Ecology and species distribution pattern of Soldanella sect. Soldanella (Primulaceae) within vegetation types in the Carpathians and the adjacent mountains

Abstract

Molecular plant taxonomy methods have helped to introduce new findings to the original concepts of plant evolution in comparison to traditional classification based on morphological, karyological, and ecological characters. The objective of our study was to determine if a new taxonomic concept developed for the Soldanella genus would also change the traditional knowledge of coenological relations within plant communities and distribution patterns of habitats. Taxa in the genus Soldanella sect. Soldanella from the Carpathian Mts and the adjacent region in the North-Eastern Alps and Bohemian Massif were selected as model representatives. This territory includes the largest concentration of study taxa, namely S. carpatica, S. hungarica, S. major, S. marmarossiensis agg., S. montana, S. oreodoxa, and potentially also some others. However, the ecological characteristics published to date are in conflict with our field observations. Two datasets were combined for the purpose of our study, one of which was based on older and published phytocoenological releves that are now widely available through the European Vegetation Archive (EVA), and the other, which is based on our own data, sampled throughout the distribution area, which specifically targeted the type localities as well as peripheral localities. Analysis of phytocoenological releves significantly extended the older knowledge about the habitat preferences of the studied species. Similarly, due to our detailed population sampling, a view of the geographical distribution and expansion of snowbell distribution boundaries has been added, especially for the Eastern and Southern Carpathian taxa. In revising the older knowledge, the altitudinal range of the selected species must be revised as well. In the majority of cases, our findings broadened the existing knowledge on altitudinal divergence, ecological behaviour and the phytogeographical distribution of the study species. Snowbells considered as typical montane elements in forest habitats were also found at much higher alpine altitudes, e.g. S. carpatica, S. hungarica, S. major, and S. marmarossiensis agg., and vice versa, with taxa considered to be exclusively inhabiting the alpine belt growing in contact forest habitats as well. The spectrum of the studied habitats and plant units show wide ecological valence in the majority of Soldanella species; however, some particular preferences for different substrate types, altitudinal belts, or habitat types were indicated.