View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by Title: The flora and vegetation of an old solvay process tip in Jaworzno (Upper Silesia, Poland) Author: : E. V. J. Cohn, Adam Rostański, Barbara Tokarska-Guzik, I. C. Trueman, Gabriela Woźniak Citation style: Cohn E. V. J., Rostański Adam, Tokarska-Guzik Barbara, Trueman I. C., Woźniak Gabriela. (2001). The flora and vegetation of an old solvay process tip in Jaworzno (Upper Silesia, Poland). "Acta Societatis Botanicorum Poloniae" Vol. 70, no 1 (2001), s. 47-60 CORE ACTA SOCIETATIS BOTANICORUM POLONIAE Vol. 70, No. 1: 47-60, 2001 47 THE FLORA AND VEGETATION OF AN OLD SOLVAY PROCESS TIP IN JAWORZNO (UPPER SILESIA, POLAND) C o h n E.V.J1, Ro s t a ń sk i A.2, T o k a r sk a -G u z ik B.2, T r u e m a n I.C.1, W o ź n ia k G? 'School of Applied Sciences, University of Wolverhampton Wulffuna St., Wolverhampton, UK 2 Department of Plant Systematics 3Department of Geobotany and Environmental Protection Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia Jagiellońska 28, 40-032 Katowice, Poland (Received: February 2, 2000. Accepted: May 30, 2000) ABSTRACT This paper demonstrates the flora, plant communities and substrates of an old soivay process spoil tip in Upper Silesia, Poland. In an area of 15 000 m 2 there are growing 136 vascular plant species. The flora is characterised by the preponderance of Asteraceae - species and long-lived perennial herbs, many of them coming from meadows and grasslands. Ninety-five percent of species are apophytes despite the anthropogenic origin of the site. A majority of species are associated with moder­ ately dry, base-rich soils with low or moderate levels of nitrogen. The site is shown to be an important refuge for some protected species, montane species and other elements uncommon in the local flora. An analysis of a series of samples used a methodology based on the assessment of percentage cover of particular species and multivariate analysis based on TWINSPAN. Both suggested a relatively high overall similarity between the samples with minor variations associated with moister substrates. Elemental analysis and pH determinations of soil samples associated with the releves revealed a narrow range of pH and an absence of any strong concentrations of heavy metals. A redundancy analysis of the soil-plant relationships suggested that the strongest trend of differentiation was most closely associated with a phosphate gradient, and the next strongest was pH and possibly waterlogging. The most species-rich vegetation was associated with low phosphate and high pH levels. The results could be interpreted to suggest that processes of soil development and plant succession are slow but neverthe­ less perceptible, with implications for future loss of diversity. The vegetation constitutes an assemblage essentially of one type showing only weak relationships with described vegetation types such as Molinio-Arrhenatheretea meadow, FestucoBrometea grassland and Caricetalia davallianae mire. The results also suggest that the vegetation of the site is of consider­ able value for nature conservation. The site should be protected and be the subject of further research. KEY WORDS: Solvay process spoil, flora analysis, vegetation analysis, rare, protected and mountain plant species, nature conservation evaluation. INTRODUCTION Various types of waste land cover a significant area in in­ dustrial Upper Silesia. Each site represents an unusual and often unique set of chemical and physical conditions for the establishment of colonising organisms. Man-made habitats such as these present important opportunities for scientific in­ vestigation. Many have already been the subject of biological and ecological investigation e.g. Ash et al. (1994), Rostański (1998), Shaw (1992, 1998), Tokarska-Guzik et al. (1991), Tumau and Rybka (1991) and Woźniak (1998). Many authors have considered and assessed the role of an­ thropogenic habitats in the process of establishing and main­ taining biodiversity (Buszman et al. 1993; Hind 1956-57; Trzcińska-Tacik 1966; Tokarska-Guzik and Rostański 1996). Many examples show that these waste lands can be covered with interesting vegetation and that even rare plant species can be found there. The importance of many post-industrial sites has already been recognised as refuges for protected and rare plants (Greenwood and Gemmell 1978; Hind 1956-1957; Kelcey 1975; Tokarska-Guzik 1991a). This seems to be par­ ticularly true for lime waste heaps. Tokarska-Guzik (1996) commented on the significance of 6 lime waste tips in Poland and England as refugia for protected and regionally rare species. Wilkoh-Michalska and Sokol (1968) reported 249 species of flowering plants from lime spoil mounds in the Notec valley in Poland, including many uncommon species. Lee and Greenwood (1976) described species-rich vegetation characteristic of base-rich habitats which are otherwise absent from the county, on calcareous waste from salt and chemical industries in Cheshire, UK. Vegetation on calcareous waste from the Leblanc process at Nob End in Greater Manchester, 48 THE FLORA AND VEGETATION OF AN OLD SOLVAY PROCESS TIP UK was given protected site ("Site of Special Scientific Inter­ est") status in 1988 on account of its unusual flora (Shaw and Halton 1998). The solvay process tip or "soda heap" at Jaworzno, Upper Silesia seems to be another example of this phenomenon (Tokarska-Guzik 1991a, 1996). The aim of the present study was to describe, characterise and determine the nature conserva­ tion value of the vegetation of the Jaworzno site and to relate the floristic composition of the vegetation and its variation to soil characteristics. A range of approaches have been used in the survey and analysis of the vegetation, allowing a compari­ son of phytosociological methods and multivariate computer analyses. The site at Jaworzno has been the subject of syste­ matic observation for some time (Tokarska-Guzik 1991a, 1996, 1999) with the first botanical records made in the 1980s (Celinski et al. 1982; Tokarska-Guzik 1991b). This period of observation allows the present analysis to be placed in the context of dynamic changes in the vegetation and its persistence. SITE, MATERIALS AND METHODS Site description The study area is located within a 20 ha site called Wapniowka, which could be translated as "lime place", after the lime heaps which cover 50% of the site with an average height of 4 m. The site, shown in Fig. 1, lies in the Jaworzno Hills in the Silesian Upland (Grid Ref. 50° 18’; 19° 10’) and is an abandoned solvay process slurry tip from a former soda factory. Cohn E.V.J. et al. The Szczakowa window glass factory, formerly an Austrian soda factory, to the west of the site produced soda until 1911 using the Solvay process. The process produced "white seas" of calcium chloride as an aqueous suspension and the present day heaps probably represent the places where it was de­ posited. Attempts to assess the potential of the waste material either as a fertiliser or to fill nearby dolomite extraction pits have shown that the material contains