Mariusz Kulik

Selenium biofortification of permanent grasslands represents a promising strategy for enhancing the nutritional quality of forage for livestock. This study evaluated the effectiveness of foliar selenium biofortification in multispecies grass–legume mixtures as affected by application rate, timing, and seed mixture. The study was conducted over three consecutive growing seasons (2023–2025), with a total of 648 aboveground herbage samples collected for analysis. Three multispecies mixtures were treated with four rates of a Se-containing formulation (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 L ha⁻¹) applied at two different sward heights (10 and 15 cm). Selenium concentration was determined in the plant dry matter, and treatment effects were assessed using non-parametric statistical analyses. The application rate was the only factor that significantly affected Se concentration in the plant material. Se concentration increased progressively as the application rate increased. Mean Se concentrations were 0.035 mg kg⁻¹ at 0.0 L ha⁻¹, 0.077 mg kg⁻¹ at 0.5 L ha⁻¹, 0.086 mg kg⁻¹ at 1.0 L ha⁻¹, and 0.115 mg kg⁻¹ at 1.5 L ha⁻¹, corresponding to increases of 120.0%, 145.7%, and 228.6%, respectively, relative to the control. In contrast, neither the plant growth stage at application nor the species composition of the mixtures significantly affected Se accumulation (p > 0.05). The results demonstrate that foliar application of Se is an effective strategy for increasing Se concentration in multispecies grass–legume mixtures. Among the factors examined, the application rate showed the most pronounced effect on the effectiveness of Se biofortification, whereas no statistically significant effects were detected for application timing or seed mixture under the conditions of the present study. However, the lack of a statistically significant effect of seed mixture should not be interpreted as evidence that mixture composition is irrelevant to Se biofortification. Differences in species composition may influence Se uptake, translocation, assimilation, and accumulation through species-specific physiological responses and interactions among species within the sward. These aspects warrant further investigation, particularly through a detailed assessment of the actual species composition of the sward during the experimental period. Overall, the findings indicate that foliar Se biofortification may represent a flexible and practical approach for producing Se-enriched forage under diverse cultivation conditions.

Biofortification of permanent grasslands with selenium is a promising strategy for improving the nutritional quality of animal feed. This study assessed the effectiveness of foliar selenium biofortification in multi-species grass and legume mixtures as affected by application rate, application timing, and species composition. Three multi-species mixtures were treated with four application rates of a selenium preparation applied at two developmental stages. Selenium content in plant dry matter was determined, and treatment effects were evaluated using nonparametric statistical analyses. Application rate had a significant effect on selenium content. Selenium content increased progressively with increasing application rate, demonstrating a clear dose–response relationship, with the highest application rate resulting in the highest biofortification efficiency. However, neither plant developmental stage nor species composition significantly affected selenium accumulation (p > 0.05). These results demonstrate that foliar selenium biofortification is an effective approach for increasing selenium content in multi-species grass and legume mixtures. Application rate was identified as the primary factor determining biofortification efficiency. The absence of significant effects of application timing and species composition suggests that selenium enrichment can be achieved under a wide range of management conditions, making this approach a practical strategy for producing selenium-enriched forage.

Background/Objectives: Sosnowsky’s hogweed Heracleum sosnowskyi, which originated in the Greater Caucasus region and spread rapidly across Central and Eastern Europe after being introduced as cattle fodder in the 1950s, is an example of an extremely dangerous invasive species listed by the European Union. This study aimed to estimate the genetic diversity of 6 native populations of Sosnowsky’s hogweed from the Caucasus region of Russia and Georgia, as well as 15 invasive populations from Lithuania and Poland, and to assess the adaptability of hogweed in new environments. Methods: Genetic analyses of plant material were conducted, including DNA extraction, ISSR genotyping, PCR product separation, and subsequent molecular data mining and analysis. Results: A pairwise Mantel test revealed a positive correlation between geographical distance and the genetic diversity of the hogweed populations. The presence of three distinct allele pools was confirmed in the populations under study, with genotypes from Poland dominated by the first allele pool, which had the largest number of polymorphic and private loci. Analysis of molecular variance by origin showed that 99% of the variation was within the analysed hogweed populations, with only 1% being between them. Native populations from Russia were genetically distinct from those in Poland and Lithuania. Some of the Georgian population shows genetic similarities to Russians, while the rest shows similarities to the secondary invasive Lithuanians. Conclusions: Introduced populations of H. sosnowskyi are characterised by considerable genetic variation, likely resulting from multiple introductions and subsequent evolutionary processes, which may facilitate local adaptation and invasiveness, although overall large-scale genetic differentiation remains low.

In Europe, the most valuable grasslands are semi-natural ecosystems maintained by long-term extensive human management, particularly pastoralism, and therefore do not represent climax vegetation. According to the Natura 2000 habitat interpretation manual (EUR-28), key habitats include xerothermic grasslands of Festuco-Brometalia (code 6210*) on calcareous soils and sandy grasslands of Koelerion glaucae (code 6120*) on poor substrates. Only 10–15% of their area in the EU has favorable conservation status. The main threat is secondary succession and encroachment (83.94%), caused by abandonment of traditional management (81.75%). Without mowing or grazing, dominant grasses replace rare species, followed by shrubs and trees. Other pressures include intensive agriculture (75.18%), habitat loss and fragmentation (69.34%), climate change (37.96%), invasive species (23.36%) and urbanization (14.60%). Multiple threats often co-occur, so cumulative percentages exceed 100%. The most effective conservation method is restoring or maintaining extensive grazing, particularly with local sheep and goat breeds. Grazing limits succession, increases structural diversity and promotes seed dispersal, creating a mosaic of microhabitats that enhances biodiversity. Effective protection requires landscape-scale actions, limiting urban development, and long-term support for farmers under the Common Agricultural Policy. Increasing public awareness of the ecological and cultural value of these ecosystems is also essential.

