Vegetation of oat-grass meadows in Central Poland

Communities of hay meadows with Arrhenatherum elatius form phytocenoses of at least two plant communities: Arrhenatheretum elatioris – semi-natural habitats, and Tanaceto-Arrhenatheretum elatioris – ruderal habitats. The communities of tall oat-grass include approximately 150 species of vascular plants. In central Poland Tanaceto-Arrhenatheretum is the main habitat for many species characteristic of the Arrhenatherion alliance, including: Pastinaca sativa, Knautia arvensis, Tragopogon pratensis. Hay meadows are vulnerable (VU) components of vegetation of the characterized region. There is a need to verify syntaxonomic units within the Arrhenatherion alliance and phytosociological identifiers of Natura 2000 habitats – extensively used hay lowland meadows (6510).