too high concentrations re­ spectively of lead and sulphate ions for these two purposes (unpublished material gathered by the existing window glass factory Szczakowa S. A.). On the other hand, research carried out by the Institute of Fertilisation in Pulawy for the glass factory (unpubl.) showed that the lime waste had the follow ­ ing properties: - very good deacidification potential, particularly for soils poor in lime and magnesium - a significant proportion of magnesium - higher chemical activity compared with ordinary lime fer­ tilisers - no NaCl addition as an admixture - low levels of heavy metals - a paste-like consistency throughout the depth of the heaps The study area The part of the site which was the subject of the current in­ vestigation is a c. 2 ha. ’D ’-shaped plateau c. 200 x 100 m. It is isolated on all sides by steep, more or less bare, vertical eroded banks c. 3 m high. The study area as a whole is more or less horizontal with an undulating microtopography, most­ ly within the range of 20 cm, varying in moisture content but Fig. 1. Localisation of a solvay process tip in Jaworzno. 1 - build-up areas; 2 - roads; 3 - railways; 4 - forests; 5 - rivers and reservoires; 6 - town border; 7 - solvay process tip. ACTA SOCIETATIS BOTANICORUM POLON1AE Vol. 70, No. 1: 47-60, 2001 generally moist. The edges are dished as though there has been some shrinkage on the site. The vegetation of the site consists mainly of fairly short, species-rich grassland, and can be described as healthy and thriving. The whole plateau bears a scattering of about 100 birch trees, on average around 10 m high, with a circum­ ference around 32-50 cm. There is also a scattering of shrubs in the vegetation, but these seem to be subject to dieback, particularly Frangula alnus. Vegetation survey methods A preliminary assessment of the study area was made by walking over it and making a list of all vascular plant species present, scoring them on the DAFOR (Dominant, Abundant, Frequent, Occasional, Rare) scale. Broadly four vegetation types were discernible at this stage. There were a number of patches of vegetation in the central areas which tended to be coarser, less species-rich and dominated by Calamagrostis epigejos or Molinia caerulea. Other facies observed included a variant on the Calamagrostis vegetation with Valeriana of­ ficinalis, Medicago saliva, Frangula alnus and Rubus caesius, and a fairly tall vegetation with Gymnadenia conopsea. These vegetation types were sampled by recording 2 m x 2 m sam ­ ples representative of homogeneous areas, as shown in Table 1. In each sample, all vascular plant species and bryophytes were identified and their abundance estimated and recorded on two scales as shown in Table 2. Multivariate computer analysis was performed using the Dornin scale, and non-computer tabulation analysis was performed using the other abunTABLE 1. Selection of 2 in x 2 m samples. Vegetation characteristics Relatively short Tall vegetation with Calamagrostis Tall vegetation with Molinia Vegetation with Gymnadenia Number of samples Sample numbers 10 4 4 2 1-7, 9-11 13, 16, 18, 19 8, 12, 17, 20 14, 15 TABLE 2. Comparison of Dornin (1905) scale and the non-computer analysis for assessing species abundance. Species abundance Dornin Scale The scale used for the non-computer analysis in % 1 or 2 individual plants, <4% cover 1 0.5 Up to 1% cover - 1 Several individual plants in part of the plot, <4% cover 2 Several individual plants scattered throughout the plot 3 (< 4%) 5-10% cover 4 11 -25% cover 5 26-33% cover 6 34-50% 7 51-75% 8 76-90% 9 91-100% 10 5 20 40 70 90 49 dance scale shown in Table 2. Total percentage cover of the vegetation and bare ground were also recorded together with the mean height of the vegetation. Slope and aspect of each sample was estimated and micro topographical details were re­ corded. The area represented by each sample was estimated and recorded (Table 4). Vascular plant nomenclature follows Mirek et al. (1995) and bryophyte nomenclature follows Ochyra and Szmajda (1978). Substrate survey and analysis Substrate samples were collected from the centre and to­ wards the four comers of each vegetation sample or relevé. The five samples were taken from 0-5 cm depth following removal of superficial litter and plant material. The samples were combined and thoroughly mixed to provide a single composite sample for each relevé. The substrate samples were then air dried at room temperature for several days. The air­ dried soil samples were passed through a 2 mm sieve and the fraction >2 mm was discarded. This comprised roots and other plant material only. The fraction <2 mm was then divided into 3 subsamples for pH testing, elemental analysis and storage. Substrate pH was determined by mixing a subsample of the air-dried material with twice the volume of distilled water. The mixture was stirred for 1 minute and pH recorded using a pH electrode. Elemental analysis on the soil was carried out by X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry. The air-dried sieved material was oven-dried at 4°C overnight. Samples were then ground to a fine powder in a tungsten teemer mill. Hersh wax was added to the milled soils in a vial in the ratio of 1.5 g wax to 8.5 g soil. Two agate balls were added to the vials to aid mixing and the vials placed on a thrapulator for 20 minutes. Pellets of the soil/wax mixture were made by pressing the mixture into plastic cups at a pressure of 15 tonnes per square inch. All equipment was cleaned with ethanol between samples. Concentrations of elements, as listed in Table 6, in the sample pellets were determined against International Standards of soil sample pellets containing a single element of known concen­ tration using an ARL 8410 X-Ray Fluorescence Spec­ trometer. Analysis of the flora The list of vascular plant species for the site, which in­ cluded all previous known records as described in the Intro ­ duction, was analysed in terms of their Raunkiaer life forms, ecological group, Ellenberg indicator values (Ellenberg et al. 1992), geographical-historical group (Komas 1981), families and current protection status. Vegetation analysis Two different methodologies were used to analyse the samples. In the first, a tabular arrangement of the samples and species was made based on the identification of widely ac­ knowledged differential or characteristic species with a high degree of fidelity to particular plant communities. The sam ­ ples were ordered according to similarities in species compo ­ sition and the frequency of occurrence of particular species. In the second, computer-based methodology, multivariate analysis methods were used to analyse the abundance records. A hierarchical classification method. TWINSPAN (Hill 1979) based on the ordination of the vegetation records, was used to try to identify vegetation types by classifying samples accord ­ ing to their floristic similarities. The floristic relationships be­ tween samples, the ecological relationships between species 50 THE FLORA AND VEGETATION OF AN OLD SOLVAY PROCESS TIP Cohn E.VJ. et al. TABLE 