Associations and communities of cereal crops of the Łuków Plain. Part I. Light soil associations

Abstract

A b s t r a c tThe characteristics of phytocenoses developing on light soils in cereal crops of the Łuków Plain are presented in the paper. The studies were carried out between 2003 and 2006 in 182 localities. Cereal crops on light soils were frequently occupied by patches of Arnoserido-Scleranthetum. The association reaches the eastern limit of its geographic range in the mesoregion. The phytocenoses were noted under various moisture conditions and were the floristically poorest cereal communities in the studied area. The paper presents new data on the occurrence of Arnoserido-Scleranthetum on its eastern distributional limits. Quite frequently, the patches of Vicietum tetraspermae scleranthetosum, especially of its variant with Juncus bufonius and Vicietum tetraspermae typicum variant with Rhinanthus serotinus, were also frequently noted in the studied mesoregion. Small patches of Papaveretum argemones were recorded very seldom.

Associations and communities of cereal crops of the Łuków Plain. Part III. Intermediate and impoverished communities

“…In the area of the Łuków Plain well established patches of cereal crop associations [1] were often accompanied by impoverished phytocenoses without characteristic species of known cereal associations. These communities are a degradative form of typical patches establishing under conditions of stronger anthropogenic impact [3,4].…”

“…It is these phytocenoses that the present paper is focused on. It is the third part of the work "Associations and communities in cereal crops of the Łuków Plain" so it does not contain the methodology which was presented in the first part of the aforementioned work [1]. Description of the Łuków Plain cereal communities was based on 79 phytosociological relevés following the Braun-Blanquet approach [2].…”

Occurrence and differentiation of Arnoserido-Scleranthetum (Chouard 1925) in the Południowopodlaska Lowland

“…ArnoseridoScleranthetum phytocoenoses seem to be threatened to a greater extent in the south-western part of the country [2,4,6] where the climatic conditions are more favorable than those prevailing in the central-eastern Poland [24][25][26][27][28]. This is related to the intensification of the anthropogenic impact in the western regions of the country and the high proportion of light soils and extensive farming in the east.…”

“…the south-westernmost mesoregion, whereas the lowest density was noted in the Podlasie Gorge of Bug area, which is the north-easternmost region. Arnoserido-Scleranthetum shows no regional variation, although impoverishment of the floristic composition can be observed towards the north east as indicated by the gradual disappearance of the differential species [28][29][30][31]. In the Południowopodlaska Lowland, except for the area of the Podlasie Gorge of Bug, Arnoserido-Scleranthetum phytocoenoses are well developed and they comprise all differential species.…”

Associations and communities of cereal cultivations of the Łukowska Plain. Part II. Associations of heavy soils

“…The paper is the second part of the work on weed communities establishing in winter cereals grown in the Łuków Plain (Równina Łukowska) region [1]. The first part, which also contains the description of the study area and methodology, presents the description of the following associations developing on light soils: Arnoserido-Scleranthetum, Papaveretum argemones, Vicietum tetraspermae scleranthetosum and Vicietum tetraspermae typicum, Rhinanthus serotinus variant.…”