Milium Effusum Research Articles

A Hanság gyertyános-tölgyesei (Scillo vindobonensi-Carpinetum)

The present study presents the associations of hornbeam-oak forests (Scillo vindobonensi-Carpinetum) in the northwestern part of Hungary based (Hanság) on 50 cenological images. We are faced with an azonal association moderately influenced by groundwater. Some submontane elements are striking in their stocks, which are generally rare in the Great Plains. In particular, Fagetalia elements are common: Actaea spicata, Adoxa moschatellina, Aegopodium podagraria, Allium ursinum, Anemone ranunculoides, Asarum europaeum, Athyrium filix-femina, Carex pilosa, Carex sylvatica, Circaea lutetiana, Corydalis cava, Corydalis pumila, Epipactis helleborine agg., Gagea lutea, Galanthus nivalis, Galeobdolon luteum, Galium odoratum, Hedera helix, Listera ovata, Milium effusum, Pimpinella major, Polygonatum multiflorum, Pulmonaria officinalis, Salvia glutinosa, Sanicula europaea, Scilla vindobonensis, Stachys sylvatica, Vinca minor, Viola reichenbachiana etc. These plants are probably remnants of the former "Beech I period" (2500 BC to 800 BC) with cooler, wetter and more even climates.

Сосновые (Pinus sylvestris) леса и редколесья Северо-Западного Приладожья

Сосновые (Pinus sylvestris) леса и редколесья Северо-Западного Приладожья

Milium effusum (Poaceae: Poeae: Miliinae): species of systematic and cytological interest with notes on polymorphic nature and cytogeography

Present communication records polymorphic and polyploid nature of the forest grass species M. effusum having wide distribution over different continents and countries. Globally the 4 x plants are widely distributed. The West Himalayan plants, collected at 3000 m alt. and more, are also sporting chromosome number of 2n = 28 based on basic number of x = 7. Further meiotic course analysis of Western Himalayan plants follows diploid like behaviour possibly directed by diploidization. This communication also calls the attention to cytogeography of intraspecific cytotypes of M. effusum, where diploid plants (2n = 14) have also been reported, but only 2 times – from the Kola Peninsula, Russia and from the Switzerland mountains. Perhaps these are relict populations, which deserve to be proved, studied and protected.

Разнообразие лиственничных лесов и редколесий западного макросклона Приполярного и Северного Урала

Разнообразие лиственничных лесов и редколесий западного макросклона Приполярного и Северного Урала

Динамика растительности после сплошнолесосечных рубок ельников черничных (среднетаежная подзона европейского северо-востока России)

Динамика растительности после сплошнолесосечных рубок ельников черничных (среднетаежная подзона европейского северо-востока России)

Notes on rust fungi in China 7. Aecidium caulophylli life cycle inferred from phylogenetic evidence and renamed as Puccinia caulophylli comb. nov.

Spermogonial and aecial stages of Aecidium caulophylli on Caulophyllum robustum (Berberidaceae) were shown by phylogenetic analyses of ITS and 28S sequence data to be identical to a uredinial and telial rust on Milium effusum (Poaceae). A new combination, Puccinia caulophylli is proposed for this species, and an epitype is designated.