3. Index of vascular flora species of the solvay process tip in Jaworzno. LATIN NAME FAMILY LATIN NAME f a mil y Achillea millefolium L. Agrostís stolonifera L. Antenaria dioica (L.) G a e r t n . Anthyllis vulneraria L. Arabis hirsuta (L.) Sc o p . Armería marítima (M il l .) W il e d . P. (=A. elongata (H o f f m .) W.D.J. K o c h .) Asperula cynanchica L. Avenida pubescens (H u d s .) D u m o r t . (-A venastrum pubescens (H u d s .) O piz ; (Avena pubescens HUDS.) Betida péndula Ro t h (=B. verrucosa Eh r h .) Botrychium lunaria (L.) Sw. Brachypodium pinnatum (L.) P. B e a UV. Briza media L. Calamagrostis epigeios (L.) R o t h Cardaminopsis arenosa (L.) H a y e k (=Arabis arenosa (L.) SCOP.) Carex caryophyllea La t o u r r . Carex flacca SCHREBER (= C. glauca M u r r a y ) Carex hirta L. Carex panicea L. Carlina acaulis L. Carlina vulgaris L. Centaurea jacea L. Centaurea phrygia L. (=C. austríaca Wll.LD.) Centaurea scabiosa L. Centaurea stoebe L. (=C. rhenana BOREAU) Centaurium erythraea Ra i n subsp. erythraea (= C. umbellatum G il ib .) Centaurium pulehelium (Sw.) D r u c e Cerastium arvense L. s.s. Cerastium glomeratum L. Cerastium holosteoides Er . cm. H y i . (= C. vulgatum L.) Chamaenerion angusiifolium (L.) SCOP. (-Epilobium angusiifolium L.) Coronilla vana L. Dactylorhiza majalis (RCHB.) P.F. H u n t & SUMMERH. (= Orchis latifolia L.) Daucus carota L. Dianthus carthusianorum L. Dianthus deltoides L. Echium vulgare L. Epipactis atrorubens (H o f f m .) B e s s e r (E. atropurpúrea R a f .; E. rubiginosa G a u d .) Epipactis helleborine (L.) CRANTZ (= E. latifolia (L.) A l l .) Epipactis palustris (L.) C r a n t z Erigeron acris L. (= E. acer L.) Eupatorium cannabinum L. Euphorbia cyparissias L. Euphorbia esula L. Euphrasia stricta D. WOLFF ex J.F. LEHM. (= E. stricta H o s t ) Festuca ovina L. Festuca pratensis HUDS. Festuca rubra L. S.S. Frángula alnus M il l . Galium aparine L. Galium mollugo L. Asteraceae Poaceae Asteraceae Fabaceac Brassicaceae Plumbaginaceae Galium verum L. Gymnadenia conopsea (L.) R. B r . Gypsophila muralis L. Helianthemum nummularium subsp. obscurum Rubiaceae Orchidaceae Caryophyllaceae Cistaceae Rubiaceae Poaceae Bctulaceae Ophioglossaceae Poaceae Poaceae Poaceae Brassicaceae Cyperaceae Cyperaceae Cyperaceae Cyperaceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Gentianaceae Gentianaceac Caryophyllaceae Caryophyllaceae Caryophyllaceae Onagraceae Fabaceae Orchidaceae Apiaceae Caryophyllaceae Caryophyllaceae Boraginaceae Orchidaceae Orchidaceae Orchidaceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Euphorbiaceae Euphorbiaceae Scrophulariaceae Poaceae Poaceae Poaceae Rhamnaceae Rubiaceae Rubiaceae (C e l a k ) J. H o l u b (Helianthemum ovatum (Viv.) D u n .) Hieracium floribundum W im m . & G r a b . Hieracium laevigatum VlLLD. Hieracium pilosella L. Hieracium sabaudum L. Hieracium umbellatum L. Inula salicina L. Knautia arvensis (L.) J.M. C o u l t . Lathyrus tuberosus L. Leontodón autumnalis L. Leontodón hispidas L. Leucanthemum vulgare La m . s .s . (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum L.) Linaria vulgaris M il l . Linum catharticum L. Lotus corniculatus L. Malaxis monophyllos (L.) Sw. Medicago falcata L. Medicago lupulina L. Medicago sativa L. Medicago x varia M a r t y n (= M. sativa X falcata) Melandrium album (M il l .) G a r c k e (=Silene alba (M il l e r ) E.H.L. K r a u z e ) Melilotus alba M e d ik (= M. albus M e d ik .) Molinia coerulea (L.) M o e n c h Ononis spinosa L. Orchis militaris L. Orchis morío L. Parnassia palustris L. Petrorhagia prolifera (L.) Asteraceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Dipsacaceac Fabaceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Scrophulariaceae Linaceac Fabaceae Orchidaceae Fabaceae Fabaceac Fabaceae Fabaceae Caryophyllaceae Fabaceae Poaceae Fabaceae Orchidaceae Orchidaceae Saxifragaceac Caryophyllaceae P.W. B a l l & H e y w o o d (= Tunica prolifera (L.) Sc o p .) Petrorhagia saxífraga (L.) L in k (= Tunica saxífraga (L.) Sc o p .) Pieris hieracioides L. Pimpinella saxífraga L. Pinus sylvestris L. Plantago lanceolate L. Plantago media L. Poa compressa L. Poa pratensis L. Polygala amarella CRANTZ Polygala comosa SCHKUHR Polygala vulgaris L. Polygonum aviculare L. Populus trémula L. Potentilla arenaria B o r k h . Potentilla erecta (L.) R a u s c h . Prunella grandiflora (L.) SCHOLLER Prunella vulgaris L. Ranunculus acris L. (= R. acer L.) Ranunculus bulbosus L. Ranunculus repens L. Reseda lutea L. Rhinanthus minor L. (=Alectorolophus minor (L.) WlMM & G r .) Caryophyllaceae Astcreceae Apiaceae Pinaceae Plantaginaccae Plantaginaceae Poaceae Poaceae Polygalaceae Polygalaceae Polygalaceae Polygonaceac Salicaccac Rosaceae Rosaceae Lamiaceae Latniaceae Ranunculaceae Ranunculaccac Ranunculaceae Rcscdaceae Scrophulariaceae Vol. 70. No. I: 47-60. 2001 51 ACTA SOCIETATIS BOTANICORUM POLONIAE TABLE 3. coni. LATIN NAME FAMILY Rliinanthus serotinus (Sc h ö n h .) O b o r n y (= Alectorolophus glaber (La m .) B e c k ) Rulnis caesius L. Rumex acetosa L. Salix acutifolia W ie l d . Salix caprea L. Salix purpurea L. Salix repens L. subsp. arenaria (L.) HlITONEN (= S. arenaria L.) Sanguisorba minor L. Sanguisorba officinalis L. Scabiosa ochroleuca L. Sedum acre L. Silene nutans L. Silene vulgaris (MOENCH) GARCKE (= S. Ínflala (Sa l is b .) S m .) Solidago canadensis L. Solidago virgaurea L. Sonclius arvensis L. Sonchus asper (L.) H il l Taraxacum officinale F.I I. W ig g . Teucrium botrys L. Thymus pulegioides L. Tliymus serpyllum L. cm. FR. Tofieldia calyeulata (L.) WAHLENB. Trifolium medium L. Trifolium montanum L. Trifolium pratense L. Trifolium repens L. Tussilago farfaro L. Valeriana officinalis L. Verbascum tliapsus L. Veronica chamaedrys L. Vicia eracea L. Viola rupestris F.V. Sc h m id t Viola tricolor L. Scrophulariaceae Rosaceae Polygonaceae Salicaceae Salicaccae Salicaceae Salicaceae It is interesting to note that orchids also make a large con­ tribution to the flora. These comprise eight of the nine nation ­ ally protected species present on the site (the ninth is Carlina acaulis). A further three species are partly protected. Ranun­ culus hulbosus is regionally protected and there are a further seven locally rare species (Ajuga genevensis, Antennaria dioi- ca, Botrychium lunaria, Inula salicina. Parnassia palustris, Polygala amarella, Teucrium botrys). The results of life form analysis of the flora are shown in Fig. 2. They show a clear preponderance of long-lived perennials (hemicryptophytes, geophytes, chamaephytes) which comprise 87% of the flora, while the annuals only contribute 13%. Rosaceae Rosaceae Dipsacaceae Crassulaceae Caryophyllaceae Caryophyllaceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Lamiaceae Lamiaceae Lamiaceae Liliaceae Fabaceae Fabaceae Fabaceae Fabaceae Asteraceae Valerianaceae Scrophulariaceae Scrophulariaceae Fabaceae Violaceae Violaceae and the relationship between the vegetation and soil charac­ teristics, i.c. pH and the presence of heavy metals and certain other elements, were examined using CANOCO (ter Braak 1988). The