Pteridological field-trip to the Beskidy Zachodnie range (Southern Poland), a refuge of natural habitats of ferns and fern allies species

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1 97 Pteridological-field-trip-to-the-Beskidy-Zachodnie-range 97 Pteridological field-trip to the Beskidy Zachodnie range (Southern Poland), a refuge of natural habitats of ferns and fern allies species ZBIGNIEW WILCZEK 1, DARIUSZ TLA KA 2, ADAM ROSTAÑSKI 3 1 University of Silesia, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, Department of Geobotany and Nature Protection, Jagielloñska 28, Katowice; zbigniew.wilczek@us.edu.pl 2 Os. Nad So³¹ 4/19, Kêty; dariusz.tlalka@o2.pl 3 University of Silesia, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, Department of Plant Systematics, Jagielloñska 28, Katowice; adam.rostanski@us.edu.pl ABSTRACT: More than a half of Polish native pteridophyte species occur in the Beskidy Zachodnie range, where habitat conditions are suitable for their development. Among them, the genus Dryopteris Adans. is represented by 7 species, i.e. by almost all extant taxa occurring in Poland. The paper presents the route of the fieldtrip organised during the First Polish Pteridological Workshop Genus Dryopteris in Poland by the Polish Botanical Society, and description of chosen stands. ABSTRAKT: W sprzyjaj¹cych siedliskach Beskidów Zachodnich wystêpuje ponad po³owa gatunków rodzimych polskich pteridofitów. Miêdzy nimi jest 7 gatunków z rodzaju Dryopteris Adans. niemal wszystkie z obecnie notowanych w Polsce. Praca prezentuje trasê wycieczki w trakcie I Ogólnopolskich Warsztatów Pteridologicznych Rodzaj Dryopteris w Polsce, zorganizowanej przez Polskie Towarzystwo Botaniczne, oraz opis wybranych stanowisk. KEYWORDS: Beskidy Zachodnie, ferns, Dryopteris species Introduction The Beskidy Zachodnie macroregion is situated in south Poland (Fig. 1). In physico-geographical division, it is a part of the Outer Western Carpathians WILCZEK Z., TLA KA D., ROSTAÑSKI A Pteridological field-trip to the Beskidy Zachodnie range (Southern Poland), a refuge of natural habitats of ferns and fern allies species. In: E. Szczêœniak, E. Gola (eds), Genus Dryopteris in Poland. Polish Botanical Society & Institute of Plant Biology, University of Wroc³aw, Wroc³aw, p

2 98 Zbigniew-Wilczek,-Dariusz-Tla³ka,-Adam-Rostañski 98 Fig.1. Localization of the Beskid Zachodni range in Poland and route of the pteridological field-trip in the Beskid Zachodni range: 1-4 according to the text Rys.1. Lokalizacja omawianego obszaru Beskidu Zachodniego w Polsce i trasa wycieczki pteridologicznej po Beskidzie Zachodnim: 1-4 zgodnie z tekstem

3 99 Pteridological-field-trip-to-the-Beskidy-Zachodnie-range 99 subprovince and the Carpathian province (Kondracki 2001). In the geobotanical division, it is included into the Beskids region, situated in the Western Carpathian division, the Carpathian subprovince and in the Central European Mountain province (Paw³owski 1977). Environmental conditions and a well-preserved plant cover makes this region very interesting and valuable for pteridological research. More than a half of Polish pteridoflora species is noted in variable habitats in this region. The most numerous group are species associated with different types of forests. The Beskidy Zachodnie range was visited by Polish pteridologists during the First Polish Pteridological Workshop Genus Dryopteris in Poland, which was organised by the Pteridological Section and the Silesian division of the Polish Botanical Society. According to Mirek et al. (2002), the Buckler-fern (genus Dryopteris Adans.) is represented in Poland by 8 species, including one known as extinct. In visited places, where habitat conditions are suitable enough, all extant Polish species of Buckler-ferns but D. cambrensis (Fraser- Jenk.) Beitel & W. Buck can be found. The route of excursion Four stands were visited during one-day pteridological field-trip (Fig. 1). All described places are situated in the Beskid ywiecki range and the Beskid Ma³y range two small massifs of the Beskidy Zachodnie macroregion, on the border of Upper Silesia and Ma³opolska provinces in the southern part of the country. The Beskid ywiecki range The Beskid ywiecki range is made of sandstones and slates forming Carpathian Flysch. Located in the Polish border area of about 1100 km 2 is divided into four microregions: the Beskid ytawsko-orawski range with Wielka Racza (1236 m above sea level) and Pilsko (1557 m) massifs, the Babia Góra range with the Babia Góra Mt (1725 m), Dzia³y Orawskie, and the Beskid Orawsko- Podhalañski range (Kondracki 2001). The excursion took place in the Beskid ytawsko-orawski range. The majority of towns and villages in this region is situated preferably in valleys, while mountains and their slopes are mainly forested. The upper montane area extends here from 1000 m to 1390 m, and the subalpine vegetation with domination of mountain pine (Pinus mugo) starts above this level. The area is pro-

