Distribution Of Plant Species Research Articles

Loss of fungal symbionts and changes in pollinator availability caused by climate change will affect the distribution and survival chances of myco-heterotrophic orchid species

The first comprehensive species distribution models for orchid, its fungal symbionts and pollinator are presented. To evaluate impact of global warming on these organisms three different projections and four various climate change scenarios were analysed. The niche modelling was based on presence-only records of Limodorum abortivum, two species of Russula and three insects pollinating orchid (Anthophora affinis, Bombus terrestris, Rhodanthidium septemdentatum). Two sets of orchid predictions were examined—the first one included only climatic data and the second one was based on climate data and data on future distribution of orchid fungal symbionts. Overall, a poleward range shift is predicted to occur as a result of climate change and apparently global warming will be favorable for L. abortivum and its potential geographical range will expand. However, due to the negative effect of global warming on fungal symbionts of L. abortivum, the actual extension of the suitable niches of the orchid will be much limited. Considering future possibility of cross-pollination, the availability of A. affinis for L. abortivum will decrease and this bee will be available in the worst case scenarios only for 21% of orchid populations. On the other hand, the overlap of orchid and the buff-tailed bumblebee will increase and as much as 86.5% of plant populations will be located within B. terrestris potential range. Also the availability of R. septemdentatum will be higher than currently observed in almost all analysed climate change projections. This study showed the importance of inclusion of ecological factors in species distribution models as the climate data itself are not enough to estimate the future distribution of plant species. Moreover, the availability of pollen vectors which is crucial for long-term survival of orchid populations should be analysed in context of climate changes.

Peganum harmala active compounds as potent inhibitors of Pseudomonas syringae virulent effectors. In silico study

Pseudomonas syringae (P syringae) is a group of bacterial foliar pathogens with a vast geographic distribution and large range of host plant species. In the present study, the effect of active compounds from Peganum harmala medicinal plant were analysed in silico on four P syringae virulent effectors. The docking results reveal that Harmalol, Harmaline and Vulgarone B molecules are the best docked phytochemicals with high binding affinities and strong intermolecular interactions better than those observed for Kanamycin, Spectinomycin and Streptomycin antibiotics with the four targeted virulent proteins. In addition Thymol ligand showed ability to bind firmly the 4RSX active site. The MD simulation data validated the docking results and confirmed the stability of complexes during 100 ns of simulation. In this work we proved through an in silico study that Harmaline, Harmalol, Vulgarone B and Thymol from Peganum harmala could be considerated as potential inhibitors of P syringae main effectors and could be used as anti-bacterial candidates against this phytopathogen.

Ecological and coenotic characteristics of the Dokuchaev windbreaks and shelterbelts of Kirovohrad Region

Based on the methods of transverse transects and phytoindication, results of the analysis of ecological and cenotic status of the Dokuchaev shelterbelts and their extremities are provided. A combination of various ecological conditions characterizing formation of vegetation cover in the protective shelterbelts is demonstrated. The current state of plant communities of the forest strips is described. A regionally rare plant species in Kirovohrad Region, Convallaria majalis, is reported. It was established that the investigated shelterbelts were formed under forest-meadow and forest-steppe conditions. The analysis of coenotic features of all studied shelterbelts has proved that they have similar species composition and communities structure. The Dokuchaev windbreaks and shelterbelts need further monitoring of changes in their plantation structure, distribution and introduction of new plant species, as well as ecological and sanitary conditions.

