Vascular Plants Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Invasions of Typha (cattail) and/or Phragmites (common reed) in wetland ecosystems result in changes in species richness, diversity and composition of vascular plants. These invasions are particularly harmful in lakes where threatened species and/or communities are found. The spread of two species of Typha (T. angustifolia and T. latifolia) and of Phragmites australis in the Stagnone Lake, on Capraia Island

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- Statistical Analysis, Multivariate Analysis, Plant Diversity, Biological Sciences

Patterns of fungal colonization, mass loss and biochemical changes during the decomposition of predried and fresh (naturally fallen) leaves of Rhizophora mucronata were studied in a southwest mangrove of India. Dried and fresh leaves in litter bags were introduced at the mid-tide zone and retrieved after 1, 2, 4, 8, 10, 12 and 14 weeks. On incubation in the laboratory, a total of 5 ascomycetes and 18 anamorphic fungi were recorded. The majority of anamorphic taxa were natural inhabitants of the phyllosphere of senescent leaves. Following two weeks of exposure, they were largely replaced by marine fungi (ascomycetes and anamorphic fungi). More taxa were recovered from dried than from fresh leaves, and predrying accelerated the initial rate of mass loss. Ergosterol levels were much lower than those reported from vascular plant detritus exposed in other aquatic habitats. Both ergosterol and nitrogen levels peaked after between 4 weeks and 8 weeks of exposure; ergosterol levels subsequently declined, while nitrogen remained stable in predried leaves and fell in fresh leaves. The dynamics of remaining mass for the first 8 weeks of exposure were best described by a double-exponential decay model. The decay rate then appeared to accelerate, and the second phase was best described by a single exponential decay model. The apparent breakpoint coincided with an increase in the salinity of the mangrove swamp.

- by Felix Baerlocher
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- Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Wetlands Ecology, Nitrogen

In semi-arid areas with sparse vegetation cover, runoff generated in the open areas is crucial for the maintenance of vegetated patches. Microphytic crusts play a major role in this redistribution of water, thus in¯uencing ecosystem functioning and dynamics. We investigated the effects of alpha grass (Stipa tenacissima L.) on the composition of the microphytic crusts, surface soil compaction, and in®ltration in a semi-arid steppe of SE Spain. The microphytic crust composition differed between the upslope of S. tenacissima tussocks (tussock microsites) and the inter-tussock areas with sparse vascular plant cover (open microsites), with more moss cover in the tussock microsite, and more cyanobacteria and lichens in the open microsite. The surface soil compaction was higher in the open microsite. Variables related with in®ltration showed a clear microsite effect, with higher in®ltration rate and less time required by ®rst drop to percolate in the tussock microsite. Partial correlation analysis showed a signi®cant negative relationship between the cyanobacteria cover and the in®ltration rate, and both the cyanobacteria cover and the percentage of bare soil showed a signi®cant positive relationship with the time required for ®rst drop to percolate. Our results reinforce the idea that open microsites act as sources of water for S. tenacissima tussocks. This study helps to understand the interactions between microphytic crusts and vascular plants in semi-arid environments. q

- by Susana Bautista
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- Water resources, Biological Sciences, Percolation, Environmental Sciences

The CESA gene superfamily of Arabidopsis and other seed plants comprises the CESA family, which encodes the catalytic subunits of cellulose synthase, and eight families of CESA-like (CSL) genes whose functions are largely unknown. The CSL genes have been proposed to encode processive beta-glycosyl transferases that synthesize noncellulosic cell wall polysaccharides. BLAST searches of EST and shotgun genomic sequences from the moss Physcomitrella patens (Hedw.) B.S.G. were used to identify genes with high similarity to vascular plant CESAs, CSLAs, CSLCs, and CSLDs. However, searches using Arabidopsis CSLBs, CSLEs, and CSLGs or rice CSLFs or CSLHs as queries identified no additional CESA superfamily members in P. patens, indicating that this moss lacks representatives of these families. Intron insertion sites are highly conserved between Arabidopsis and P. patens in all four shared gene families. However, phylogenetic analysis strongly supports independent diversification of the shared families in mosses and vascular plants. The lack of orthologs of vascular plant CESAs in the P. patens genome indicates that the divergence of mosses and vascular plants predated divergence and specialization of CESAs for primary and secondary cell wall syntheses and for distinct roles within the rosette terminal complexes. In contrast to Arabidopsis, the CSLD family is highly represented among P. patens ESTs. This is consistent with the proposed function of CSLDs in tip growth and the central role of tip growth in the development of the moss protonema.

- by Alison Roberts
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- Genetics, Plant Biology, Plant Molecular Biology, Phylogenetic analysis

Long-term changes in the carbohydrate composition of 5 dierent vascular plant tissues, including black mangrove leaves and wood (Avicennia germinans), cypress needles and wood (Taxodium distichum) and smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterni¯ora), were measured as these tissues decomposed over a 4 yr period under sub-aqueous conditions. Carbohydrate composition was measured using a molecular-level analysis for neutral sugars and a modi®ed version of the MBTH (3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazone hydrochloride) method for colorimetric determination of total carbohydrate yields. Minimal cross contamination from non-carbohydrate vascular plant constituents indicated the MBTH method was highly speci®c for carbohydrates. The dierence between total carbohydrate yields using the MBTH method and total neutral sugar yields revealed a substantial carbohydrate fraction (7±23% of the total plant carbon) in fresh and senescent tissues that was not identi®ed at the molecular level. The molecularly uncharacterized fraction of carbohydrates probably consisted of ketoses, uronic acids and amino sugars.

- by Stephen Opsahl and +1
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- Earth Sciences, Organic Geochemistry, Decomposition, Environmental Sciences

Ninot, J.M., Ferré, A., Grau, O., Font, X., Pérez-Haase, A. & Carrillo, E. Environmental drivers and plant species diversity in the Catalan and Andorran Pyrenees. Lazaroa 34: 89-105 (2013).

