Vascular plants of the earthworks in the Lednicki Landscape Park

First floristical information from the Lednicki Landscape Park (LLP) was given by Pfuhl (1898, 1899) and Bock (1908). Next, after nearly hundred years a provisional register of vascular plants was compiled by Jackowiak & Tobolski (1993). Some information on plants we can also find in two works (Dąmbska 1971, Kowalewski and Wiśniewski 1994). The plant communities of Lednica Lake were described by Podolski (1991). The aim of this work is to present the complete species register of the flora of vascular plants of the earthworks in the Lednicki Landscape Park and its buffer zone as well as the results of a statistical analysis. The floristical studies were carried out between 1992-1994 and in 1996 and included 4 earthworks situated in the LLP and its buffer zone (Ostrów Lednicki, Ledniczka, Moraczewo and Imiołki) and one placed next to the LLP border in Łubowo (Fig. 1.). The flora of vascular plants of the earthworks in the LLP comprises 283 species which enter into the composition of 177 species, 57 families and 4 classes (Table J). Most of the species belong to the Angiospermae (Magnoliopsida and Liliopsida classes). The flora of the earthworks constitutes half a number of species composition of the whole flora in the LLP. Abounding in species (and also genera) are Asteraceae (41 species, 26 genera) and Poaceae (29 species, 18 genera) families. Nine the most aboundant in species families compose 58,5% of the flora. The largest number of species occured on Ostrów Lednicki (197). It is connected with the size of the island and its habitat diversity (xerothermophilous grassland, mesophilous thickets, meadow, place near a cottage, reedy area etc.). The flora of the other earthworks comprises respectively: Moraczewo (173 species), Imiołki (124), Łubowo (87) and Ledniczka (82). The largest group constitute the species occurring only on one earthwork. On the whole there are 111 species (i.e. 39,2% o f all the species). Only in two objects there were recorded 75 species (26,5%), in three objects — 52 (18,4%) and in four objects — 23 (8,1%). The lowest is the number of species occuring on all the earthworks studied, only 22 (7,8%). These are mainly species o f native origin o f an apophytic character (among others, Urtica dioica, Sambucus nigra, Hypericum perforatum, Rosa canina) and two species from a group o f older newcomers (Ballota nigra and relict of cultivations — Malva alcea). Among the groups of Raunkiaer's classification (Fig. 2., Table 5) dominante hemicryptophytes which make over 46% (131 species). Very considerable is also the occurrence of annual plants (24,4%). In the group of phanerophytes the woody forms dominante over the shrubby ones. In the geographico-historical composition of the earthworks1 flora in the LLP (Fig. 3, Table 6) the species of native origin (81,6%) outnumber the foreign ones (18,4%). Among spontaneophytes there are dominanting those, which show tendencies to the permanent occupation of anthropogenic habitats. There are over 73% of them. In the group of anthropophytes a great participation have archaeophytes — 12,7% of all the flora. Such a high percentage of archaeophytes one can connect with former, lasting mamy ages colonization, on this area. The number of younger newcomers (kenophytes) and cultivated species abandoning arable lands (ergasiophytes) is comparatively small (5,6%). Generally apophytes and anthropophytes constitute 91,5% of the flora (259 species). Among socio-ecological groups dominante species o f fertile deciduous woods and shrub communities. There is also a large number of meadow plants and species from xerothermophilous, perennial ruderal communities. In the earthworks’ flora in the LLP there have been recorded 4 species which are partly protected in Poland (Ribes nigrum, Helichrysum arenarium, Primula veris, Viburnum opulus) and 5 threatened in Wielkopolska (Conium maculatum, Trisetum flavescens, Populus nigra, Teucrium scordium, Acer campestre), The floristical studies carried out on the earthworks enriched the flora of the Park by 33 species (at present it has 561 taxa). From the relicts of primaeval and mediaeval cultivations occurs Malva alcea recorded in the Park except for the earthworks only in the wayside ditches and on the roadsides near Dziekanowice

Die Verschiedenheit der Gefäßflora aus dem Burgwall in Giecz (Kr. Środa)

