Dr Paweł Kapusta
Assistant Professor
Research interests
- Biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationship.
- Soil biota-plant interactions.
- Functioning of soil and plants under heavy metal stress.
- Biomonitoring of atmoshperic pollution.
- Spatial processes in ecology.
Higher education and employment history
- MSc degree at the Jagiellonian University (2000).
- Research assistant at the W. Szafer Institute of Botany, PAS (2006).
- PhD degree at the Jagiellonian University (2007).
- Assistant professor at the W. Szafer Institute of Botany, PAS (since 2007).
- Habilitation at the W. Szafer Institute of Botany, PAS (2016).
Membership and awards
- Secretary of the Krakow Branch of the Polish Botanical Society (2007–2015).
- Member of the Serpentine Ecology Group (2009).
- Member of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) (2010).
- Member of the Editorial Board of Polish Botanical Journal (2013–2017).
- Member of the Scientific Council of the W. Szafer Institute of Botany, PAS (since 2019).
International experience
- Norway (2009) – several-day statistical course "Methods of gradient analysis"; Department of Biology, University of Oslo.
- Switzerland (2010) – several-day statistical course "Predictive habitat suitability modelling" within EcoChange Summer School; Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), Birmensdorf.
Research projects
- Spatial variability of the Niepołomice Forest ecosystem (2003–2006); grant no. 3 P04B 107 25; State Committee for Scientific Research in Poland (KBN); PhD project – main contractor.
- Spatio-temporal dynamics of spruce forests in the Tatra Mountains – dendrochronological reconstruction (2006–2009); grant no. N305 016 31/0658; Ministry of Science and Higher Education – contractor.
- Nutrient economy of pine trees under the stress caused by high concentration of heavy metals in the environment (2007–2010); grant no. N304 041 32/1966; Ministry of Science and Higher Education – contractor.
- Vegetation of calamine soils and its importance for biodiversity and landscape conservation in post-mining areas (2008–2011); grant no. PL0265; grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area – contractor.
- Variability of element stoichiometry in moss Pleurozium schreberi in a broad spatial scale (Poland) under different anthropogenic stress conditions (2010–2013); grant no. N 304 356 138; Ministry of Science and Higher Education – contractor.
- Soil physicochemical properties as well as plant diversity and composition as factors determining functioning of soil microorganisms of old heaps near Trzebinia, Jaworzno and Olkusz (2011–2014); grant no. N N305 018040; Ministry of Science and Higher Education – contractor.
- Handling of dead-wood resources in natural habitats in the context of sustainable forest management (2015–2020); grant no. OR.271.3.9.2150; General Direction of State Forests – contractor.
- Sooty moulds on ornamental woody plants in urban environments – diagnostics of causal agents of disease based on innovative integrative analyses of in vitro cultures and multilocus DNA sequences (2018–2021); grant no. 2017/27/B/NZ9/02902; National Science Centre (NCN) – contractor.
Recent publications (selected)
Stanek M., Kapusta P., Stefanowicz A.M. 2024. Effect of simulated litterfall and sapling growth of invasive Quercus rubra and native Q. robur on soil in a pot experiment. Forest Ecology and Management 551: 121505. DOI
Stefanowicz A.M., Kapusta P., Stanek M., Rożek K., Rola K., Zubek S. 2023. Herbaceous plant species and their combinations positively affect soil microorganisms and processes and modify soil physicochemical properties in a mesocosm experiment. Forest Ecology and Management 532: 120826. DOI
Woch M.W., Kapusta P., Stanek M., Możdżeń K., Grześ I.M., Rożej-Pabijan E., Stefanowicz A.M. 2023. Effects of invasive Rosa rugosa on Baltic coastal dune communities depend on dune age. Neobiota 82: 163–187. DOI
Stefanowicz A.M., Kapusta P., Stanek M., Rola K., Zubek S. 2022. Herbaceous plant species support soil microbial performance in deciduous temperate forests. Science of the Total Environment 810: 151313. DOI
