Fruit yield of European cranberry (Oxycoccus palustris Pers.) in different plant communities of peatlands (northern Wielkopolska, Poland)

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine fruit yield of Oxycoccus palustris under the climatic and habitat conditions of northern Wielkopolska (the Greater Poland region), de-pending on the type of occupied plant community. Total fruit number and fruit weight as well as average cranberry leaf size were determined on 33 plots with an area of 1 m2 , located on 7 peatlands. On the study areas, European cranberry produced crops from 9.2 up to 242.0 g/m2 , which gives 92-2420 kg/ha. It has been demonstrated that on the peatlands of northern Wielkopolska O. palustris reaches its generative and veg-etative optimum in the communities of the class Scheuchzerio-Caricetea fuscae, in particular in the community Sphagno recurvi-Eriophoretum angustifolii.

Full text

ACTA AGROBOTANICA
Vol. 62 (1): 97–105
2009
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine fruit yield of
Oxycoccus palustris under the climatic and habitat conditions
of northern Wielkopolska (the Greater Poland region), de-
pending on the type of occupied plant community. Total fruit
number and fruit weight as well as average cranberry leaf size
were determined on 33 plots with an area of 1 m2, located on
7 peatlands. On the study areas, European cranberry produced
crops from 9.2 up to 242.0 g  m -2 , which gives 92-2420 kg
ha -1. It has been demonstrated that on the peatlands of north-
ern Wielkopolska O. palustris reaches its generative and veg-
etative optimum in the communities of the class Scheuchze-
rio-Caricetea fuscae, in particular in the community Sphagno
recurvi-Eriophoretum angustifolii.
Key words: Oxycoccus palustris, Ericaceae, growth, crop,
peatlands, medicinal plants, plant communities,
vegetation
INTRODUCTION
Oxycoccus palustris Pers. is an evergreen
shrublet of the family Ericaceae with a wide range of
occurrence. It occupies Sphagnum bogs of the North-
ern Hemisphere. As a commercial plant, it plays a spe-
cial role in the Northern and Eastern Europe area as
well as in Siberia. In Russia it is the most important
species among all wild growing berry plants (G r o -
chowski, 1976; Boč and Mazing, 1988; Plot-
nikov and Šmidt, 1988). It is estimated Finland’s
average annual cranberry crops can be more than 20
million kg (Raatikainen, 1988).
European cranberry fruit is used in the food
and pharmaceutical industries. It is an excellent addi-
FRUIT YIELD OF EUROPEAN CRANBERRY (Oxycoccus palustris Pers.)
IN DIFFERENT PLANT COMMUNITIES OF PEATLANDS
(NORTHERN WIELKOPOLSKA, POLAND)
Artur Adamczak1*, Maciej Gąbka2, Waldemar Buchwald1
1Department of Botany, Breeding and Agronomy, Institute of Natural Fibres and Medicinal Plants
Kolejowa 2, 62-064 Plewiska, Poland, e-mail: wbuchwald@iripz.pl
2Department of Hydrobiology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University
Umultowska 89, 61-614 Poznań, Poland, e-mail: gmaciej@amu.edu.pl
* corresponding author:
e-mail: artur.adamczak@interia.pl
Received: 20.02.2009
tive to meat as well as juice drinks, jams, jellies, etc.,
are produced from it. Similarly to American cranberry
– Oxycoccus macrocarpos (Aiton) Pursh, it contains
large amounts of organic acids (including vitamin
C) as well as pectins, flavonoids, anthocyanins and
other active compounds (Murav’ev and Šatilo,
1973; Jensen et al. 2002; Ehala et al. 2005;
Kozłowski et al. 2006). Research on American
cranberry shows that species of the genus Oxycoccus
can be used in the treatment of urinary tract infections
as well as in the prevention of heart diseases and ulcer
diseases of the digestive system. Cranberry fruit ex-
tracts show antibacterial and antifungal activity (e.g.
Lai et al. 2000; Rodowski, 2001; Stothers,
2002).
In Poland cranberry resources are limited,
though this plant occurs across our whole country.
Its stands are concentrated in the northern, southern
and eastern parts of Poland: in Pomorze (Pomerania),
Warmia and Mazury (Masuria), Górny Śląsk (Upper
Silesia), the western Kielce region and the southern
part of the Łódź region as well as in Polesie and the
Lublin region (Zając and Zając eds. 2001). This
species also belongs to shrublets frequently encoun-
tered on peat and transitional bogs of Wielkopolska
(e.g. G ąbka et al. 2007).
