The preservation state of the flora and vegetation of the artillery range near the city of Toruń

Abstract

The floral and phytosociological research conducted between 1998-2001 in the area of the artillery range shows that there are 460 different species, including 363 vascular plants and 96 algae, bryophytes and lichens. The aforementioned count includes 45 taxa that are fully or partially protected. In the investigated area there are 30 species of vascular plants and 13 lichen species endangered to a different extent, referring to the scale of the whole region, for example: Aster amellus, Prunella grandiflora, Bryoria fuscescens, B. subcana, Peltigera praetextata and Ramalina fraxinea. Out of 335 species recorded in the same area by German researchers in the late 19th century and the early 20th century, the occurrence of 270 species was confirmed by our research, which constitutes 80.6%. The following species are considered as extinct, since they were not found again in the area: Adenophora liliifolia, Cephalanthera damasonium, C. rubra, Dracocephalum ruyschiana and Gladiolus paluster. During the one hundred years, which separate the two research projects, 95 new species appeared in the studied area, mostly archaeophytes and kenophytes. According to the phytosociological research, there are 8 plant associations and one plant community in the unforested part of the range. Among the most rare associations, the following should be mentioned: Caricetum arenariae, Caricetum ligericae and Festuco-Koelerietum glaucae. Calamagrostietum epigeji, Corniculario-Corynephoretum, Arctostaphylo-Callunetum are typical associations of this area. The association Scorzonero purpureae-Stipetum joannis and the community of Salix acutifolia-Epipactis atrorubens are the most valuable ones. They will become the most endangered associations if the excessive pressure by the army or the highway construction should cease in the future. To preserve the particularly valuable species and plant associations, new active preservation forms should be introduced in the whole area of the artillery range, especially after cessation of the excessive military exploitation. A part of the artillery range called "Piaski" should be protected as a sanctuary because of the association Scorzonero purpureae-Stipetum joannis, which occurs only here.