4 100 Zbigniew-Wilczek,-Dariusz-Tla³ka,-Adam-Rostañski 100 tected as the ywiecki Landscape Park, as well as a part of the ecological network Natura Several nature reserves known under names of Romanka, Pod Rysiank¹, Lipowska, Butorza, Œrubita, Pilsko, Oszast, Muñco³, Gawroniec and Dziobaki are located here. 1. Sucha Góra; pteridoflora: Diphasiastrum complanatum (L.) Holub, Huperzia selago (L.) Bernh. ex Schrank & Mart., Lycopodium annotinum L., L. clavatum L., Athyrium filix-femina (L.) Roth, Dryopteris affinis (Löwe) Fraser-Jenk. agg., D. carthusiana (Vill.) H. P. Fuchs, D. dilatata (Hoffm.) A. Gray, D. filix-mas (L.) Schott, D. remota (A. Braun in Döll) Druce, Blechnum spicant (L.) Roth, Polypodium vulgare L. The slope of the Sucha Góra Mt is covered by the well-preserved temperate coniferous forest (Abieti-Piceetum montanum Szaf., Paw³. et Kulcz.1923 em. J. Mat. 1978) with occurrence of clubmosses including Diphasiastrum complanatum, which is a relatively rare species in the Carpathians. In this stand, however, there are a dozen plant specimens of this species. Huperzia selago and Lycopodium annotinum are much more frequent here, with the latter one occurring abundantly. On this slope, a small population of Dryopteris remota occurs in the eutrophic beech and fir forests (Bia³ecka 1982; Wilczek 1995). 2. Gajka; pteridoflora: Huperzia selago, Equisetum sylvaticum L., E. pratense Ehrh., E. litorale Kühlew. ex Rupr., E. fluviatile L., Athyrium filix-femina, Dryopteris cristata (L.) A. Gray, D. carthusiana, D. dilatata, D. expansa (C. Presl) Fraser-Jenk. & Jermy, D. filix-mas, hybrids D. uliginosa and cfr. D. critica (D. affinis agg. D. filix-mas), Oreopteris limbosperma (Bellardi ex All.) Holub, Gymnocarpium dryopteris (L.) Newman, Matteucia struthiopteris (L.) Tod. Riparian forests and shrubs are rare plant communities in the Beskids. Within the area of Gajka, there are well preserved wet riparian forests with patches of different rare plant communities such as two types of alder forests Alnetum incanae Lüdi 921 and Caltho-Alnetum (Zarz. 1963) Stuchlik 1968 on the banks of Sopotnia Wielka and Sopotnia Ma³a streams. These specific plant communities create favourable habitats for several interesting pteridophytes: Dryopteris cristata and its hybrid D. uliginosa, D. filix-mas and its hybrid with D. affinis agg. species, Oreopteris limbosperma, Equisetum littorale and Matteucia struthiopteris. Dryopteris cristata, which is critically endangered in the Carpathians (Koczur, Tla³ka 2008), is quite a numerous fern here; its population is estimated to con-

5 101 Pteridological-field-trip-to-the-Beskidy-Zachodnie-range 101 sist of ca. 500 plants. The species occurs in this locality within the damp alder forest Caltho-Alnetum with the relatively frequent occurrence of Frangula alnus Mill. in the understorey. Dryopteris cristata co-occurs with Valeriana simplicifolia Kabath and Caltha palustris subsp. palustris L. (Bia³ecka 1982; Wilczek 1995; Fig. 2). In the surrounding riparian shrub communities, one of the major Carpathian refuges of Equisetum littorale is situated. This taxon has been quite recently recognised as being of a hybrid origin (Rutkowski 2006). In the alder riparian forest Alnetum incanae as well as in community formed by Phalarido-Petasitetum hybridi Schwick. 1933, a population of another rare fern Matteucia strutiopteris found its place. The whole area of Gajka has been proposed to be protected as a nature reserve. Fig. 2. Locality of Dryopteris cristata in a patch of the riparian alder forest CalthoAlnetum in Gajka (phot. Z. Wilczek) Rys. 2. Stanowisko Dryopteris cristata w p³acie ³êgu Caltho-Alnetum w Gajce (fot. Z. Wilczek)