Die Burg in Giecz gehörte zu den größten und wichtigsten Zentren der frühpiastischen Monarchie. Dort kreuzten sich die Wege von Śrem nach Gnesen und von Ląd nach Posen. Gelegen auf einer Insel auf dem Hochwassergebiet des Flusses Maskawa, hatte sie ausgezeichnete Verteidigungswerte. Giecz spielte die Rolle eines Verwaltungs-, Handels- und Militärzentrums. Am Ende des 10. Jh. wurde hier mit dem Bau eines nie beendeten Palatiums begonnen. Die Blute der Burg fällt auf 11. Jh. Im Jahre 1963 wurde auf dem Gebiet des Burgwalls das Archäologische Reservat — Piastische Burg in Giecz eröffnet, eine Abteilung des Museums der Ersten Piasten auf Lednica. Floristische Untersuchungen waren in den Jahren 1993 - 94 und 1998 - 99 geführt. Im Burgwall wurde das Auftreten von 238 Arten der Gefäßpflanzen festgestellt, die 161 Gattungen, 55 Familien und 5 Klassen vertreten. Die Flora dieses Objekts ist eine der reichsten unter den bisher untersuchten, großpolnischen Burgwällen. Unter den geographisch-historischen Gruppen dominieren die Arten mit heimischer Herkunft (73,5%). 151 Arten weisen apofitische Tendenzen auf. Mit den Antropophiten gibt es fast 90% der Flora. Betonenswert ist aus der wesentliche Prozentsatz von Archäophiten (über 15%). Eine dominierende Position unter den Lebensformen haben die Hemikryptophiten (98 Arten). Zusammen mit den Terophiten bilden sie 65,5% der Flora. Zu den reichsten soziologisch-ökologischen Gruppen mit den reichsten Arten gehören die Phitozenosen der frischen und gemäßigt feuchten Wiesen, fruchtbaren Laubwälder und buschigen Gemeinschaften sowie manche synantropischen Gemeinschaften. Diese Gruppen enthalten über 36,1% der Flora. Auf dem Gebiet des untersuchten Objekts wurden 6 Arten aus der „Roten Liste” Großpolens (Acer campestre, Calamagrostis stricta, Campanula bononiensis, Carex distiche, Conium maculatum und Populus nigra) sowie 2 in Polen geschonte taxonome Einheiten (Convallaria majalis und Frangula alnus) gefunden. Von den Reliktenarten wurde nur Malva alcea gefunden. Sie wachst in der direkten Umgebung des Burgwalls — entlang des Flusses Maskawa

Transformations of Vascular Flora of a Medieval Settlement Site: A Case Study of a Fortified Settlement in Giecz (Wielkopolska Region, Western Poland)

Exceptional components of the cultural landscape of Central Europe include archaeological sites, e.g., castle ruins, prehistoric or medieval fortified settlements, other settlements and burial mounds. The plants associated with them help us explain the processes of species persistence on habitat islands as well as the process of naturalization of crop species, which escape from fields or are abandoned. This study describes the flora of a medieval fortified settlement in Giecz (Wielkopolska region, western Poland), presents plant indicators of former settlements (relics of cultivation), species of high conservation value, and transformations of the vascular flora of this settlement over a few decades. Field research was conducted in 1993–1994, 1998–1999, and 2019. At the study site, 298 species of vascular plant species were recorded, and nearly 70% of them (201 species) have persisted there over the last 20 years. The flora includes seven relics of cultivation (Artemisia absinthium, Leonurus cardiaca, Lycium barbarum, Malva alcea, Pastinaca sativa, Saponaria officinalis, and Viola odorata), 5 species threatened with extinction in Poland and/or Wielkopolska, and 53 species of least concern (LC) according to the European red list. We have attempted to explain the floristic changes. The archaeological site in Giecz is of high conservation value, very distinct from the surrounding cultural landscape because of its specific flora, and composed of species from various habitats (e.g., dry grasslands, wooded patches, meadows, aquatic and ruderal habitats), including threatened, protected, and relic species