ruderal species (32%, 31% and 11%, respectively), whereas SCHB under B. pendula, Q. petraea, mixed with B. pendula and P. sylvestris were dominated by light-demanding meadow (49%, 51%, 51% and 36%, respectively) and Poaceae species. The results indicated the dominant role of tree stand composition in habitat-forming processes, and although primary site properties had minor importance, they were also modified by tree stand species.

Acidophilous oak forests of the Wielkopolska region (West Poland) against the background of Central Europe This monograph gives the phytosociological characteristics of acidophilous oak forests from the class Quercetea robori-petraeae (Aulacomnio androgyni-Quercetum, Molinio caeruleae-Quercetum, and Calamagrostio arundinaceae-Quercetum) and the closely related forest communities from the classes Querco-Fagetea (Potentillo albae-Quercetum and acidophilous forms of Galio sylvatici-Carpinetum) and Vaccinio-Piceetea (Querco roboris-Pinetum and Serratulo-Pinetum) in the Wielkopolska region and adjacent areas. The report is based on 1655 relevés selected from 59 published or unpublished studies. The analysed and revised syntaxa are described in accordance with the International Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature. The distribution of the documented localities of all associations and subassociations in the study area is shown in cartograms on the ATPOL grid (squares of 10 km x 10 km). The classical phytosociological methods are complemented with multivariate ordination methods (detrended correspondence analysis and/or principal component analysis) and analyses taking into account Ellenberg indicator values. The natural geographical and site differentiation of all the plant associations is presented, and stages of degeneration are distinguished in some of them. The separation of degenerated forms and substitute forest communities has allowed a clearer classification of the studied syntaxa. This study shows that the analysed associations can be subdivided into 16 subassociations and 23 variants. For 5 subassociations, nomenclatural types are designated here. The most common association in the study area is Calamagrostio arundinaceae-Quercetum, but most of its relevés represent various stages of degeneration. Among communities from the order Quercetalia roboris, patches of Aulacomnio androgyni-Quercetum and Molinio caeruleae-Quercetum are rare. On the basis of this detailed study, a coherent system of classification of acidophilous oak forests from the order Quercetalia roboris in Central Europe is proposed. The results are important for biodiversity conservation and sustainable forest management.

The North American woody species, Prunus serotina Ehrh., is an aggressive invader of forest understories in Europe. To better understand the plant invasion process, we assessed understorey plants and Prunus serotina seedlings that have colonized a 35year-old replicated common-garden experiment of 14 tree species in south-western Poland. The density and size of established (> 1 year old) P. serotina seedlings varied among overstorey species and were related to variation in light availability and attributes of the understorey layer. In a multiple regression analysis, the density of established P. serotina seedlings was positively correlated with light availability and understorey species richness and negatively correlated with understorey species cover. These results suggest that woody invader success is adversely affected by overstorey shading and understorey competition for resources. Simultaneously, however, invader success may generally be positively associated with understorey species richness because both native and invasive plant colonization respond similarly to environmental conditions, including those influenced by overstorey tree species. Identification of characteristics of forests that increase their susceptibility to invasion may allow managers to target efforts to detect invasives and to restore forests to states that may be less invasible.

© 2015. Management of biodiversity and ecosystem services requires a better understanding of the factors that influence soil biodiversity. We characterized the species (or genera) richness of 10 taxonomic groups of invertebrate soil animals in replicated monocultures of 14 temperate tree species. The focal invertebrate groups ranged from microfauna to macrofauna: Lumbricidae, Nematoda, Oribatida, Gamasida, Opilionida, Araneida, Collembola, Formicidae, Carabidae, and Staphylinidae. Measurement of invertebrate richness and ancillary variables occurred ~34 years after the monocultures were planted. The richness within each taxonomic group was largely independent of richness of other groups; therefore a broad understanding of soil invertebrate diversity requires analyses that are integrated across many taxa. Using a regression-based approach and ~125 factors related to the abundance and diversity of resources, we identified a subset of predictors that were correlated with the richness of each invertebrate group and richness integrated across 9 of the groups (excluding earthworms). At least 50% of the variability in integrated richness and richness of each invertebrate group was explained by six or fewer predictors. The key predictors of soil invertebrate richness were light availability in the understory, the abundance of an epigeic earthworm species, the amount of phosphorus, nitrogen, and calcium in soil, soil acidity, and the diversity or mass of fungi, plant litter, and roots. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that resource abundance and diversity strongly regulate soil biodiversity, with increases in resources (up to a point) likely to increase the total diversity of soil invertebrates. However, the relationships between various resources and soil invertebrate diversity were taxon-specific. Similarly, diversity of all 10 invertebrate taxa was not high beneath any of the 14 tree species. Thus, changes to tree species composition and resource availability in temperate forests will likely increase the richness of some soil invertebrates while decreasing the richness of others.

In 2014 and 2015 we investigated the nesting ecology of Polistes nimpha, one of the paper wasp species common in western Poland. In three selected study plots we collected data about plant species on which P. nimpha foundresses initiate nests, nest height above ground, and nest azimuth. We have observed some preferences of foundresses in relation to these three parameters. Nests are most often initiated on Hypericum, Tanacetum, Daucus and Achillea plants. The preferred range of nest height above ground is 15 to 25 cm, while the preferred nest azimuth is about 110°.

The Balkan pine (Pinus peuce) is a Balkan Peninsula endemic tree species, growing in high mountains of Bulgaria, Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Albania, and Greece and forming pure and mixed stands in subalpine forests. The paper gives a survey of biodiversity of Balkan pine stands in the Rogów Arboretum in reference to environmental data. In the plots examined, 29 taxa of vascular plants, 29 taxa of macrofungi and 127 taxa of invertebrates were recorded. The revealed diversity is discussed with regard to the data from Pinus peuce natural habitats.