Maria Ziaja - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Maria Ziaja

Ecological Questions

Botrychium matricariifolium is a critically endangered species in Poland. In 2020, a new locality... more Botrychium matricariifolium is a critically endangered species in Poland. In 2020, a new locality of this rare fern was found in the Góra Chełm forest reserve (Strzyżowskie Foothills). The population comprised 58 individuals. The fern was found in the Carpathian beech fertile complex Dentario glandulosae-Fagetum at a forest margin located near an unused quarry. The community comprised 29 vascular plant species. The dense layer of trees (90%) was composed of Acer pseudoplatanus, Abies alba, and Fagus sylvatica. The greatest coverage in the undergrowth was achieved by Dentaria glandulosa, Dentaria bulbifera, Galeobdolon luteum, and Mercurialis perennis. The mean height of the ferns was 14.9 cm. The trophophores had 3 branches each and were 1.1-3.4 cm long (mean: 2.1 cm). They had 5 to 9 pinnae. The length of the sporophore ranged from 2.3 to 8.3 cm (mean: 5.1 cm). It had from 12 to 183 sporangia (mean: 62). In 2021, the locality was re-verified, and 30 sporulating individuals were rec...

Ecological Questions, 2022

Rosa gallica is a rare, threatened, and legally protected species; hence, research on this specie... more Rosa gallica is a rare, threatened, and legally protected species; hence, research on this species is important for identification of threats and development of protection strategies. The aim of the study was to characterise plant communities with Rosa gallica and to determine the habitat conditions, abundance, and diversity of selected population traits. The study was conducted in 2016-2020 in two localities (Bukowa, Kołaczyce) in Strzyżów Foothills. Twenty phytosociological relevés were made using the Braun-Blanquet method. The habitat conditions were assessed using Ellenberg indicator values. The following parameters were used to evaluate the diversity and quantitative relationships between the species in the analysed communities: Shannon-Wiener diversity (H՛), Evenness (J՛), and Simpson dominance (SIMP) indices. The size of the analysed populations was estimated based on the number of vegetative and generative shoots. Height was measured in 100 randomly selected shoots, and the ...

Antioxidants, 2021

A wide range of plant-derived preparations have been used against skin inflammatory disorders and... more A wide range of plant-derived preparations have been used against skin inflammatory disorders and as wound healing agents in traditional medicine. The purpose of the study was to determine the antioxidant activity of aqueous and 70% ethanolic extracts from eleven species of plants traditionally used in Poland to treat inflammatory skin diseases. The ability of extracts to scavenge 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and superoxide anion (O2•−), was studied. In non-cellular studies, an analysis of the anti-inflammatory effect on the activity of enzymes, such as hyaluronidase (HYAL) and lipoxygenase (LOX), was also performed. The chemical profiles of the most active extracts were achieved by applying the UHPLC-DAD-MSn method, and the sum of polyphenols in all tested extracts was determined by the colorimetric method with the Folin–Ciocalteu reagent. The scope of the extracts’ influence on enzyme activity was significantly lower than their antioxidan...

Sylwan, 2020

The paper presents an analysis of selected environment elements, which were subjected to anthropo... more The paper presents an analysis of selected environment elements, which were subjected to anthropopressure in the Lisia Góra forest nature reserve, located within the city of Rzeszów (SE Poland). The main aim of the study was to indicate the intensity and forms of anthropopressure within the relief, soil and vascular flora. Changes in the relief were shown for the period 2010−2019 using the analysis of geomorphological processes and the mapping of anthropogenic terrain forms. Additionally, the litter in the reserve was examined. Soil studies were performed with standard methods in 2016, and the degree of anthropopressure was shown particularly through the parameters of soil compaction and acidification. Changes occurring within the vascular flora were determined by means of anthropogenic indicators of flora changes in the time horizons 2002 and 2016. The results of the studies indicate degradation processes of the studied environment elements in the reserve.

