Plant communities with Helianthus tuberosus L. in the towns of the Upper Silesian Industrial region (southern Poland)

The aims of the research were: to show the floristic composition of patches with participation of Helianthus tuberosus, to find the major environmental gradients in species composition of these patches and to compare plant communities with this species from Poland with those recorded in neighbouring European countries. Fifty four phytosociological releves, made in a variety of ruderal habitats in the towns of the Upper Silesian Industrial Region (Poland), were analysed using the Correspondence Analysis (CA). To identify the main environmental gradients in the floristic composition of releves the CA site scores were correlated, using the Kendall correlation coefficient, with the following explanatory variables: Shannon II' index of species diversity, the number of species from the Convolvuletalia sepium order, the Calystegion sepium alliance, the Onopordetalia acanthii order, the Molinio-Arrhenatheretea class, the Stellarietea mediae class; mean Ellenberg indicator values for light, moisture, temperature, soil reaction and nitrogen. Two major gradients in species data were detected: (i) from plant communities of abandoned meadows of the Molinio-Arrhenatheretea class to nitrophilous communities of the Convolvuletalia sepium order and (ii) a gradient related to the number of species of the Stellarietea mediae class and to the indicator value for light. Helianthus tuberosus stands recorded in European countries can be divided into two separate groups. The first group is differentiated by species of the Onopordetalia acanthii order and higher participation of meadow species from the Molinio- Arrhenatheretea and Stellarietea mediae classes. The second group is characterized by a high frequency of nitrophilous species from the Convolvuletalia sepium order

Characteristics of the flora of fallow lands on rendzina soils on the Twardowice Plateau (Silesian Upland)

The paper presents the results of investigations on the flora of fallow lands on rendzina soils. The research was carried out in the area of the Twardowice Plateau (the Silesian Upland) within 9 areas adjacent to xerothermic grasslands. The investigated flora consisted of 220 vascular plant species with the dominance of native taxa. Plants of xerothermic grasslands and thermophilous edges were the most numerous (32%). The dominance of Libanotis pyrenaica in 4 of the examined areas should be emphasized. The percentage of meadow species was also considerable (25%). Anthropophytes comprised 18% of the flora of fallow lands and archaeophytes prevailed among them (9%). Solidago canadensis, an invasive species, was the constant component of the investigated fallows and sometimes its coverage was remarkable. As a result of the high proportion of xerothermic and thermophilous plants, plants associated with dry soils and soils having an intermediate character between dry and fresh, as well as plants preferring slightly acidic to alkaline soils poor in nitrogen compounds predominated in the investigated fallows. Perennial plants prevailed (65%) in the studied flora and slightly more than half of the species reproduced only by seeds. Competitive plant species (C strategists) had the highest proportion (39%) and species with intermediate strategies CSR, CR and CS were also numerous. The investigations have shown that there are favourable conditions for settling and growth of many xerothermic species in the investigated fallow lands. Moreover, the neighbouring grasslands are the seed source for these areas

Excavations of the Twardowice Plateau (Silesian Upland) as refuges for xerothermic plant species

Paper concerns the flora of excavations from the area of the Twardowice Plateau, one of the regions of the Silesian Upland. These are rather shallow and small pits, which are remnants of exploitation of Triassic limestone and, rarely, iron ore. The studies showed that these excavations are the places where many species of vascular plants occurred. Xerothermic plants, which penetrated from adjacent grasslands, form the largest group (33%) among the 212 noted species. Some of them occurred much more frequently in the excavations than in the grasslands and some were found only in the excavations. It should be emphasized that 8 protected species were present in the investigated objects. Results from the Twardowice Plateau proved that many xerothermic plants could find suitable conditions for growth and survival in limestone excavations

The emergence of new localities of Orobanche bartlingii Griseb. in the Silesian-Cracow Upland as a result of the spreading of Libanotis pyrenaica (L.) Bourgh. due to changes in land use : [poster]

