Processes of running sands decay in the Bledow Desert during the last 30 years [Silesian Upland, South Poland]

The Błędów Desert is situated in the south of Poland. In this area, sand-gravel sediments predominate. The origin of the Błędów Desert is not associated with climatic conditions but with a strong development of excavation industry which started in the region in the Middle Ages. The surrounding forests became the main fuel source for the development of mining and metallurgical industry. Therefore, the area of the Błędów Desert was completely deforested. The paper presents reasons for the acceleration of biocenotical systems in the investigation area. For this purpose, transects representative for the following stages of plants successions: stage of encroachment plants, stage of sodding, stage of bushes (shrubs), stage of biogroup and stage of afforestation were made. Plant succession in the investigated transects developed in a multidirectional way. The ground for plants settling in the Błędów Desert represents fluvoiglacial, fluvial and aeolian sand with various grain sizes. Locally, in the old deflation fields, relict horizons of older podzolic and rust-coloured soil are the ground for the invading plants. The process of plant and soil succession takes place at the same time. Content of the available mineral elements in the initial horizons is different; it depends on the plant species in the places where these horizons developed.