Influence of hydrometeorological hazards and sea coast morphodynamics on development of Cephalanthero rubrae-Fagetum (Wolin island, the southern Baltic Sea)

Abstract. Climate changes, sea transgression and sea coast erosion observed today cause dynamic changes in coastal ecosystems. In the elaboration, cause and effect interrelations between abiotic hazards (hydrometeorological conditions and sea coast morphodynamics) and biotic (Cephalanthero rubrae-Fagetum phytocoenosis) components of natural environment have been defined. An up-to-date phytosociological analysis of a very valuable Cephalanthero rubrae-Fagetum site on cliff tableland was conducted in the context of hitherto temporal variability of climatic conditions and the rate of cliff coast recession. Also, the development prognosis of the researched site in the 21st century is provided, with respect to the expected climate changes and cliff's morphodynamics. The conducted research actions revealed the influence of global hazards (e.g. climate changes, sea transgression and sea coast erosion) on changes in the natural environment on regional scale (with the example of the site of Cephalanthero rubrae-Fagetum on a cliff coast of Wolin island in Poland). It has been established that in the 21st century, a relatively larger hazard to the functioning of the researched site is climate changes (i.e. mostly changes in thermal and precipitation conditions) not the sea coast erosion.