Threats of land use to the global diversity of vascular plants

AbstractAimLand use is a main driver of biodiversity loss worldwide. However, quantifying its effects on global plant diversity remains a challenge due to the limited availability of data on the distributions of vascular plant species and their responses to land use. Here, we estimated the global extinction threat of land use to vascular plant species based on a novel integration of an ecoregion‐level species‐area model and the relative endemism richness of the ecoregions.LocationGlobal.MethodsFirst, we assessed ecoregion‐level extinction threats using a countryside species–area relationship model based on responses of local plant richness to land use types and intensities and a high‐resolution global land use map. Next, we estimated global species extinction threat by multiplying the relative endemism richness of each ecoregion with the ecoregion‐level extinction threats.ResultsOur results indicate that 11% of vascular plant species are threatened with global extinction. We found the largest extinction threats in the Neotropic and Palearctic realms, mainly due to cropland of minimal and high intensity, respectively.Main ConclusionsOur novel integration of the countryside species–area relationship and the relative endemism richness allows for the identification of hotspots of global extinction threat, as well as the contribution of specific land use types and intensities to this threat. Our findings inform where the development of measures to protect or restore plant diversity globally are most needed.

Findings of new and rare species of vascular plants in mires of the Urals and the Trans-Urals

The materials of the article contain data on the findings of 30 species of vascular plants from the territory of the Urals and the Trans-Urals. Among them, there are two new species for this territory, one for the Sverdlovsk Region – Phragmites altissimus, and one for the Kurgan Region – Rhinanthus songaricus. The second finding of the alien species Bidens frondosa for the Kurgan Region is reported. An information about the new locality of Liparis loeselii, which is included in the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation, is presented as well, along with the data about the findings of 26 other rare species of vascular plants in the mires of the South Ural region, listed in the Red Data Books of the region. The article makes important additions to the knowledge of the distribution of protected vascular plant species in the study region.

Development of high-resolution annual climate surfaces for Turkey using ANUSPLIN and comparison with other methods

Many climate models have been developed due to the importance of the effects of climatic factors on the physical and biological environment, e.g., rock weathering, species distribution, and growth patterns of plants. Accurate, reliable climate surfaces are necessary, especially for countries such as Turkey, which has a complex terrain and limited monitoring stations. The accuracy of these models mainly depends on the spatial modeling methods used. In this study, the Australian National University Spline (ANUSPLIN) model was used to develop climate surfaces and was compared with other methods such as inverse distance weighting, co-kriging, lapse rate, and multilinear regression. The results from the developed climate surfaces were validated using three methods: (1) diagnostic statistics from the surface fitting model, such as signal, mean, root mean square predictive error, root mean square error estimate, root mean square residual of the spline, and estimate of the standard deviation of the noise in the spline; (2) a comparison of error statistics between interpolated surfaces and the withheld climate data from 81 stations; and (3) a comparison with other interpolation methods using model performance metrics, such as mean absolute error, mean error, root mean square error, and R2adj. The most accurate results were obtained by the ANUSPLIN model. It explained 95, 88, 92, and 71% of the variance in annual mean, minimum and maximum temperature, and total precipitation, respectively. The mean absolute error of these models was 0.63, 1.16, and 0.72 ºC, as well as 54.82 mm. The generated climate surfaces, having a spatial resolution of 0.005º × 0.005º could contribute to the fields of forestry, agriculture, and hydrology.

Disentangling the role of environmental filtering and biotic resistance on alien invasions in a reservoir area.

Large-scale water conservancy projects benefit human life but have modified the landscape and provided opportunities for alien plant invasions. Understanding the environmental (e.g., climate), human-related (e.g., population density, proximity to human activities), and biotic (e.g., native plant, community structure) factors driving invasions is essential in the management of alien plants and biodiversity conservation in areas with intense human pressure. To this end, we investigated the spatial patterns of alien plant species distribution in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area (TGRA) of China and distinguished the role of the external environment and community characteristics in determining the occurrence of alien plants with differing levels of known invasion impacts in China using random forest analyses and structural equation models. A total of 102 alien plant species belonging to 30 families and 67 genera were recorded, the majority being annual and biennial herbs (65.7%). The results showed a negative diversity-invasibility relationship and supported the biotic resistance hypothesis. Moreover, percentage coverage of native plants was found to interact with native species richness and had a predominant role in resisting alien plant species. We found alien dominance was mainly the result of disturbance (e.g., changes in hydrological regime), which drove native plant loss. Our results also demonstrated that disturbance and temperature were more important for the occurrence of malignant invaders than all alien plants. Overall, our study highlights the importance of restoring diverse and productive native communities in resistance to invasion.