Sustainability, 2021

Phytosociological research on aquatic and marsh vegetation was conducted in Rzeszów Reservoir (SE... more Phytosociological research on aquatic and marsh vegetation was conducted in Rzeszów Reservoir (SE Poland): 134 relevés according to the Braun-Blanquet method were collected there in 2016 and compared to 91 relevés published in 1994 (225 relevés in total). Changes in vegetation type, diversity measures, species composition, and Ellenberg Indicator Values (EIVs) for light, moisture, reaction, and nitrogen were analysed. Over the 22 years (1994–2016), the greatest changes were noted in communities of the classes Lemnetea and Potametea and the alliance Salicion albae. The long-term observations demonstrated the disappearance of 14 phytocoenoses and the occurrence of 12 new ones. An expansion of marsh communities (Typhetum latifoliae, Typhetum angustifoliae, Glycerietum maximae, Leersietum oryzoidis) was noted, causing a decline of several species and vegetation types. According to canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), four environmental variables (light, moisture, nitrogen, and pH) w...

Forests, 2021

Urban water bodies are an important asset in terms of climate change. The accompanying vegetation... more Urban water bodies are an important asset in terms of climate change. The accompanying vegetation is an integral part of the waterside space system and a source of ecosystem services and disservices. The composition of greenery in waterside spaces should therefore be preceded by detailed research. This research would be the basis for the development of recommendations for enhancement of the positive impact of vegetation on humans and minimisation of its negative effect. The aim of the study was to identify ecosystem services and disservices of vegetation in the four most important waterside recreation spaces in the city of Rzeszów, Poland, and to develop plant composition guidelines. A detailed inventory of vegetation and aerobiological monitoring of the presence of airborne allergenic pollen grains and fungal spores were carried out. Next, the ecosystem services and disservices of the vegetation were determined based on literature data and on our expert judgement. Additionally, a c...

Fragmenta Floristica et Geobotanica Polonica, 2020

Plants, 2021

Arctium lappa is a weed used in traditional medicine in the treatment of skin inflammation and di... more Arctium lappa is a weed used in traditional medicine in the treatment of skin inflammation and digestive tract diseases. Arctium tomentosum is used in folk medicine interchangeably with Arctium lappa and, according to European Medicines Agency (EMA) monography, provides an equal source of Arctii radix (Bardanae radix), despite the small amount of research confirming its activity and chemical composition. The aim of the study was the comparison of the anti-lipoxygenase and the antioxidant activity, scavenging of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), superoxide anion (O2•−), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), of 70 % (v/v) ethanolic extracts from the aerial parts and the roots of Arctium lappa and Arctium tomentosum. In the tested extracts, the total polyphenols content and the chemical composition, analyzed with the HPLC–DAD–MSn method, were also compared. The extracts were characterized by strong antioxidant properties, but their ability to inhibit lipoxygenase activity was rather weak. ...

Food Chemistry, 2021

Linden trees are a source of food products called lime flowers (Tiliae flos), traditionally used ... more Linden trees are a source of food products called lime flowers (Tiliae flos), traditionally used in the form of infusion for the treatment of feverish colds and coughs. Lime flowers should include flowers of Tilia cordata Mill, T.x europaea L., and T. platyphyllos Scop. or a mixture of these. The aim of current research was to establish a fast, sensitive HPTLC (high-performance thin-layer chromatography) method that would allow the differentiation of material obtained from five species of lime occurring in Europe. The fingerprints for distinguishing these species were established, as well as a key for identification based on a visual evaluation of chromatograms. The results obtained were also subjected to chemometric analyses. It was shown that each species contains characteristic compounds i.e. linarin that can be used for their identification. The method developed can, in theory, be introduced for the quality control or authentication of linden flowers on the European market.

