Urban water bodies are an important asset in terms of climate change. The accompanying vegetation is an integral part of the waterside space system and a source of ecosystem services and disservices. The composition of greenery in waterside spaces should therefore be preceded by detailed research. This research would be the basis for the development of recommendations for enhancement of the positive impact of vegetation on humans and minimisation of its negative effect. The aim of the study was to identify ecosystem services and disservices of vegetation in the four most important waterside recreation spaces in the city of Rzeszów, Poland, and to develop plant composition guidelines. A detailed inventory of vegetation and aerobiological monitoring of the presence of airborne allergenic pollen grains and fungal spores were carried out. Next, the ecosystem services and disservices of the vegetation were determined based on literature data and on our expert judgement. Additionally, a counting of the number of visitors to waterside areas was conducted. All these steps were used to develop recommendations for shaping the vegetation of study areas. The results of the investigations show that the boulevards along the artificial lake function completely differently than other investigated places as the area resembles an urban park, and the water is not the main attraction in this space. The vegetation of the boulevards and the nearby gravel-pit bathing area has mostly a spontaneous character and offers the widest range of ecosystem services and disservices. The management of the vegetation should focus on its health-enhancing values. The vegetation growing near the outdoor swimming pools has been designed by man. Nevertheless, it requires recomposing and is targeted specifically at the enhancement of the visual attractiveness. Additionally, there is a need for planting compact deciduous trees that will provide shade at the multi-media fountain.

Basidiomycetes produce huge numbers of spores that can disperse over various distances. High spore concentrations are typically observed near the fruiting bodies, with their abundance in the air influenced by the specific habitat in which the fungi grow. The aim of this study was to investigate the concentration of airborne Boletus-type spores in a forest environment and evaluate the thesis that their dispersion beyond the forest is limited. Fungal spores were sampled in the summer and fall of 2022 in the forest, at its edge, and 1500 m away from the forest. The highest spore concentration was recorded in the forest interior, where approximately 76% of the total spores were detected. A noticeable decline in spore concentrations was observed at the forest edge, with a further significant reduction in open areas, including arable fields and mosaics of crops and heterogeneous plots, where spore presence accounted for only 12.1% of the total. During mushroom picking, airborne Boletus-type spores in the forest were unexpectedly high, so they could pose a threat to sensitized people.