Plant functional traits predict heterogeneous distributional shifts in response to climate change

Abstract Climate change is causing the rapid redistribution of vegetation as plant species move to track their climatic optima. Despite a global trend of upward movement in latitude and elevation, there is extensive heterogeneity among species and locations, with few emerging generalizations. Greater generalization may be achieved from considering multidimensional changes in species' distributions as well as incorporating ecologically relevant functional traits into studies of range shifts. To better understand how recent changes in climate are influencing the elevational distribution of plant species and how species' functional traits mediate distributional changes, we resampled a 2438 m elevation transect spanning a distance of 16 km which encompasses desert scrub, pinyon‐juniper woodland, chaparral and coniferous forest plant communities. Over the last 42 years, total perennial cover and species' average cover increased at lower elevations and decreased at higher elevations while average elevational leading‐edge increased 116 m and elevational rear edge decreased 84 m. Notably, these changes were mediated by species' functional traits, where species exhibiting more conservative traits (lower specific leaf area [SLA], greater δ13C, larger seed mass) and taller height shifted upward in their leading‐edge range limit, average elevation and trailing edge range limit, while declining in abundance at the median and trailing edge of their range. Species possessing more acquisitive traits (higher SLA, lower δ13C, smaller seed mass) and shorter height shifted downward and increased in abundance at their trailing edge, with increases in their total range size. Our results provide clear evidence that heterogeneous range dynamics under recent climate change can be generalized by considering ecologically relevant plant functional traits, and how they respond to localized climate exposure. Furthermore, by documenting changes across a steep elevational gradient comprising a large aridity gradient, we show divergent patterns for plants occupying contrasting positions along the global spectrum of plant form and function, which provides critical insight into how trait‐mediated changes under increasing aridity will impact ecosystem functioning. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

UAV-Hyperspectral Imaging to Estimate Species Distribution in Salt Marshes: A Case Study in the Cadiz Bay (SW Spain)

Salt marshes are one of the most productive ecosystems and provide numerous ecosystem services. However, they are seriously threatened by human activities and sea level rise. One of the main characteristics of this environment is the distribution of specialized plant species. The environmental conditions governing the distribution of this vegetation, as well as its variation over time and space, still need to be better understood. In this way, these ecosystems will be managed and protected more effectively. Low-altitude remote sensing techniques are excellent for rapidly assessing salt marsh vegetation coverage. By applying a high-resolution hyperspectral imaging system onboard a UAV (UAV-HS), this study aims to differentiate between plant species and determine their distribution in salt marshes, using the salt marshes of Cadiz Bay as a case study. Hyperspectral processing techniques were used to find the purest spectral signature of each species. Continuum removal and second derivative transformations of the original spectral signatures highlight species-specific spectral absorption features. Using these methods, it is possible to differentiate salt marsh plant species with adequate precision. The elevation range occupied by these species was also estimated. Two species of Sarcocornia spp. were identified on the Cadiz Bay salt marsh, along with a class for Sporobolus maritimus. An additional class represents the transition areas from low to medium marsh with different proportions of Sarcocornia spp. and S. maritimus. S. maritimus can be successfully distinguished from soil containing microphytobenthos. The final species distribution map has up to 96% accuracy, with 43.5% of the area occupied by medium marsh species (i.e., Sarcocornia spp.) in the 2.30–2.80 m elevation range, a 29% transitional zone covering in 1.91–2.78 m, and 25% covered by S. maritims (1.22–2.35 m). Basing a method to assess the vulnerability of the marsh to SLR scenarios on the relationship between elevation and species distribution would allow prioritizing areas for rehabilitation. UAV-HS techniques have the advantage of being easily customizable and easy to execute (e.g., following extreme events or taking regular measurements). The UAV-HS data is expected to improve our understanding of coastal ecosystem responses, as well as increase our capacity to detect small changes in plant species distribution through monitoring.