A Kerka-vidék gyertyános-tölgyesei

In this study, the phytosociological characteristics of oak-hornbeam forests in the Kerka valley, sW Hungary are summarized using 50 vegetation samples. These forests grow on alluvial soils affected by high groundwater table, and thus are best regarded as extrazonal communities exhibiting some characteristics of hardwood gallery forests. The high number of submontane elements are particularly typical of them: Aco-nitum vulparia,Adoxa moschatellina, Anemone nemorosa, Anemone ranunculoides, Asarum europaeum, Athyrium filix-femina, Cardamine bulbifera, Cerastium sylvaticum, Coryda-lis cava, Coridalis solida, Euphorbia amygdaloides, Gagea spathacea, Galanthus nivalis, Galeobdolon luteum, Isopyrum thalictroides, Knautia drymeia, Lathyrus vernus, Leucojum vernum, Lilium martagon, Luzula pilosa, Maianthemum bifo-lium, Mercurialis perennis, Milium effusum, Oxalis acetosella, Paris quadrifolia, Pulmonaria officinalis, Ranunculus lanugi-nosus, Sanicula europaea, Scilla drunensis, Stellaria holos-tea, Veronica montana, etc. The high frequency of Fritillaria meleagris is particularly noteworthy. These plants are likely to be relics of the cooler and wetter, and less extreme Beech I. phase of the Holocene. The occurrence of some sub-Med-iterranean species (Carex strigosa, Helleborus dumetorum, Knautia drymeia, Vicia oroboides) suggests some degree of relatedness to the oak-hornbeam forests in the zala Hills (Helleboro dumetorum-Carpinetum). The studied woods are sharply separated from the oak-hornbeam forests of Western Transdanubia (Cyclamini-Carpinetum), and exhibit relatively closer similarity to the oak-hornbeam forests of the Mura and Drava floodplains and the Raba River valley (Veronico montanae-Carpinetum). syntaxonomically, they are best identified with the latter under the name Veronico montanae-Carpinetum scilletosum drunensis.

Plant species identity and soil characteristics determine rhizosphere soil bacteria community composition in European temperate forests.

Soil bacteria and understorey plants interact and drive forest ecosystem functioning. Yet, knowledge about biotic and abiotic factors that affect the composition of the bacterial community in the rhizosphere of understorey plants is largely lacking. Here, we assessed the effects of plant species identity (Milium effusum vs. Stachys sylvatica), rhizospheric soil characteristics, large-scale environmental conditions (temperature, precipitation and nitrogen (N) deposition), and land-use history (ancient vs. recent forests) on bacterial community composition in rhizosphere soil in temperate forests along a 1700 km latitudinal gradient in Europe. The dominant bacterial phyla in the rhizosphere soil of both plant species were Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria. Bacterial community composition differed significantly between the two plant species. Within plant species, soil chemistry was the most important factor determining soil bacterial community composition. More precisely, soil acidity correlated with the presence of multiple phyla, e.g. Acidobacteria (negatively), Chlamydiae (negatively) and Nitrospirae (positively), in both plant species. Large-scale environmental conditions were only important in S. sylvatica and land-use history was not important in either of the plant species. The observed role of understorey plant species identity and rhizosphere soil characteristics in determining soil bacterial community composition extends our understanding of plant-soil bacteria interactions in forest ecosystem functioning.

Local soil characteristics determine the microbial communities under forest understorey plants along a latitudinal gradient

The soil microbial community is essential for maintaining ecosystem functioning and is intimately linked with the plant community. Yet, little is known on how soil microbial communities in the root zone vary at continental scales within plant species. Here we assess the effects of soil chemistry, large-scale environmental conditions (i.e. temperature, precipitation and nitrogen deposition) and forest land-use history on the soil microbial communities (measured by phospholipid fatty acids) in the root zone of four plant species (Geum urbanum, Milium effusum, Poa nemoralis and Stachys sylvatica) in forests along a 1700km latitudinal gradient in Europe.Soil microbial communities differed significantly among plant species, and soil chemistry was the main determinant of the microbial community composition within each plant species. Influential soil chemical variables for microbial communities were plant species-specific; soil acidity, however, was often an important factor. Large-scale environmental conditions, together with soil chemistry, only explained the microbial community composition in M. effusum and P. nemoralis. Forest land-use history did not affect the soil microbial community composition.Our results underpin the dominant role of soil chemistry in shaping microbial community composition variation within plant species at the continental scale, and provide insights into the composition and functionality of soil microbial communities in forest ecosystems.

Plant-soil feedbacks of forest understorey plants transplanted in nonlocal soils along a latitudinal gradient.

