AILANTHUS ALTISSIMA (MILLER) SWINGLE - INVASIVE SPECIES IN THE FOREST HABITATS IN THE UPPER BASIN OF THE MOTRU RIVER

Ailanthus altissima (Miller) Swingle is an invasive species found in forest habitats in Oltenia and beyond. The aggression and power of dissemination and development of this species is increasing. The thematic area provided in this paper is situated in the upper basin of the Motru river. Within this study had been aimed the identification and level of pressures and threats of the invasive species Ailanthus altissima in the forest habitats in the researched territory. These studies also noted the conservation status of the forest habitats in which this invasive species was encountered. In this area we identified this invasive species in the following forest habitats: 91E0* Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior (Alno-Padion, Alnion incanae, Salicion albae), 91V0 Dacian Beech forests (SymphytoFagion), 9130 Asperulo-Fagetum beech forests, 91M0 Pannonian-Balkanic turkey oak - sessile oak forests. This species influence the succesional dynamics and the floristic composition of the forest habitats, occupying increasingly more and more space.

Malacofauna of Selected Areas in Litovelské Pomoraví (Czech Republic)

The molluscan diversity in the Litovelské Pomoraví Protected Landscape Area (PLA) (Moravia, Czech Republic) was studied. The PLA stretches on the territory of a river alluvial plain and is formed by the meandering river, complex of alluvial forests, meadows, and wetlands. It is part of the European network of nature protection areas Natura 2000. Altogether 10 450 specimens representing 107 mollusc species were found by means of hand collecting and sieving a litter layer during the sampling period April 2012–September 2015 at nine selected sampling sites. Computation of the Jaccard and Sörensen indices showed the degree of similarity between the individual locations based on the number of shared species. The principal component analysis based on known ecological characteristics clearly distinguished some locations and indicated the relationships between a particular molluscan group and a locality. The data availability and possibility to assess the succession over time is essential for later evaluation and mapping the natural processes or human impact at naturally important localities.

Diversity of Orchidaceae from Murum Dam, Belaga, Sarawak, Borneo

Murum Dam in Sarawak is located about 70 km upstream of Bakun Dam, on the rivers Murum, Danum and Plieran, forming a reservoir over an area of 245 km2. The area consists of mainly lowland to hilly mixed dipterocarp forests, with riparian and alluvial forests along the main rivers and streams, as well as patches of mossy and heath forests. Most of these forests are logged over and some areas have been converted into oil palm plantations. A flora rescue project was carried out to collect selected plant species including orchids from the areas affected by the dam. Most epiphytic orchids were collected from partially submerged trees. Over 2,000 specimens of orchids from 80 genera and c. 276 species were collected from May 2013 to December 2014. The most abundant genus recorded is Bulbophyllum Thouars (c. 44 species). Of these, 37 species are endemic to Borneo, two (Bulbophyllum upupops J.J.Verm., P.O’Byrne & A.L.Lamb and Thrixspermum lingiae P.O’Byrne & Gokusing) are newly described and ten species are new records for Sarawak. The collection of species from this work has provided valuable material for the research and conservation of orchids from vulnerable areas around dams.

New species of Pseudosinella Schäffer, 1897 (Collembola, Entomobryidae) from Hungary

Two new species of the genus Pseudosinella Schäffer, 1897 from Hungary are described and illustrated. Characters shared by both species are the number of eyes (0+0), the labial chaetotaxy (M1M2rEL1L2) and the chaetotaxy of abdominal segment II (pABq1q2). P. csafordi sp. nov., characterized by dorsal macrochaetae formula R0R1R2R3TP/32/0201+2s, inhabits alluvial forests, while P. dungeri sp. nov., characterized by dorsal macrochaetae formula R0R1sR1R2TP/10/0201+2, was collected from a mid-montain steppic grassland.