Spatial predictions for the distribution of woody plant species under different land-use scenarios in southwestern Ethiopia

ContextDeforestation, forest degradation and intensification of farming threaten terrestrial biodiversity. As these land-use changes accelerate in many landscapes, especially in the Global South, it is vital to anticipate how future changes might impact specific aspects of biodiversity.ObjectivesThe objectives of this study were to model woody plant species richness in southwestern Ethiopia, for the present and for four plausible, spatially explicit scenarios of the future (‘Gain over grain’, ‘Mining green gold’, ‘Coffee and conservation’ and ‘Food first’).MethodsWe used cross-validated generalized linear models for both forest and farmland, to relate empirical data on total and forest-specialist woody plant species richness to indicators of human disturbance and environmental conditions. We projected these across current and future scenario landscapes.ResultsIn both farmland and forest, richness peaked at intermediate elevations (except for total species richness in farmland) and decreased with distance to the forest edge (except for forest specialist richness in forest). Our results indicate that the ‘Mining green gold’ and ‘Food first’ scenarios would result in strong losses of biodiversity, whereas the ‘Gain over grain’ scenario largely maintained biodiversity relative to the baseline. Only the ‘Coffee and conservation’ scenario, which incorporates a new biosphere reserve, showed positive changes for biodiversity that are likely viable in the long term.ConclusionsThe creation of a biosphere reserve could maintain and improve woody plant richness in the focal region, by forming a cluster with existing reserves, would be a major step forward for sustainability in southwestern Ethiopia.

Climate Change Impacts on the Availability of Anti-malarial Plants in Kenya

In many rural East African areas, anti-malarial plants are commonly used as first-line treatment against malaria. However, spatially explicit information about the future availability of anti-malarial plant species and its relation to future suitable habitat for malaria vectors is limited. In this study we 1) model the distribution of anti-malarial plant and malaria vector species and assess the drivers of their distributions taking the example of the Samburu dryland in Kenya, 2) map the modeled overlap in this area, 3) assess the impact of future climate change on anti-malarial plant and malaria vector species and 4) report their future overlaps. Our results show that mean temperature of warmest quarter, precipitation of wettest quarter and mean temperature of coldest quarter were the most important environmental variables that affected the distribution of anti-malarial species. The effects of climate change will be detrimental, since most areas will witness huge losses in anti-malarial species habitat while only a few gained or remained stable under both SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 climate change scenarios by 2050s and 2070s. According to most of our scenarios, more than half of the anti-malarial species will become threatened by 2050s and 2070s. A comparison between distribution patterns of future anti-malarial species richness and malaria vector species suitable habitat suggests that the former will decrease considerably while the later will increase. Because the availability of anti-malarial species will decrease in the areas affected by malaria vectors, geographically targeted conservation strategies and further control measures against malaria vectors are all the more important.

Changes in Community Composition and Functional Traits of Bumblebees in an Alpine Ecosystem Relate to Climate Warming

Climate warming has been observed as the main cause of changes in diversity, community composition, and spatial distribution of different plant and invertebrate species. Due to even stronger warming compared to the global mean, bumblebees in alpine ecosystems are particularly exposed to these changes. To investigate the effects of climate warming, we sampled bumblebees along an elevational gradient, compared the records with data from 1935 and 1936, and related our results to climate models. We found that bumblebee community composition differed significantly between sampling periods and that increasing temperatures in spring were the most plausible factor explaining these range shifts. In addition, species diversity estimates were significantly lower compared to historical records. The number of socio-parasitic species was significantly higher in the historical communities, while recent communities showed increases in climate generalists and forest species at lower elevations. Nevertheless, no significant changes in community-weighted means of a species temperature index (STI) or the number of cold-adapted species were detected, likely due to the historical data resolution. We conclude that the composition and functionality of bumblebee communities in the study area have been significantly affected by climate warming, with changes in land use and vegetation cover likely playing an additional important role.