Industrial Crops and Products, 2020

Lime flowers are traditionally used as medicinal plants. According to the Pharmacopeia Europaea, ... more Lime flowers are traditionally used as medicinal plants. According to the Pharmacopeia Europaea, only three species of Tilia are admitted as source species. However, so far, no methods enabling the discrimination between these three species and other species of Tilia occurring in Europe have been established. It is also not clear whether the chemical composition of extracts from lime flowers differs between source species. Here, we describe a comprehensive validated UHPLC-DAD-MS/MS method to distinguish the five most important Tilia species in Europe based on phytochemical analyses of extracts prepared from their flowers. Forty-two phenolics were detected in the analyzed extracts and twenty-one of them were quantified using a validated method. A chemometric analysis revealed significant differences between the investigated species. Based on the chemical profile of their extracts, we provide a dichotomous key for the identification of Tiliae flos source species. the pharmacopoeial sense (Herrera-Ruiz et al., 2008; Pérez-Ortega et al., 2008; Polat and Satil, 2012). The use of T. tomentosa is also supported by an assessment report prepared by EMA (EMA/HMPC/ 346780/2011, 2011). In the literature there are several studies on the phytochemical composition of lime flowers obtained from various Tilia species. Most of them investigate non-pharmacopoeial species such as T. americana, T. tomentosa or T. rubra. The phytochemical studies for most common European species are scarce (Fossen et al., 2019). This is true especially for T. cordata and T. x vulgaris. Although, two studies on the phytochemical composition of flowers collected from Tilia cordata have recently been published (Kosakowska et al., 2015b; Oniszczuk and Podgórski, 2015), the results obtained are still not sufficient from a phytochemical point of view. The reports also do not answer the question of intra-species variability of compounds in flowers of Tilia. It has been shown that linden flowers contain significant amounts of mucilage, and that this feature is often associated with the relief of coughs and coating of pharyngeal mucosa by Tilia preparations (

Fragmenta Floristica et Geobotanica Polonica, 2019

In floristic investigations carried out in 2014-2016 in the Góra Chełm Reserve, five species of o... more In floristic investigations carried out in 2014-2016 in the Góra Chełm Reserve, five species of orchids were found (Cephalanthera longifolia, Platanthera bifolia, Listera ovata, Epipactis helleborine, Dactylorhiza fuchsii) and three plant communities were distinguished, documented in 20 phytosociological relevés. The number of orchids was highest in an unused quarry in a community of the class Epilobietea angustifolii: C. longifolia (786 plants), Platanthera bifolia (187), Listera ovata (16) and E. helleborine (4). In another community, riparian forest Carici remotae-Fraxinetum, one specimen of D. fuchsii was recorded. Only five C. longifolia individuals were found in the association Dentario glandulosae-Fagetum, which dominates in the reserve.

