Monika Myśliwy

1. Most plant species are genetically differentiated among populations, often reflected by phenotypic trait variation that corresponds to local adaptation. Yet the strength of local adaptation and heritable contribution to phenotypic traits vary across traits, species, and environments. Additionally, climate change is rapidly altering environmental conditions, and the climate may shift faster than populations can adapt or track the change via dispersal, resulting in adaptive lags. However, it remains unclear how widespread such adaptive lags are across plant species. 2. We focused on Hordeum murinum , an annual ruderal grass widespread in Europe. We combined continental-scale in situ measurements of 2070 plants across 207 populations with common garden experiments across two contrasting climates and two soil types to disentangle heritable variation from phenotypic plasticity and assess potential adaptive lags under climate change. 3. We found that heritable variation was pronounced in developmental traits, particularly flowering time and plant height, while seed weight, reproductive investment and SLA showed intermediate heritable contribution, and flag leaf area and total biomass were primarily plastic. Heritable trait variation was strongly associated with temperature at the populations’ origin, and trait clines were consistent with in situ patterns, suggesting that temperature is the main driver of genetic differentiation in H. murinum . However, we detected that fitness peaked in populations originating from warmer climates, indicating that evolutionary responses may not keep pace with rapid environmental shifts. 4. Synthesis: Our results highlight that H. murinum harbors substantial heritable variation, shaped primarily by temperature. However, the pace of evolutionary change may be insufficient to track ongoing climate change, leaving populations potentially vulnerable to future environmental conditions.

Background and Aims: Plant functional traits link environmental conditions to plant performance and adaptation. Growing evidence suggests that intraspecific trait variation can be as important as differences between species, yet large intraspecific studies of in situ variation remain rare. Most studies have focused on plant morphological traits, whereas the concentrations of elemental nutrients in seeds have received much less attention so far. Methods: We conducted a large-scale in situ study of the widespread annual ruderal grass Hordeum murinum. We sampled 2070 individuals from 207 populations across a large part of its native range in Europe and North Africa. We measured seed ripening phenology and growth-related traits in situ and analysed concentrations of elemental nutrients in the seeds. Key Results: We found that H. murinum grew larger, produced seeds later and had heavier seeds in colder and wetter regions. Plants growing in denser vegetation were taller and produced heavier seeds but formed fewer spikes. Concentrations of elemental nutrients in the seed generally declined with seed weight and were driven primarily by climatic variables, whereas soil conditions had only minor effects on plant traits and seed nutrients. Population identity explained a substantial proportion of trait variation, indicating a possible genetic component. Conclusions: Our findings provide a comprehensive view of how H. murinum responds to environmental gradients across its European distribution. Climatic variables, particularly temperature, are key drivers of reproductive timing and concentrations of elemental nutrients in the seed, whereas local environmental conditions, such as biotic pressures, are more important for growth-related traits. Together, these patterns indicate that H. murinum modulates its growth and reproductive investment along environmental gradients, balancing phenology, stress tolerance and limited competitive capacity.

Plant functional traits link environmental conditions to plant performance and adaptation. Growing evidence shows that in-situ intraspecific trait variation can be as important as differences between species, yet large intraspecific datasets measured in situ are rare. While most studies focused on plant morphological traits, contents of elemental nutrients in the seeds received much less attention so far. We conducted a large-scale in-situ study of the widespread ruderal grass Hordeum murinum . We sampled 2070 individuals from 207 populations from a large part of the native range in Europe and Northern Africa. In-situ, we measured seed ripening phenology and morphological traits, and analyzed the content of elemental nutrients in the seeds. We found that Hordeum murinum grew larger, produced seeds later, and had heavier seeds in colder and wetter areas. Plants in denser vegetation were taller with heavier seeds but formed fewer spikes. Seed nutrient content generally declined with seed weight and was mainly driven by climate. Soil conditions had only minor effects on plant traits and seed nutrients. Population identity explained much of the variation, indicating a possible genetic component. Synthesis : Our findings provide a comprehensive view of Hordeum murinum responding to environmental gradients across its European distribution. Climatic variables, especially temperature, are key drivers for reproductive success and seed nutrient content, while local environments, such as biotic pressures, are more critical for growth-related traits. These patterns indicate that H. murinum modulates its growth and reproductive investment along environmental gradients, balancing phenology, stress tolerance, and limited competitive capacity.

We conducted a literature review on the taxonomic importance of seed micromorphology in the genus Impatiens Riv. ex L. (Balsaminaceae), focusing on studies using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Of 47 sources, SEM descriptions were available for more than 180 species, revealing significant gaps in micromorphological data within the genus. Our work provides a consolidated resource on Impatiens taxonomy and highlights the need for further SEM studies to improve species identification and phylogenetic analysis.