Climate change is driving movements of many plants beyond, as well as within, their current distributional ranges. Even migrant plants moving within their current range may experience different plant-soil feedbacks (PSF) because of divergent nonlocal biotic soil conditions. Yet, our understanding to what extent soil biotic conditions can affect the performance of within-range migrant plants is still very limited. We assessed the emergence and growth of migrant forest herbs (Milium effusum and Stachys sylvatica) using soils and seeds collected along a 1,700km latitudinal gradient across Europe. Soil biota were manipulated through four soil treatments, i.e. unsterilized control soil (PSFUS ), sterilized soil (PSFS ), sterilized soil inoculated with unsterilized home soil (PSFS+HI ) and sterilized soil inoculated with unsterilized foreign soil (PSFS+FI , expected to occur when both plants and soil biota track climate change). Compared to PSFS , PSFUS had negative effects on the growth but not emergence of both species, while PSFS+FI only affected S.sylvatica across all seed provenances. When considering seed origin, seedling emergence and growth responses to nonlocal soils depended on soil biotic conditions. Specifically, the home-away distance effect on seedling emergence differed between the four treatments, and significant responses to chemistry either disappeared (M.effusum) or changed (S.sylvatica) from PSFUS to PSFS . Soil biota emerge as an important driver of the estimated plant migration success. Our results of the effects of soil microorganisms on plant establishment provide relevant information for predictions of the distribution and dynamics of plant species in a changing climate.

Long-term effects of liming on the species composition of the herb layer in temperate Central-European forests

Upon the occurrence of acidic deposition-driven damage to forests at the beginning of the 1980s, large-scale liming has been applied to acidic forest sites in Germany. Due to possible negative consequences on soil chemistry and on (soil) fauna and flora, this measure was discussed highly controversially right from the beginning and is disputed until today. In investigations of liming effects on the forest understory vegetation, very few studies covered a time period of more than two decades with intermittent relevés. We analyzed relevés of the herbal understory on limed and control plots in one pine (Pinus sylvestris), one oak (Quercus robur), two European beech (Fagus sylvatica) and five Norway spruce (Picea abies) stands at permanent observation sites in south-western Germany. These relevés had been repeatedly conducted during approximately 25 years.The number of herbal plant species was generally low. An increase in the herb layer's plant cover with time was found at six out of the nine study sites and was mainly due to spreading of two grass species (Milium effusum, Deschampsia flexuosa) and of the subshrub Vaccinium myrtillus, which might have benefitted from continuous nitrogen deposition. Only two species (Agrostis stolonifera, Stellaria media) with a main distribution in open landscapes were found in the years of investigation and their occurrence was restricted to only four sites and some few years.Across all sites, the average Ellenberg indicator values of nutrient (nitrogen) supply (N-values) were significantly increased on the limed plots ten years after liming, and at Year 10, the N-values of the limed plots were significantly higher than that of the control, presumably due to increased decomposition rates after liming. At the spruce sites, the average Ellenberg indicator values of soil reaction (R-values) of the limed plots 10 years after liming were significantly higher than at the beginning (Year 0) and at the end of the investigation (2013). We found no significant differences among the Ellenberg indicator values of light condition (L-values).In conclusion, liming had a significant, but only transient effect on the composition of the understory species. Therefore, our results do not support arguments against liming of acidic forests that are based on long-term changes in the herbal flora. In managed forests for wood production on acidic soils, liming can continue contributing to buffer the soils against ongoing acidification and accompanying cation leaching caused by anthropogenic deposition of nitrogen.

Biotic and abiotic drivers of intraspecific trait variation within plant populations of three herbaceous plant species along a latitudinal gradient