Research on cranberry fruit yield has not been
conducted in Poland so far. Information on Oxycoc-
cus palustris resources and its fruit yield, as well as
on habitat conditions which determine them, come
primarily from Russian peatlands (e.g. Šutov, 1985;
Nekratova et al. 1986; Čerkasov, 1988; Plot-
nikov and Šmidt, 1988; Ûdina, 1997; Kurlo-

Artur Adamczak, Maciej Gąbka, Waldemar Buchwald
98
vič and Kosicyn, 2000). Many authors (e.g. Raj-
ko and Sautin, 1973; Snigirev and Hves’ko,
1978; Alekseeva, 1986; Nekratova et al. 1986;
Kopoteva and Kupcova, 1997) point out that
the productivity of this species is related to the peat-
land type and vegetation differentiation, as described
according to the approach of the Russian school.
This paper attempts to determine fruit yield
of European cranberry under the climatic and habitat
conditions of northern Wielkopolska, depending on the
type of occupied plant community (according to the
Braun-Blanquet approach).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The field study was carried out in September
2008 on 7 Sphagnum bogs located within the area
of the city of Piła in northern Wielkopolska (Tab. 1).
These were oligotrophic peat bogs (Tab. 1, sites 1-4) or
medium fertile transitional bogs developing near hu-
mic lakes, advanced in the process of disappearance
(sites 5-7). In accordance with the physico-geographi-
cal division of Kondracki (2002), these sites are
situated in the macroregion of the Southern Pomera-
nia Lakelands and they cover the southern part of the
Gwda River valley.
33 study areas of 1 m2 were established on the
investigated peatlands. Plots of this size are commonly
used to determine cranberry fruit yield (e.g. Šutov,
1985; Čerkasov,
1988; Kurlovič and Kosi-
cyn, 2000). On each plot, all cranberry fruits were
collected and 9 shoots of this species were sampled in
a systematic way. The fruits were weighed and counted,
and from the shoots one leaf was sampled for the mea-
surement of leaf blade length and width. Addition-
ally, 30 randomly selected fruits from each plot were
weighed. A smaller amount of fruits (respectively, 18
and 21) was collected from two plots. In total, 969
fruits were weighed and the length and width of 297
cranberry leaves were measured.
Variables Median Min. Max. V [%]
Total no. of fruits 174 18 829 98.85
Total weight of fruits [g] 47.1 9.2 242.0 152.02
Weight of fruit [g] 0.31 0.01 1.09 67.74
Length of leaf [mm] 9.43 5.63 13.95 27.04
Width of leaf [mm] 4.57 2.59 6.94 22.98
Table 1
The location of peatlands and number of vegetation plots.
No. Peatlands Administrative unit Geographical coordinates No. of vegetation
plots
1 Nameless peatland near
Zelgniewo
Kaczory N 53° 10’ 09’’ E 16° 52’ 14’’ 5
2 Nameless peatland between
Skórka and Jeziorki
Piła N 53° 10’ 19’’ E 16° 52’ 12’’ 7
3 Peatland by W part of lake
Czarne near Kaczory
Kaczory N 53° 07’ 23’’ E 16° 54’ 56’’ 5
4 Peatland near lake Okoniowe Piła N 53° 11’ 18’’ E 16° 47’ 56’’ 5
5 Peatland by lake Czarne near
Jeziorki
Kaczory N 53° 08’ 45’’ E 16° 51’ 34’’ 3
6 Peatland Kuźnik Olszowy Szydłowo N 53° 12’ 46’’ E 16° 43’ 38’’ 4
7 Peatland Kuźnik Bagienny Szydłowo N 53° 12’ 53’’ E 16° 43’ 53’’ 4
Summary 33
Table 2
Variability of Oxycoccus palustris in the investigated peatlands. Median, minimal, maximal value and quartile variability
coefficient of cranberry crop and some biometric properties.

Fruit yield of European cranberry (Oxycoccus palustris Pers.) in different plant communities... 99
The study areas were set up in separate vegeta-
tion patches, at sites of the abundant occurrence of Eu-
ropean cranberry as well as in different types of bog
phytocoenoses. The designated plots were located at
a distance of at least 10 m from each other (usually
20-40 m). A floristic inventory was conducted in each
square, determining percentage species cover as well
as the cover of the moss layer and total cover of all
vascular plants, excluding Oxycoccus palustris.