data was analysed by Redundancy Analysis, a ca­ nonical form of Principal Components Analysis, and Canoni­ cal Correspondence Analysis. The significance of the in­ fluence of soil variables on the vegetation was examined using a Monte Carlo permutation procedure. RESULTS H Fig. 2. Raunkiaer’s life form - spectrum for Jaworz.no tip flora. M - megaphanerophyte: 11 - hemicryptophyte; G - geophyte: T therophyte; N - nanophanerophyte; C - chamaephyte. Fig. 3. Numbers of species belonging to ecological groups (after El­ lenberg 1992). Woody plants: L - decideous woodland; B - coniferous woodland; O - shrub edges; Meadow pl.: MP - sandy grasslands; MK - xe­ rothermic grasslands; P - acid grasslands; LK meadows: Anthro­ pogenic habitats pl.: RD - ruderal pl.; SG - segetal pl.: Water & bog pl.: TR - peat: WN - highwatertable plants; Other plants. Analysis of the flora The study site is rich in species considering the small area it covers and its geographical and ecological isolation from other areas with similar physical characteristics. Of the 136 vascular plant species recorded for the site (Table 3), 114 were recorded in the study area, 73 of them in the releves. The best represented families in the flora of the site are: (26 species) Asteraceae (15 species) Fabaceae (11 species) Caryophyllaceae (11 species) Poaceae Examination of species from the various ecological habitat groups (Fig. 3) show that meadow and grassland species make the largest contributions, while species from forest and anthropogenic habitats are less abundant and wetland species make the smallest contribution. Fig. 4 shows that 95% of the flora are native species (apophytes) and only 5% are alien (anthropophytes). Selected Ellenberg ecological indicators (Ellenberg et al. 1992) are shown in Figs 5-9. Only a very small proportion of species are associated with shady habitats (Fig. 5). Fig. 6 TABLE 4. Non-computcr analysis of the vegetation of the solvay process tip in Jaworzno. f Area of sample in m 2 9 4 m2 11 4 m2 15 4 m2 14 4 m2 4 4 m2 1 4 m2 13 4 m2 2 4 m2 10 4 m2 Area of the patch in m 2 200 200 24 24 250 150 280 200 Cover of herb layer C in % too 100 95 98 95 90 95 95 23 21 24 25 23 28 31 26 29 Field No of sample. No of species in sample 2 2 Cover of mosses layer D in % 7 4 m2 17 4 m2 5 4 m2 18 4 m2 25 15 200 100 75 80 95 95 24 26 6 4 m2 3 4 m2 8 4 m2 200 96 ¿0 95 95 90 35 26 34 1 20 4 m2 12 4 m2 16 4 m2 19 4 m2 100 50 95 98 300 20 100 98 100 90 25 20 20 18 17 q u e 25 34 r e n c y List of species with their cover In % The most freq. sp. GR. I 70 70 40 5 40 40 40 70 5 1 1 40 40 40 40 40 40 1 20 5 1 40 1 40 1 5 0.5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0.5 1 1 1 1 1 1 20 1 0.5 1 1 1 5 0.5 5 5 5 1 5 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 20 1 1 1 1 5 1 1 5 1 1 1 1 1 5 1 1 1 1 1 19 1 20 1 5 1.1 1 1 40 40 1 1 20 1 20 20 70 0.5 40 40 19 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0.5 1 1 1 1 1 1 18 1 1 1 1 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0.5 1 1 0.5 5 1 1 0.5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 5 1 0.5 1 1 1 5 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 40 70 1 40 40 20 1 1 1 1 1 0.5 0.5 1 5 1 20 1 40 1 5 1 1 0.5 0.5 1 1 0.5 1 0.5 1 1 1 1 1 0.5 1 1 1 0.5 0.5 1 5 0.5 0.5 0.5 1 1 1 1 0.5 1 1 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0.5 0.5 1 0.5 1 0.5 5 1 0.5 1 0.5 1 1 1 18 18 1 17 17 1 16 1 16 species which occure in some .ampies GR. II Polygala vulgaris Carlina vulgaris Avenida pubescens Sanguisorba minor Arabis hirsuta Tofieldia calyculata Potentilla arenaria Gymnadenia conopsea Anthyllis vulneraria Botrychium lunaria Molinia caerulea Valeriana officinalis 0.5 1 0.5 1 1 5 1 1 1 1 0.5 5 5 5 0.5 5 0.5 5 1 1 1 0.5 13 10 9 0.5 1 8 0.5 6 4 3 5 2 1 1 2 1 1 2 40 0.5 40 0.5 0.5 1 1 1 0.5 70 1 7 1 1 6 1 70 1 Grassland species GR. Ill Carex caryophyllea Thymus pulegioides Viola rupestris Scabiosa ochroleuca Trifolium montanum Poa compressa 1 1 5 1 0.5 0.5 1 1 0.5 0.5 1 1 1 1 1 0.5 1 1 1 1 1 0.5 5 0.5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0.5 0.5 1 1 1 1 1 0.5 1 0.5 0.5 0.5 10 0.5 1 10 1 0.5 13 11 TH E FLORA A N D VEGETATION OF A N O LD SOLVAY PROCESS TIP Lotus comiculatus Rhinanthus minor Carex flacca Epipactis palustris Calamagrostis epigejos Festuca rubra Ranunculus acris Trifolium pratensis Plantago media Briza media Parnassia palustris Achillea millefolium 6 1 1 3 Meadow spacies GR. IV 1 1 1 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 0.5 1 0.5 1 1 1 0.5 1 1 1 1 0.5 1 1 1 5 1 5 1 0.5 1 0.5 0.5 1 1 1 1 1 15 1 1 13 1 10 1 5 Others GR. V Potentilla erecta Linum catharticum Hieracium sabaudum Euphrasia stricta Festuca ovina 1 1 0.5 1 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 1 0.5 1 0.5 5 1 0.5 1 1 0.5 0.5 0.5 1 1 0.5 0.5 0.5 1 1 1 5 1 1 11 0.5 8 0.5 0.5 0.5 1 1 7 7 1 5 Cohn E.V.J. et al. Leontodón hispidus Taraxacum officinale Plantago lanceolata Daucus carota Vol. 70. No. I: 47-60, 2001 ACTA SOCIETATIS BOTANICORUM POLONIAE 53 TABLE 4. Description Sporadic species GR. Ill : Asperula cynanchica 9 (5), 2 (1), 7 (1); Centaurea scabiosa 5 (5); Coronilla varia 7 (1); Dianthus carthusianorum 6 (0.5): Euphorbia cyparissias 4 (0.5), 9, 16 (0.5); Ononis spinosa 18 (0.5), 19 (70) Sporadic species GR. IV: Centaurea jacea 9 (0.5), 13 (1), 17 (0.5); Festuca pratensis 5 (0.5); Galium mollugo 18 (1), 16 (5); Leontodón autumnalis 6 (0.5). 7 (0.5); Poa pratensis 11 (1), 6 (0.5), 20 (0.5); Rutnex acetosa 13 (0.5), 19 (0.5); Sanguisorba officinalis 4 (5); Trifolium repens 4 (1), 2 (1), 6 (0.5), 5(1); Vicia cracca 19 (0.5). Sporadic species GR V: Agrostis stolonifera 1 (0.5); Amhlystegium serpens d 7 (1); Brachythecium rutabulum d 14 (1), 13 (0.5); Brachythecium sale­ brosum d 13 (1). 7 (18); Brachytecium velutinum d 14 (1), 9 (I); Bryum cespiticium d 8 (1); Carex hirta 11 (0.5). 6 (0.5). 10 (0.5), 5 (0.5); C. panicea 4(1). 1 (0.5), 2 (0.5), 10 (0.5); Carlina acaulis 3 (0.5); Centaurium pulchellum 8 (0.5); Cerastium arvense 15(1). 13 (0.5), 7 (1), 16 (1); Erigeron acris 7(1); Euphorbia esula 19 (1); Frángula alnus c 13 (0.5); 10 (0.5), 17 (1); Galium verum 9 (5); Hieracium floribundum 6 (0.5); Hieracium lachenalii 2 (0.5); Medicago falcata 18 (1); Hieracium pilosella 6 (0.5), 8 (0.5); Medicago lupulina 7 (0.5); Pimpinella saxífraga I (1), 6 (1), 18 (1). 16 (1); Plagiomnium rostratum d 13 (0.5); Prunella vulgaris 6 (0.5); Ranunculus repens 9 (1); Silene nutans 12 (1); Silene vulgaris I (0.5), 9 (1), 17 (0.5), 20 (1): Solidago canadensis 2 (0.5); Thymus serpyllum 13 (5). 