- by Josep Ninot
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- Botany, Ecology, Biogeography, Species Richness

Distribution and plant mass of aquatic macrophytes, and their relation to environmental conditions was studied in the submontane-colline Slatina river in 2004. Diversity of macrophytes was low, only 8 vascular plants, 3 mosses and group Algae filamentosae were found. Myriophyllum spicatum is dominant species, Fontinalis antipyretica, Rhynchostegium riparioides and Algae filamentosae are frequent. Interactions between flow class, bed material, depth of water and the first three mentioned macrophytes, as well as Jungermannia leiantha were detected. Sparganium erectum prefers more antrophogenic conditions and Myriophyllum spicatum prefers the light. According to cluster analysis, three distinct and ecologically well separated parts of the river were identified. Based on Reference index, poor ecological status for the studied part of the Slatina river was estimated.

- by I. Jarolímek
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- Biological Sciences, Biologia, Aquatic Macrophytes, Cluster Analysis

Burial of organic carbon (OC) in ocean sediments acts as the ultimate long-term sink for both terrestrial and marine carbon, however, the mechanisms controlling the preservation of this carbon are poorly understood. To better understand these mechanisms, we applied solid-state 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, along with elemental, stable carbon isotopic (d 13 C) and lignin phenol analyses, to size and density fractions of sediments influenced by either mixed terrestrial and marine OC inputs (Washington Coast slope) or dominantly marine inputs (Mexican Margin). Elemental, isotopic and lignin analyses all reveal that within the Washington Coast sediment, the OC mixes linearly between nitrogen-poor and 13 C-depleted, lignin-rich OC in the large and light fractions and nitrogen-rich and 13 C-enriched, lignin-poor OC in the small and dense fractions, suggesting that this sediment contains a two-component mixture of terrestrial vascular plant-and marine-derived OC. The integral areas of each of seven NMR spectral regions in the different samples trend linearly when plotted versus d 13 C signature, with most R 2 values of 0.78 or greater, demonstrating that the NMR spectra of the two sources of carbon also mix linearly between the two endmembers. The terrestrial endmember in this sediment appears to be dominated by lignin and black carbon whereas the source of the marine endmember is less clear from the NMR spectra. In contrast, all of the analyses indicate that OC in the Mexican Margin sediment fractions is homogenous and derives almost exclusively from marine sources. It appears that selective preservation of (bio)chemically recalcitrant lignin and black carbon is the primary mechanism of preservation of terrestrial OC, whereas mineral-protection is the dominant mechanism preserving marine OC in the Washington coast sediment. There is little evidence showing that either preservation mechanism functions in the Mexican Margin sediments.

- by Ronald Smernik
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- Geology, Geochemistry, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, NMR Spectroscopy

This study examines estimates of extinction rates for the current purported biotic crisis and from the fossil record. Studies that compare current and geological extinctions sometimes use metrics that confound different sources of error and reflect different features of extinction processes. The per taxon extinction rate is a standard measure in paleontology that avoids some of the pitfalls of alternative approaches. Extinction rates reported in the conservation literature are rarely accompanied by measures of uncertainty, despite many elements of the calculations being subject to considerable error. We quantify some of the most important sources of uncertainty and carry them through the arithmetic of extinction rate calculations using fuzzy numbers. The results emphasize that estimates of current and future rates rely heavily on assumptions about the tempo of extinction and on extrapolations among taxa. Available data are unlikely to be useful in measuring magnitudes or trends in current extinction rates.

- by Andrew Drinnan
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- Biological Sciences, Fossil record, Mass Extinction, Fuzzy Set

The aims of this paper are to describe the state of the environmental knowledge of the terrestrial National Parks (NPs) in Italy and to assess their conservation status and their efficacy to deal with the pressures of land changes. We collected and analysed data regarding land units, vegetation series, old-growth forests, Important Plant Areas (IPAs) and changes in landscape conservation status, to provide a systemic overview of the condition of the NPs and to verify their effectiveness against pressures and impacts induced by human activities. Moreover, NPs were organised according to the ecoregional setting for a multi-scale interpretation of biodiversity baselines and indicators. The results highlight the essential role of NP system for biodiversity conservation in Italy. The long-term protection regime proved to be particularly effective as a means of conserving ageing forest communities, threatened vascular plants and contrasting threats posed by human-induced changes. However, this work points out the need for more detailed scientific data for a comprehensive assessment of the representativeness and effectiveness of the NP system.

- by D. Smiraglia
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- Plant Biology, Ecology, Environmental Accounting, Biodiversity Conservation

The success of restoration plantings in restoring indigenous forest vascular plant and ground invertebrate biodiversity was assessed on previously grasscovered sites in the eastern South Island, New Zealand. The composition and structure of grassland, three different aged restoration plantings (12, 30, and 35 years old), a naturally regenerating forest (100 years old), and a remnant of the original old-growth forest of the area were measured. The restoration plantings are dominated by the native tree Olearia paniculata , which is not indigenous to the study area. Despite this, indigenous forest invertebrate and plant species are present in all three restoration sites and with increasing age the restoration sites become compositionally more similar to the naturally regenerating and mature forest sites. In particular the regenerating vegetation of the restoration sites is very similar floristically to the regenerating vegetation of the naturally regenerating and mature forest sites, despite marked differences in the current canopy vegetation reflecting the presence of the planted O. paniculata . The presence of regeneration in all three restoration sites indicates that the functional processes that initiate regeneration, such as dispersal, are present. The majority of regenerating tree species (71%) are bird dispersed and it is clear that birds play an important role in the recolonization of plant species at these sites despite the absence of edible fruit attractive to frugivorous birds on O. paniculata , a wind-dispersed species. The strong correlations between plant and invertebrate community composition and study-site age ( r ϭ 0.80, Ϫ 0.24, Ϫ 0.68 for plants, beetles, and spiders, respectively) suggest that the restoration site plant and invertebrate communities are undergoing change in the direction of the naturally regenerating and mature forest communities. Without restoration, colonization of grassland by forest plants is very slow in the study area and the restoration plantings studied here have been successful because they have considerably accelerated the return to forest at these sites.