During the last few decades, many cultivated fields and grazed grasslands have disappeared in the Silesian- Cracow Upland. Therefore, abandoned lands occupy now a large area there. As a result of these changes, some plant species have significantly increased the area of occurrence. Libanotis pyrenaica is one of them. In many places it begins to behave like an expansive species (Fragment tekstu)

Characteristics of the flora of fallow lands on rendzina soils on the Twardowice Plateau (Silesian Upland)

The paper presents the results of investigations on the flora of fallow lands on rendzina soils. The research was carried out in the area of the Twardowice Plateau (the Silesian Upland) within 9 areas adjacent to xerothermic grasslands. The investigated flora consisted of 220 vascular plant species with the dominance of native taxa. Plants of xerothermic grasslands and thermophilous edges were the most numerous (32%). The dominance of Libanotis pyrenaica in 4 of the examined areas should be emphasized. The percentage of meadow species was also considerable (25%). Anthropophytes comprised 18% of the flora of fallow lands and archaeophytes prevailed among them (9%). Solidago canadensis, an invasive species, was the constant component of the investigated fallows and sometimes its coverage was remarkable. As a result of the high proportion of xerothermic and thermophilous plants, plants associated with dry soils and soils having an intermediate character between dry and fresh, as well as plants preferring slightly acidic to alkaline soils poor in nitrogen compounds predominated in the investigated fallows. Perennial plants prevailed (65%) in the studied flora and slightly more than half of the species reproduced only by seeds. Competitive plant species (C strategists) had the highest proportion (39%) and species with intermediate strategies CSR, CR and CS were also numerous. The investigations have shown that there are favourable conditions for settling and growth of many xerothermic species in the investigated fallow lands. Moreover, the neighbouring grasslands are the seed source for these areas

Xerothermic grasslands of Pilica surroundings - diversity, threats and directions of changes

Xerothermic grasslands from three stands in the surroundings of the town of Pilica in the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland were investigated. It was ascertained that they represent two phytosociological units: Adonido-Brachypodietum (with two variants) and Silene otites-Thymus austriacus community. Moreover, phytocoenoses with a high contribution of xerothermic plants (Thymus-Anthyllis vulneraria community) were found in some places on the abandoned fields. On the basis of the comparison of new data and old phytosociological releves, only slight changes over 30 years were observed. The differences concerned mostly the coverage of particular species. However, some plants disappeared and other were new (e.g. seedlings of trees and shrubs). Generally, these species were not too frequent and had inconsiderable cover. The changes which occurred manifested themselves also in the differences of mean values of some ecological indicators and in the increase of competitors, as well as clonal species

Ochrona walorów botanicznych użytku ekologicznego "Przygiełka" wobec nasilającej się antropopresji

The aim of this study is to identify the natural values of the "Przygiełka" ecological site in Myszków and its threats caused by anthropopressure and climate change. It was paid attention on a negative effects of the human pressure and drought, which took place in recent years on phytocoenosis and on the population of protected species –. It is proposed a more radical form of the protection of the “Przygiełka” – as the Nature 2000 habitat pro-tection area and as the nature reserve

Wydzielanie serotoniny i melatoniny u kobiet po menopauzie z zaburzeniami odżywiania

