Dynamics and occurence patterns of the Tatarian orache Atriplex tatarica L. (Chenopodiaceae) at the roadsides in Warsaw, Poland

Abstract

<em>Atriplex tatarica</em> is an invasive annual plant from Central Asia. It is an early successional species of disturbed habitats, tolerant of a high content of NaCl. It grows also by the roadsides, on lawns by the streets and other places in cities sprayed with salt during snowfalls. The paper presents results of the analysis of abundance and patterns of occurrence of this invasive subhalophytic plant by the roadsides in the Warsaw city. We found that frequency and distribution of <em>Atriplex tatarica</em> increased significantly over the last few decades. The species grows chiefly along main streets which are de-iced. It forms monodominant patches of different length at the zone closest to the street verge. The NaCl concentration there is significantly higher than in the zones more distant from the street verge, although this parameter is very variable. The cover of other species increases with an increasing distance from the roadside verge

On the road: Postglacial history and recent expansion of the annual Atriplex tatarica in Europe

“…Hence it is our view that A. tatarica has experienced several waves of expansion. The first in the early Holocene, spreading northwards from the Balkan Peninsula and the Pannonian Basin (Figure ), the second, likely being related to the spread of agriculture and the third very recent expansion as documented by Jarzyna et al (). An interesting question is what is responsible for such a massive expansion?…”

“…Nevertheless, all these time estimates must be taken with caution because of quite wide confidence intervals (Table ). However, we have empirical evidence of very recent A. tatarica expansion from Poland (Jarzyna et al, ). They show that the species significantly increased its spread along the roadsides in Warsaw over the last 30 years.…”

“…This is supported by ABC results from both markers types, which suggest that the most likely demographic scenario for A. tatarica involves first Hence it is our view that A. tatarica has experienced several waves of expansion. The first in the early Holocene, spreading northwards from the Balkan Peninsula and the Pannonian Basin (Figure 4), the second, likely being related to the spread of agriculture and the third very recent expansion as documented by Jarzyna et al (2010). An…”

“…and Spergularia salina. Another important factor here is the recent dramatic increase in road traffic (Jarzyna et al, 2010). Increased traffic, along with winter salt treatments and with warmer, drier conditions all offer special advantages to a C4 species such as A. tatarica (Kochánková & Mandák, 2008).…”

“…The north-western border of its current continuous European range occurs only in climatically warm areas of Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland (Figure 1b). Here, its expansion has recently been reported as usually forming small, isolated populations in an invasion wave spreading northward along roads (Jäger & Werner, 2005;Jarzyna, Małecka, Panufnik-Mędrzycka, & Mędrzycki, 2010;Kochánková & Mandák, 2008). Generally, expansion of human populations during the Holocene were accompanied by the spread of many species associated with man -the so-called archaeophytes (taxa introduced to central Europe before the discovery of America -approx.…”