- by Stephen Reay
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- Restoration Ecology, Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences, New Zealand
- by Allan Bornstein
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- Plant Biology, Vascular Plants, Castanea

This study combines existing hydraulic principles with recently developed methods for probing leaf hydraulic function to determine whether xylem physiology can explain the dynamic response of gas exchange both during drought and in the recovery phase after rewatering. Four conifer species from wet and dry forests were exposed to a range of water stresses by withholding water and then rewatering to observe the recovery process. During both phases midday transpiration and leaf water potential (C leaf) were monitored. Stomatal responses to C leaf were established for each species and these relationships used to evaluate whether the recovery of gas exchange after drought was limited by postembolism hydraulic repair in leaves. Furthermore, the timing of gas-exchange recovery was used to determine the maximum survivable water stress for each species and this index compared with data for both leaf and stem vulnerability to water-stress-induced dysfunction measured for each species. Recovery of gas exchange after water stress took between 1 and .100 d and during this period all species showed strong 1:1 conformity to a combined hydraulic-stomatal limitation model (r 2 = 0.70 across all plants). Gas-exchange recovery time showed two distinct phases, a rapid overnight recovery in plants stressed to ,50% loss of leaf hydraulic conductance (K leaf) and a highly C leaf-dependent phase in plants stressed to .50% loss of K leaf. Maximum recoverable water stress (C min) corresponded to a 95% loss of K leaf. Thus, we conclude that xylem hydraulics represents a direct limit to the drought tolerance of these conifer species.

- by Tim Brodribb
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- Water, Desiccation Tolerance, Biological Sciences, Plant Physiology

Information on richness of plant resources, and their forms of use and management in the biosphere reserve Tehuaccin-Cuicatldn, Mexico is analyzed. This 10 000 km 2 region hosts nearly 2700 vascular plant species, and it is acknowledged as one of the arid areas with the highest floristic diversity in North America. The seven indigenous ethnic groups that live in this region have cultural roots that date back almost 10 000 years. Based upon ethnobotanical and floristic studies, as well as bibliographical sources, a total of 808 useful plant species were identified, most of them (90%) being native, and 44 species being endemic to the region. A total of 681 species are wild plants, 109 are weeds and ruderal plants, and 86 are domesticated crops. However, it was noted that considerable overlap exists between the species of these 3 categories. For example, while wild and ruderal plants (706 species) are foraged by both humans and domestic animals, 59 species of this group are also managed in situ. On the other hand, 168 wild, ruderal and domesticated species are cultivated. The Tehuacdn-Cuicatldn Valley is one of the richest regions of Mexico in plant resources. Local knowledge on use and management of plants is a valuable source of information for designing conservation and social development strategies for the biosphere reserve. RECURSOS VEGETALES DEE VALLE DE TEHUACAN-CUICATLA.N, MI~XICO. Se analiza informaci6n sobre la riqueza de recursos vegetales, as{ como sus formas de uso y manejo en la reserva de la biosfera Tehuaccin-Cuicatldn, M~xico. Esta regi6n, con una extensi6n de 10 000 km z, alberga a cerca de 2700 especies de plantas vasculares y e s reconocida como una de las zonas 6ridas con mayor diversidad florfstica de Norteamdrica. Incluye ademds a siete grupos dtnicos indfgenas con una historia cultural iniciada hace aproximadamente 10 000 a~os. Con base en estudios etnobotdnicos y florfsticos, asf como informaci6n bibliogrdfica, se identificaron un total de 808 especies de plantas lltiles, la mayor parte de las cuales (90%) son nativas y 44 son enddmicas para la regi6n. Un total de 681 especies son silvestres, 109 son arvenses y ruderales, y 86 son domesticadas, con algunas especies presentando al mismo tiempo condici6n de silvestres, arvenses y domesticadas. En total, 706 especies de plantas silvestres, arvenses y ruderales son forrajeadas tanto por humanos como por animales do-m~sticos en las 6reas donde se encuentran, pero 59 de ellas son tambidn manejadas in situ, mientras que 168 especies silvestres, arvenses y ruderales, asf como domesticadas, son cultivadas. El Valle de Tehuacdn es una de las regiones de Mdxico con mayor diversidad de recursos vegetales. El conocimiento indigena sobre uso y manejo de las plantas locales es una fuente de informaci6n valiosa para el dise~o de estrategias de conservaci6n y desarrollo social para la reserva de la biosfera.

- by Alfonso Banuet
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- Plant Biology, Social Development, Economic botany, North America

PlantÁherbivore dynamics is a major topic in ecological research, but empirical knowledge on the ecological effects of different densities of large grazers from fully replicated experiments is rare. Previous studies have focused on grazing vs no grazing, and our understanding of the extent to which different levels of grazing alter vegetation composition, and how quickly such effects can be measured, is therefore limited. We performed a fully replicated, short-term (four-year) experiment using large enclosures (each Â0.3 km 2 ) with three different sheep densities (no grazing, low grazing and high grazing, respectively) in an alpine environment with summer grazing in southern Norway to address these issues. Sheep grazing mainly affected plant species at high densities of sheep as compared to no sheep after a four-year treatment; few effects of low sheep densities were detectable. Highly selected herbs, herbs suggested vulnerable to trampling, and woody species decreased, while most graminoids, one ruderal, one prostrate species and two bryophyte taxa increased at high sheep densities. We found contrasting responses within main functional groups highlighting that fine details of plant life histories need to be known for responses to grazing to be successfully predicted. Vascular plant cover and bare soil responded to sheep density after two years of treatment, but only for one of the species was frequency change observed at this stage. Overall, plants in low grazing plots were found to be almost unaffected. Changes in abundance were mainly found at the no grazing and high grazing treatments. Plant species that decreased at high grazing generally increased at no grazing and vice versa, suggesting a response to both cessation of grazing and enhanced grazing respectively. Our study demonstrates, beyond a simple comparison of heavily grazed and non-grazed sites, that herbivore effects on plants are typically non-linearly related to herbivore density, and that the speed of plant responses will depend both on the plant property examined and the grazing pressure.

- by Kristian Hassel
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- Life history, Ecology, Oikos, Functional Group

Peter T. Wolter1,2,* and Mark A. White1 1Center for Water and the Environment, Natural Resources Research Institute, University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, MN 55811, USA; 2Current address: University of Wisconsin Green Bay, 2420... more

- by Mark White
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- Landscape Ecology, Earth Sciences, Environmental Science, Biological Sciences

Anthropogenic nitrogen deposition over the past half century has had a detrimental impact on temperate ecosystems in Europe and North America, resulting in soil acidification and a reduction in plant biodiversity 1,2 . During the acidification process, soils release base cations, such as calcium and magnesium, neutralizing the increase in acidity. Once these base cations have been depleted, aluminium is released from the soils, often reaching toxic levels. Here, we present results from a nitrogen deposition experiment that suggests that a long legacy of acid deposition in the Western Tatra Mountains of Slovakia has pushed soils to a new threshold of acidification usually associated with acid mine drainage soils. We show that increases in nitrogen deposition in the region result in a depletion of both base cations and soluble aluminium, and an increase in extractable iron concentrations. In conjunction with this, we observe a nitrogendeposition-induced reduction in the biomass of vascular plants, associated with a decrease in shoot calcium and magnesium concentrations. We suggest that this site, and potentially others in central Europe, have reached a new and potentially more toxic level of soil acidification in which aluminium release is superseded by iron release into soil water.