The syntaxonomic classification of cranberry
patches within the plots was made based on phytoso-
ciological relevés of the phytocoenoses on which the
study areas were located. The nomenclature of phyto-
sociological units followed a list of plant communities
of Wielkopolska made by Brzeg and Wojterska
(2001).
Statistica 7.1 software (StatSoft, 2005) was used
for calculations. In statistical analysis, standard para-
metric tests were used: Student’s test, Cochran-Cox
test, Pearson coefficient of correlation, as well as non-
parametric tests: gamma test, Mann-Whitney test and
Kruskal-Wallis test. The Shapiro-Wilk test was used
to assess the normality of variable distribution, whereas
the F-test, Lévene’s test and Brown-Forsyth test were
used to assess the equality of variance in comparable
groups. In order to normalise the distribution of the
analysed variables, outliers were removed in justified
cases (not more than one in a particular group).
RESULTS
Fruiting European cranberry was documented
in 6 communities of the transitional and peat bogs.
These were phytocoenoses representing the following
associations: Sphagno tenelli-Rhynchosporetum albae
Osvald 1923 nom. invers., Sphagno recurvi-Eriopho-
retum angustifolii Hueck 1925 nom. invers. et nom.
mut., Sphagno apiculati-Caricetum rostratae Osvald
1923 em. Steffen 1931 (class Scheuchzerio-Caricetea
fuscae) as well as Sphagnetum magellanici (Malcuit
1929) Kästner et Floßner 1933, Sphagno recurvi-Erio-
phoretum vaginati Hueck 1925 nom. invers. and Ledo-
Sphagnetum magellanici Sukopp 1959 ex Neuhäusl
1969 (class Oxycocco-Sphagnetea). On the study ar-
eas, the cranberry cover ranged between 10% and 90%
(on the average 50%). The cover of other vascular plant
species was from 5% up to 80% (on the average 40%).
The moss layer was very well-developed, usually with
the cover of 80-100% (Fig. 1).
European cranberry showed large variations
in fruit weight and leaf size (length and width).
A large variability was also observed in fruit yield
of this species: total fruit number and weight of
fruits collected from the designated areas (Tab. 2).
The variability in question was associated with phy-
tosociological differentiation of the communities.
In the transitional bog phytocoenoses of the class
Fig. 1. Differentiation of the cover of Oxycoccus palustris, other vascular plants and mosses [%] in vegetation plots of peatlands.
00
cover of plants [%]
cover of Oxycoccus palustris
cover of mosses
cover of other vascular plants
no. of vegetation plots
20 40 60 80 100
5
10
15
20
25
30
35

Artur Adamczak, Maciej Gąbka, Waldemar Buchwald
100
Fig. 2. Differentiation of cranberry crop and some biometric properties in vegetation plots of the phytocoenoses from Scheuchzerio-
Caricetea fuscae (SCF) and Oxycocco-Sphagnetea (OS) classes.
A) Cochran-Cox test: 2.7739; p < 0.05; n = 32; B) Student’s test: 3.0250; p < 0.01; n = 33;
C) Student’s test: 2.0936; p < 0.05; n = 33; D) Student’s test: 2.4366; p < 0.05; n = 33;
E) Student’s test: 1.3964; N.S.; n = 31; F) Mann-Whitney test: 103.5000; N.S.; n = 33.
SCF
0
7,5
20 0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
220
240
260
280
300
320
3,6
3,8
4,0
4,2
4,4
4,6
4,8
5,0
5,2
5,4
8,0
8,5
9,0
9,5
10,0
10,5
11,0
11,5
0,20
0,25
0,30
0,35
0,40
0,45
0,50
0,55
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
OS
SCF OS
SCF OS
SCF OS
SCF OS
SCF OS
total weight of fruits [g]
mean lenght of leaves [mm]
total number of fruits
cover of Oxycoccus palustris [%]
mean width of leaves [mm] mean weight of fruits [g]
Mean ±SD
Mean
Mean ±SE
Mean ±SD
Mean
Mean ±SE
Mean ±SD
Mean
Mean ±SE
Mean ±SD
Mean
Mean ±SE
Mean ±SD
Mean
Mean ±SE
Mean ±SD
Mean
Mean ±SE
A
C
EF
D
B

Fruit yield of European cranberry (Oxycoccus palustris Pers.) in different plant communities... 101
Fig. 3. Differentiation of the weight of fruits (A) and the size of leaves (B) of Oxycoccus palustris in phytocoenoses of the
Scheuchzerio-Caricetea fuscae and Oxycocco-Sphagnetea classes.