  Introduction: Postmenopausal women manifest emotional disorders associated with an increase in appetite. The aim of the study was to assess the serotonin and melatonin secretion and metabolism in postmenopausal women in relation to eating disorders. Material and methods: Sixty postmenopausal women and 30 women without hormonal disturbances were enrolled into the study and divided into three groups: group I (control) – women without menstrual disorders, group II — postmenopausal women without appetite disorders and change in body weight, and group III — postmenopausal women with increased appetite and weight gain. Serum melatonin, serotonin, urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (aMT6s), and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) excretion were measured. Results: Serum serotonin and melatonin levels in groups II and III were lower compared to group I. Urinary 5-HIAA and aMT6s excretion was lower in overweight women. In group III the correlation between the serum level of serotonin, melatonin, and BMI was negative; a high statistical significance was found between BMI and urinary aMT6s excretion. Conclusions: Melatonin supplementation and use of drugs modulating the serotonin homeostasis together with female hormones have a beneficial effect in complex treatment of disorders of eating in postmenopausal women. (Endokrynol Pol 2016; 67 (3): 299–304)    Wstęp: U kobiet po menopauzie często spotykamy zaburzenia emocjonalne oraz wzrost apetytu. Celem badań była ocena wydzielania i metabolizmu serotoniny i melatoniny u kobiet w okresie pomenopauzalnym z zaburzeniami odżywiania. Materiały i metody: Badanie przeprowadzono w grupie 60 kobiet po menopauzie i 30 przed menopauzą (grupa kontrolna). Wśród kobiet po menopauzie wyodrębniono dwie podgrupy — kobiety ze wzrostem apetytu i masy ciała oraz bez nich. Procedury diagnostyczne obejmowały ocenę stanu odżywienia, określenie stężenia melatoniny i serotoniny w surowicy krwi oraz ich matabolitów — siarczanu 6-metoksymelatoniny (aMT6s) oraz kwasu 5-hydroksy-indolooctowego (5-HIAA) w moczu. Wyniki: Stwierdzono, że stężenie serotoniny i melatoniny w surowicy krwi w grupach pacjentek po menopauzie było niższe niż u kobiet przed menopauzą. Wydalenie metabolitów serotoniny i melatoniny z moczem było najniższe u otyłych kobiet po menopauzie. U tych pacjentek stwierdzono ujemną korelację między stężeniem serotoniny w surowicy krwi, stężeniem melatoniny oraz BMI; a także istotną statystycznie zależność pomiędzy wydalaniem aMT6s z moczem a BMI. Wnioski: U kobiet w okresie pomenopauzalnym wydzielanie serotoniny i melatoniny jest zmniejszone, co należy uwzględnić w kompleksowej terapii i prewencji zaburzeń łaknienia i odżywienia. (Endokrynol Pol 2016; 67 (3): 299–304)

Subsoil graining as a differentiating factor of plant communities occurring on carboniferous waste dumps

W pracy podjęto próbę ukazania różnorodności roślinności zwałowisk karbońskiej skały płonnej z dominującym udziałem traw i roślin zielnych, a także rozpoznanie preferencji uziarnienia podłoża wraz z biomasą powstającą w płatach roślinności zdominowanych przez różne gatunki traw i roślin zielnych. Skład florystyczny zbiorowisk opiera się głównie na dominacji jednego gatunku czy współdominacji gatunków rodzimych zielnych tj.: Chamaenerion palustre, Daucus carota, Centaurea stoebe, Lotus corniculatus, Tussilago farfara, Melilotus alba lub obcych: Erigeron annuus, Matricaria maritima subsp. inodora, Solidago gigantea oraz gatunków traw tj.: Calamagrostis epigejos, Solidago gigantea, Poa compressa, Festuca arundinacea, Festuca rubra, Phragmites australis. W poszczególnych zbiorowiskach odnotowano od 23 do 55 gatunków roślin. Do najbardziej różnorodnych gatunkowo należą zbiorowiska z wysokim pokryciem takich gatunków jak: Poa compressa (H’ – 1,89), Daucus carota (H’ – 1,82), Festua arundinacea (H’ – 1,45), Calamagrostis epigejos (H’ – 1,42), natomiast najmniejszą różnorodnością odznacza się zbiorowisko z udziałem Phragmites australis (H’ – 0,91). Analiza uziarnienia podłoża na zwałowiskach karbońskiej skały płonnej wykazała zależność między gatunkiem dominanta, a składem granulometrycznym oraz zawartością materii organicznej w podłożu

Mycorrhizal status of Molinia caerulea on heavy metal contaminated and non-contaminated sites in Upper Silesia : [streszczenie]

Wastes connected with zinc and lead industry are extremely harsh substratums for plant growth. They contain high levels of heavy metals, lack organic matter and are characterized by low porosity resulting in unfavourable air-water conditions (Fragment tekstu)