Journal of Apicultural Research, 2018

The availability of floral resources is considered a key factor for the maintenance and conservat... more The availability of floral resources is considered a key factor for the maintenance and conservation of pollinators. We compared the forage floral diversity of three types of lowland meadows (Molinia meadows, tall herb fringe meadows, and hay meadows) located in south eastern Poland. The total number of plant species was 125, including 84 species (67.2%) classified as plants visited by insects. The richness and diversity of forage flora differed between the types of meadow. The Molinia meadows and hay meadows were preferred by pollinators. However, different taxonomic groups of pollinators can respond to the variability and availability of floral resources in a different way. Molinia meadows are of particular importance for the abundance of Bombus spp., solitary bees, and flies. The RDA ordination model demonstrated that the floral community composition, plant species abundance, plant species richness, and floral attributes (size, shape, phenology) were all important for the abundance of insect visitors in the mosaic of meadows. The cluster analysis showed that most plant species were visited by similar groups of insects; however, their proportion differed considerably. Our results present arguments for inclusion of semi-natural meadows into conservation plans and for efforts of protection of highly effective floral resources aimed at maintenance of pollinators. Disponibilidad de recursos alimentarios para los polinizadores en tres tipos de praderas de tierras bajas La disponibilidad de recursos florales se considera un factor clave para el mantenimiento y conservació n de los polinizadores. Comparamos la diversidad floral forrajera de tres tipos de praderas de tierras bajas (praderas de Molinia, praderas de hierbas altas y praderas de heno) localizadas en el sureste de Polonia. El número total de especies de plantas fue de 125, incluyendo 84 especies (67.2%) clasificadas como plantas visitadas por insectos. La riqueza y diversidad de la flora forrajera difiere según el tipo de pradera. Los prados de Molinia y los prados de heno fueron preferidos por los polinizadores. Sin embargo, diferentes grupos taxonó micos de polinizadores pueden responder a la variabilidad y disponibilidad de recursos florales de una manera diferente. Las praderas de Molinia son de particular importancia para la abundancia de Bombus spp., abejas solitarias y moscas. El modelo de ordenació n RDA demostró que la composició n de la comunidad floral, la abundancia de especies de plantas, la riqueza de especies de plantas y los atributos florales (tamaño, forma, fenología) eran todos importantes para la abundancia de visitantes de insectos en el mosaico de praderas. El análisis de clúster mostró que la mayoría de las especies de plantas fueron visitadas por grupos similares de insectos; sin embargo, su proporció n difirió considerablemente. Nuestros resultados presentan argumentos para la inclusió n de praderas seminaturales en los planes de conservació n y para los esfuerzos de protecció n de recursos florales altamente efectivos destinados al mantenimiento de polinizadores.

Steciana, 2017

The vascular flora in the "Łąki w Komborni" Natura 2000 site comprises 219 species representing 4... more The vascular flora in the "Łąki w Komborni" Natura 2000 site comprises 219 species representing 44 families and 147 genera. Species from the families Asteraceae, Poaceae, Lamiaceae, Fabaceae, Rosaceae, Polygonaceae, Cyperaceae, Apiaceae, and Ranunculaceae were found to dominate. A geographical and historical analysis of species confirmed the clear dominance of apophytes (84%) over anthropophytes (16%) as well as perennials (69%) over short-lived (23%) species. The biological spectrum was dominated by hemicryptophytes (54%) and therophytes (19%), compared with other life forms. In terms of synecology, the flora was mainly represented by species from the classes Molinio-Arrhenatheretea, Stellarietea mediae, Artemisietea vulgaris and Phragmitetea. The "Łąki w Komborni" site is a habitat for 82 (37%) medicinal species and 155 (70%) forage species for bees. Noteworthy is the occurrence of protected species, e.g. Gladiolus imbricatus, Trollius europaeus, Centhaurium erythraea, Dactylorhiza majalis, Platanthera bifolia and Primula elatior.

Ecological Questions, 2016

The paper presents characteristics of a meadow community with Trollius europaeus, threats posed t... more The paper presents characteristics of a meadow community with Trollius europaeus, threats posed to the community, and proposals for active protection thereof. The study was carried out in the "Łąki w Komborni" Natura 2000 site (PLH 180042) in the Podkarpacie Province (SE Poland). In 2015, 20 relevés were taken with the Braun-Blanquet method and they are presented in a synthetic table. Additionally, the number of clumps, the number of flowering shoots per clump, and the height of flowering shoots were determined. The community with Trollius europaeus was classified into the alliance Molinion caeruleae with Selinum carvifolia, Galium boreale, Succisa pratensis, Betonica officinalis, Gladiolus imbricatus, and Carex tomentosa as characteristic species. Scrub species, in particular Filipendula ulmaria, had a substantial share, which indicated long-term abandonment of land use. The community also comprised rush species (Carex gracilis, Phragmites australis) and a numerous group of species from the order Arrhenatheretalia (e.g. Geranium pratense, Alchemilla monticola, Galium mollugo, Arrhenatherum elatius) and the class Molinio-Arrhenatheretea (e.g. Lathyrus pratensis, Alopecurus pratensis, Ranunculus acris, Poa pratensis). Abandonment of extensive land use leading to progressive secondary succession is the major threat to phytocoenoses with Trollius europaeus. To preserve meadows with Trollius europaeus, active protection involving mowing and removal of biomass is recommended.