Wetlands characterized by the presence of rare and endangered reed plant communities are seriously threatened by hydrological changes and pollution caused by human activity, e.g., drainage, river regulation, and conversion to agricultural land. Despite numerous studies of wetland communities, the “volume of ecological niche” based on Ellenberg indices, i.e., the ecological preferences of vascular plant species, has rarely been analyzed at the level of entire plant communities. Properly defined indicators of microclimatic and habitat factors (ranges of environmental conditions), appropriate for individual rush and sedge communities (specific communities), are very important for the sustainable management of ecosystems and potential restoration processes in renaturation activities. Therefore, a comprehensive floristic and habitat assessment of wetland communities of the Phragmitetea class was conducted in a Natura 2000 site in southeastern Poland (name and number of the Natura 2000 site—Wolica Valley PLH060058), located within the East European Lowland. The communities were analyzed in the context of the variability of individual Ellenberg indices and designated ecological hypervolumes. These were typical rush communities occurring in wet and fertile soils with a neutral or alkaline pH. The microclimatic conditions were typical for these habitats. The studied communities differ in terms of the variability of Ellenberg ecological indices. Some of them are characterized by low ecological niches, while others are characterized by larger ones. The volume of determined multidimensional hypervolumes allowed us to distinguish two communities (Phragmitetum australis and Caricetum rostratae) to have greater generality compared to the others. They can occur in a greater variety of environmental conditions than other communities that require more specific conditions. Other phytocenoses with low hypervolume values (hypervolumes more than 10 times smaller than mentioned before) were distinguished by high habitat specialization. In turn, the analysis of the overlapping of hypervolumes allowed us to group communities into four clusters with similar ranges of Ellenberg indices’ values: (1) Caricetum distichae and Caricetum gracilis; (2) Glycerietum maximae, Iridetum pseudoacori, Caricetum appropinquatae, and Phalaridetum arundinaceae; (3) Phragmitetum australis and Caricetum rostratae; and (4) Caricetum acutiformis, Caricetum vesicariae, and Caricetum elatae.

This work attempts to find the reasons for the rather limited range of occurrence of Cheilotoma musciformis in Poland, based on soil properties, which affects both the plant cover and the entomofauna. The aim of the study was to assess the influence of soil enzyme activity on the occurrence of Ch. musciformis in xerothermic grasslands in Southern Poland. The sites inhabited by the beetle were most often extensively grazed by farm animals or had recently been cleared of bushes. The control plots were in wasteland. The soils of most sites with Ch. musciformis were characterized by significantly higher activity of the tested enzymes and higher content of total organic carbon and total nitrogen, as well as lower pHKCl compared to the control sites. The higher enzymatic activity of soils in sites with the beetle than in the control sites may indicate the dependence of the occurrence of this beetle on the presence of patches of extensively grazed xerothermic grasslands. Grazing influences the behavior of preferred host plant species. Therefore, when planning active protection of xerothermic grasslands inhabited by Ch. musciformis, changes in the biochemical properties of the soil and vegetation structure should be taken into account.

This study presents the efficiency of TSS and organic pollutants (BOD₅ and COD) removal in a hybrid constructed wetland wastewater treatment plant (VF-HF type) with an aeration system. This study was conducted over 6 years (2017–2022) in a facility with a capacity of 4.5 m³/day located in southeastern Poland and designed to treat real domestic wastewater from a school building. The studied facility consists of a three-chambered septic tank, a pumping station with an aeration system, and two beds with vertical and horizontal flow planted with giant miscanthus and willow. As a result of artificial aeration, the dissolved oxygen concentration in wastewater after mechanical treatment increased significantly, by an average of 1.18 mg O₂/L, and was negatively correlated with wastewater temperature. The cumulative pollutant removal effects of the treatment plant (primary settling tank + VFCW + HFCW) were 81% for TSS, 98% for BOD₅, and 89% for COD. There was no statistically significant effect of aeration on the organic pollutant removal effects in the VF bed, and such an effect was found for the temperature of wastewater entering the VF bed. The TSS, BOD₅, and COD removal effects in the VF bed and BOD₅ in the VF-HF system were positively correlated with air temperature. The technological reliability of the treatment plant was 98% for TSS and 100% for BOD₅ and COD. The use of artificial aeration of wastewater makes it possible to achieve high organic pollutant removal efficiency in SSF CWs and to compensate for limitations due to the reduction in the area of constructed wetland beds.

The calcareous xerothermic grasslands of the Festuco-Brometea class are among the most endangered Natura 2000 sites in Europe. The greatest threats include a lack of grazing, secondary succession, and invasive alien and expansive native species. The abandonment of such grasslands is caused by the low nutritional value of biomass, as well as by difficult habitat conditions. The aim of this study was to assess the physiological responses of native sheep breeds to hard environmental conditions when grazing in Natura 2000 habitats and to confirm the hypothesis that native sheep of the Świniarka and Uhruska breeds can be used to protect valuable natural habitats. The analysed grasslands were characterised by very difficult climatic and edaphic conditions and a low fodder value for sheep. Grazing in environmentally valuable areas, sometimes poor in fodder, did not adversely affect the welfare of grazed sheep. In both the Uhruska and Świniarka breeds, there were no indicators for heat or nutritional stress, but physiological changes were observed in the animals’ adaptation to new environmental conditions. Despite poor fodder positions, Świniarka sheep improved their condition and body weight. Fluctuations in indicators showing an adaptation process were also visible.