A) Kruskal-Wallis test: 147.91; p < 0.001; n = 969; B) Kruskal-Wallis test: 82.73; p < 0.001; n = 297.
Oxycocco-Sphagnetea class: SM Sphagnetum magellanici, SEV – Sphagno recurvi-Eriophoretum vaginati LS – Ledo-
Sphagnetum magellanici; Scheuchzerio-Caricetea fuscae class: SRA – Sphagno tenelli-Rhynchosporetum albae, SEA
– Sphagno recurvi-Eriophoretum angustifolii, SCR – Sphagno-Caricetum rostratae.
weight of fruits [g]length x width of leaf [mm²]
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
1.2
Min.-Max.
Median
25%-75%
Min.-Max.
Median
25%-75%
A
B
SMSEV LSSRA SEASCR
SM SEV LS SRA SEA SCR

Artur Adamczak, Maciej Gąbka, Waldemar Buchwald
102
Scheuchzerio-Caricetea fuscae, total and average
fruit weight, as well as average length and width of
cranberry leaf blade, were statistically significantly
higher than in the peat bog patches of the class Oxy-
cocco-Sphagnetea (Fig. 2). However, in the above-
mentioned groups of communities, no significant
differences were found as regards total fruit number
on the designated areas and the cover of Oxycoc-
cus palustris on the patches (Fig. 2). At the plant
association level, statistically significant differences
were found for such cranberry traits as fruit weight
and leaf size (Fig. 3). It should be stressed that the
percentage cover of cranberry, as well as of other
vascular plants and the moss layer, had no impact on
fruit yield of the species concerned (total fruit num-
ber and fruit weight as well as average fruit weight).
But a clear correlation was found between the aver-
age weight of cranberry fruit on the study areas and
the average size of its leaves (Fig. 4).
Fig. 4. Correlation between the size of leaves and mean weight of fruits of Oxycoccus palustris in vegetation plots.
Pearson coefficient of correlation: 0.69; p < 0.001; n = 33.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS
On the study plots, European cranberry pro-
duced crops from 9.2 up to 242.0 g  m-2, which gives
92-2420 kg  ha-1. These are values comparable to the
data obtained from Russian, Lithuanian, Belarusian
and Ukrainian peatlands (e.g. Rajko and Sautin,
1973; Snigirev and Hves’ko, 1978; Bočarov
and Kurlovič, 1988; B o č and Mazing, 1988;
Čerkasov, 1988; Ripa, 1988; Krasnov and
Orlov, 1996). Fruit yield of cranberry growing in
these areas ranges between 3 and 2622 kg  ha-1. Due
to changing weather conditions, it is subject to large
variations depending on the study year (Šutov,
1985; Alekseeva, 1986; Bočarov and Kurlo-
vič, 1988; Ûdina, 1988; Krasnov and Orlov,
1996).
According to some authors (e.g. Šutov, 1985;
Alekseeva, 1986), cranberry fruit yield in the mid-
mean weight of fruit [g]
length x width of leaf [mm²]
95% confidence
20
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.7
0.8
25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70

Fruit yield of European cranberry (Oxycoccus palustris Pers.) in different plant communities... 103
dle and southern zones of the Russian taiga is more
affected by weather conditions than ecophytocenotic
factors. However, the water table level (e.g. B o čarov
and Kurlovič, 1988; Kurlovič and Kosicyn,
2000) and habitat richness (Ûdina, 1988) also per-
form an important role. The study presented in this
article shows that European cranberry produces bet-
ter yields (higher total and average fruit weight) in the
communities of the transitional bogs than in those of
the peat bogs (Fig. 2). Oxycoccus palustris fruit reaches
the highest weight in the phytocoenoses of the types
Sphagno-Caricetum rostratae and Sphagno-Eriopho-
retum angustifolii of the order Scheuchzerietalia pa-
lustris (Fig. 3). Rajko and Sautin (1973) as well
as Alekseeva (1986) also indicate higher fruit yields of
cranberry occupying mesooligotrophic habitats (trans-
itional bogs) compared to oligotrophic peat bogs.