Elevation, aspect, and habitat heterogeneity determine plant diversity and compositional patterns in the Kashmir Himalaya

Elevational gradient, slope, and aspect offer a unique opportunity to explore the response of plant species under changing environmental conditions. The present study aimed to analyze the species diversity and distribution patterns with respect to altitude, aspect, and habitat types in the Kashmir Himalayas. Considering major aspects and habitats, a total of 123 representative sites were selected along the elevational gradients for the present study. The plant species composition of each selected site was studied by organized sampling following the standard ecological methods. During the present study, a total of 361 vascular plant species belonging to 71 families and 214 genera were identified in the study area. At the lower altitudes, the southern aspect and drier habitats showed the highest diversity. Moreover, a significant amount of compositional dissimilarity was observed between the studied aspects, habitats, and elevation belts and was mainly due to species turnover rather than the nestedness component. Further, among the studied variables, altitude was the most important contributing variable, explaining the greatest variation in the species composition. The paired effects of altitude and habitat explained the maximum variation in plant species composition. It may be concluded that floristic diversity should be studied not only with reference to elevational gradients but should also include aspects and habitats. The current study will act as a reference in this direction. A similar study must be replicated in other parts of the Himalayan region in the future to improve our understanding of the distribution and preferences of plant species in mountainous zones. This, in turn, will be immensely helpful in the conservation and sustainable utilization of resources in these ecologically fragile regions.

Spatial variation patterns of vegetation and soil physicochemical properties of a typical inland riverscape on the Mongolian plateau

The spatial distribution and heterogeneity of soil and vegetation, as the root of the maintenance of ecosystem services in the riparian zone, play a decisive role in the ecological functions of the riverscape. In this study, a field survey of wetland plant communities and soil sampling were conducted in both longitudinal and lateral dimensions from the perspective of the riverscape of the Ulgai River, a typical inland river on the Mongolian Plateau. The diversity of wetland plant communities, soil physicochemical properties, and the correlations between them were systematically analyzed. The results showed that a total of 87 species belonging to 65 genera and 24 families of plants were present, with Asteraceae, Poaceae, and Cyperaceae as the main families. The plant composition and species diversity in the riparian zone at different dimensions showed obvious spatial patterns of succession. Although the correlation coefficient and significance of the physicochemical properties of river length and river width in the study area were different, most correlations remained consistent, among which soil moisture, soil pH, and total carbon were correlated with many physicochemical factors. The soil ammonium and nitrate nitrogen along the river length direction and electrical conductivity and organic carbon content along the river width direction were the main limiting factors affecting the diversity and distribution of plant species in the riparian zone based on the redundancy analysis. This study provides a theoretical basis for the continuous improvement of the current soil quality and the restoration of the degraded wetland ecosystems of inland rivers in arid and semi-arid regions, as well as a new perspective for the study of riverscape ecology.

Simulations reveal climate and legacy effects underlying regional beta diversity in alpine vegetation

IntroductionWhether the distribution and assembly of plant species are adapted to current climates or legacy effects poses a problem for their conservation during ongoing climate change. The alpine regions of southern and central Europe are compared to those of the western United States and Canada because they differ in their geographies and histories.MethodsIndividual-based simulation experiments disentangled the role of geography in species adaptations and legacy effects in four combinations: approximations of observed alpine geographies vs. regular lattices with the same number of regions (realistic and null representations), and virtual species with responses to either climatic or simple spatial gradients (adaptations or legacy effects). Additionally, dispersal distances were varied using five Gaussian kernels. Because the similarity of pairs of regional species pools indicated the processes of assembly at extensive spatiotemporal scales and is a measure of beta diversity, this output of the simulations was correlated to observed similarity for Europe and North America.ResultsIn North America, correlations were highest for simulations with approximated geography and location-adapted species; those in Europe had their highest correlation with the lattice pattern and climate-adapted species. Only SACEU correlations were sensitive to dispersal limitation.DiscussionThe southern and central European alpine areas are more isolated and with more distinct climates to which species are adapted. In the western United States and Canada, less isolation and more mixing of species from refugia has caused location to mask climate adaptation. Among continents, the balance of explanatory factors for the assembly of regional species pools will vary with their unique historical biogeographies, with isolation lessening disequilibria.

