Climate change and species composition of plants in historical gardens

摘要

Climate change is a global environmental problem and its impact on vegetation which have been well researched and indisputable confirmed. The majority of research tends to focus on those ecosystems which have a direct link with the production of biomass, i.e. on forest ecosystems and agricultural systems. Attention is also given to conurbations where special mitigation and adaptation strategies have been developed. We can predict expect that changes in the species composition related to tree species range shifts will also impact on historical gardens and parks. Even a simple change in species composition may result in a significant disruption in garden composition and its overall artistic intent. The paper presents a reflection on the anticipated change in species composition caused by climate change and its impact on the visual appearance of gardens. As model areas 6 historic gardens and parks in Bratislava were selected. Current tree species were evaluated from the point of garden layout and the role of an individual species within the composition. Based on published scenarios some procedures and measures have been proposed to preserve the historic character and authenticity of historical gardens.