140 q Fig. 6. F - moisture indicator (after Ellenberg 1992). i - plants without a moisture indicator value. Anthropophytes Apophytes mKn ■ Ar nAp Fig. 4. Geographical-historical groups (after KornaS 1981) Anthropophytes (alien species): Ar - archaeophyte; Kn - kenophyte; Apophytes (native species) - Ap. Fig. 7. R - reaction indicator value (after Ellenberg 1992). i - plants without a reaction indicator value. L=7 Fig. 5. L - light indicator value (after Ellenberg 1992). i - plants without a light indicator value. shows that most (74%) of the species for which values are given are indicators of dry conditions (F = 1-4) moderately moist conditions (F = 5-6), but a substantial minority are indi­ cators of wet (F = 7-9) conditions. The large majority of species for which values are given are base indicators (Fig. 7) and only a small minority are indicators for very acid condi­ tions. A little over half the species with an indicator value are indicators of low nitrogen availability, with the remainder as­ sociated in decreasing proportions with moderate to high le­ vels of nitrogen availability (Fig. 8). Fig. 9 indicates that most species tend to occur as scattered individuals (D = 3-4) with only a few species occurring in clumps (D = 6-9). It is possible to assess the regional significance of the site since a Flora of Jaworzno township has recently been com ­ pleted (Tokarska-Guzik 1999). Botrychium lunaria, Polygala amarella and Orchis militaris have their only record in the township on the Solvay Process heap. Teucrium botrys, and THE FLORA AND VEGETATION OF AN OLD SOLVAY PROCESS TIP 54 Colin E.VJ. et al. N =2 Fig. 8. N - nitrogen indicator value (after Ellenberg 1992). i - plants without a nitrogen indicator value. Fig. l()a. Coincidence map for protected species (after TokarskaGuzik 2000). D=2 D=1 Fig. 9. D - dispersion of population (after Ellenberg 1992). i - plants without a dispersion indicator value. Antennaria dioica. both quite uncommon in Upper Silesia, have only one other record in Jaworzno township. Epipactis palusiris occurs in eight other sites but is at its most abundant on the tip. Fig. 10a represents the presence of protected species in the township on a l km grid. The larger the dot the greater the number of protected species. The l km square which includes the Solvay Process tip is the second from the top within the township boundary immediately west of line DD (DF4459). The presence of the tip clearly makes this square one of the most significant for protected species in the township. Fig. 10b shows a similar coincidence map for montane species. These are mostly associated with squares with signi­ ficant areas of forest. The square containing the Solvay Pro­ cess tip includes no forest, but clearly the tip acts as a similar refuge for montane species. Similar methodology may be used to demonstrate that the tip is an important refuge for thermophilous species and calcicolous species (TokarskaGuzik 2000). The unusualness of this site is evident in the considerable contribution to the vegetation of species such as Carex panicea, Epipactis palusiris. Pamassia palustris and Tofieldia ca- lyculata. Fig. 10b. Coincidence map for mountain species (after TokarskaGuzik 2000). Non-computer analysis of the vegetation The results of this analysis are shown in Table 4. There are twelve species of high (>80%) frequency in the vegetation. Lotus corniculatus, Rhinanthus minor, Ranunculus acris, Festuca rubra, Trifolium pratense and Achillea millefolium grow in meadows, Carex flacca, Plantago media and Briza media are grassland species. Most of these species are characteristic of neutral to calcareous soils where management or environ­ mental stress suppress the vigour of more competitive species. The frequent occurrence of Epipactis palustris and Pamassia palustris is of particular interest since these plants grow in rare eutrophic peat bogs. Only Calamagrostis epigejos is a common plant. A further 9 species occurred with a frequency of over 50%. The Table 4 also includes a consider­ able group of meadow and grassland species. Vol. 70, No. 1: 47-60, 2001 ACTA SOCIETATIS BOTANICORUM POLONIAE Many species occurred at only low frequency in the data, 29 with only 2 occurrences, but in combinations which pro­ duced distinctive facies, such as Ononis spinosa and Galium mollugo in the taller vegetation, and Thymus serpyllum, Hieracium pilosella and Erigeron acris in the shorter vegetation. Plant cover varied from 75% up to 100% but is mostly 95100%. The number of vascular plant species is quite high in all samples, ranging from 16-34 with a mean and standard error of 24.65 +/- 1.06. Six moss species were recorded, Brachythe- cium salebrosum, B. rutabulum, B. velutinum, Bryum cespiticium, Amblystegium serpens and Plagiomnium rostratum. Mosses were recorded in only 5 samples where their cover was 1-2% except in sample 7 where they reached 25% cover. Table 4 shows the relative homogeneity of the vegetation, but distinguishes 2 major sub-units. The first contains 11, possibly 13, samples and is defined by the presence of species such as Avenida pubescens, Carlina vulgaris and Polvgala vulgaris which grow in dry, basic habitats. These are the more species-rich samples. The second sub-unit is defined by Molinia caerulea and Valeriana officinalis which grow in wet meadows and calcareous mires. It contains 7, possibly 9, samples. The vegetation of this sub-unit is taller and coarser than that of the first one. Samples 7 and 8 appear transitional, having some of the species of both sub-units, but being more species-rich than either and having a higher pro­ portion of bare ground and mosses. The table shows a distinctive unit with Tofieldia calyculata, Arabis hirsuta, Potentilla arenaria and Sanguisorba minor represented by the two transitional samples and three others. Three other facies are shown in the table characterised re­ spectively by Gymnadenia conopsea, Anthyllis vulneraria and Botrychium lunaria. Table 4 also shows two groups of species, one associated with meadow, the other with grassland. However, the overall 55 character of the soda heap vegetation is quite distinctive and is not consistent with these two vegetation types. Computer analysis of the vegetation Multivariate vegetation analysis of the sample data using the computer program TWINSPAN confirmed the overall ho­ mogeneity of the vegetation with low eigenvalues at each di­ vision. Even at the first division of the samples the eigen ­ value was only 0.204, suggesting that only 20% of the vari­ ability in the data was explained at that division and that there was relatively little coordinated variation in species dis­ tribution between samples. The program has identified a num­ ber of vegetation types shown in Table 5. This table is analo ­ gous to the results shown in Table 4. The numbers in the body of this table are abundance levels on a scale of 1-4, the sample classification is shown horizontally at the top and bot­ tom of the table, and a simplified species classification is shown vertically at the right hand side. Binary notation is used for both sample and species classifications. The overall character of the vegetation is defined by the large number of constant species which appear as a large block two-thirds of the way down Table 5, species Group 01. The species above this block characterise the main vegetation type present in the study area (species Group 001), and a single variant (species Group 000). Species Group 001 is clearly the larger group identified in Table 4 using non-computer methods. The species below the main block, species Group 1, characterise a second vegetation type and also a fur­ ther variant of the main vegetation type. The first main division of the samples identified a distinc­ tive vegetation type represented by samples 16, 18 and 19 (sample Group 1) and differentiated by Valeriana officinalis at high levels of abundance, Ononis spinosa, Medicago sali­ va, Galium mollugo and Molinia caendea. These species are 12 Fig. 11. RDA ordination diagram of releves, species and environmental variables. Cohn E.VJ. et al. THE FLORA AND VEGETATION OF AN OLD SOLVAY PROCESS TIP 56 TABLE 5. TWINSPAN classification of releves and species. Binary notation is used for releve and species groups to show relationships. Numbers in the body of the table represent abundance levels on a scale of 1-4. Releve number Species Coronilla varia Erigeron acris Festuca ovina Medicago lupulina Potentiila arenaria Thymus serpyllum Daucus carota Hieracium pilosella Frángula alnus l.inum catharticum Aspenla cynanchica Carlina vulgaris Sanguisorba minor Tofieldia calyculata Trifolium montanum Arabis hirsuta 7 2 2 3 1 2 3 2 Trifolium pratense Euphrasia officinalis Scabiosa ochroleuca Briza media Carex flacca Lotus corniculatus Parnassia palustris Plantago media Potentiila erecta Ranunculus acris Viola rupestris Thymus pulegioides Calamagrostis epigejos Epipactis palustris Festuca rubra Rhinanthus minor Euphorbia cypar 'tssias 2 2 2 5 6 1 9 10 4 11 13 14 15 12 17 20 16 18 19 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 1 2 1 3 2 1 2 1 1 1 3 3 1 1 1 1 3 2 3 2 2 2 2 3 2 2 1 2 1 1 1 2 3 2 2 2 2 1 2 2 2 1 2 2 1 1 1 i 2 1 1 i 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 3 3 3 3 001 001 001 001 001 001 001 001 001 001 001 001 001 001 001 001 001 001 001 001 001 001 001 001 001 001 001 1 2 1 1 2 i i i I 1 2 3 1 3 1 3 1 1 2 3 3 3 3 2 1 i 2 1 i 2 1 3 2 1 1 2 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 2 3 2 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 1 2 3 3 2 3 3 2 3 1 2 2 3 1 2 4 3 4 1 2 2 2 1 4 3 3 2 2 3 2 3 1 2 3 2 4 1 2 1 2 2 3 2 2 2 3 3 2 2 2 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 1 3 1 1 1 2 1 1 3 3 4 2 3 4 3 3 3 2 4 3 2 2 1 3 2 2 2 3 2 2 1 1 2 2 3 1 4 3 4 1 3 1 2 1 1 2 3 1 2 1 2 2 i 2 1 1 2 1 2 3 1 3 2 3 3 2 1 2 2 2 2 3 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 2 2 2 2 3 3 2 3 1 1 3 1 4 2 3 2 2 2 1 3 3 4 2 2 1 2 2 1 3 3 2 2 3 3 3 2 3 3 2 3 2 3 2 2 3 3 2 3 3 3 2 3 1 2 3 2 1 3 2 2 3 1 4 2 2 1 2 2 3 1 3 4 2 2 2 I 1 1 2 3 2 2 4 2 2 2 2 3 2 3 1 2 2 3 4 2 4 3 2 4 2 2 2 3 4 1 2 2 1 1 4 2 3 3 1 2 2 2 2 1 2 4 i 2 2 2 2 3 1 2 2 2 2 1 4 3 3 2 1 3 3 2 2 1 3 3 3 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 2 3 1 3 3 4 2 010 2 3 2 3 3 2 2 2 3 3 4 3 1 1 1 00 2 3 3 2 2 Oil S p e c ie s Group 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 1 2 1 1 2 3 2 2 2 1 3 1 2 i 1 1 1 2 R e le v e G r o u p 3 1 2 3 3 1 Hieracium sabaudum Leontodón hispidus Plantago lanceolata Polygala vulgaris Agrostis stolonifera Anthyllis vulneraria Botrychium lunaria Carex hirta Carex panicea Centaurea scabiosa Festuca pratensis Galium verum Gymnadenia conopsea Avenida pubescens Leontodón autumnalis Prunella vulgaris Rubus caesius Sanguisorba officinalis Trifolium repens Carlina acaulis Solidago canadensis Dianthus carthusianorum Poa compressa Poa pratensis Silene nutans Silene vulgaris Centaurea jacea Taraxacum officinale Achillea millefolium Carex caryophyllea Molinia caerulea Euphorbia esula Galium mollugo Ononis spinosa Pimpinella saxífraga Valeriana officinalis Vicia cracca Medicago falcata Cerastium arvense Rumex acetosa 8 111 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 rT — en O en O O en 04 (N N (N (N C 4 (N (N (N r J (N o ^ o o x x o x — c n ^o o i t , ' C O 0 ' 0 4 x o e n ^ — o o r r o ^ z , o c e r o ^ o - N O 'r f N — — • O - «en (N (N (N (N (N (N (N (N (N (N O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O Pb \C O C x r c < i — x c o c rr tn — — r- 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — CN — CN 0 C ( N O 0 C 0 C \ D 0 C 0 C - - 0 ^ O C ' 0 C O 0 C ’- T r — - (N — — (N — — — C4 — 04 C4 O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O N O T to o T i-so r -m — — o O 4en o40404en en en en o4en o4en en en en en en en o c > o c > o o o o o o o o o o c > o o o o O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O o o o o o o o o o o c > o o o o o o z -) o p (N p p p o p 04 — oc o- p 0 4 0 0 4 0 ^ 0 0 0 0 a □ Q □ » T iO O 'sC O O O N O O' t , > ir , r j- — — C rt — T ) (N o- p o — o c — 'O oc oc p p o rp p m p o > o 4 0 0 > ó ó ó ó ó — O ' ir , \C iT i r- en OC O O 'O — O ' «O > € > O O C > O O O O O C > O Q > O O O O O O O O — i r , x t O ( N O > r ( - ^ ' C r / ) 0 C O O X \ C ’^ — r ' — o c o c f r f N ^ C ' C n O ^ O ^ O ’t o c o c ' ^ — r, ir , r’t T ’T sC O ’ >r, O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O o o o o o o o o p o o p p p p p p p o o o o o > ó o o o o o o o o > o ó ó o ó o r -'(N O e n r ''-e n O < N (N r 4 e n ir l r 4 r 4 '-O o c > r 4 T r — — 0 4 — 0 4 — C N — 0 4 — ;O 4 — — 0 4 0 ^ — — — 04 o o o o o o o ’ O O O O Ó O O O Ó Ó Ó O o — Tt o4e e n o \ — o -o j ^ n C n c o o c n o — O ' n o — o en xr p p en — T t p oc p 04 p en —’ oc 04 en en r j-’ » o i 'O o c o - < 0 n e n o 4 e n - ^ r ,^ - T r ,^ f e n e n e n e n e n e n e n e o n O' rr p p oi/¿ n en en o c io ) — — ir ', r t — » n ^ c o c O ' T f T r o 4 ^ o o \ e n r * o 4 o i z ' O x e n e n ^ e n e n ^ ^ - ^ T r ^ ^ t c T r ’t ^ p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O X Q. tr ( — ' C o e n O ' O ^ O ’t x — e n o 'e n o x — o o o c N O o ł0 4 p p o 4 p p p p p o c p p p p o 4 p oc xt i r f’ *z¿ x r T j- ’ t z ¿ O O ^ C 'O ^ C O O O O 'r , o^ — o^ o o r- o^ o- N e n ^ ir s O O O C O O n¿ ir j »n < ¡'C O O O C O O O ir , o- — o*" o- o o- r- (N e n T T 'T 'D O X O o f elements Mn Na s- in soils as oxides. Ó O Ó O O O O Ó Ó Ó Ó Ó O O Ó Ó Ó Ó Ó IV Redundancy analysis of substrate-plant relationships A preliminary assessment was made of the entire sample and substrate data using both Canonical Correspondence Ana­ lysis and Redundancy Analysis. This indicated that Redun­ dancy Analysis was the more appropriate method, and that few of the substrate variables had a distinct, or coordinated, influence on the vegetation. Despite the relatively low vari­ ability in total phosphorus shown in Table 6, phosphorus and barium and to a lesser extent pH, sodium and manganese were shown to have the strongest influence, though none were statistically significant. These five plus calcium in view of its relative abundance in the substrate, were the only 6 variables selected for the main Redundancy Analysis, the results of which are shown in Fig. 11. Ordination of samples along axes 1 and 2 in Fig. 11 show similar groupings to those identified by the TWINSPAN and the non-computer analyses. Axis one shows the clear separ­ ation of the taller and coarser vegetation in TWINSPAN sample Groups 1 and 011 and the influence of phosphorus on this vegetation. The typical vegetation lies in the centre of the ordination with the ’anomalous’ samples 7 and 8 at the other extreme. Axis 2 separates both the variants of the coarse vegetation and samples 7 and 8 from