Oxycoccus palustris is characterised by a wide
ecological scale. It is found both on poor oligotrophic
peat bogs as well as on medium fertile and fertile types
of Sphagnum bogs (e.g. Asada, 2000; Bragazza
et al. 2005; Navrátilová and Navrátil, 2005;
Gąbka and Lamentowicz, 2008). It is conside-
red to be a species characteristic for the class Oxycocco-
Sphagnetea (Brzeg and Wojterska, 2001) or the
order Sphagnetalia magellanici (Matuszkie-
wicz, 2005); thus, from the phytosociological point
of view, it has its occurrence optimum in peat bog phy-
tocoenoses. However, our study shows that European
cranberry not only produces better yields, but also de-
velops larger leaves in the transitional-bog, not peat-
bog, communities (Figs 2, 3). Among the investigated
communities of the class Scheuchzerio-Caricetea fus-
cae, cranberry had the lowest fruit yield and luxuri-
ance in the patches with a predominance of Rhynchos-
pora alba. These phytocoenoses developed in the com-
plex of peat bogs which had an influence on the poor
(oligotrophic) nature of the communities with White
Beak-sedge. The luxuriant growth of vegetative and
generative organs in Oxycoccus palustris growing on
the transitional bogs most probably resulted from the
greater richness of these habitats compared to the poor
and strongly acid peat bogs (Hájek et al. 2002). Ad-
ditionally, nutrient availability for plants increases in
the habitats with the groundwater pH of 6-7 (Rydin
and Jeglum, 2006).
European cranberry is characterised by large
variations in the morphological features of its vegeta-
tive and generative organs (Gugnacka-Fiedor,
1986; Ûdina, 1988; Gronskis and Sniskov-
skis, 1989). Tetra-, penta- and hexaploid forms of this
species are known (Gugnacka-Fiedor, 1983;
Ravanko, 1990; Ahokas, 1996; Suda and
Lysák, 2001), and they may sometimes occur togeth-
er even on a very small area of a bog (Suda, 2002).
Nevertheless, the presence of different cytotypes in
Oxycoccus palustris does not explain the morphologi-
cal variability of this species. In the opinion of Suda
and Lysák (2001), tetra-, penta- and hexaploid forms
of European cranberry are very difficult to distinguish
based both on their morphological features and data
on their ecology, phenology and distribution. That is
why they relinquished from delineating intraspecific
units in Oxycoccus palustris. Gugnacka-Fie-
dor (1986) included plants with fine leaves and fruit
in the subspecies O. palustris Pers. subsp. microphyl-
lus (Lange) Löve et Löve, whereas she distinguished
large-leaved and large-fruited forms as a new variety
O. palustris Pers. subsp. palustris var. macrophyllus
Gug. The positive correlation, found during the study
presented in this paper, between average leaf size and
average fruit weight on the study areas is interesting in
this context (Fig. 4).
It seems that European cranberry forms
differing in their leaf and fruit size are habitat-con-
ditioned ecotypes; hence larger fruit and leaves in Oxy-
coccus palustris on the transitional bogs (Figs 2, 3). It
should be emphasised that Hagerup (1940) described
specimens with shoots which had both fine and large
leaves. In turn, Gugnacka-Fiedor (1986) sho-
wed that in changed habitat conditions (after the trans-
fer of portions of the population from 4 sites to another
bog), the shape and size of cranberry leaves also under-
go great changes. B o čarov and Kurlovič (1988)
observed on drained peatlands cranberry with smaller,
reddish-coloured leaves. An increase in cranberry leaf
size was noted by Ûdina (1988) after the application
of mineral fertilisation on the bog.
In Central and Eastern Europe a standard re-
search method for studying the vegetation of bog
ecosystems is the synecological approach (Matusz-
kiewicz, 2005). Analysis based on the typological
classification of vegetation has enabled us in this study
to determine fruit yield of European cranberry de-
pending on the community type in phytosociological
terms. It has been demonstrated that on the peatlands
of northern Wielkopolska Oxycoccus palustris reaches
its generative and vegetative optimum in some com-
munities of the class Scheuchzerio-Caricetea fuscae.
The relationship between the species composi-
tion of bog vegetation and habitat parameters (in par-
ticular, groundwater chemistry) and the determina-
tion of their effect on the biometric features of cran-
berry require further detailed research. The results
of this type of analysis are being currently processed
by t he au th or s. T he ab ov em en ti on ed re se arch wi ll a ll ow
abiotic requirements of Oxycoccus palustris to be
identified more precisely and the optimum of this spe-
cies in phytosociological terms to be determined more
accurately.

Artur Adamczak, Maciej Gąbka, Waldemar Buchwald
104
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Prof. dr habil.
Jan Kozłowski of the Institute of Natural Fibres and
Medicinal Plants for his critical comments on this
article. This study was financed by the Ministry of
Science and Higher Education under a research project
no. N40502231/1319.
REFERENCES
A ho k a s H., 1996. Is the polyploid cranberry (Vaccinium sp.)
in Finland tetraploid or hexaploid? Nord. J. Bot. 16 (2):
185-189.
