The Plant Species Composition of an Abandoned Meadow as an Element of an Ecosystem Mosaic within an Urban-Industrial Landscape

Abstract

The absence of traditional management in grasslands is responsible for the consequent changes in plant community species composition and diversity of this habitat in Europe. The common reason for these changes is the spread of expansive native species such as Calamagrostis epigejos (L.) Roth and their subsequent dominance over other component species. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of management treatments (e.g., mowing, harvesting biomass) and their frequency of application (e.g., once or twice a year) on the cover abundance of C. epigejos (L.) Roth and the subsequent changes in component grassland species richness and diversity (Shannon–Wiener index) of an abandoned meadow in Silesia in S. Poland. A difference in species richness was found after five years of mowing, but an increase in species diversity appeared only after seven years of the treatments. Significant increases in species richness and Shannon–Wiener index and a significant decrease in cover abundance of C. epigejos (L.) Roth were recorded after different periods and for different treatments.