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Strona 2 z 2
The
occurrence, structure and number of species in the mountain species
group testifies to the “mountain character” of a given area. Within the
Bieszczady National Park, 184 mountain taxa were found, including 30
alpine and 42 subalpine taxa (72 high mountain taxa altogether), 38
multizonal mountain taxa, and 74 montane taxa. In general, the mountain
taxa constitute 23 % of the whole park’s flora, which is comparable with
the proportion of the flora of the markedly higher Babia Góra range.
Another
very interesting group is that of the alpine species. Their presence
confirms that the Bieszczady summits were always free of forests,
although the extend of the poloninas was probably much smaller.
Among
the alpine species which occupy the highest sites among the rocky
ridges of the Krzemien, Tarnica or the Bukowe Berdo summits, certain
rare species should be noted, such as the narcissus-flowered anemone
Anemone narcissiflora, alpine bistort Polygonum viviparum, and roseroot
Rhodiola rosea, along more common species, such as shining scabious
Scabiosa lucida, lower fescue Festuca airoides, Dacian sedge Carex
dacica, mountain housleek Sempervivum montanum, paniculate saxifrage
Saxifraga paniculata, giant catsear Hypochoeris uniflora and golden
cinquefoil Potentilla aurea.
The
subalpine species occupy slightly lower elevations, on the poloninas,
sometimes descending even to the meadows in the valleys. This is a
habitat for such species as the arnica Arnica montana, alpine leek
Allium victorialis, alpine globeflower Trollius altissimus, white false
helleborine Veratrum album subsp. album and the yellow wood violet Viola
biflora.
From among over
110 montane and general mountain species the rarely found tozzia Tozzia
alpina should be mentioned, a plant of semi-parasitic nature. Its next
nearest sites to the west of the Bieszczady mountains are the only
records as far as the Babia Góra mountain. A common and conspicuous
plant of the poloninas, meadows, bilberry communities and shrubs is a
willow-leaved gentian Gentiana asclepiadea, on the moist rocks and in
gorges the three-leaved valerian Valeriana tripteris occurs, whereas the
mountain currant Ribes alpinum can be found in forests and shady
glades.
In the park
one can encounter many species from the list of legally protected
species, both among the vascular plant species e.g. gentians, orchids,
or beautiful martagon lily Lilium martagon, as well as lower plants,
such as the very rare lichens of Usnea genus..
More
interesting, however, is the occurrence in the Bieszczady National Park
of several extremely rare species, which have here their only stations
in Poland. Among the Eastern Carpathians species these include the dwarf
monkshood, mentioned earlier, and the Bielz’s sesleria Sesleria bielzii
— recorded on 1 station and the Carpathian catchfly Silene dubia — 1
station. There are also some mountain species occurring as very small
populations: alpine bistort (several specimens), alpine larkspur (dozen
or so specimens), and rock sedge Carex rupestris (several dozen plants
in rock crevices).
All
these taxa occur in remarkable isolation from the nearest populations
of the same species, sometimes in several to a couple of dozen
kilometres. Thus these sites are extremely valuable to the Park and
interesting from the scientific standpoint e.g. because of the evolution
processes which could happen in isolated populations. For this reason
these species are closely monitored, their numbers are checked, as well
as the condition and possible threats – all this is meant to prevent
their disappearance or destruction (Mitka 1994, Mitka, Zemanek 1996).
The
forest-free summits of the Bieszczady mountains provide an excellent
habitat for high-mountain plants. It is also the westernmost location in
the Eastern Carpathians where the subalpine zone can be found. Going
further north, such habitats in the Western Capathians can be found only
at a distance, in the Beskid Sadecki mountains (mostly of anthropogenic
origin), in the Pieniny mountains (on rocky walls) and in the Tatra
mountains. The lack of suitable habitats in the lower ranges of the
Bieszczady and Beskid Niski mountains results in many species exhibiting
a gap in their distribution in the Carpathians, spanning from the
Bieszczady mountains and, for example, the Pieniny or Tatra mountains.
This gap is called the mid-Carpathian disjunction and represents an
interesting biogeographical phenomenon, linked to changes in the climate
after the most recent glaciation. This kind of disjunctive distribution
regards 73 taxa, out of which 35 have their limits of distribution in
the Bieszczady National Park (Jasiewicz 1965, Zemanek 1987, Zemanek and
Towpasz 1995).
"Nature in the Bieszczady National Park"
T. Winnicki, B.Zemanek
BdPN Ustrzyki Dolne 2003
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Bieszczadzki
Flora - the vascular plants 
