Microhabitat Conditions and Inter-Species Competition Predict the Successful Restoration of Declining Relict Species Populations

Andrzej K. Kamocki (), Aleksander Kołos, Magdalena Pogorzelec and Małgorzata Ożgo
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Andrzej K. Kamocki: Faculty of Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences, Bialystok University of Technology, 15-351 Białystok, Poland
Aleksander Kołos: Department of Forest Environment, Białystok University of Technology, 15-351 Białystok, Poland
Magdalena Pogorzelec: Department of Hydrobiology and Protection of Ecosystems, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-626 Lublin, Poland
Małgorzata Ożgo: Department of Evolutionary Biology, Kazimierz Wielki University, 85-093 Bydgoszcz, Poland

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 20, issue 1, 1-15

Abstract: The local populations of relict plant taxa living near the limits of their geographical range are particularly vulnerable to extinction. For example, Salix lapponum is one of the rarest and most endangered glacial relicts in Western and Central Europe. In Poland, the number of its sites has dramatically decreased over the past few decades, prompting us to take conservation measures focused on saving endangered populations. During a field experiment aimed at the reconstruction of the downy willow population in the Knyszyn Forest (NE Poland), 730 individuals of the species were planted in four different natural sites. The seedlings were obtained by micropropagation from parts of vegetative individuals taken from the most abundant population of this species in eastern Poland (Lake Bikcze). The success of the reintroduction, measured by the number of individuals that survived 2–3 years in the wild and took up growth, was about 67%, however, with low flowering efficiency (7.5%). Additionally, monitoring showed significant differences in plant survival and growth rates under different habitat conditions prevailing at the site and with different cover from competing species, especially tall grasses. However, the restoration projects for relict shrub species should include periodic removal of competing plants and protection of plants from trampling and browsing by herbivorous mammals to increase reintroduction success.

Keywords: glacial relicts; Knyszyn Forest; reintroduction; Salix lapponum; wetland (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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