- by Juraj Hresko
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- Acid Mine Drainage, Multidisciplinary, Magnesium, Nitrogen deposition

The total number of vascular plant species was counted and growth form distribution was studied in the ChocoÂ area on the Paci®c coast of Colombia, in two transects 400´10 m and ten transects 2´50 m, for a total sampled area of 0.9 ha. The species count of the ten transects (442 species in 0.1 ha) appears to be the highest number of species recorded with this methodology. There were 970 species for the total area (0.9 ha). Ninety to ninety-®ve percent of the species were under 10 cm dbh and 70±86% under 2.5 cm dbh, epiphytes and small trees and treelets £10 cm dbh being the most diverse growth forms. The most species-rich families and genera were those represented by herbaceous plants and treelets. Individuals were counted only in the ten 2´50 m transects (0.1 ha), where 4459 individuals were found. Palms and ferns were the most abundant growth forms. Arguments are presented against the way diversity is usually measured. Recommendations are made to include other growth forms besides trees when assessing alpha diversity for conservation purposes.

- by Gloria Galeano
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- Ecology, Biodiversity Conservation, Species Richness, Vascular Plants

Eutrophication has long been known to negatively aVect aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems worldwide. In freshwater ecosystems, excessive nutrient input results in a shift from vascular plant dominance to algal dominance, while the nutrient-species richness relationship is found to be unimodal. Eutrophication studies are usually conducted in continuously aquatic or terrestrial habitats, but it is unclear how these patterns may be altered by temporal heterogeneity driven by precipitation and temperature variation. The California vernal pool (CVP) ecosystem consists of three distinct phases (aquatic, terrestrial, and dry) caused by variation in climatic conditions. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that resource addition during the aquatic phase results in increased algal abundance, which reduces vascular plant cover and richness of the terrestrial phase upon desiccation. We used mesocosms layered with CVP soil, in which treatments consisted of Wve levels of nitrogen and phosphorous added every 2 weeks. Resource addition increased available phosphorus levels and algae cover during the aquatic phase. Increased algal crusts resulted in decreased vascular plant percent cover and species richness. Few signiWcant patterns were observed with individual plant species and total biomass. The phosphorus-plant richness relationship was not signiWcant, but species composition was signiWcantly diVerent among the low and high treatment comparisons. These results highlight a neglected eVect of eutrophication in seasonal habitats. Interactions among ecosystem phases clearly require more attention empirically and theoretically.

- by Jamie Kneitel
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- Wetlands, Biomass, Ecology, Climate

Changes to vegetation and soil were assessed in primeval forests of the Eastern Carpathians after a period of 59-68 years. We hypothesized that forest ecosystems were acidified through the long-distance transport of air pollutants. A total of 141 relevés and 20 soil profiles that had been studied in 1938 in spruceand beech-dominated forests along an altitudinal gradient ranging from 1085-1575 m a.s.l. were re-surveyed from 1997 to 2006. Relevés were analyzed using multidimensional statistics and plant community characteristics (Shannon-Wiener's index, equitability, fidelity, Ellenberg indication values -EIV); soil reaction and sorption complex properties were analyzed in soils.

- by Antonín Buček and +2
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- Forest Ecology And Management, Biological Sciences, Cattle Grazing, Environmental Sciences
- by Pertti Uotila
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- Earth Sciences, Biogeography, Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences
- by Emily Ferguson
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- Water Management, Vascular Plants

Hurricanes and other major storms cause acute changes in salinity within Florida's streams and rivers. Winddriven tidal surges that increase salinities may have long-lasting effects on submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) and the associated fauna. We investigated potential effects of salinity pulses on SAV in Kings Bay, Florida, by subjecting the three most common macrophytes, Vallisneria americana, Myriophyllum spicatum, and Hydrilla verticillata, to simulated salinity pulses. In Kings Bay, we documented changes in salinity during three storms in September 2004 and measured biomass and percent cover before and after these storms. During experiments, macrophytes were exposed to salinities of 5%, 15%, or 25% for 1, 2, or 7 d, with a 28-d recovery period in freshwater. Relative to controls, plants subjected to salinities of 5% exhibited few significant decreases in growth and no increase in mortality. All three species exhibited decreased growth in salinities of 15% or 25%. H. verticillata exhibited 100% mortality at 15% and 25%, irrespective of the duration of exposure. M. spicatum and V. americana exhibited increased mortality after 7-d exposures to 15% or any exposure to 25%. Maximum daily salinities in Kings Bay approached or exceeded 15% after each of the three storms, with pulses generally lasting less than 2 d. Total aboveground biomass and percent cover of vascular plants were reduced following the storms. M. spicatum exhibited an 83% decrease in aboveground biomass and an 80% decrease in percent cover. H. verticillata exhibited a 47% and 15% decline in biomass and percent cover, respectively. V. americana exhibited an 18% increase in aboveground biomass and a 37% increase in percent cover, which suggests greater tolerance of salinity pulses and release from competition with the invasive H. verticillata and M. spicatum. Our results indicate that rapid, storm-induced pulses of high salinity can have important consequences for submersed aquatic vegetation, restoration efforts, and management of invasive species.

