Karol Wolski

Invasive Solidago Species: How Large Area Do They Occupy and What Would be the Cost of Their Removal?

ABSTRACT The impact of biological invasions should be considered from ecological and economic perspective. To understand the influence of the invader, both its range and abundance should be known. Even if the range of invaders is well-known, the problem of assessing their abundance still occurs very often. In this study we report the results of an assessment of the area covered by stands of alien Solidago species in Silesia (Central Europe, south-western Poland, area ca. 30 000 km2), and estimated costs of the invaded areas recultivation. The results of field survey show that the stands of invasive Solidago species cover an area of about 130 000 hectares in S-W Poland, which is ca. 4.5% of the total area of the studied region. It was also found that the cadastral data and Corine land cover maps underestimate the area of fallowed agricultural lands. The cost of removing stands of invasive Solidago species in S-W Poland ranges from 123.24 to 266.17 million PLN, depending on the method. The method that balances reasonable costs, low environmental impact and efficiency of grassland establishment costs 180.7 million PLN for S-W Poland.

Aesthetic aspects of plant communities of ruderal urban sites in Szczecin.

Aesthetic aspects of plant communities of ruderal urban sites in Szczecin Synanthropization of plant cover, connected with urban development, contributes to the appearance of specialized ruderal plant communities, adapted to habitats exposed to human influence. A lot of published data have focused on urban flora, but the aesthetic aspect of perennial and temporary plant communities at urban sites has been frequently omitted. Currently the practical use of such plant communities is limited by the lack of descriptive information available. In this study great attention has been paid to variability of urban communities, defined by: aesthetic aspects, flowering period, and colour variability in flowering communities. In Szczecin, Artemisio-Tanacetetum vulgaris, Calamagrostietum epigeji, Dauco-Picridetum hieracioidis, and Rudbeckio-Solidaginetum have been recognized as especially decorative. They could be used to reduce the costs of establishing and maintaining urban green areas.

Assessment of Changes in Sod Under Intensive Use

Abstract The paper presents research results which aimed at evaluation of the change in the sodding degree and selected strength parameters of sod used with varied intensity; additionally sod was modified through administration of biopreparation. Measurements were taken on two types of sod. The first one was formed from perennial rye grass, the second one from orchard grass. It was proved that the use of the investigated facilities resulted in reduction of sodding, which was related to the sod forming species. No impact of biopreparation use on the sodding degree was proved. Intensive use affected the increase of the value of the analysed strength parameters; at low soil moisture (5.0-5.5%) considerable compaction in the surface layer of soil was reported.

Bonitation Analysis of Turf on City Stadium in Wroclaw in the Season of Euro 2012

In 2012–2013, a study was conducted, consisting in a bonitation analysis of turf on the City Stadium which is located in the north-west part of Wroclaw and was a sport arena of the European Championships Euro 2012. The experiment was made with the complete randomisation method for 2 factors, on 5 dates in the growing season. On the turf of the pitch 12 points were selected, and at each of them an evaluation of utility features was performed, in 4 replications, on surface area of 1 m2. Based on the observation of the condition of the turf, during subsequent analyses it was found how the selection of the mixture of grasses, intensity of use and pratotechnic treatments affect the bonitation quality of sport turfgrass. The results are shown in relation to the whole object, separating each of the features under analysis.

TDR Technique for Estimating the Intensity of Evapotranspiration of Turfgrasses

The paper presents a method for precise estimation of evapotranspiration of selected turfgrass species. The evapotranspiration functions, whose domains are only two relatively easy to measure parameters, were developed separately for each of the grass species. Those parameters are the temperature and the volumetric moisture of soil at the depth of 2.5u2009cm. Evapotranspiration has the character of a modified logistic function with empirical parameters. It assumes the form ETR(θ 2.5u2009cm, T 2.5u2009cm) = A/(1 + B · e −C·(θ2.5u2009cm · T2.5u2009cm)), where: ETR(θ 2.5u2009cm, T 2.5u2009cm) is evapotranspiration [mm·h−1], θ 2.5u2009cm is volumetric moisture of soil at the depth of 2.5u2009cm [m3·m−3], T 2.5u2009cm is soil temperature at the depth of 2.5u2009cm [°C], and A, B, and C are empirical coefficients calculated individually for each of the grass species [mm·h1], and [—], [(m3·m−3·°C)−1]. The values of evapotranspiration calculated on the basis of the presented function can be used as input data for the design of systems for the automatic control of irrigation systems ensuring optimum moisture conditions in the active layer of lawn swards.

Effect of Petrol Fuel Contamination on the Growth of Mature Scots Pine, Pinus sylvestris L., Trees

The radial increment and crown status of mature Scots pine trees growing in polluted and unpolluted sites were compared. In 1996, as a result of some malfunction, unleaded petrol penetrated into the soil next to a plantation. Detailed geological and hydrological studies revealed the route of the spread of contamination and extent of the pollution. The trees growing in polluted sites revealed strong depletion of radial growth starting immediately after pollution. Such depletion lasted 2–3xa0years before the ring widths stabilised at a low level. After a few years the radial increment increased, and now do not differ from the increment of trees in the unpolluted sites.