Vegetation (Phytosociology and forest site classification) AX05011

Course content:
Life and the physical environment. Adaptations of plants to aquatic and terrestrial environments. Plant and community tolerance to changes in a natural environment.
European geobotanical school. Braun-Blanquet phytosociological methodology.
The classification of vegetation in Poland. Systematic review of plant communities of Poland. Forest site classification.
Vegetation dynamics. Ecological processes (dynamic processes) in the communities. Sukcession as an effect of plant demographic processes.
The impact of human activity on vegetation. Present-day vegetation in Poland compared to vegetation in Europe. Anthropogenic changes of vegetation in Poland (synanthropisation of vegetation). Methods used for the research of vegetation.
Geobotanical regionalization of Poland. Natural and potential vegetation.

Learning outcomes:
Recognition of the relationship between plants and a set of biotic, edaphic and climatic factors.