A taxonomic revision of the South American genus Discolobium (Leguminosae, Papilionoideae)

Discolobium, an exclusively South American legume genus, includes six species. The nomenclature of each taxon has been reviewed, and six synonyms are presented. Discolobium hirtum, D. junceum, D. leptophyllum, D. psoraleaefolium, D. pulchellum and D. tocantinum can be differentiated mainly by the number and shape of leaflets, degree of fusion of calyx lacinia, morphology of calyx lacinia, petal and fruit wings, and ornamentation of the seed chamber. Species of this genus occur in Pantanal, Chaco, and Caatinga vegetation associated with marshes and river banks and in tropical ombrophilous alluvial forests, either dry or flooded most of the year. An identification key to the species is presented, together with a detailed taxonomic revision of the genus and its species, distribution maps, linedrawings, and comments on the taxonomy and ecology of each species. Lectotypes for D. elongatum, D. hirtum, D. junceum, D. leptophyllum, D. leptophyllum var. junceum, D. leptophyllum var. junceum f. grandiflora, D. leptophyllum var. junceum f. parviflora, D. paucijugum, D. psoraleaefolium, D. pulchellum, D. pulchellum var. major, D. pulchellum var. viscosissimum and D. tocantinum are herein designated.

Effect of black walnut (Juglans nigra) on the understorey vegetation – a case study of South Moravian forests (Czech Republic)

The article analyses the influence of black walnut on forest phytocoenosis in South Moravian forests and assesses how its representation may affect the understorey vegetation of the forest ecosystems. In July 2014, 31 relevés were processed in the South Moravian forests. These were stands of pure black walnut (Juglans nigra) as well as black walnut with small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata), along with neighbouring autochthonous stands (pure ash – European and narrow-leaved), oak (summer oak), or their mixtures. Ellenberg’s indicator values reveal differences in the plant communities under black walnut comparing those under native tree species for the variables nitrogen, soil reaction and temperature. In addition, total cover is significantly higher under walnut. Other differences are visible from the detrended correspondence analysis ordination. The study also confirmed that in the stands of black walnut the preference of some species is suppressed, for example Brachypodium sylvaticum and Poa nemoralis in alluvial forests and Melica uniflora in hilly forests.

Analysis of the development of land use in the Morava River floodplain, with special emphasis on the landscape matrix

The results of an analysis of land use development in the Morava River floodplain (Czech Republic) using GIS from 1836 to the present, are the subject of this article. The results are based on the analysis of historical maps, using the landscape matrix assessment of the Morava River floodplain. The final analyses were processed from land use maps of the floodplain at a scale of 1 : 25,000 in five time horizons. These maps were compared with the present state of landscape by GIS methods. The study area was assessed according to five geomorphological areas from the northern/higher part to the southern/lower part of floodplain. In 1836 the landscape matrix of the floodplain was composed of meadows and forests. Forest components decreased minimally but the changes are more important. The grassland area (meadows and pastures) decreased but arable land, as well as settlements, increased very significantly. In the 1950s the landscape matrix was composed of a mosaic of alluvial forests, meadows and arable land. Currently, the predominant landscape matrix consists of arable land and isolated forest complexes.

Synanthropization of riparian plant communities in the Ojców National Park (Southern Poland)

Although riparian forests are still common in Europe, their variants - similar to natural forests - are rare. They are, as communities, early stages of forest-shrub succession, particularly vulnerable to the expansion of neophytes for which they are an important type of vegetation that enables their spread. In the Ojców National Park (ON P), these types of phytocoenoses are heavily influenced by anthropogenic pressure. The preservation of their biodiversity is particularly difficult because of the fragmentation and small area occupied by the Park - just 2.89 ha. There have been no data on synanthropization of ON P riparian forests until now. The ‘conservation status’ of these communities was determined by examining the degree of anthropophyte participation in their floristic composition. This determination is necessary to take effective preventive measures. In 2012-2014, phytosociological studies were carried out on the ON P riparian communities. A particular attention was paid to the presence and quantitative participation of alien species in research plots. The obtained results revealed that there were 189 plant species in alluvial forests of the ON P, including 80 synanthropic species. The group of synanthropes comprised 32 anthropophytes: 5 diaphytes, 9 archaeophytes and 18 kenophytes.