A l e k s e e v a R. N., 1986. Dinamika urožajnosti âgod Oxy-
coccus palustris Pers. na bolotah v bassejne srednej
Vyčegdy (Komi ASSR). / Dynamics of berry yield of
Oxycoccus palustris Pers. on swamps of the middle
Vychegda River (Komi ASSR) Rast. Resursy, 22 (2):
172-178 .
A s a da T., 2000. Distribution of two taxa in Vaccinium oxy-
coccus sensu lato (Ericaceae) along micro-scale envi-
ronmental gradients in Bekanbeushi peatland, northern
Japan. Acta Phytotax. Geobot. 51: 169-176.
Boč M. S., M a z i n g V. V., 1988. Resursy bolot SSSR: ih
ocenka i ispol’zovanie. / Resources of peatlands in
SSSR: evaluation and use their. Rast. Resursy, 24 (1):
3-12.
Bočar ov I. V., Kurlovič L . E., 1988. Sostoânie i urožajnost’
Oxycoccus palustris L. na intensivno osušennyh
pušicevo-sfagnovyh verhovyh bolotah (Kalininskaâ
oblast’). / State and productivity of Oxycoccus palustris
L. on intensively drained cotton grass-sphagnum high
bogs in Kalinin Oblast. Rast. Resursy, 24 (4): 498-502.
B r ag a z z a L., Ry d i n H., G e rd o l R., 2005. Multiple gra-
dients in mire vegetation: a comparison of Swedish and
an Italian bog. Plant Ecology, 177: 223-236.
B r z e g A., Wo j t e r s k a M., 2001. Zespoły roślinne Wiel-
kopolski, ich stan poznania i zagrożenie. / Plant com-
munities of Wielkopolska region, recognition and their
vulnerability. [In:] Szata roślinna Wielkopolski i Po-
jezierza Południowopomorskiego. M. Wojterska (ed.),
Przewodnik sesji terenowych 52. Zjazdu PTB, Bogucki
Wyd. Nauk., Poznań: 39-110.
Če r k a s o v A. Ph., 1988. The cranberry yield in the USSR.
Acta Bot. Fennica, 136: 65-68.
E h a l a S., V a h e r M., K a l ju ra nd M., 2005. Characteriza-
tion of phenolic profiles of Northern European berries
by capillary electrophoresis and determination of their
antioxidant activity. J. Agric. Food Chem. 53: 6484-
6490.
Gąb k a M., L a m e n t ow i c z M., 2008. Vegetation-environ-
ment relationship in peatlands dominated by Sphagnum
fallax in western Poland. Folia Geobot. 43: 413-429.
Gąb k a M., O w s i a n ny P. M., S o b c z y ńs k i T., 2007.
Comparison of the habitat conditions of peat-moss phy-
tocoenoses dominated by Eriophorum angustifolium
Honck. or Carex rostrata Stokes from mires in Western
Poland. Biodiv. Res. Conserv. 5-8: 61-69.
G r o c h o w s k i W., 1976. Uboczna produkcja leśna. PWN,
Warszawa, 571.
G r o n s k i s I., S n i ck o vs k i s A., 1989. Organization of cran-
berry growing in Latvia. Acta Horticult., 241: 77-80.
G u g n a c k a - F i e d o r W., 1983. The variability of phenol
compounds based on karyological studies of taxa of
the genus Vaccinium L., subgenus Oxycoccus (Hill) A.
Gray. Acta Soc. Bot. Pol. 52 (1): 87-99.
G u g n a c k a - F i e d o r W., 1986. Zmienność morfologiczna
taksonów rodzaju Oxycoccus Hill. / Morphological
variability of taxa of the genus Oxycoccus Hill. St. Soc.
Scient. Tor. Sect. D 11 (4): 1-56.
H ag er u p O., 1940. Studies on the significance of polyploidy.
IV. Oxycoccus. Hereditas, 26: 399-410.
H á je k M., H e ke r a P., Há jk ov á P., 2002. Spring fen veg-
etation and water chemistry in the Western Carpathian
flysch zone. Folia Geobot. 37: 205-224.
J e ns en H. D., K r o g f el t K. A., Co rn et t C., H a n s e n S.
H., C h r i s t e n s e n S. B., 2002. Hydrophilic carbox-
ylic acids and iridoid glycosides in the juice of Ameri-
can and European cranberries (Vaccinium macrocar-
pon and V. ox yco cco s), lingonberries (V. vi tis- idaea),
and blueberries (V. myr tillu s). J. Agric. Food Chem. 50:
6871-6874.