Zubek S., Kapusta P., Rożek K., Błaszkowski J., Gielas I., Nobis M., Świerszcz S., Nowak A. 2022. Fungal root colonization and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi diversity in soils of grasslands with different mowing intensities. Applied Soil Ecology 172: 104358. DOI
Zubek S., Kapusta P., Stanek M., Woch M.W., Błaszkowski J. Stefanowicz A.M. 2022. Reynoutria japonica invasion negatively affects arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi communities regardless of the season and soil conditions. Applied Soil Ecology 169: 104152. DOI
Stefanowicz A.M., Kapusta P., Stanek M., Frąc M., Oszust K., Woch M.W., Zubek S. 2021. Invasive plant Reynoutria japonica produces large amounts of phenolic compounds and reduces the biomass but not activity of soil microbial communities. Science of the Total Environment 767: 145439. DOI
Woch M.W., Kapusta P., Stanek M., Zubek S., Stefanowicz A.M. 2021. Functional traits predict resident plant response to Reynoutria japonica invasion in riparian and fallow communities in southern Poland. AoB PLANTS 13: plab035. DOI
Holeksa J., Kapusta P., Budziakowska-Kubik E., Izworska K., Kurek P., Piechnik Ł., Szarek-Łukaszewska G., Wojterska M., Zielonka T., Żywiec M. 2020. Stan martwego drewna na terenie Puszczy Niepołomickiej jako wynik długotrwałego użytkowania lasu i krótkotrwałej ochrony w ramach sieci Natura 2000. Fragmenta Floristica et Geobotanica Polonica 27: 119–139. DOI
Kapusta P., Godzik B. 2020. Temporal and cross-regional variability in the level of air pollution in Poland – A study using moss as a bioindicator. Atmosphere 11: 157. DOI
Kapusta P., Kurek P., Piechnik Ł., Szarek-Łukaszewska G., Zielonka T., Żywiec M., Holeksa J. 2020. Natural and human-related determinants of dead wood quantity and quality in a managed European lowland temperate forest. Forest Ecology and Management 459: 117845. DOI
Kurek P., Piechnik Ł., Ledwoń M., Szarek-Łukaszewska G., Kapusta P., Holeksa J. 2020. Cechy drzew i drzewostanu a występowanie dzięcioła średniego Leiopicus medius – wskazówki dla gospodarki leśnej na przykładzie Puszczy Niepołomickiej. Fragmenta Floristica et Geobotanica Polonica 27: 45–54. DOI
Owczarek-Kościelniak M., Krzewicka B., Piątek J., Kołodziejczyk Ł.M., Kapusta P. 2020. Is there a link between the biological colonization of the gravestone and its deterioration? International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation 148: 104879. DOI
Piszczek M.A., Izworska K., Kapusta P., Kurek P., Piechnik Ł., Seget B., Szarek-Łukaszewska G., Zielonka T., Holeksa J. 2020. Cięcia przygodne i pielęgnacyjne a ilość martwego drewna na terenie obszaru Natura 2000 "Puszcza Niepołomicka". Fragmenta Floristica et Geobotanica Polonica 27: 155–167. DOI
Stefanowicz A.M., Kapusta P., Zubek S., Stanek M., Woch M.W. 2020. Soil organic matter prevails over heavy metal pollution and vegetation as a factor shaping soil microbial communities at historical Zn-Pb mining sites. Chemosphere 240: 124922. DOI
Zduńczyk P., Piechnik Ł., Szarek-Łukaszewska G., Holeksa J., Kapusta P. 2020. Stan drobnej leżaniny w lasach gospodarczych i rezerwatach Puszczy Niepołomickiej. Fragmenta Floristica et Geobotanica Polonica 27: 141–153. DOI
Zubek S., Majewska M.L., Kapusta P., Stefanowicz A.M., Błaszkowski J., Rożek K., Stanek M., Karpowicz F., Zalewska-Gałosz J. 2020. Solidago canadensis invasion in abandoned arable fields induces minor changes in soil properties and does not affect the performance of subsequent crops. Land Degradation and Development 31: 334–345. DOI
Kapusta P., Stanek M., Szarek-Łukaszewska G., Godzik B. 2019. Long-term moss monitoring of atmospheric deposition near a large steelworks reveals the growing importance of local non-industrial sources of pollution. Chemosphere 230: 29–39. DOI
Walczyńska A., Kapusta P. 2017. Microclimate buffering of winter temperatures by pine stumps in a temperate forest. Climate Dynamics 48: 1953–1961. DOI
Zubek S., Majewska M.L., Błaszkowski J., Stefanowicz A.M., Nobis M., Kapusta P. 2016. Invasive plants affect arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi abundance and species richness as well as the performance of native plants grown in invaded soils. Biology and Fertility of Soils 52: 879–893. DOI