Recent declines in the population size and habitat of the native European Impatiens noli-tangere have led to its observed disappearance. The spread of the North American I. capensis in Europe presents a potential additional threat. However, comparative studies on natural populations of the two species are still lacking. Our research aimed to elucidate the determinants of potential habitat segregation between the two Impatiens species in the natural environment and to identify key factors influencing variations in their growth and reproduction traits. Fine spatial scale studies allowed for a detailed description of microhabitat conditions and demonstrated the high explanatory power of our multidimensional models. The two species have overlapping environmental distributions, but the range of habitats supporting I. noli-tangere is narrower than that of I. capensis. The contrasting patterns in species traits result from different responses of each Impatiens species to environmental factors. A comparison of RDA results showed the environmental factors to explain 86.4% of the trait variability in I. noli-tangere, the soil Pb content (56%) and habitat fertility (21%) being most influential, followed by shading and the soil pH and Ca content. In I. capensis, environmental variables accounted for 70.7% of the variability, with shading being the most significant (29%), followed by anthropogenic pressure, aphid presence, soil pH, and moisture content. Our findings suggest no strong habitat barriers preventing I. capensis from entering habitats occupied by I. noli-tangere. While I. capensis invasion in Poland is still in the early stages and no co-occurrence of both species has been reported in European forests, I. capensis may eventually colonize forest habitats, given its preference for understory conditions in its native range. The higher sensitivity of I. noli-tangere to environmental changes and its weaker performance raise concerns about its ability to persist if I. capensis continues to spread.

The study of the semiochemicals produced by the flowers of Impatiens spp. is an important topic that may explain the reason for the rapid expansion of some species in this genus. Impatiens L. belongs to the Balsaminaceae family, which includes several species considered to be invasive plants in Europe. This study aimed to characterize the phytochemistry of four naturally occurring plant species in Poland, including three invasive alien taxa (Impatiens parviflora, I. glandulifera, and I. capensis) and one native species (I. noli-tangere). Gas chromatographic techniques were used to assess phytochemical profiles of chemical attractant cues in their pollination biology. We detected differences in the scent profiles of the investigated species. All the examined Impatiens species produce various alcohols, i.e., heptacosanol, octacosanol, aldehydes (e.g., octadecanal, eicosanal, etc.), and fatty acids, as well as long-chain hydrocarbons such as dodecane, tricosane, petacosane, hexacosane, and farnesene. Impatiens parviflora, I. glandulifera, and I. capensis produce geraniol and linalool, which attract members of the Apidae family, including bumblebees and honeybees. Impatiens parviflora also produces linalool-derived monoterpenes (linalool oxide and 8-hydroxylinalool), which are a strong attractant for Diptera; this may clarify why the species is mainly visited and pollinated by syrphid flies. A list of insect visitors to the Impatiens species under study can be found in the article.

River valleys are known to be of high natural value; however, they are exposed to a strong human influence. Anthropogenic changes are evident in the structure and species composition of plant assemblages; therefore, vegetation is a very good indicator of the state of the environment. Convolvuletalia sepium tall herb communities are a natural component of riverside vegetation; they are protected in the EU (habitat 6430), yet have been very poorly studied, especially in SE Europe. Information regarding the geographical distribution of these communities, and their floristic composition and threats, along with effective conservation and restoration strategies, remains insufficient; therefore, this study was aimed at a comprehensive investigation of tall herbs. The paper presents results of the first detailed study of this group of communities in Montenegro. Classification of 70 vegetation samples (relevés) using the UPGMA produced six clusters corresponding to plant communities which were included in the Dorycnio recti-Rumicion conglomerati. Two of them were ranked as associations: Mentho longifolii-Pulicarietum dysentericae and Rubo sancti-Eupatorietum cannabini, the latter new to science. Others (communities of Rubus caesius, Rubus caesius-Eupatorium cannabinum, Helianthus ×laetiflorus, and Helianthus tuberosus) were left without a syntaxonomic rank. The ordination analysis with the CANOCO software confirmed the authors’ hypothesis that the variability of the vegetation patches studied was related to the land use type and river size. Relevés taken in watercourses flowing through built-up areas were dominated by invasive alien species (IAS). Vegetation samples taken in heavily flooded areas, along the Zeta, one of the largest rivers surveyed, had a simplified species composition. Studies in Montenegro should be continued. Moreover, comparative studies of the Convolvuletalia sepium communities described in the Mediterranean region are also necessary. Attention is drawn to the overly narrow interpretation of habitat 6430 in the lowlands, as it lacks a representation of Mediterranean tall herbs.

The protocols for in situ hybridization (ISH) techniques can vary considerably; however, they usually include denaturation and hybridization steps. Denaturing compounds are used to reduce denaturation and hybridization temperature, which keeps the proper morphology of the preparation. Formamide is the most commonly used reagent in in situ hybridization to lower the melting temperature. The substitution of toxic formamide for a non-toxic ethylene carbonate at 20 % and 50 % concentration in the hybridization mixture helped obtain a high quality in situ hybridization result with two sequences characteristic for rye, JNK, and Bilby. The results after hybridization, with a duration of 90 min and 16 h, were identical when formamide or ethylene carbonate were used in the mixture. In addition, the toxic formamide was eliminated from the post-hybridization steps and specific hybridization signals for both probes were still obtained.