Flora and Typology of Wetlands of Haho River Watershed, Togo

Wetlands are recognized as hotspots of biodiversity and providers of several ecosystem services, including water purification, sediment stabilization, and flood, erosion, and climate regulation. This article aims to investigate the floristic diversity of the wetlands the Haho River watershed in southern Togo. Spatial data from Astrium service and Google Earth were collected, and phytosociological data were classified following the Braun–Blanquet approach. The findings indicate that 72 families in total have evolved in this environment, with Poaceae (14.95%) and Fabaceae (11.98%) dominating. The number of species was estimated to be 323; the three species that were most prevalent in the wetland’s habitats were Elaeis guineensis Jacq (2.44%), Panicum maximum Jacq (2.29%), and Lonchocarpus sericeus (Poir) H. B. K. (1.71%). The most prevalent and abundant life forms in these moist habitats were micro-phanerophytes (34.70%) and therophytes (23.50%). However, the most common and abundant chorological categories included pantropical (31.05%) and Guinean-Congolese species (21.46%). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to examine how abiotic parameters, including depth/degree of immersion, influence the distribution of plant species in a wetland landscape. This research has the potential to be developed into a more robust action study for wetland classification and recognition.

Vascular plants of old cemeteries in the Lower Dnipro region (Southern Ukraine).

The dataset contains the records of vascular plant species occurrences and distribution in old cemeteries (OC) of the Lower Dnipro region (Southern Ukraine). The analysed cemeteries were located in different types of landscapes (agricultural, rural and urban) and represent various ways of using their area (currently used, closed, abandoned). The floristic list includes 440 species of vascular plants (437 in situ, 3 ex situ). The dataset demonstrates a sozological (Red-lists species) value of old cemeteries in Southern Ukraine. The cemeteries constitute refuges of native, rare and steppe flora and play a role of steppe habitat islands in a landscape almost completely transformed to arable land or urbanised. This is the first dataset which contains information about flora of old cemeteries in Lower Dnipro region (Southern Ukraine). The dataset comprises 2118 occurrences of vascular plants (440 species) recorded in the years 2008-2021 in 13 old cemeteries of the Lower Dnipro region. The dataset includes information about 85 occurrences of rare species (23 species in situ, 3 ex situ) and 652 occurrences of 117 steppe species.

Current Distribution and Conservation Issues of Aquatic Plant Species Protected under Habitats Directive in Lithuania

The European Habitats Directive was adopted to halt the rapid loss of biodiversity and has become an important instrument for protecting biodiversity in the European Union. Three aquatic plant species protected under the European Habitats Directive have so far been found in Lithuania: Aldrovanda vesiculosa, Caldesia parnassifolia, and Najas flexilis. Our aim in this study was to evaluate the former and current distribution and the status of conservation of the target species. Screening for the above-mentioned protected aquatic plant species was performed in 73 natural lakes throughout Lithuania in 2019–2021. We confirmed extant populations of Aldrovanda vesiculosa in four lakes, Caldesia parnassifolia in two lakes, and Najas flexilis in four lakes in the northeastern part of the country. We studied Aldrovanda vesiculosa populations three times (2015, 2019, and 2022) in Lake Rūžas and once each in Lake Apvardai and Lake Dysnai (2020). The population density of Aldrovanda vesiculosa ranged from 193.4 ± 159.7 to 224.0 ± 211.0 individuals/m2, the mean length of plants ranged from 12.5 ± 2.1 to 14.3 ± 2.7 cm, and the mean number of apices ranged from 2.0 ± 0.7 to 2.2 ± 0.9 per individual. The habitat of Aldrovanda vesiculosa in Lake Rūžas covered an area of about 3 ha. The number of generative individuals of Caldesia parnassifolia widely varied between years in Lake Rūžas. All populations of Najas flexilis were small, although the potential habitats in the studied lakes cover relatively large areas. We propose designating all lakes with populations of Aldrovanda vesiculosa, Caldesia parnassifolia, and Najas flexilis as special areas of conservation, as well as developing and implementing action plans for the conservation of these species and their habitats.