BackgroundThe importance of intraspecific trait variation (ITV) is increasingly acknowledged among plant ecologists. However, our understanding of what drives ITV between individual plants (ITVBI) at the population level is still limited. Contrasting theoretical hypotheses state that ITVBI can be either suppressed (stress-reduced plasticity hypothesis) or enhanced (stress-induced variability hypothesis) under high abiotic stress. Similarly, other hypotheses predict either suppressed (niche packing hypothesis) or enhanced ITVBI (individual variation hypothesis) under high niche packing in species rich communities. In this study we assess the relative effects of both abiotic and biotic niche effects on ITVBI of four functional traits (leaf area, specific leaf area, plant height and seed mass), for three herbaceous plant species across a 2300 km long gradient in Europe. The study species were the slow colonizing Anemone nemorosa, a species with intermediate colonization rates, Milium effusum, and the fast colonizing, non-native Impatiens glandulifera.ResultsClimatic stress consistently increased ITVBI across species and traits. Soil nutrient stress, on the other hand, reduced ITVBI for A. nemorosa and I. glandulifera, but had a reversed effect for M. effusum. We furthermore observed a reversed effect of high niche packing on ITVBI for the fast colonizing non-native I. glandulifera (increased ITVBI), as compared to the slow colonizing native A. nemorosa and M. effusum (reduced ITVBI). Additionally, ITVBI in the fast colonizing species tended to be highest for the vegetative traits plant height and leaf area, but lowest for the measured generative trait seed mass.ConclusionsThis study shows that stress can both reduce and increase ITVBI, seemingly supporting both the stress-reduced plasticity and stress-induced variability hypotheses. Similarly, niche packing effects on ITVBI supported both the niche packing hypothesis and the individual variation hypothesis. These results clearly illustrates the importance of simultaneously evaluating both abiotic and biotic factors on ITVBI. This study adds to the growing realization that within-population trait variation should not be ignored and can provide valuable ecological insights.

Biological Flora of the British Isles: Milium effusum

Summary This account presents information on all aspects of the biology of Milium effusum L. (Wood Millet) that are relevant to understanding its ecological characteristics and behaviour. The main topics are presented within the standard framework of the Biological Flora of the British Isles: distribution, habitat, communities, responses to biotic factors, responses to environment, structure and physiology, phenology, floral and seed characters, herbivores and disease, history, and conservation. The grass Milium effusum is a common species of mature woodland in central and southern England, but is less common in the wetter parts of northern England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. World‐wide, the species is native to many temperate, boreal, subarctic and subalpine parts of the northern hemisphere: from eastern North America across most of Europe (excluding Mediterranean climates) to the Ural Mountains and Black Sea, extending eastwards to the Himalaya, Korea and Japan. Wood Millet is a shade‐tolerant, relatively tall grass (up to 1·8 m) producing up to 700 caryopses per individual. It is characteristic of temperate deciduous woodland, but can also occur in other woodland and forest types and even in scrub, alpine meadows, along railways and roads, and on rocks. In woods, it is one of the most conspicuous plants of the herb layer in the early summer after the disappearance of spring flowering species. While the species is generally considered an ancient woodland indicator in England and western Europe, it is also known to colonize secondary, post‐agricultural forests relatively rapidly in other areas such as Denmark, southern Sweden and Poland. The species has a wide amplitude in terms of soil acidity and nutrient availability, but predominantly grows on soils of intermediate soil fertility and soil pH and with high organic matter concentration. However, M. effusum can tolerate large quantities of tree‐leaf litter on the forest floor and is able to grow on very acidic soils. Changes in land use, climate, densities of large herbivores and atmospheric deposition of nitrogen are having effects on populations of Wood Millet. Significant responses of the life‐history traits and population characteristics have been detected in response to environmental variation and to experimental treatments of temperature, nutrients, light and acidity. In many of its habitats across its range, M. effusum is currently becoming more frequent. During the last century, its mean elevation of occurrence in upland areas of Europe has also increased by several hundreds of metres. Typically, management actions are directed towards the conservation of its main habitat type (e.g. ancient woodlands of the Milio‐Fagetum association) rather than to the species specifically.

Scented grasses in Norway--identity and uses.