Acta Agrobotanica, 2017

The aim of this study was to provide a phytosociological and ecological characterization of meado... more The aim of this study was to provide a phytosociological and ecological characterization of meadow communities in the Łąki w Komborni Natura 2000 site (SE Poland), assess the trends in their transformation, and indicate the major threats impacting on their conservation. The study was conducted in 2015–2016. Three types of meadow communities were distinguished (alliances Molinion, Arrhenatherion, Filipendulion), due to the absence of the species characteristic for associations. The species richness noted per relevé differed significantly between the types of meadows (Kruskal–Wallis test: H = 21.65, p < 0.05). The highest floristic biodiversity (H' = 2.99) was noted for the meadow patches classified as in the Molinion alliance and the lowest (H' = 2.50) was found for the patches from the Filipendulion alliance. Mean values of the ecological indicators (F, R, N) differed between the meadow communities. The greatest disparity was noted for the mean values of the soil moisture...

Industrial Crops and Products, 2017

The aim of the study was an attempt of justification of chickweed's herb (Stelaria media L., Vill... more The aim of the study was an attempt of justification of chickweed's herb (Stelaria media L., Vill.) traditional use as anti-inflammatory agent in the treatment of skin diseases. In the study a phytochemical characterization and potential anti-inflammatory effect of the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of chickweed herb were investigated in vitro, by determining their antioxidant and enzyme inhibition activities. Moreover, the effect on reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation by human skin fibroblasts and keratinocytes after UV irradiation was determined. The main components of both extracts were apigenin glycosides. The content of flavonoids in the aqueous extract was 25.6 mg/g of liophilized extract and in the ethanolic extract 63.9 mg/g of liophilized extract. The ethanolic extract showed stronger scavenging activity against three of the tested radicals. The determined SC50 (the concentration required to inhibit radical formation by 50%) average values for hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2), nitric oxide (NO) and peroxynitrite (ONOO −) were 132.83, 16.5, 11.9 g/mL, respectively. On the other hand, in xanthine-xanthine oxidase system activity of aqueous extract was more potent, with SC50 average value 62.75 g/mL, than activity of ethanolic extract. Scavenging of DPPH, and hyaluronidase and lipoxidase activity inhibition of both the extracts was weak, on the contrary to the strong inhibition of xanthine oxidase activity. Subsequently, the influence of the extracts on the human skin cells was examined. The study showed that the aqueous extract decreased intracellular ROS production by fibroblasts in a concentration-dependent manner. In the case of keratinocytes the aqueous extract also reduced intracellular ROS production, but not in a concentration-dependent manner. On the basis of this study it can be concluded that the possible anti-inflammatory activity on the skin of the extracts obtained from chickweed herb is due to their antioxidant activity, but not via an influence on activity of pro-inflammatory enzymes like hyaluronidase or lipoxygenase.

Polish Journal of Environmental Studies, 2015

Transformations of flora and vegetation result from natural processes taking place in the landsca... more Transformations of flora and vegetation result from natural processes taking place in the landscape as well as various types of human impact leading to synanthropization of the vegetation [1-3]. The changes are gradually accelerated and their scope and scale are increasing. This results from the growing human pressure on natural communities and their environment [4-6]. All the transformations of plant communities involve also other components of ecosystems. This leads to fundamental changes in functioning of the ecosystems [7, 8]. The intensity and types of human impact affect the scope and rate of changes, which are reflected in the decline of species typical of natural vegetation and the creation of new anthropogenic communities [2, 3, 9, 10]. At early stages of synanthropization, floristic diversity usually increases [2, 8, 11, 12], whereas intensification of human impact usually leads to a decline in diversity [13-16]. River valleys are one of the best models for research on species diversity [5, 17, 18], the process of synanthropization [1, 17, 19, 20], the dynamics of flora [21], as well as transformations of the vegetation associated with river val