Resampling alpine herbarium records reveals changes in plant traits over space and time

Abstract Climate warming causes upward shifts in plant species distributions, resulting in an influx of species from lower elevations into alpine plant communities. Plant functional trait changes along elevation gradients and over time may reflect these changing conditions. Intraspecific trait variation measured from herbarium records offers a way to observe such changes in trait values over time. We selected four species: Poa alpina and Polygonum viviparum found in alpine grasslands, and Cardamine resedifolia and Ranunculus glacialis found in high‐alpine to subnival scree habitats. We measured several functional traits from (i) herbarium records collected between 1880 and 1950 and from (ii) individuals resampled in 2014 along an elevation gradient covering >1500 m within the same study region in the Swiss Alps. By comparing (i) against (ii) for each species separately, we analysed temporal changes in the distribution of traits along the studied elevation gradient. After a century of climate warming, the change in the relationship linking plant functional traits with elevation was species dependent. Size‐related and reproductive functional trait values for P. viviparum increased over time, increasing at lower, but not higher elevations. Poa alpina's size‐related traits increased consistently with time along the elevation gradient. Most of C. resedifolia's size‐related and flowering traits decreased over time at lower elevations and converged at higher elevations. Finally, R. glacialis traits did not respond to time alone—reproductive traits decreased over time at lower, and increased at higher elevations, reversing their historical trait distributions. The negative trend for vegetative trait values with elevation did not change over time, however. In 2014, at lower elevations, all species mainly occurred on their typical microhabitat types, but occurrence on other microhabitats increased with elevation for all species. Synthesis: Contrasting temporal changes in the distribution of growth and reproductive trait values between alpine grassland and alpine‐subnival scree species, especially at lower elevations, suggest that climate warming effects vary among species. Additionally, species' physiological constraints and availability of suitable microhabitats may further impact species' distribution changes. Further warming may confine the distribution of high‐alpine plant species to even higher elevations, or microclimates currently difficult to colonise by lower‐alpine species.

The naturalized vascular flora of Malesia

Major regional gaps exist in the reporting and accessibility of naturalized plant species distribution data, especially within Southeast Asia. Here, we present the Malesian Naturalized Alien Flora database (MalNAF), the first standardized island-group level checklist of naturalized vascular plant species for the Malesian phytogeographical region. We used MalNAF to investigate the composition, origins, and habitat preferences of the naturalized flora. The naturalized vascular flora of Malesia consists of at least 1177 species. Richness is highest in the Philippines (539 spp.) and lowest in the Maluku Islands (87 spp.). But, the Lesser Sunda Islands had the highest naturalized species richness relative to native richness and Singapore has a higher naturalized plant species richness than would be expected given its size. When comparing the data for Malesia with a global dataset, we found that naturalized richness increased with area for islands but not for continental regions. Across the archipelago, 31 species are widespread, occurring in every island group, but the majority have a limited distribution of 2.4 ± 2.3 (mean ± SD) island groups per naturalized species. The naturalized plant species are representatives of 150 families, twenty of which are newly introduced to the region. Families richest in naturalized plant species in Malesia were Fabaceae (= Leguminosae) (160 spp.), Poaceae (= Gramineae) (138 spp.), and Asteraceae (= Compositae) (96 spp.). Most of these have a native range that includes tropical Asia, closely followed by those from Southern America (inclusive of the Caribbean, Central and South America), although at the island-group level, most have a higher proportion with a Southern American native range. Most naturalized species occur in anthropogenic habitats, but many are present in “natural” habitats with fewer species, such as Leucaena leucocephala, reported from specialized habitats like drylands. MalNAF provides a baseline for future studies of naturalized plant species distributions in the region.