BackgroundSome grass species are richer in coumarin and thus more sweetly scented than others. These have been eagerly sought after in parts of Norway, but the tradition has been weakly documented, both in terms of the species collected, their vernacular names, and uses.MethodsBased on literature data and a substantial body of information collected during my own ethnobotanical field work, artefacts and voucher specimens, the grass species are identified, and their uses clarified.ResultsIn Norwegian literature, the tradition of collecting and using scented grasses has received little attention, and past authors largely refer it to Anthoxanthum spp. The tradition’s concentration to the Sámi strongholds of northernmost Norway, and most authors’ lacking knowledge of the Sámi language, have contributed to the weak and misleading coverage in previous publications. Coumarin-rich grass species are well known in folk tradition in northernmost Norway, as luktegress (Norwegian, “scent grass”), háissasuoidni (North Sámi, “scent grass”), hajuheinä (Finnish, “scent grass”), or similar terms. They have been (and still are) frequently collected, and used as perfume, for storing with clothes, and a number of other purposes. Despite literature records identifying the species used as Anthoxanthum odoratum coll. (including A. nipponicum), the main source utilized in North Norway is Hierochloë odorata, both ssp. arctica and ssp. odorata. Anthoxanthum nipponicum and Milium effusum are alternative, but infrequently used sources of material, depending on local tradition and availability.ConclusionBy far the most important grass species hiding behind the “scented grass” tradition in Norway is Hierochloë odorata. Anthoxanthum nipponicum is also used, but much less frequently, and only a single record confirms the use of Milium effusum. Only the foliage of Hierochloë provides suitable material for making traditional braids. The three major ethnic groups in Norway have all utilized scented grasses as perfume and for storing with clothes, but the tradition’s geographical concentration to the far north of Norway (Finnmark and NE Troms), suggests that it has originally mainly been a Sámi tradition, adopted by their neighbours.

Patterns of phenotypic trait variation in two temperate forest herbs along a broad climatic gradient

Phenotypic trait variation plays a major role in the response of plants to global environmental change, particularly in species with low migration capabilities and recruitment success. However, little is known about the variation of functional traits within populations and about differences in this variation on larger spatial scales. In a first approach, we therefore related trait expression to climate and local environmental conditions, studying two temperate forest herbs, Milium effusum and Stachys sylvatica, along a similar to 1800-2500 km latitudinal gradient. Within each of 9-10 regions in six European countries, we collected data from six populations of each species and recorded several variables in each region (temperature, precipitation) and population (light availability, soil parameters). For each plant, we measured height, leaf area, specific leaf area, seed mass and the number of seeds and examined environmental effects on within-population trait variation as well as on trait means. Most importantly, trait variation differed both between and within populations. Species, however, differed in their response. Intrapopulation variation in Milium was consistently positively affected by higher mean temperatures and precipitation as well as by more fertile local soil conditions, suggesting that more productive conditions may select for larger phenotypic variation. In Stachys, particularly light availability positively influenced trait variation, whereas local soil conditions had no consistent effects. Generally, our study emphasises that intra-population variation may differ considerably across larger scales-due to phenotypic plasticity and/or underlying genetic diversity-possibly affecting species response to global environmental change.

Синтаксономия темнохвойных зональных лесов южной тайги Западно-Сибирской равнины и гумидных низкогорий Алтае-Саянской горной области

Синтаксономия темнохвойных зональных лесов южной тайги Западно-Сибирской равнины и гумидных низкогорий Алтае-Саянской горной области

Effects of enhanced nitrogen inputs and climate warming on a forest understorey plant assessed by transplant experiments along a latitudinal gradient

Global warming and enhanced nitrogen (N) inputs are two key global-change drivers affecting temperate forest ecosystems simultaneously. Interactive effects of multiple drivers might cause species responses to differ from those in single-factor experiments; therefore, there is an urgent need for more multi-factor studies. Here, we assessed the growth and reproductive performance of multiple populations of a widespread grass of deciduous forests (Milium effusum) sampled along a latitudinal gradient and subjected to experimental manipulations of temperature and nitrogen availability. Common garden transplant experiments along the latitudinal gradient were used to manipulate temperatures and combined with experimental N addition to assess intraspecific responses of the study species to global-change drivers as well as to determine local adaptation. The total biomass, number of seeds and seedling emergence time of M. effusum increased when transplanted in the southern common garden. Apart from effects on the seed mass, the species did not respond to N addition alone. Yet, interactive effects between warming and N addition were found: N addition led to increased biomass growth but only in the northern common garden. Significant home-site advantages were apparent, most likely because of increased mycorrhizal colonization of roots of local transplants. We show that multiple global-change drivers may alter dynamics in understorey communities of temperate forests. Our study reinforces the need to increase our understanding of plant responses to future environmental changes by expanding the multi-factor research framework.

