Natural habitats of the Ślężański Landscape Park - state of protection and threats [in Polish with English abstract]

Paper summarizes the results of research carried out in the year 2008-2012 and published data, concerning diversity and conservation status of natural habitats in the Ślężański Landscape Park. Fifteen natural habitat types listed in Annex I of 92/43/EEC Directive have been found so far on this area, including 7 forest habitats, 2 rocky habitats and 6 types of meadows and grasslands. Most of them are threatened due to anthropogenic impacts – including threats on a local scale (excessive penetration of the sites, destroying of the threatened plants, fires induction, land pollution, uncontrolled building on meadows), as well as global effects (eutrophication caused by air pollution, climate change). A major concern is the expansion of non-native species of vascular plants, such as Robinia pseudoacacia, Impatiens parviflora, Pseudotsuga menziesii. The most endangered plant communities are serpentinous grassland with domination of Festuca pallens, xerothermic grassland (Viscario-Avenuletum pratensis), Molinia-meadows, thermophilous oak forest of serpentine soils (Galium verum-Quercus petraea community) and chasmophytic communities of ultrabasic and acidophilous rocks (Asplenietum cuneifolii, Woodsio-Asplenietum septentrionalis).