6 102 Zbigniew-Wilczek,-Dariusz-Tla³ka,-Adam-Rostañski 102 A small section of the Sopotnia Ma³a stream is also very interesting in terms of geology and hydrology (Molenda 2005). Here, at the base of the Grapa Mt, forces of erosion formed a rock chute of a length of about 50 m. The chute starts with the waterfall of 1,9 m high, which represents a rare type of the cataclinal waterfalls. Water runs here along the steep 7 m long surface of sandstone. Below the waterfall, a deep hole within a block of sandstone is drilled by small rocks carried by the turbulent stream waters. The chute gives us an unique opportunity to get insight into geological features of the region: strata of sandstone with inclusions of slates and marl. A rock shelf protruding 1,5 m above the water surface is another characteristic feature of the chute. 3. Forest nature reserve Gawroniec (Fig. 3); pteridoflora: Polypodium vulgare, Polystichum aculeatum (L.) Roth, Dryopteris borreri (Newm.) Newm. (D. affinis agg.), D. filix-mas, D. dilatata, Athyrium filix-femina. Gawroniec is a forest nature reserve, with an area of 23,69 ha, established in 1996 near the Pewel Ma³a village. The reserve includes north-western slopes Fig. 3. Gawroniec Nature Reserve (phot. A. Rostañski) Rys. 3. Widok na rezerwat Gawroniec (fot. A. Rostañski)

7 103 Pteridological-field-trip-to-the-Beskidy-Zachodnie-range 103 of Gawroniec and Walentarski Groñ falling steeply to the Koszarawa River ( m a.s.l.). The prime object of reserve is the Carpathian beech forest Dentario glandulosae-fagetum. This plant association is main habitat of Dryopteris and other woodland fern species. More than one hundred year old forest is formed mostly by beeches and firs with some trees reaching the enormous size. The height of some trees exceeds 30 m and diameter at breast height (DBH) of some beeches reaches even 116 cm. The understorey layer is formed mostly by young trees and shrubs of Corylus avellana L. Its density varies greatly from 5 to 70%. The groundcover differentiates the forest in two subassociations, namely a sub-association with Lunaria rediviva L. Dentario glandulosae-fagetum lunarietosum with numerous stands of D. affinis agg. (Fig. 4), and a typical subassociation Dentario glandulosae-fagetum typicum. In the eastern part of the reserve, the narrow patches of the riparian alder forest Alnetum incanae are developed. The forest is relatively dense (canopy Fig. 4. Eutrophic beech forest in the Gawroniec nature reserve habitat of Dryopteris affinis agg. (phot. E. Szczê niak) Rys. 4. yzna buczyna w rezerwacie Gawroniec siedlisko Dryopteris affinis agg. (fot. E. Szczê niak)