Plant movements and climate warming: intraspecific variation in growth responses to nonlocal soils

Most range shift predictions focus on the dispersal phase of the colonization process. Because moving populations experience increasingly dissimilar nonclimatic environmental conditions as they track climate warming, it is also critical to test how individuals originating from contrasting thermal environments can establish in nonlocal sites. We assess the intraspecific variation in growth responses to nonlocal soils by planting a widespread grass of deciduous forests (Milium effusum) into an experimental common garden using combinations of seeds and soil sampled in 22 sites across its distributional range, and reflecting movement scenarios of up to 1600km. Furthermore, to determine temperature and forest-structural effects, the plants and soils were experimentally warmed and shaded. We found significantly positive effects of the difference between the temperature of the sites of seed and soil collection on growth and seedling emergence rates. Migrant plants might thus encounter increasingly favourable soil conditions while tracking the isotherms towards currently 'colder' soils. These effects persisted under experimental warming. Rising temperatures and light availability generally enhanced plant performance. Our results suggest that abiotic and biotic soil characteristics can shape climate change-driven plant movements by affecting growth of nonlocal migrants, a mechanism which should be integrated into predictions of future range shifts.

Climatic control of forest herb seed banks along a latitudinal gradient

AbstractAimSeed banks are central to the regeneration strategy of many plant species. Any factor altering seed bank density thus affects plant regeneration and population dynamics. Although seed banks are dynamic entities controlled by multiple environmental drivers, climatic factors are the most comprehensive, but still poorly understood. This study investigates how climatic variation structures seed production and resulting seed bank patterns.LocationTemperate forests along a 1900 km latitudinal gradient in north‐western (NW) Europe.MethodsSeed production and seed bank density were quantified in 153 plots along the gradient for four forest herbs with different seed longevity: Geum urbanum, Milium effusum, Poa nemoralis and Stachys sylvatica. We tested the importance of climatic and local environmental factors in shaping seed production and seed bank density.ResultsSeed production was determined by population size, and not by climatic factors. G. urbanum and M. effusum seed bank density declined with decreasing temperature (growing degree days) and/or increasing temperature range (maximum–minimum temperature). P. nemoralis and S. sylvatica seed bank density were limited by population size and not by climatic variables. Seed bank density was also influenced by other, local environmental factors such as soil pH or light availability. Different seed bank patterns emerged due to differential seed longevities. Species with long‐lived seeds maintained constant seed bank densities by counteracting the reduced chance of regular years with high seed production at colder northern latitudes.Main conclusionsSeed bank patterns show clear interspecific variation in response to climate across the distribution range. Not all seed banking species may be as well equipped to buffer climate change via their seed bank, notably in short‐term persistent species. Since the buffering capacity of seed banks is key to species persistence, these results provide crucial information to advance climatic change predictions on range shifts, community and biodiversity responses.

Endozoochory by European bison influences the build-up of the soil seed bank in subcontinental coniferous forest

The faeces of large herbivores include viable seeds of many plant species. With dung decomposition, some seeds migrate into the soil and influence seed bank build-up. However, only a few papers report evidence of this process, and only from grasslands. In forest studies, this subject has so far been neglected. Therefore, I ask in this paper whether seeds present in the dung of European bison migrate to the forest soil seed bank and influence its build-up. I sampled soil from underneath European bison dung pats and from surrounding areas (control samples). Samples were divided into shallow (0–5 cm) and deep (5–10 cm) series. Soil seed bank content was studied in the greenhouse for 2 years. The shallow seed bank under dung pats was characterized by the highest species richness (49 species) and seed density (>2,000 m−2). Urtica dioica, Juncus effusus and Carex remota showed a demonstrable increase in seed density in the shallow seed bank underneath dung. Three years after dung deposition, seeds of endozoochoric origin influenced the soil seed bank of coniferous forest. U. dioica, J. effusus, C. remota and other species of deciduous forests and grasslands (Agrostis capillaris, Milium effusum, Polygonum hydropiper, Polygonum mite, Scrophularia nodosa, Stachys sylvatica, Veronica chamaedrys) caused an increase in seed density (by 61 %) and species richness (by 33 %) of the shallow soil seed bank underneath dung in comparison with the control soil seed bank.