Impatiens capensis is an annual plant native to eastern North America that is currently spreading across Europe. In Poland, due to this plant’s rapid spread in the secondary range and high competitiveness in relation to native species, it is considered a locally invasive species. The microstructure of seeds is an important tool for solving various taxonomic problems and also provides data useful for determining the impact of various environmental factors on the phenotypic variability of species. This issue is particularly important in regard to invasive species which occupy a wide range of habitats in the invaded range. There are few reports on seed size and thus far no descriptions of the seed ultrastructure of I. capensis in the analyzed literature. We present new data on the seed morphology of I. capensis growing in different habitats and conditions in the secondary range of the species. The studied populations differed significantly in each of the investigated traits (seed length, width, circumference, area, roundness, and mass). Our findings showed that anthropogenic disturbances in habitats and some soil parameters (presence of carbonates, potassium, loose sand, and moisture) were statistically significant with various seed sizes and morphology in the studied populations of I. capensis. Moreover, our studies showed maximum seed length (5.74 mm) and width (3.21 mm) exceeding those values given in the available literature. For the first time, we also provide a detailed SEM study of the ultrastructure of the seed coat of I. capensis. There are two types of epidermal cells on the seeds: (a) between the ribs (elongated with straight anticlinal walls, slightly concave outer periclinal walls, and micropapillate secondary sculpture on the edges with anticyclic walls), and (b) on the ribs (isodiametric cells with straight anticlinal walls and concave outer periclinal walls). Unlike the variability of size and weight of seeds, the coat ornamentation has turned out to be a steady feature within the studied secondary range of I. capensis.

The riparian tall herb fringe communities of the order Convolvuletalia sepium represent an integral part of the natural vegetation in river valleys. The major objective of this study was to assess the relationships between the diversity and variability of these communities and various environmental factors. The survey was conducted in northwestern Poland, along 101 randomly selected 1–2-km long sections of 24 rivers and the Szczecin Lagoon. Samples were collected in 2008–2013 in all types of tall herb fringe vegetation found in the surveyed river sections. Data collected included hydrogeomorphic variables, soil parameters, potential and actual vegetation, and dominant land use form. A total of 24 vegetation units were documented, based on 300 sample plots (relevés). Tall herb fringe communities occurring in valleys of large rivers (Senecionetum fluviatilis, Fallopio-Cucubaletum bacciferi, Achilleo salicifoliae-Cuscutetum lupuliformis, Convolvulo sepium-Cuscutetum europaeae typicum and chaerophylletosum bulbosi subass. nov., Rubus caesius community, Solidago gigantea community) exhibited floristic and ecological differences in comparison with plant communities from small rivers (Eupatorietum cannabini typicum, aegopodietosum and cardaminetosum amarae subass. nov., Epilobio hirsuti-Convolvuletum sepium, Soncho palustris-Archangelicetum litoralis, Convolvulo sepium-Cuscutetum europaeae aegopodietosum, Urtico-Convolvuletum sepium typicum and aegopodietosum, Urtica dioica community, Galeopsis speciosa community, Rubus idaeus community). This finding fully justified their division into two alliances: the Senecionion fluviatilis and the Archangelicion litoralis, respectively. Significant differences between the tall herb fringe communities associated with large rivers and the plant communities occurring along small rivers included plant species richness, moss layer cover, contribution of river corridor plants, level of invasion, influence of adjacent plant communities on the floristic composition, relative elevation and distance away from the riverbed, degree of shading, proportions of all grain size fractions, soil pH, contents of organic matter, humus, organic carbon, total nitrogen, bioavailable phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and calcium in the soil. The differences in environmental characteristics of individual plant communities were significant as well; they showed that most vegetation units were well defined. The variables that best discriminated between riparian tall herb fringe communities included the natural potential vegetation unit Salici-Populetum, headwater seeps, soil pH, sample elevation above the river water level, river size, flooding, degree of shading, soil moisture, K2O and CaO contents, and C/N ratio. The integration of the main riparian gradients (longitudinal, lateral, vertical) and patch perspective (e.g., natural potential vegetation units, and land use forms) significantly improved the comprehensive riparian vegetation patterns, because these two perspectives underpin different processes shaping the vegetation. This study contributed significantly to the knowledge of riparian tall herb fringe communities. Two subassociations are described here for the first time, whereas six others have not been previously reported from Poland. The data summarized in the synoptic table indicated that the species diagnostic for individual plant communities should be revised at the supra-regional scale. Some syntaxonomic issues were also determined. The inclusion of the order Convolvuletalia sepium to the class Epilobietea angustifolii resolved the problem of classifying the community dominated by Eupatorium cannabinum, a species showing two ecological optima: one in riparian tall herb communities and the other in natural gaps of the tree stands and clearings of fertile alder carrs and riparian woodlands. This also resolved the problem of classifying the communities dominated by Galeopsis speciosa and Rubus idaeus, intermediate between riparian tall herb and clearing communities. The results of this study may serve as a reference for management of the vegetation in river valleys and promote their conservation. They may also be essential for any future syntaxonomic revision of riparian tall herb fringe communities at a larger geographical extent.