<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The article presents the main results of a field research carried out between 2012 and 2014. It is a comparison case study of vegetation diversity of pools and dead-end branches of the Orlice River in Eastern Bohemia, Czech Republic. The actual state of wetland vegetation is being compared to data from literature that is several decades old. Botanical survey was conducted in the study area located between the town of Hradec Králové and parishes of Malšovice, Malšova Lhota a Svinary. The research confirmed that dead-end river branches and oxbow lakes form potential refugia of biodiversity of vascular plants in the landscape context of the river area despite the fact that the River Orlice was fully regulated in the urban area of Hradec Králové and the surrounding parishes in the past. Nevertheless, the river area is of a natural character there and belongs to the Nature Park of Orlice since 1996. The local ecosystems are also a part of the important locality of the River Orlice and Elbe. The total of 449 taxons of vascular plants (on the level of species and sub-species) and species rich associations of aquatic and wetland plants were recorded in the study area. Conservation of the water regime in the fluvial landscape and suitable regulation interventions against some spreading invasive species are crucial for the continuing existence of the precious species composition. For this reason the article also includes some management steps.</p></abstract>

The article presents the main results of a field research carried out between 2012 and 2014. It is a comparison case study of vegetation diversity of pools and dead-end branches of the Orlice River in Eastern Bohemia, Czech Republic. The actual state of wetland vegetation is being compared to data from literature that is several decades old. Botanical survey was conducted in the study area located between the town of Hradec Králové and parishes of Malšovice, Malšova Lhota a Svinary. The research confirmed that dead-end river branches and oxbow lakes form potential refugia of biodiversity of vascular plants in the landscape context of the river area despite the fact that the River Orlice was fully regulated in the urban area of Hradec Králové and the surrounding parishes in the past. Nevertheless, the river area is of a natural character there and belongs to the Nature Park of Orlice since 1996. The local ecosystems are also a part of the important locality of the River Orlice and Elbe. The total of 449 taxons of vascular plants (on the level of species and sub-species) and species rich associations of aquatic and wetland plants were recorded in the study area. Conservation of the water regime in the fluvial landscape and suitable regulation interventions against some spreading invasive species are crucial for the continuing existence of the precious species composition. For this reason the article also includes some management steps.

Floodplain of the Orlice River (Eastern Bohemia, Czech Republic): The Natural Centre of Biodiversity

University of Hradec Králové, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Náměstí Svobody 301, 500 02 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic

Journal of Landscape Ecology

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

The article presents the main results of a field research carried out between 2012 and 2014. It is a comparison case study of vegetation diversity of pools and...

Floodplain of the Orlice River (Eastern Bohemia, Czech Republic): The Natural Centre of Biodiversity

Published Online: Jan 26, 2016

Page range: 68 - 90

Received: Oct 15, 2015

Accepted: Nov 28, 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jlecol-2015-0015

Keywords
Orlice River, Eastern Bohemia, Czech Republic, river oxbows, river floodplain, flood, centre of biodiversity, fluvial landscape, water dynamics, nature protection and management

© 2015 Michal Vávra, published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Floodplain of the Orlice River (Eastern Bohemia, Czech Republic): The Natural Centre of Biodiversity

Published Online: Jan 26, 2016

Page range: 68 - 90

Received: Oct 15, 2015

Accepted: Nov 28, 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jlecol-2015-0015

KeywordsOrlice River, Eastern Bohemia, Czech Republic, river oxbows, river floodplain, flood, centre of biodiversity, fluvial landscape, water dynamics, nature protection and management

© 2015 Michal Vávra, published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Orlice River, Eastern Bohemia, Czech Republic, river oxbows, river floodplain, flood, centre of biodiversity, fluvial landscape, water dynamics, nature protection and management