each other. — T he rem aining percentage fo r each releve represents non-m easurable elements, such as C and N , and the occurrence Substrate characteristics The substrates, at least in the upper horizons sampled, were all fine textured with a perceptible crumb structure, a signifi­ cant penetration by roots, and were dark stained with organic matter. Table 6 shows that the pH across the site does not vary greatly. Elemental concentrations varied across the site with manganese, zinc, lead, aluminium, iron, barium and magnesium tending to be higher in samples 1-4 and 20, while calcium and sodium were higher in other parts of the site. to Fe analyses have distinguished samples 7 and 8. In the non-computer analysis they were shown to span 2 vegetation types and a variant of one of them. In TWINPAN they were separated out at one end of the sample ordination as a distinct variant of the typical vegetation. A tall vegetation type characterised by Molinia caerulea was clearly identified by both methods, but whereas in Table 4 it appears as a homogeneous vegetation type, TWINSPAN has recognised two distinct variants. No farther variants or distinctive facies were apparent in the TWINSPAN analysis, while the non-computer analysis has recognised a Tofieldia calyculata - Arabis hirsuta variant on the typical community and a farther three facies each charac­ terised by a single species. o o ó ó ó o o ó o ó ó o ó o o ó o ó ó — Ca Comparison of analyses Both analyses have identified a typical vegetation type con­ sisting of almost the same samples: 1-4, 6 and 9-15. Only sample 5 was classified differently in the two analyses. Both 57 O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O Ba not all exclusive to this vegetation type, but they are strongly preferential. The next two divisions of the samples differentiated the main group (sample Group 010). The first of these divisions separated off the two samples 7 and 8 which proved "anoma­ lous" in the non-computer analysis (sample Group 00). The second division separated off three samples, 12, 17 and 20, (sample Group 011) with abundant Molinia caerulea. These were placed alongside the other Molinia samples 16, 18 and 19 (Group 1) as in Table 4. However, these six Molinia samples are divided here on the basis of the strongly preferential species of sample Group 1 and the greater affinity of the companion species in sample Group 011 to sample Group 010. Zn ACTA SOCIETATIS BOTANICORUM POLON1AE R e le v e Vol. 70, No. 1: 47-60, 2001 58 THE FLORA AND VEGETATION OF AN OLD SOLVAY PROCESS TIP Variations in the vegetation in relation to bases can be seen on both axes. The differences between the apparent relation­ ships of barium and sodium probably relates to their different mobilities in the soil, with sodium being more readily leached than barium; calcium was intermediate and less significant. The association of manganese with the Molinia caerulea and Parnassia palustris vegetation at the lower end of axis 2 is suggestive of periodic waterlogging. Fig. 11 shows two main trends in the vegetation, both starting from the upper right hand quadrant. Moving left to the upper left hand quadrant, there is a successional transition from short, dry, open, base rich, nutrient poor vegetation to taller, coarser, more nutrient demanding vegetation. Moving clockwise from the upper right hand quadrant there is a gradual transition to less base rich more mesic vegetation and then to damp coarser vegetation in the lower left hand quadrant, although the influence of bases is still apparent. The samples clustered in the centre of this diagram show the cur­ rent status of the vegetation in relation to these trends. DISCUSSION The analyses have shown that the vegetation of the soda heap is not strongly differentiated, although there is some clear variation in both the species composition and in the vi­ gour of the vegetation, some of which can be related to suc­ cessional trends and water regime. The typical vegetation, which contains the majority of samples, is species rich and contains a number of rare species which are usually only found in uncommon and highly valued vegetation types. These include a number of calcicolous and xerothermal species whose presence is related to the particular charac­ teristics of the substrate on the soda heap. The general ap­ pearance of the vegetation is of species rich calcicolous grass­ land and has some of the species of the classical vegetation types Molinio-Arrhenatheretea meadow, Festuco-Brometea grassland and Caricetalia davalianae mire. This unique com ­ bination of species has arisen in response to the very specific habitat conditions associated with the soda heap. Nevertheless, the vegetation is coherent and not simply a random assemblage of species, as indicated by the overall similarity of the floristic structure of the vegetation in most of the samples, and the identification of successional trends and localised environmental influences in others. In the absence of a comprehensive classifi­ cation of synanthropic vegetation, a possible name for this com ­ munity could be Rhinantho-Caricetum flaccae. Both the computer and non-computer analyses have been valuable in characterising the vegetation of the old soda heap. The small differences in the definition of variation in the vegetation between the two methods are related to the differ­ ent ways in which Tables 4 and 5 are constructed. Patterns and trends in the data and known groupings of species are systematically identified by eye and experience in the con­ struction of the non-computer table. TWINSPAN on the other hand, takes no account of typical groupings of species, only groupings within the data set. It simultaneously takes account of all species, their abundance and occurrence in all samples so that sample groupings are only defined by the co-ordinated responses of individual species, or groups of species, drawn from the entire data. Thus although the two samples with Gymnadenia conopsea, for example, are placed together in the sample ordination, in the TWINSPAN analysis their overall species composition is not sufficiently different for them to be separated from adjacent samples, even at lower levels of division. Cohn E.V.J. et al. In the analysis of unusual vegetation such as that in the present study which has not previously been described, both methods have merits. The non-computer method (similar to Braun-Blanquet methodology) facilitates the comparison with naturally occurring associations and recognises subtle vari­ ations related to particular species, while TWINSPAN allows the objective definition of vegetation types and variants. The development of spontaneous communities on post-in­ dustrial sites is influenced by aspects of soil chemistry such as alkalinity or acidity, nutrient level and toxicity, and by physical factors such as soil structure and particle size (Brad ­ shaw and Chadwick 1980). Although there were some clear trends in the influence of soil chemistry on the Jaworzno soda heap vegetation, the absence of any statistically significant ef­ fects suggests that