Endangered Ostericum palustre – ecological spectrum in the Natura 2000 Bagno Bubnów site and protection methods

PLB 060001 Bagno Bubnów is situated within the boundaries of the Polesie National Park, Poland, representing one of the most significant wetland areas in Europe. It is home to protected phytocenoses and associated flora, including Ostericum palustre (ANKPA), a species covered by the Habitats Directive, the Bern Convention, and strict species protection in Poland. ANKPA is a species of Community importance, requiring the designation of an area within the Natura 2000 network. In Poland, it is classified as a vulnerable species. The current global trend of its population remains uncertain. The IUCN emphasises that there is insufficient data to determine its status. This paper presents geobotanical findings from Bagno Bubnów (2021–2022). Based on these findings, the conditions of ANKPA’s occurrence were determined. These include the physicochemical properties of soils and the syntaxonomic structure of phytocoenoses it inhabits. In the study area, ANKPA grew mainly in phytocoenoses of the Molinion alliance. The analysis indicates that ANKPA exhibits a broad ecological spectrum with respect to numerous habitat parameters. ANKPA was most frequently observed in eutrophic habitats. These habitats had an average organic matter content of 14.73% and an average organic carbon content of 6.7%. The pH of these habitats was neutral, averaging 7.14. They were also saturated with basic cations, with calcium being predominant (average saturation 95.8%). Findings demonstrate that PLB 060001 Bagno Bubnów is a significant location for the conservation of ANKPA. Furthermore, the environmental conditions at this site are conducive to the survival of this species.