Comparison of vascular plants in herb layers of ecotones in urban and non-urban forests in Brzesko city (Polish Carpathian foreland)

Abstract

Abstract Nowadays, human influence is more noticeable in urban and non-urban ecosystems, which, in turn, leads to the transformation of valuable natural resources. This article presents a study on the diversity of species composition of the vascular herb layer species of ecotones in selected urban forests of the city of Brzesko and in forests outside the city. All forests represented the association of oak–hornbeam plant. The results showed that there are inconsistent and consistent vascular plant species with the Tilio-Carpinetum habitat in urban and non-urban forests. Plant species were significantly (c2 test, p < 0.05) found more frequently in the herb layer of non-urban forests than in urban forests. This proves, among other things, that the influence of anthropogenic activity is more on these objects than in forests outside the city.