there are also factors other than these in­ fluencing the composition of the vegetation. Lee and Green­ wood (1976) found that even in wastes younger than those of Jaworzno, the plant associations observed generally could not be related to soil chemistry and that physical features such as compaction and its effect on hydrology were more important. They observed that the water content of wastes up to 32 years old was always high within the rooting zone, although com ­ paction resulted in the formation of a hard dry crust impene­ trable to roots with localised standing surface water in places. These observations are consistent with the nature of the vege­ tation at Jaworzno, where the better drained edges of the pla­ teau supported a more open, stress-tolerant, calcicolous vege­ tation, while there were some areas in the centre of the pla­ teau where the CANOCO analysis indicated periodic water­ logging. Lee and Greenwood (1976) describe soil development on lime wastes over a period of 32 years as simply tire accumula­ tion of organic material on the surface of unalterd parent ma­ terial. The dieback of shrubs such as Frangula alnus and the rarity of other woody species except Betula, suggests that the situation is similar at the Jaworzno soda heap even after 87 years. Birch is a very successful pioneer species on industrial wastes being tolerant of a wide range of toxic compounds (Atkinson 1992; Bialobok 1979). Its success on the Jaworzno soda heap may have implications for the future of the vegeta­ tion on the site. The establishment and growth to a consider­ able size of substantial numbers of birch trees may already have contributed to nutrient enrichment on the site. Fig. 11 shows a trend for coarser less species rich vegetation to be as­ sociated with nutrient enrichment which if continued, could further threaten the diversity of the typical vegetation. The expansion of industrial, agricultural and urban activities has resulted in massive losses of natural habitats and the na­ tive species they support. In built-up areas, therefore, special attention should be paid to the spontaneous vegetation appear­ ing in synanthropic habitats since many vulnerable and rare species of vascular plants have been recorded in them (Adamowski 1998; Shaw and Halton 1998; Tokarska-Guzik 1991a, 1996). With its calcicolous and xerothermal species, the soda heap in Jaworzno is an example of the way in which synan­ thropic habitats can be the mainstay of locally uncommon and even rare plant species in an area, providing a refuge or re­ placement habitat. It is also important as a reservoir of diver­ sity for the surrounding industrial landscape. As with the most valued semi-natural plant communities, the vegetation at Jaworzno is important not only as a refuge for locally and nationally uncommon and rare species, but also for its intrinsic beauty and for its unusual vegetation which shares many of the characteristics of the vegetation of other soda heaps (Lee and Greenwood 1976; Wilkon-Michal- Vol. 70, No. I: 47-60, 2001 ACTA SOCIETATIS BOTANICORUM POLONIAE ska and Sokół 1968). Whether semi-natural or anthropogenic, plant communities develop in response to particular combina­ tions of environmental conditions and at Jaworzno the condi­ tions, and the vegetation they have given rise to, are very un ­ usual. Unusual biological communities such as this, can be so intimately linked with the particular industrial process which created them that they can be considered to be unique and non-recreatable (Box 1993). As such, they have a value even beyond their undoubted ecological value in their contribution to the cultural, industrial and economic heritage of the region to which they belong. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This study was financially supported by the British Council and the Polish State Committee for Scientific Research (K.BN), project No. WAR'992/135. We would like to thank dr Barbara Fojcik from University of Silesia for moss determination. LITERATURE CITED ADAMOWSKI W. 1998. Colonisation success of orchids in disturbed habitats, (in:) Plant population biology. Falińska K. (ed.) W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków: 167-174. ASH H.J., GEMMELL R. P., BRADSHAW A. D. 1994. The introduc­ tion of native plant species on industrial wastes: a test of immigra­ tion and other factors affecting primary succession. Journal of Applied Ecology 31: 74-84. ATKINSON M. D. 1992. Betula péndula Roth (5. verrucosa Ehrh.) and B. pubescens Ehrh. Biological Flora of the British Isles. 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Kopernika, Toruń, Biologia 21 (II): 173-208. WOŻNIAK G. 1998. Primary succession on the sedimentation pools of coal mine. Phytocoenosis 9 (10): 189-198. 60 THE FLORA AND VEGETATION OF AN OLD SOLVAY PROCESS TIP Cohn E.V.J. et al. FLORA I ROŚLINNOŚĆ STAREJ HAŁDY POSODOWEJ W JAWORZNIE (GÓRNY ŚLĄSK, POLSKA) STRESZCZENIE Praca przedstawia analizę flory i zbiorowisk roślinnych, w powiązaniu z wynikami badań fizykochemicznych materia­ łu zwałowego starej hałdy posodowej położonej w Jaworznie na terenie Górnego Śląska (Polska). Na powierzchni 15 000 m 2 stwierdzono występowanie 136 gatunków roślin naczyniowych. Analizowaną florę wyróżnia dominacja wie­ loletnich bylin łąkowych i murawowych, w tym znaczny jest udział gatunków z rodziny Asteraceae. Pomimo antropoge­ nicznego pochodzenia obiektu, 95% flory stanowią gatunki rodzime. Większość gatunków charakteryzują wskaźniki Ellcnberga właściwe dla siedlisk dość suchych, umiarkowanie ubogich w związki azotowe. Badany obiekt jawi się jako ważna ostoja gatunków chronionych, górskich oraz innych elementów nieczęstych w lokalnej florze. Analiza wyników (wykonana metodami tabelaryczno-opisową oraz komputerową analizą wieloczynnikową wg progra­ mu TWINSPAN) wykazała względną jednorodność roślinności ze zróżnicowaniem na warianty, które grupowały płaty miejsc wilgotniejszych. Zestawienie wyników analiz podłoża dla poszczególnych powierzchni badanych wykazało małą zmienność pH i brak większych koncentracji metali ciężkich. Analiza korelacji podłoże-roślinność sugeruje, że zróżni­ cowanie to w największym stopniu zależy od gradientu stężenia fosforanów, a w dalszej kolejności od gradientu pH oraz prawdopodobnie wilgotności podłoża. Najbogatsza gatunkowo roślinność związana była z niską zawartością fosfo­ ranów i wysokim pH. Uzyskane wyniki sugerują, że zarówno proces rozwoju gleby, jak i sukcesja roślinności przebiegają wolno, lecz w sposób zauważalny, w kierunku prawdopodobnego zmniejszania się różnorodności. Roślinność stanowi względnie jednolite ugrupowanie z niewielkimi nawiązaniami do zbiorowisk łąkowych z klasy Molinio-Arrhenatheretea, murawo­ wych z klasy Festuco-Brometea i torfowisk eutroficznych z rzędu Caricetalia davallianeae. Ważnym wynikiem prowa­ dzonych badań jest wykazanie znacznych walorów florystycznych tego obiektu. Powinien on być objęty ochroną oraz dalszymi badaniami naukowymi. SŁOWA KLUCZOWE: hałdy sodowe, analiza flory i roślinności, gatunki rzadkie, chronione i górskie, wa­ loryzacja zasobów przyrodniczych.