- by Thomas Frazer
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- Earth Sciences, Invasive Species, Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences

Plant and bird diversity in the Indonesian jungle rubber agroforestry system was compared to that in primary forest and rubber plantations by integrating new and existing data from a lowland rain forest area in Sumatra. Jungle rubber gardens are low-input rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) agroforests that structurally resemble secondary forest and in which wild species are tolerated by the farmer. As primary forests have almost completely disappeared from the lowlands of the Sumatra peneplain, our aim was to assess the contribution of jungle rubber as a land use type to the conservation of plant and bird species, especially those that are associated with the forest interior of primary and old secondary forest. Speciesaccumulation curves were compiled for terrestrial and epiphytic pteridophytes, trees and birds, and for subsets of 'forest species' of terrestrial pteridophytes and birds. Comparing jungle rubber and primary forest, groups differed in relative species richness patterns. Species richness in jungle rubber was slightly higher (terrestrial pteridophytes), similar (birds) or lower (epiphytic pteridophytes, trees, vascular plants as a whole) than in primary forest. For subsets of 'forest species' of terrestrial pteridophytes and birds, species richness in jungle rubber was lower than in primary forest. For all groups, species richness in jungle rubber was generally higher than in rubber plantations. Although species conservation in jungle rubber is limited by management practices and by a slash-and-burn cycle for replanting of about 40 years, this forest-like land use does support species diversity in an impoverished landscape increasingly dominated by monoculture plantations.

- by Gregoire Vincent and +1
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- Agroforestry, Biodiversity Conservation, Land Use, Hevea brasiliensis

Vascular flora of the Trapani littoral between Ronciglio and Capo San Vito (NW Sicily). – The list of the vascular plants observed and collected in the Trapani littoral between Ronciglio and Capo San Vito (NW Sicily) during the last 20years is presented here and commented. In total, 541 specific and infraspecific taxa were recorded. This flora has marked Mediterranean characteristics as shown by the absolute prevalence of therophytes as well as Mediterranean chorotypes.
Among the most interesting taxa belonging to this flora are some halophytes and rare endemics such as Biscutella maritima,Calendula maritima, Cynomorium coccineum, Erica sicula, Galium litorale, Halocnemum strobilaceum, Limonium bocconei,L. ponzoi, Limoniastrum monopetalum e Pseudoscabiosa limonifolia.

- by Michele Aleo and +1
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- Mediterranean, Biodiversity, Flora, Vascular Plants
- by David Bickford
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- Southeast Asia, Ecology, Biodiversity, Capacity Building

- by Felix Baerlocher
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- Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Wetlands Ecology, Nitrogen

The effect of light on different understory plant groups (herbs, ground floor bryophytes, trunkdwelling bryophytes and seedlings) was studied in a deciduous-coniferous mixed woodland in Western Hungary. The correlation of cover and species richness in each group and the cover of individual species to relative diffuse light were analyzed at different spatial scales. The study was carried out in 34 forest stands with different tree species composition. The importance of light in determining species composition was investigated by redundancy analysis. Species within each plant group were classified based on their light response. Light was positively correlated with species richness of herbs, cover of ground floor and trunkdwelling bryophytes, and species richness and cover of seedlings. In redundancy analysis, the variance explained by light was 13.0% for herbs, 15.0% for bryophytes and 8.6% for seedlings. Within the group of herbs, species preferring open conditions and light-flexible (gap) species were separated on the basis of the spatial scale of the analysis, while shade-tolerant species were not correlated positively with light. Among bryophytes mainly terricolous, opportunistic and mineral soil-inhabiting species showed significant positive correlations with light, while epiphytic and epixylic species did not respond to light. Seedlings of Quercus petraea and Pinus sylvestris were positively related to light, while most other seedling species were shade-tolerant. In case of vascular plants, the species' correlations with light were in agreement with their light indicator values; however, they were independent in the case of bryophytes. This study proved that the extent and spatial pattern of light influenced strongly the understory plant groups. Species within each group respond to light conditions differently, concerning the strength, direction and spatial scale of the relationships.

- by Péter Ódor and +1
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- Plant Ecology, Plant Biology, Ecology, Biodiversity

The biological colonization of mural paintings in rocky habitats is a widely recurring phenomenon and should be considered for restoration activities. In order to plan conservation treatment of the Crypt of the Original Sin (Matera, Italy), biodeterioration problems were analysed taking into account their impact on the substrate and their relationship with environmental factors. The mural paintings showed a phenomenology of alteration varying from brilliant green, dark green, brown, and black duff patinas with powdery aspect, to rosy discoloration. These phenomena were linked to different microbial colonizations by Cyanobacteria (Chlorogloea microcystoides, Chroococcus lithophilus, Gloeocapsa spp., Gloeothece rupestris, Pseudocapsa dubia) and green algae (Apatococcus lobatus, Chlorella vulgaris, Chlorococcum sp., Muriella terrestris). The rosy discoloration was connected to pigment production by Actinobacteria related to Rubrobacter radiotolerans. Grey-green patinas, limited to more ventilated areas, were caused by lichen growth (Dirina massiliensis f. sorediata). Vascular plants (Adiantum capillus-veneris) were also detected in wall areas affected by rising damp. To control the growth of microflora, biocide treatment and intervention to reduce humidity and sunlight exposure of mural paintings were suggested. To choose the correct biocide, different products were tested, evaluating their efficiency on Cyanobacteria and algae as well as possible effects on the calcarenite stone.

- by M. Nugari and +1
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- Biological Sciences, Green Algae, Biodeterioration and Biodegradation, Vascular Plants

steam explosion processes are fundamentally hydrolytic' in nature. Fractionation of a prototype hardwood, Populus tremuloides, was optimized in a 4 t/h pilot plant STAKE H unit located in Sherbrooke, QuObec. The aim was to find operational zones which maximized the recoveries of hemicelluloses (pentosans), lignin and cellulose. A phenomenological approach, based on the definition of a severity parameter R = t *exp[(T-100)/14"75] which combines time, t (min), and temperature, T (°C), to express the severity of a given pretreatment, was developed. Performance curves, using the R o parameter, have been experimentally determined. These indicated that the maximum recovery of pentosans is 65% of the potential at logtoR o =3"8. Under these conditions, lignin recovery by caustic extraction was about 80% of total lignin. Cellulose was completely recovered at this severity but needed to be bleached to achieve its natural coloration. At severities both ,greater and smaller than lo&oR o =3.8 pentosans recovery decreased. The celhdose det4ved from the steam fractionation process was rapidly depolymerized as severity increased, whilst its enzymatic digestibility was close to theoretical at severities beyond lo&oR,, =3"2. The results" obtained suggest that

- by Ralph Overend
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- Multidisciplinary, Vascular Plants, Forest Products, Pilot Plant

