Morphological and Genetic Diversity ofIsopyrum thalictroidesL. (Ranunculaceae) Populations of Isolated Forest Fragments of Different Sizes in East Central Poland

Abstract

ABSTRACT Isopyrum thalictroides is classified as an indicator species of the so-called ‘old-growth forests’. It occurs in shady deciduous forests and is a characteristic species of the order Fagetalia silvaticae. In many parts of Europe and Poland, it is classified in Red Lists of endangered species with different threat levels. Studies of an occurrence of I. thalictroides were carried out in the years 2000–2002 and 2010–2012 to examine changes in the abundance and morphological and genetic diversity of populations inhabiting small mid-field forest fragments (populations 2–4) and a compact forest (1 population), all located in east central Poland. Isopyrum thalictroides cover declined drastically at all isolated sites (from 83 to 93%) whereas the whole species diversity of these phytocenoses increased. By contrast, in the compact forest both, the area occupied by I. thalictroides population and the total community composition only slightly changed over time. When I. thalictroides plants sampled from all s...