8 104 Zbigniew-Wilczek,-Dariusz-Tla³ka,-Adam-Rostañski 104 density about 80 %) and formed mostly by Alnus incana (L.) Moench with minor admixture of Acer pseudoplatanus L. In the less dense understorey (20%), Sambucus nigra L. can be found in significant proportion apart from young trees of alder and maple. The groundcover is dominated by Petasites kablikianus Tausch ex Bercht. and its parasite Orobanche flava Mart. ex F. W. Schultz; among others, D. filix-mas is also common species. On the rocky outcrops, on the banks of the river Koszarawa, within the patches of rocky vegetation with Polypodium vulgare, one can find Dicranum viride the protected moss species of European importance. The other interesting and protected species of vascular plants, including Aruncus sylvestris and Atropa belladonna, also occur in the neighbourhood (Caba³a, Wilczek 1991; Wilczek 1995). The Beskid Ma³y range The Beskid Ma³y range is relatively low and not significantly changed by the human activity. In terms of geology, Beskid Ma³y is made mainly of sandstone. It extends for about 30 km, having the width of km and covering the area of 400 km 2. The highest elevations slightly exceed 900 m (Magurka 909 m, Czupel 933 m, amana Ska³a 929 m, Leskowiec 922 m). A valley of the So³a River divides the mountain range into two parts: a bigger western part with the highest peaks of Magurka and Czupel and a smaller eastern part with the highest peaks of amana Ska³a and Leskowiec. In the So³a River valley two dams were built several decades ago. A dam in Por¹bka gave rise to Miêdzybrodzkie Lake (3,8 km 2 ) and two power stations. One power station is located by the dam, while the other one, the pump-storage hydroelectric power station located in Mount ar, uses Miêdzybrodzkie Lake as a lower reservoir. The upper reservoir of the latter power station, located at the top of Mount ar, is nowadays a tourist attraction and it is intensively visited during the season. In spite of significant urbanisation of the valleys, mountain ridges are still covered by the mountain forests. In this region, three nature reserves have been established: Zasolnica, Madochora and Szeroka. All the reserves are located within the area of the Beskid Ma³y Landscape Park and they are a part of the European network Natura The Targaniczanka Valley; pteridoflora: Equisetum sylvaticum, Phegopteris connectilis (Michx.) Watt, Oreopteris limbosperma, Athyrium filix-femina, Gymnocarpium dryopteris, Blechnum spicant, Dryopteris remota, D. borreri (D. affinis agg.), D. filix-mas, D. expansa, D. dilatata, D. carthusiana and their hybrids, Polystichum braunii (Spenn.) Fée.

9 105 Pteridological-field-trip-to-the-Beskidy-Zachodnie-range 105 Moist and shaded valley of the Targaniczanka river is very favourable for ferns. This group of plants is important element of the herb layer in almost all forests developed there. Population of Dryopteris remota in the Targaniczanka Valley is by far the most abundant in Poland (Tla³ka 2008) and consists of several hundreds of plants. The fern grows here in the groundcover of the Carpathian beech forest Dentario glandulosae-fagetum with significant admixture of Acer pseudoplatanus (Wilczek 1995). Dryopteris remota is accompanied here by other species of the genus: D. filix-mas, D. affinis agg., D. carthusiana, D. expansa and D. dilatata (Fig. 5). Fig. 5. Dryopteris remota in the Targaniczanka Valley (phot. A. Rostañski) Rys. 5. Dryopteris remota w Dolinie Targaniczanki (fot. A. Rostañski) Acknowledgments Authors would like to express their thanks to Dr. A. Pasierbiñski for help with redaction of figures (Fig.1).

10 106 Zbigniew-Wilczek,-Dariusz-Tla³ka,-Adam-Rostañski 106 References: BIA ECKA K Roœliny naczyniowe grupy Pilska w Beskidzie ywieckim. Zesz. Nauk. UJ Prace Bot. 10: 149 pp. CABA A S., WILCZEK Z Szata roœlinna projektowanego rezerwatu Gawroniec w Beskidzie ywieckim. Chroñmy Przyr. Ojcz. 67(3): KOCZUR A., TLA KA D Nerecznica grzebieniasta Dryopteris cristata (L.) A. Gray. In: MIREK Z., PIÊKOŒ-MIRKOWA H. (eds), Czerwona Ksiêga Karpat Polskich. Roœliny naczyniowe. W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, p KONDRACKI J Geografia regionalna Polski. Pañstwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe, Warszawa, 441 pp. MIREK Z., PIÊKOŒ-MIRKOWA H., ZAJ C A. & ZAJ C M Flowering plants and pteridophytes of Poland a checklist. In: MIREK Z. (ed.), Biodiversity of Poland. 1. W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, 442 pp. MOLENDA T Skalne koryto potoku Sopotnia interesuj¹cy obiekt krajobrazowo-dydaktyczny. Przyr. Górnego Œl¹ska, 39: 4-5. PAW OWSKI B Szata roœlinna gór polskich. In: SZAFER W., ZARZYCKI K. (eds), Szata roœlinna Polski. II. Pañstwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe, Warszawa, p RUTKOWSKI L Klucz do oznaczania roœlin naczyniowych Polski ni owej. Wydawnictwo Naukowe. PWN, Warszawa, pp TLA KA D Nerecznica poœrednia nowy gatunek paproci w województwie œl¹skim. Przyr. Górnego Œl¹ska, 54: 3 WILCZEK Z Zespo³y leœne Beskidu Œl¹skiego i zachodniej czêœci Beskidu ywieckiego na tle zbiorowisk leœnych Karpat Zachodnich. Prace Naukowe UŒl. 1490: 130 pp. Pteridologiczna wycieczka w Beskidy Zachodnie (po³udniowa Polska), ostojê siedlisk przyrodniczych paproci i innych pteridofitów. Beskidy Zachodnie dziêki warunkom siedliskowym i zachowanej szacie roœlinnej s¹ miejscem wystêpowania ponad po³owy rodzimych dla Polski taksonów pteridofitów. Ze wzglêdu na wystêpowanie 7 gatunków z rodzaju nerecznica Dryopteris Adans. (niemal wszystkich aktualnie wystêpuj¹cych w Polsce), w³aœnie tutaj zaplanowano wycieczkê terenow¹ dla uczestników I Warsztatów Pteridologicznych Rodzaj Dryopteris w Polsce, zorganizowanych przez Sekcjê Pteridologiczn¹ oraz Oddzia³ Œl¹ski PTB we wrzeœniu 2009 roku. Odwiedzone stanowiska zlokalizowane s¹ w pasmach Beskidu ywieckiego i Beskidu Ma³ego, na pograniczu województw œl¹skiego i ma³opolskiego (Ryc. 1).