K o n d r a c k i J., 2002. Ge ografia regional na Polski. Państwowe
Wydawnictwo Naukowe, Warszawa, 450.
K o p o t e v a T. A., Ku p c o v a V. A., 1997. Fitocenotičeskie
osobennosti i urožajnost’ âgod Oxycoccus palustris
Pers. v Priamur’e. / Phytocenological peculiarity and
crop of Oxycoccus palustris Pers. gr owth in Pryamurie.
Rast. Resursy, 33 (4): 75-80.
Kozło w s k i J., Bu c hw al d W., M ścisz A., Mielcarek
S., Fo r y ck a A., S zc zy g le ws k a D., P rz yb y la k
J., M r oz i k ie w ic z P. M., 2006. Celowość badań fi-
tochemicznych nad żurawiną błotną i możliwość jej za-
stosowania w fitoterapii. / Usefulness of phytochemical
research on Oxycoccus palustris Pers. and possibility
of its use in phytotherapy. [In:] Blueberry and cranberry
growing (with ecological aspects). Book of Abstracts.
Instytut Sadownictwa i Kwiaciarstwa, Skierniewice:
229-235.
K r a s n o v V. P., O r l o v A. A., 1996. Urožajnost’ osnovnyh
âgodnyh rastenij iz sem. Ericaceae na Ukrainskom
Polec’e i vozmožnost’ èkspluatacii ih resursov posle
černobyl’skoj katastrofy. / Productivity of main berry-
bearing plants from the family Ericaceae in Ukrainian
Polessie and possibility of exploitation of their resources
after Chernobyl nuclear accident. Rast. Resursy, 32
(1-2): 41- 48.
Kurlovič L. E., K o s i c y n V. N., 2000. Vliânie gidrole-
someliorativnyh rabot različnoj intensivnosti na proek-
tivnoe pokrytie i urožajnost’ Oxycoccus palustris Pers.
v treh oblastâh evropejskoj časti Rossii. / Influence of
hydroforestmelioration works of different intensity on
the projective cover and productivity of Oxycoccus

Fruit yield of European cranberry (Oxycoccus palustris Pers.) in different plant communities... 105
palustris Pers. in three regions of European part of
Russia. Rast. Resursy, 36 (4): 17-23.
L a i Y. F., Yi nr o n g L., H o w e l l A. B., Vo r s a N., 2000.
The structure of cranberry proanthocyanidins which
inhibit adherence of uropathogenic pfimbriated Es-
cherichia coli in vitro. Phytochemistry, 54: 173-181.
M a t u s z k i e w i c z W., 2005. Przewodnik do oznaczania
zbiorowisk roślinnych Polski. PWN, Warszawa, 540.
M ur av ’e v I. A., Š at i lo V. V., 1973. Himičeskij sostav âgod
Oxycoccus quadripetalus Gilib. / Chemical composi-
tion of berry of Oxycoccus quadripetalus Gilib. Rast.
Resursy, 9 (3): 379-383.
N a v r á t i l o v á J., Na v r á t i l J., 2005. Vegetation gradients
in fishpond mires in relation to seasonal fluctuations in
environmental factors. Preslia, 77: 405-418.
Nekratova N. A., Nekratov N. F., Mihajlova S. I.,
1986. Resursy lekarstvennyh i âgodnyh rastenij v sever-
nyh rajonah Tomskoj oblasti. / Resources of medicinal
and berry plants in the northern areas of Tomsk Oblast.
Rast. Resursy, 22 (3): 297-310.
P l o t n ik o v D. A., Šm id t A. S., 1988. Zapasy dikorastuših
lekarstvennyh, âgodnyh i plodovyh rastenij v
Parabel’skom rajone Tomskoj oblasti. / Resources of
wild medicinal, berry and fruit plants in Parabel’ Raion
of the Tomsk Oblast. Rast. Resursy, 24 (2): 177-182.
R a a t i k a i n e n M., 1988. Estimates of wild berry yields in
Finland. Acta Bot. Fennica, 136: 9-10.
R a j k o P. N., S a u t i n V. I., 1973. Rasprostra nenie i urožajnost’
klûkvy v lesah Belorussii. / Distribution and yield of
cranberry in forest of Belarus. Rast. Resursy, 9 (1):
3-10.
R a v a n k o O., 1990. The taxonomic value of morphological
and cytological characteristics in Oxycoccus (subgenus
of Vaccinium, Ericaceae) species in Finland. Ann. Bot.
