Ecodiagrams of common species of the forest herb layer in the Roztocze National Park

The paper presents in graphic standardised form ("ecodiagrams") the conditions in which 24 common species of the herb layer of forest communities occur in the Roztocze National Park. After determining the soil type, its mechanical composition, active and exchangeable acidity, humus content and the content in the rhizosphere layer of nutrient components essential for plants, such as P, K, Na, Ca. Mg. AI, ammonium nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen, the habitats of common plants of the forest from the class <em>Querco-Fagetea</em> were classified as meso-, eu-meso- and cutrophic. Forest plants connected with communities from the class <em>Vaccinio-Piceetea (Hierncium lachenalii</em> Gmel., <em>Melampyrum pratense</em> L., <em>Trientalis eurnpaea</em> L., <em>Vaccinium myrtillus</em> L.) are generally associated with fresh, moderately poor and quite frequently also mesotrophic soils. Only <em>Vaccinium vitis-idaea</em> L. is a local species of dry hungry soils, poor in mineral and organic components. The group of accompanying species such as <em>Fragaria vesca</em> L., <em>Galium vernum</em> Scop., <em>Luzula pilosa</em> (L.) Willd., <em>Mycelis ruralis</em> (L.) Dum. and <em>Oxalis ucetosella</em> L.. show a much wider ecological amplitude-from oligotrophic to eutrophic habitats.

Growth, survival and generative reproduction in a population of a widespread annual hemiparasite Melampyrum pratense

Melampyrum pratense is one of the most successful root-hemiparasitic species of temperate Europe occurring in various habitats including both forest and open communities. The species shares its life history traits (large seeds, annuality, lack of clonality) with most of other hemiparasitic Orobanchaceae. Due to lack of vegetative propagation, the reproductive success of a M. pratense individual largely depends on the seed production. We used an individual-based observation of ontogenetic development of plants and analysed the development of spatial distribution of individuals to reveal links between fecundity of individuals and their vegetative growth in the context of population dynamics within one growing season. We demonstrated a tight dependency of seed production on vegetative growth and survival till the end of the growing season. Plants that were still alive and big (due to a high number of lateral branches) in the end of August produced the highest numbers of seeds. These were several times higher than the population average due to positively skewed distribution of seed production across individuals. The rate of premature mortality was rather low (below 50%) once seedlings successfully emerged and was most likely caused by intraspecific competition. By contrast, moderate level of herbivory (stem clipping by grazers) had a limited effect on the survival and the inflicted biomass losses seemed compensated. Therefore, despite being an annual, M. pratense appears well-adapted to its life in perennial-dominated forest communities, which is also underpinned by its hemiparasitic strategy providing essential resources and allowing to avoid below-ground competition.

On the status of the scarce fritillary Euphydryas maturna (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) in Finland

The scarce fritillary Euphydryas maturna (L.) is a highly endangered species of butterfly in several European countries. However, in Finland it occurs commonly in the southeastern part of the country and its distribution has remained stable over the past 40 years. The ecology of E. maturna has recently been studied in Finland. In this paper, I review these studies and show that the distribution of the species is tightly linked to its ecology, which differs substantially from the ecology of the same species in central Europe. In Finland, the main larval host plant is Melampyrum pratense (Orobanchaceae), which is common throughout Finland. Euphydryas maturna is restricted to south facing forest edges where the sharp ecotone provides a warm habitat. Larvae need warm microhabitats to be able to grow fast in the spring. Natural forest edges are formed by rocky outcrops, which are common in SE Finland. The distribution of E. maturna coincides with the area where rocky outcrops are common. I suggest that the presence of the granite bedrock close to the surface of the ground largely explains the present distribution of E. maturna in Finland. I also note that the species benefits from clearcuts made in the forests and conclude that E. maturna is not threatened in Finland at the moment.