11 107 Pteridological-field-trip-to-the-Beskidy-Zachodnie-range 107 Wœród wa nych stanowisk interesuj¹cych gatunków pteridofitów w Beskidzie ywieckim wymieniæ nale y: 1. Such¹ Górê ze stanowiskami Diphasiastrum complanatum, Huperzia selago, Lycopodium annotinum, L. clavatum, Athyrium filix-femina, Dryopteris affinis agg., D. carthusiana, D. dilatata, D. filix-mas, D. remota, Blechnum spicant, Polypodium vulgare. 2. Uroczysko Gajka ze stanowiskiem Dryopteris cristata. Stanowisko D. cristata, gatunku wpisanego do Czerwonej Ksiêgi Karpat jako krytycznie zagro ony, liczy tutaj oko³o 500 osobników. Nerecznica grzebieniasta wystêpuje tu w fitocenozie bagiennej olszyny górskiej Caltho-Alnetum (Ryc. 2). Ponadto wystêpuj¹ tu: Huperzia selago, Equisetum sylvaticum, E. pratense, E. fluviatile, Equisetum litorale, Athyrium filix-femina, D. carthusiana, D. dilatata, D. expansa, D. filix-mas, mieszañce D. uliginosa i cfr. D. critica (D. affinis agg. D. filix-mas), Oreopteris limbosperma, Gymnocarpium dryopteris, Matteucia struthiopteris. 3. Rezerwat leœny Gawroniec (Ryc. 3) ze stanowiskami: Polypodium vulgare, Polystichum aculeatum, Dryopteris borreri (D. affinis agg.), D. filix-mas, D. dilatata, Athyrium filix-femina. Rezerwat obejmuje pó³nocnozachodnie zbocza Gawroñca i Walentarskiego Gronia, opadaj¹ce stromo w kierunku rzeki Koszarawa ( m n.p.m.). W rezerwacie wystêpuje fitocenoza yznej buczyny karpackiej Dentario glandulosae-fagetum w postaci œl¹sko- ywieckiej (Ryc. 4). 4. W Beskidzie Ma³ym na uwagê zas³uguje wyst¹pienie nerecznicy poœredniej Dryopteris remota w Dolinie Targaniczanki, zaliczane do najobfitszych stanowisk tej paproci w Polsce. Nerecznica poœrednia roœnie tu w runie lasu bukowego Dentario glandulosae-fagetum z domieszk¹ jaworu w drzewostanie (Ryc. 5). Stanowisko liczy aktualnie kilkaset osobników. Nerecznicy poœredniej towarzysz¹ inni przedstawiciele rodzaju Dryopteris: D. filix-mas, D. borreri (D. affinis agg.), D. carthusiana, D. expansa i D. dilatata oraz Equisetum sylvaticum, Phegopteris connectilis, Oreopteris limbosperma, Athyrium filix-femina, Gymnocarpium dryopteris, Blechnum spicant, Polystichum braunii.