EJPAU 2009. Gołdyn H. CHANGES IN PLANT COMMUNITIES OF A DRAINAGE DITCH OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS

Electronic Journal of Polish Agricultural Universities (EJPAU) founded by all Polish Agriculture Universities presents original papers and review articles relevant to all aspects of agricultural sciences. It is target for persons working both in science and industry,regulatory agencies or teaching in agricultural sector. Covered by IFIS Publishing (Food Science and Technology Abstracts), ELSEVIER Science - Food Science and Technology Program, CAS USA (Chemical Abstracts), CABI Publishing UK and ALPSP (Association of Learned and Professional Society Publisher - full membership). Presented in the Master List of Thomson ISI.

2009
Volume 12
Issue 4

Topic:

Environmental Development

ELECTRONIC
JOURNAL OF
POLISH
AGRICULTURAL
UNIVERSITIES

Gołdyn H. 2009. CHANGES IN PLANT COMMUNITIES OF A DRAINAGE DITCH OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS, EJPAU 12(4), #11.
Available Online: http://www.ejpau.media.pl/volume12/issue4/abs-11.html

CHANGES IN PLANT COMMUNITIES OF A DRAINAGE DITCH OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS

Hanna Gołdyn
Institute for Agricultural and Forest Environment, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań, Poland

ABSTRACT

The goal of this study was to analyse changes in plant
communities of the Wyskoć Ditch (near Poznań in western Poland) over the last
30 years. Vegetation diversity increased, but the red-listed association Sagittario-Sparganietum
emersi (dominant in the 1970s) was replaced by plant associations
characteristic of more fertile waters. In 1979, in the same section of the watercourse,
only 3 plant associations were found, compared to 12 in 2007. In contrast, the
area covered by vegetation decreased nearly twofold. These transformations are
due to environmental stress, linked with changes in chemical conditions caused
mostly by intensive farming, but also with changes in physical conditions, resulting
primarily from direct human interference (ditch restoration works) as well as
the growth of aquatic plants and trees and shrubs on the banks. Shading of long
sections of the watercourse by trees and shrubs limits the growth of plants in
water and has led to a substantial reduction of the area covered by them. Results
of this study indicate that under moderate human pressure, some red-listed aquatic
vegetation may disappear from watercourses, but their vegetation diversity may
increase anyway and the ecosystems still greatly enhance the biodiversity of
agricultural landscape.

Key words: changes, diversity, human impact, physical conditions, plant communities.

Hanna Gołdyn
Institute for Agricultural and Forest Environment,
Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań, Poland
Bukowska 19, 60-809 Poznań, Poland
email: hanna-goldyn@wp.pl

Responses to this article, comments are invited and should be submitted within three months of the publication of the article. If accepted for publication, they will be published in the chapter headed 'Discussions' and hyperlinked to the article.