Vegetation and flora in the vicinity of salt and brine extraction sites in the western part of Kuyavia (Poland)

The paper presents a syntaxonomic and floristic analysis of salt marshes formed at the soda factories in Mątwy and Janikowo, the salt mine in Góra, and the salt works and spa hospitals in Inowrocław. In the study area delineated in this region, the analysis also covered salt marshes formed in places of failure of pipelines supplying brine to industrial, medical and recreational facilities, as well as those discharging saline industrial and municipal wastewater were also analysed. A total of 611 relevés were taken using the Braun-Blanquet method in 215 inland salt marshes occurring in the study area during four consecutive growing seasons (1998-2001). A numerical classification of this set of relevés and of 124 taxa of vascular plants recorded in these relevés was carried out using TWINSPAN. Taxa from the prepared floristic list were assigned to five geographical and historical groups, and the percentage of species of these groups was determined for the saltmarsh flora of the study area. It was found that most of the groups of relevés distinguished at successive levels of hierarchical divisive classification, performed based on differential species, correspond through their species composition to six (out of seven) syntaxa of halophytic vegetation distinguished in the studies conducted about 40 years ago in the entire area of Kuyavia. Of the total number of 124 taxa, 14 species of halophytes were identified, including six obligate and eight facultative ones. The number of taxa in the geographical and historical groups was as follows: 22 spontaneophytes, 73 apophytes, 16 archaeophytes and six kenophytes. No diaphytes were found in the study area, however, seven species of cultivated plants were recorded

Resources and dynamics of halophytes in agricultural and industrial landscapes of the western part of Kujawy, Central Poland

This article is dedicated to the memoryof tireless researcher of saline vegetation in KujawyProfessor Jadwiga Wilkoń-Michalska (1921–2005) This paper presents the status and comparison of the halophytic flora on two research plots in the Upper Noteć catchment, distinguished by the intensity of human activity and the type of landscape: 1 – Lake Gopło (G) and 2 – the area located by the Noteć Canal (N) in the western part of the Kujawy region. Fishery on the twelfth largest lake in Poland and agriculture are the main forms of economy in the former plot. A significant part of this plot is a Natura 2000 site, legally protected in compliance with the EU directives. The development of halophytes, mainly facultative ones, in the G plot is conditioned by natural factors, i.e. the inflow of saline groundwater. In the N plot, the agricultural landscape was transformed into the industrial and urbanised landscape following the years of development of two soda factories and the municipal and housing infrastructure of the nearby town of Inowrocław. Strong human impact led to the fact that already several decades ago this plot was classified as one of the most ecologically endangered areas in Poland. The abundance of halophytes in the N plot, including many obligatory ones, is related to the geomorphology of the area and the associated pattern of salt deposit leaching, as well as brine exploitation and soda industry. The species composition and population resources of individual halophyte species at 65 sites on the G plot and 90 sites on the N plot were compared using numerical classification methods. The distribution of the sites and their species richness are presented on the maps of the study area. The results of our analysis were compared with the results of observations made by other authors in the same area at different times. Based on the comparative analysis, we have arrived at conclusions regarding the protection of halophytes and the anticipated effects of technological changes in agriculture, salt and soda industry, as well as spatial management. We believe that the data provided in the tables and the resulting maps will constitute reference points for assessing the effectiveness of undertaken conservation recommendations and the correctness of scenarios formulated by different authors for the development of natural systems in the study area