Slash harvesting from forests to provide bioenergy reduces the amount of woody debris in the managed forest landscape and changes the physical and chemical environment in clear-cuts. We examined previously unstudied effects of commercial (i.e. nonexperimental) slash harvest on species composition and richness of liverworts, mosses and vascular plants. The results call for modification of commercial slash harvest practices. 2. Differences between conventionally harvested (i.e. slash left) and slash-harvested stands were investigated 5-10 years after clear-cutting through analysis of 28 paired stands, with one 0·1-ha plot divided into five 0·02-ha subplots in each stand. 3. The species composition of mosses and liverworts in 0·1-ha plots was significantly affected by slash harvest, whereas the composition of vascular plant species was not. 4. The species richness of liverworts was significantly reduced by slash harvest in plots of both sizes, whereas moss richness was reduced only in 0·02-ha plots. The loss of liverwort species was largest, with approximately one-third of the species disappearing. The species richness of vascular plants was not significantly affected by slash harvest in either plot size. 5. Slash harvest reduced species richness of forest bryophytes and of bryophytes typically growing on organic substrates in open habitats. Species richness of non-forest bryophytes on inorganic substrates remained unchanged. 6. Synthesis and applications. Our results show that slash harvest reduces shelter and woody substrates, which changes species composition and reduces species richness of liverworts and mosses in clear-cuts. Increased mechanical disturbance that removes remnant vegetation and exposes mineral soil may also play a role. In order to conserve bryophytes, we advocate mitigation of adverse ecological effects through enhanced environmental care within slash-harvested stands. Leaving more tree clusters, and creating and protecting large woody debris would be especially important in these stands, and would also improve the habitat for other organisms.

- by Mats Dynesius
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- Ecology, Applied Ecology, Applied, Boreal Forest

We examined the response of vascular plant species richness to long-term habitat loss and fragmentation of Estonian calcareous grasslands (alvars). The current number of habitat specialist species in 35 alvars was not explained by their current areas and connectivities but it was explained by their areas and connectivities 70 years ago (R 2 ¼ 0.27). We estimated the magnitude of extinction debt in local communities by assuming an equilibrium species richness in 14 alvars that had lost only a small amount of area and by applying this model to the remaining alvars, in which the average area has declined from 3.64 km 2 in the 1930s to 0.21 km 2 at present. The extinction debt estimated for individual alvars was around 40% of their current species number. Our conclusions are applicable to temperate grasslands in general, which have lost much area because of agricultural intensification and cessation of traditional management.

- by Aveliina Helm
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- Ecology, Multivariate Analysis, Estonia, Plants

Clonal growth in introduced populations of Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia japonica) in Britain was assessed using RAPDs (Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA). A total of 150 British samples was analysed for genetic variation using ten arbitrary decamer primers, and compared with data from 16 samples of other introduced populations from Europe and the U.S.A. All samples produced an identical multi-primer RAPD profile. Accepting that RAPD profile identity need not equate to genet identity, based on the sensitivity of these markers for detecting genetic diversity in related taxa and on the absence of male fertile individuals of this species in Britain, we interpret this result as consistent with the presence of a single, exceptionally widespread clone. This clone must represent one of the world's largest vascular plants.

- by Michelle L Hart
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- Genetics, Plant Biology, Genetic Diversity, Male Fertility

Ареал вида объединяет все конкретные местонахождения его, т.е. все точки земной поверхности, где вид найден. Степень заселённости ареала особями вида может быть весьма различна. Она зависит от приуроченности вида к определённым типам местообитаний, повторяющихся в пределах ареала с различной частотой, от массовости произрастания вида на отвечающих его требованиям местообитаниях, от обычности вида, т.е. от того, как часть мы фактически встречаем его при наличии подходящих для него условий.

- by Alexey Seregin
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- Floristics, Bryophytes, Flora, Liverworts
- by Carlos Hernández
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- Multidisciplinary, Nature, Plants, Endemic species
- by António Nogueira
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- Botany, Illustrations, Higher Education, Evaluation

In present-day alluvial environments, the impact of vegetation on sedimentological processes and deposits is well known. A vegetated catchment may decrease sediment yield, sediment erodibility, Hortonian overland flow, aeolian winnowing of fines, the proportion of sediment transported as bedload, and may increase bank stability, infiltration into substrates, and bed roughness. Vegetation also promotes the production of chemically-weathered clays and soils and the adoption of a meandering style. It is generally understood that, prior to the evolution of terrestrial vegetation during the Early Palaeozoic, ancient alluvial systems were markedly different from modern systems, with many systems adopting a "sheet-braided" style. This understanding has previously informed the interpretations of many Precambrian pre-vegetation alluvial successions, but there has been relatively little work regarding Early Palaeozoic alluvial successions laid down prior to and during the initial colonization of the Earth's surface by plants.

- by Martin Gibling
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- Earth Sciences, Chemical Weathering, Landscape Evolution, Sediment transport

SUMMARY The phytogeographical notable flora of the Province Sondrio: a preliminary inventory for conservation activities. The Province of Sondrio covers approx. 3.212 Km 2 and hosts a very diverse and rich flora that, according to the current estimates, amounts to about 1.850 taxa of vascular plants. The reasons for this high level of plant diversity lie in the considerable altitudinal

- by Graziano Rossi
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- Plant Diversity, Ex Situ Conservation, Seed bank, Red List

SUMMARY.— The vegetation of coastal dunes of Jijel (Algeria): proposal for a new Important Plant Area.— Coastal dunes of Jijel are extended between two Important Plant Areas (IAPs), enclaving a Ramsar site. This ecosystem is fragile, very coveted by the public, and houses characteristic plant groups and species of great heritage value. Three sites have been selected for the study of vegetation using the phytosociological relevé method. The floristic analysis allows compiling a list of 235 species and describing the diverse plant communities on dunes. Biogeographical analysis allows estimating at 68.3 % the Mediterranean originality of flora, and at only 2.5 % the endemism. The dunes of Jijel show a high plant richness fitting with IPA classification criteria. Some plants are new to Jijel area, and many are becoming increasingly rare and are at risk with extinction. Others require a review of their distribution and abundance.
RÉSUMÉ.— Les dunes littorales de Jijel se situent entre deux Zones Importantes pour les Plantes (ZIP) et enclavent un site Ramsar. Cet écosystème fragile et très convoité par le public héberge des groupements caractéristiques et des plantes de grande valeur patrimoniale. Trois sites ont été sélectionnés pour l'étude de la végétation selon la méthode du relevé phytosociologique. L'analyse floristique a permis de dresser une liste de 235 espèces végétales et de décrire les groupements végétaux présents sur les dunes. L'analyse biogéographique permet d'évaluer à 68,3 % l'originalité méditerranéenne de la flore, et à seulement 2,5 % l'endémisme. Les dunes de Jijel présentent une grande richesse floristique et abritent plusieurs espèces répondant aux critères de classification de ZIP. Certaines plantes sont inédites pour la région de Jijel, et plusieurs autres nécessitent une révision de leur distribution et leur abondance.