Fennici, 27: 235-239.
R i p a A., 1988. Rational use, reproduction and protection of
cranberries in the Latvian SSR. Acta Bot. Fennica, 136:
69-72.
R o d o w s k i D., 2001. Żurawina – nowe spojrzenie
na właściwości lecznicze. / Cranberry – new look at
medicinal properties. Postępy Fitoterapii, 6: 28-31.
R y d i n H., J e g l u m J., 2006. The biology of peatlands. Ox-
ford University Press, 343.
S n ig i r ev G. S., Hv e s’ k o O. I., 1978. Intensivnost’ cveteniâ
i plodonošeniâ nekotoryh âgodnyh rastenij v BSSR. /
Intensity of flowering and fruiting some berry plants in
BSSR. Rast. Resursy, 14 (1): 113-117.
StatSoft, Inc. 2005. STATISTICA (data analysis software sys-
tem), version 7.1. www.statsoft.com
S t ot h e r s L., 2002. A randomized trial to evaluate effective-
ness and cost effectiveness of naturopathic cranberry
products as prophylaxis against urinary tract infection
in woman. Can. J. Urol. 9: 1558-1562.
S u da J., 2002. Sympatric occurrences of various cytotypes of
Vaccinium sect. Oxycoccus (Ericaceae). Nord. J. Bot.
22 (5): 593-601.
S u d a J., Ly sá k M. A., 2001. A taxonomic study of the Vac-
cinium sect. Oxycoccus (Hill) W.D.J. Koch (Ericaceae)
in the Czech Republic and adjacent territories. Folia
Geobot. 36 (3): 303-320.
Š u t o v V. V., 1985. Vliânie èkologičeskih faktorov
na urožajnost’ Vaccinium myrtillus i Oxycoccus palus-
tris (Ericaceae). / The effect of ecological factors upon
the productivity of Vaccinium myrtillus and Oxycoccus
palustris (Ericaceae). Bot. Žurn. 70 (12): 1647-1653.
Ûd i n a V. F., 1988. On the European cranberry in Soviet Kare-
lia. Acta Bot. Fennica, 136: 73-76.
Ûd i n a V. F., 1997. Sostoânie izučennosti lekarstvennyh
i âgodnyh rastenij bolot Karelii. / The state of investiga-
tions of medicinal and berry plants of mires of Karelia.
Rast. Resursy, 33 (4): 109-116.
Zając A., Z a j ąc M. (eds.), 2001. Atlas rozmieszczenia roślin
naczyniowych w Polsce. UJ, Kraków: 392.
Plonowanie żurawiny błotnej
(Oxycoccus palustris Pers.)
w różnych zbiorowiskach roślinnych torfowisk
(północna Wielkopolska, Polska)
Streszczenie
Oxycoccus palustris jest jedną z najważniej-
szych roślin użytkowych rosnących na torfowiskach
północnej półkuli. Celem niniejszych badań było
określenie plonowania żurawiny błotnej w warunkach
klimatyczno-siedliskowych północnej Wielkopolski,
w zależności od typu zajmowanego zbiorowiska ro-
ślinnego. Określono całkowitą liczbę i masę owoców
oraz średnią wielkość liści żurawiny błotnej na 33
poletkach o powierzchni 1 m2, położonych na 7 tor-
fowiskach. Analizowano występowanie Oxycoccus
palustris w trzech zbiorowiskach z klasy Scheuchze-
rio-Caricetea fuscae oraz trzech z klasy Oxycocco-
Sphagnetea. Na wytyczonych powierzchniach żurawi-
na uzyskiwała plon od 9.2 do 242.0 g m-2, co daje
92-2420 kg ha-1. Wykazano znaczną zmienność
badanych cech omawianego gatunku. Stwierdzono
dodatnią korelację między średnią wielkością liści
a średnią masą owoców na poletkach. Można sądzić,
że opisywane przez innych autorów taksony: O. palu-
stris Pers. subsp. microphyllus (Lange) Löve et Löve
i O. palustris Pers. subsp. palustris var. macrophyllus
Gug., to dwa warunkowane siedliskowo ekotypy żura-
winy błotnej.Wykazano, że na torfowiskach północnej
Wielkopolski O. palustris osiąga optimum generatyw-
ne i wegetatywne w zbiorowiskach z klasy Scheuch-
zerio-Caricetea fuscae, szczególnie w zbiorowisku
Sphagno recurvi-Eriophoretum angustifolii.