The landscape of the Oświęcim Basin, naturally dominated by forest communities, has been strongly transformed due to the long-term activities of man. Across time and space, it has been stamped by pond management and agriculture to the highest degree. Despite such a strong transformation of the natural environment fragments of forests which reflect the peculiarities of forest vegetation of the macroregion still occur. These are the Żaki and the Przeciszów nature reserves. The goal of the phytosociological studies done within their borders was the assessment of the Tilio-Carpinetum phytocoenoses which dominate in the reserves, regarding their: maintenance, naturalness, anthropological changes and compliance to anthropopressure, as well as natural values. Therefore, analyses related to the share of: character species, ancient woodland indicators and synanthropes were performed for purposes of the study. It has been proposed that transformations of the forest communities be assessed using the new formula of floristic naturalness coefficient (WNF), based on the share of ancient woodland and synanthropic species.

Abstract:The Cracow-CzÍstochowa Upland is an important mesoregion for the maintenance of Phyllitis scolopendrium (L.) Newman and its habitat with the Phyllitido-Aceretum Moor 1952 association. Studies in the Wodπca Valley focused on: the determination of the actual numerical force and quantitative changes in hartís-tongue resources between 1999 and 2009, a comparison of these results with literature, as well as on the indication of appropriate solutions for conservation purposes and for tourist exploitation of the Jurassic outcrops. Results of these studies provide scientific arguments for the maintenance of Phyllitis scolopendrium in the Wodπca Valley, on the edge of its European range.