- by H. Khennouf and +1
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- Coastal Management, Mediterranean and North Africa, Biodiversity Conservation, Tourism in protected areas/World Heritage

The Mediterranean region is one of the world’s great centres of plant diversity and its benign climates have attracted successive waves of civilisations, which have largely shaped our attitudes and ethics to the present day. Despite the effects of grazing, agriculture, deforestation, pollution, urbanisation and tourism, it has developed a wide array of plant landscapes. It is also one of the cradles of agriculture and a centre of origin and diversification of many of our crop species. Nowhere else on this planet has humankind been so closely and intimately linked to the environment.
Plant diversity is essential for human survival and is the basis of all life on Earth. Through their unique ability to convert the sun’s energy into a useable form, plants provide us with food, fuel, fibre, oil, herbs and medicines, as well as fodder for domestic animals. Plants also provide the background structure of most of our terrestrial ecosystems and habitats for animals and fungi. They also play a key role in providing ecosystem services, such as climate moderation, maintenance of the ozone layer, carbon storage, watershed protection and stabilisation of slopes against erosion.
Despite the undisputed importance of plantlife, conservation policies often neglect plant diversity in priority setting, and concrete strategies to ensure plant conservation are still insufficient to face the growing pressures. The reasons for this situation are complex, including not only sociological and political factors but also scientific and technical ones. Globally, most conservation biology research is undertaken on animal groups – notably birds and mammals – and ignores plants, and the same applies to conservation actions. Information on plants is often dispersed and fragmented, thus impeding rational decision making and priority setting.
The aim of this publication is to provide a snapshot of existing knowledge of plant diversity in the south and east Mediterranean, and to propose strategies and actions that can be taken to enhance plant conservation in the region.
Thanks to the joint efforts of more than 40 authors and dozens of contributors, it brings together in a single document an overview of existing knowledge on plant diversity, and provides concrete strategies for plant conservation, with local examples, that are applicable in the south and east Mediterranean region. It is aimed at helping conservation policy makers and a wide range of practitioners (such as land managers, non-governmental organisations, local communities and conservation agencies) to implement plant conservation programmes and initiatives in the region. It will also provide botanists, academics and amateurs with a rapid overview of plant knowledge in the area, as well as information on key resources and where to find them.
The publication also highlights gaps in current policies and action plans and makes recommendations for remedying these deficiencies.

- by Yaser Abunnasr and +1
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- Endemism, Mediterranean and North Africa, Biodiversity Conservation, Biodiversity Hotspots

In order to characterize the main areas of natural forest on Terceira Island ͑Azores͒, some of the most interesting European forests due to their rich and diverse flora of endemic as well as relict species, six forest stands were studied and their flora inventoried using 226 randomized quadrats, which revealed one anthocerote, 64 liverworts, 41 mosses and 16 macrolichen taxa. The alpha-diversity of the samples is particularly species-rich, some quadrats ͑30 ϫ 30 cm͒ including more than 25 bryophyte species. A quantitative analysis of the vegetationenvironment relationships consistently showed that the distributions of the native forest bryophytes and lichens of Terceira are governed by a complex set of factors related to water availability, the status of the substrata and the influences of the vascular plant community. Considering the generally high values of the Sørensen indices and the low number of specialist species found with Lloyd's index, the differences are more in terms of dominance of species than in terms of species composition. In fact, substratum type was clearly important in the DCA and TWINSPAN analysis using species cover abundance values, largely explaining the distribution of bryophyte species between Juniperus brevifolia ͑Seub.͒ Antoine and Laurus azorica ͑Seub.͒ Franco bark. The eight putative plant community type groupings achieved with these multivariate methods were able to elucidate some major bryophyte -substratum relationships, that had not previously been considered and they offer a framework for future research. 1953;, and the communities present have not been the main focus. Previous studies ͑Hübschmann 1974; suggest that the bryophyte veg-

- by Rosalina Gabriel
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- Plant Ecology, Plant Biology, Water Availability, Ecology

The Sundarban, covering about one million ha in the delta of the rivers Ganga, Brahmaputra and Meghna is shared between Bangladesh (~60 %) and India (~40 %), and is the world's largest coastal wetland. The area experiences a subtropical monsoonal climate with an annual rainfall of 1,600-1,800 mm and severe cyclonic storms. Enormous amounts of sediments carried by the rivers contribute to its expansion and dynamics. Salinity gradients change over a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. The biodiversity includes about 350 species of vascular plants, 250 fi shes and 300 birds, besides numerous species of phytoplankton, fungi, bacteria, zooplankton, benthic invertebrates, molluscs, reptiles, amphibians and mammals. Species composition and community structure vary east to west, and along the hydrological and salinity gradients. Sundarban is the habitat of many rare and endangered animals (Batagur baska, Pelochelys bibroni, Chelonia mydas), especially the Royal Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris). Javan rhino, wild buffalo, hog deer, and barking deer are now extinct from the area. Large areas of the Sundarban mangroves have been converted into paddy fi elds over the past two centuries, and more recently into shrimp farms. The Sun-

- by Brij Gopal
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- Earth Sciences, Climate Change, Hydrology, Conservation

