Wpływ buchtowania dzików (Sus scrofa) na glebowy bank nasion grądu Tilio-Carpinetum w Puszczy Białowieskiej

The wild boar is an omnivorous animal that disturbs the top soil layer by foraging (rooting). In some regions of Europe seasonal fluctuations in rooting have been observed. Wild boars not only eat plants, but also strongly modify their habitat. In the Białowieża Forest wild boar most frequently visit oak−hornbeam forests growing on fertile soil. On sites where the forest floor is covered with dense vegetation germination of seeds is difficult, and wild boar rooting can promote the removal of diaspores from deeper layers of the soil seed bank. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of wild boar rooting on the soil seed bank in a natural oak−linden−hornbeam forest. Observations were carried out on permanent plots in the strictly protected zone of the Biało− wieża National Park. Samples of the soil seed bank were taken from plots which showed varying intensities of wild boar rooting (frequency and average percentage of exposed ground surface). Areas to be sampled were selected on the basis of archival data. Research was conducted by the seedling emergence method during two vegetation seasons. Altogether, 7985 seedlings of 67 taxa germinated from 240 soil samples. The highest number of germinated seedlings and species were found in the highly rooted plots. In all the series dominant species was Urtica dioica. In the soil seed bank 19 species of anemochory germinated, and accounted for 27.5% of all species present in the seed bank of all series. Permanent wild boar rooting increased the species richness in the soil seed bank and increased the amount of species with higher light requirements.