Rumex confertus Willd. - biologia a ekspansja gatunku

Russian Dock (Rumex fonfertus Willd.) - a species of eastern origin - settles mainly in ruderal communities and hay-growing meadows in river valleys. Their population grows and spreads into new localities. The main objective of this paper is establishing biological characteristics of Rumex confertus which allow the population grow in the ruderal and meadow communities. The studies were conducted in the Fordon Valley north of Bydgoszcz, where Russian Dock is frequently present. The detailed analysis focused on reproduction process, demographic structure and intraspecific competition. Rumex confertus, like other clonal plants, coexists in a community by intensive sprawling and splitting of subterranean structures. Annual production of numerous germinated shoots supply diaspores to the seedbank and enable their migration, but inflow of new individuals of generative origin is limited. The key obstacle is a lack of suitable places for germination - small gaps lead to the emergence of seedlings, but their further development is prevented by intra-specific competition. It is reflected in the age structure of the population, where multi-year generative individuals would dominate. Some time in gaps caused by pasture animals or agricultural practices new seedlings go through succeeding development stages. If these are earlier transferred to a new location, they may start a new population.