This review provides an integrated synthesis with timelines and evaluations of ecological responses to eutrophication in Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the USA. Analyses of dated sediment cores reveal initial evidence of organic enrichment in ~200 yr old strata, while signs of increased phytoplankton and decreased water clarity first appeared ~100 yr ago. Severe, recurring deep-water hypoxia and loss of diverse submersed vascular plants were first evident in the 1950s and 1960s, respectively. The degradation of these benthic habitats has contributed to declines in benthic macroinfauna in deep mesohaline regions of the Bay and blue crabs in shallow polyhaline areas. In contrast, copepods, which are heavily consumed in pelagic food chains, are relatively unaffected by nutrient-induced changes in phytoplankton. Intense mortality associated with fisheries and disease have caused a dramatic decline in eastern oyster stocks and associated Bay water filtration, which may have exacerbated eutrophication effects on phytoplankton and water clarity. Extensive tidal marshes, which have served as effective nutrient buffers along the Bay margins, are now being lost with rising sea level. Although the Bay's overall fisheries production has probably not been affected by eutrophication, decreases in the relative contribution of demersal fish and in the efficiency with which primary production is transferred to harvest suggest fundamental shifts in trophic and habitat structures. Bay ecosystem responses to changes in nutrient loading are complicated by non-linear feedback mechanisms, including particle trapping and binding by benthic plants that increase water clarity, and by oxygen effects on benthic nutrient recycling efficiency. Observations in Bay tributaries undergoing recent reductions in nutrient input indicate relatively rapid recovery of some ecosystem functions but lags in the response of others.

- by William Boicourt and +4
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- Zoology, Marine Ecology, Ecology, Sea Level

МОСКОВСКИЙ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫЙ УНИВЕРСИТЕТ имени М.В. ЛОМОНОСОВА На правах рукописи СЕРЕГИН Алексей Петрович ПРОСТРАНСТВЕННАЯ СТРУКТУРА ФЛОРЫ ВЛАДИМИРСКОЙ ОБЛАСТИ 03.02.01 -ботаника Диссертация на соискание ученой степени доктора биологических наук Научный консультант Павлов Вадим Николаевич, д.б.н., проф., член-корр. РАН Москва 2014 ВВЕДЕНИЕ Актуальность темы исследования. Исследования биоразнообразия различных групп живых организмов в пределах какой-либо территории были и остаются одним из наиболее популярных и востребованных направлений научной деятельности в биологии. Сосудистые растения являются, пожалуй, самым доступным и массовым объектом на поверхности суши земного шара, в связи с чем флористика как наука располагает большим массивом первичной информации для дальнейшего анализа. Флора сосудистых растений в различных частях планеты изучена неравномерно. Безусловно, самая высокая плотность флористической информации имеется по некоторым странам Западной и Центральной Европы (благодаря историческим традициям и наличию серьезных научных школ), а также по ряду особо охраняемых природных территорий (национальные парки, резерваты, заповедники и др.) за пределами Европы. На национальном уровне опубликованные флористические атласы на сеточной основе есть в десяти странах (Великобритания и Ирландия, Бельгия и Люксембург, Нидерланды, Германия, Польша, Эстония, Словения, Израиль). Нами был опубликован атлас флоры Владимирской области (Серегин, 2012), легший в основу настоящей диссертации. Он является первым в России законченным исследованием по сплошному сеточному картированию флоры какой-либо территории. В результате перед нами встала необходимость анализа полученной обширной информации по флоре региона. Биологические данные, собранные на сеточной основе, являются удобным исходным материалом для всевозможного количественного анализа, который стал доступен с широким внедрением компьютерной техники. Такой анализ, элементы которого широко представлены в современной литературе по биогеографии, дает интересные результаты, которые, в свою очередь, являются исходными данными для новых теорий и предположений. Массивы данных, имеющие географическую привязку, легко интегрируются между собой в рамках глобальных проектов (GBIF, Map of Life, Atlas Florae Europaeae и др.) и, таким образом, становятся доступными для международного научного сообщества. Кроме того, настоящая работа актуальна и в региональном аспекте, поскольку автором обобщены и обнародованы все имеющиеся данные по флоре Владимирской области.

- by Alexey Seregin
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- Botany, Floristics, Biogeography, Thesis
- by John Mack
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- Quality assessment, Indexation, Vascular Plants

In this study of the Pacific coast of North America, from Baja California to Alaska, we evaluated the hypothesis that the floristic composition of azonal vegetation determines areas and distribution limits similar to those of the corresponding zonobiomes (ZB), and does so in response to the same macroclimatic changes occurring on the continental scale. To this end, 686 vascular plants of the different habitats found in 279 sites along this coastal strip were recorded. Using an objective classification system (Average Linkage Clustering) and factorial analysis, floristic data acquired in fieldwork were classified into groups, which were in turn related to regional macroclimates. Our main finding was that the azonal coastal vegetation follows a distribution model that is closely linked to the corresponding macroclimate. The four ZB of the northern Pacific coast show a flora and azonal vegetation characteristic to each zonobiome; the latitudinal limits of the azonal vegetation practically coinciding with those already established for the zonal vegetation. The Boreal and Temperate ZB show high percentages of broadly distributed elements. The floristically richest zonobiome in terms of endemic taxa is the Mediterranean zonobiome, whereas the flora of Baja California is characterized by a high number of taxa related to Neotropical flora, especially to those showing links with South America. Data on the geographical distribution and habitats of the 247 most significant coastal species are also provided.

- by Juan Aguirre
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- Plant Ecology, Plant Biology, Ecology, Object Classification

Background: This study documents the use of medicinal plants from the Mustang district of the north-central part of Nepal. Traditional botanical medicine is the primary mode of healthcare for most of the population of this district and... more

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbioses are formed by approximately 80% of vascular plant species in all major terrestrial biomes. In consequence an understanding of their functions is critical in any study of sustainable agricultural or natural ecosystems. Here we discuss the implications of recent results and ideas on AM symbioses that are likely to be of particular significance for plants dealing with abiotic stresses such as nutrient deficiency and especially water stress. In order to ensure balanced coverage, we also include brief consideration of the ways in which AM fungi may influence soil structure, carbon deposition in soil and interactions with the soil microbial and animal populations, as well as plant-plant competition. These interlinked outcomes of AM symbioses go well beyond effects in increasing nutrient uptake that are commonly discussed and all require to be taken into consideration in future work designed to understand the complex and multifaceted responses of plants to abiotic and biotic stresses in agricultural and natural environments.

- by Suzanne Pope
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- Sustainable agriculture, Abiotic Stress, Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences