Vascular Plant Species Composition Research Articles

Influence of Picea Abies Logs on the Distribution of Vascular Plants in Old-Growth Spruce Forests

The deadwood contributes to an increase in soil heterogeneity due to the changing the microrelief (by the formation of windthrow-soil complexes), as well as changes in physical and chemical characteristics of decaying wood directly during xylolysis. We hypothesized that fallen logs as an element of microrelief influence the species composition and cover structure of vascular plants. We studied the influence of Picea abies (L.) Karst fallen logs of moderate and advanced decay stages on the horizontal distribution and heterogeneity of vascular plant cover in different microsite types (small boreal grass type, blueberry type, small boreal grass-blueberry type, herbs, and blueberry type) in old-growth middle taiga spruce forest in the Kivach State Nature Reserve (Republic of Karelia, Russia). The fallen deadwood acts as a factor of heterogeneity, causing reversible changes in the homogeneity of the original plant cover. The decaying logs influence the horizontal distribution of small herbs by changing the occurrence and density of shoots of Oxalis acetosella L., Maianthemum bifolium (L.) F.W. Schmidt, Vaccinium myrtillus L., and Vaccinium vitis-idaea L., as well as the occurrence of Luzula pilosa (L.) Willd. and Calamagrostis arundinacea (L.) Roth. Its impact on the heterogeneity parameters can be traced up to 20 cm from the log. The differences in vascular plant cover between fallen logs and the surrounding forest floor depend on the soil conditions of the microsite. The heterogeneity of conditions created by the logs smoothed out with increasing decay class, resulting in decreasing differences in the heterogeneity parameters of vascular plant cover between deadwood and forest floor. The changes in the homogeneity of the initial vascular plant cover by deadwood and the gradual smoothing of heterogeneity between the logs and the forest floor in rich and poor conditions have different, mainly opposite, trends. Finally, the structure of the vegetation cover reaches a state that is typical of particular growth conditions beyond deadwood.

Biomorphological traits and leaf dry matter content are important to plant persistence in a highly unstable volcanic ground

The colonisation of newly formed territories by plants during primary succession is a crucial stage in the formation of ecosystems. Adaptations of species to withstand harsh environment allow them to survive and form pioneer communities. We analysed ten categorical and quantitative plant traits to examine their role in plant resistance to substrate instability in primary volcanic habitats. The research questions were: 1) which plant traits enable plants to persist under the most unstable ground conditions?; 2) what are the ecological strategies of species that grow under the condition of stress, such as low mineral nutrition, coupled with intense disturbance, such as unstable ground? The research was conducted on the Tolbachinsky Dol plateau in Kamchatka, Russia, on loose volcanic sediments of the 1975 eruption. At altitudes ranging from 700 m a.s.l. to 1000 m a.s.l., 40 sample plots were established along the gradients of altitude and degrees of ground instability. The species composition of vascular plants and the percentage cover of species, as well as other habitat characteristics, were assessed. Linear models were used to investigate the relationship between traits and ground instability. The principal component analysis was used to identify groups of characteristic traits. Leaf dry matter content (LDMC) had the largest explained variance. The LDMC community weighted means decreased with increasing disturbance (ground instability). A whole set of categorical traits, i.e. plant functional types, characterised the adaptation of plants to unstable ground. These characteristics include life-form (according to Serebryakov classification), density of shoots arrangement, morphology of underground organs, and, to a lesser extent, dispersal mode. The study analysed 45 species, and it was found that only four of them were adapted to perform under conditions of high substrate instability. The study showed that the mutual interaction of a suite of biomorphological traits and leaf density characteristics formed a syndrome of pioneer species adapted to unstable ground. The ecological strategies of the majority of species in the studied communities were characterised by the predominance of the stress-tolerant strategy, explained by the extremely poor mineral nutrition in the primary habitats. Under conditions of both low nutrient availability and high disturbance intensity, species with a mixed stress-tolerant-ruderal strategy are favoured. In the gradient of increasing disturbance, the role of the ruderal axis increased while stress tolerance decreased. However, the role of ecological strategy may be weakened by the presence of other important adaptive traits.

The Impact of Adjacent Road on Vascular Plant Species Composition in Herbaceous Layers of Peucedano-Pinetum and Tilio-Carpinetum Urban Forests in the City of Warsaw (Poland)

The research was conducted in two types of urban forests: Peucedano-Pinetum and Tilio-Carpinetum. The aim of the study was to determine the differences in plant species compositions in the herbaceous layer of urban forests with different habitat fertility adjacent to the road in the northern part of Warsaw (Poland). Seven transects were laid out in each type of forest, with 10 plots spread out from the edge zone (forest border) to the interior of the forests. The size of each plot was 100 m2. The other seven transects were located within the forest, 150 to 200 m away from the forest’s edge. The field research included phytosociological relevés carried out on the existing transects. The indoor studies included an analysis of forest community disturbance. Furthermore, an analysis of abiotic environmental conditions using ecological indicator numbers was carried out. Ecotones of Peucedano-Pinetum are more likely to be colonized by the species inconsistent with the habitat due to processes that increase habitat fertility. The Tilio-Carpinetum forest is more easily colonized by invasive plant species than the Peucedano-Pinetum. The range of road effects can be determined as an area located within 90 m inward of the forest in the case of the Peucedano-Pinetum community and 100 m in the case of the Tilio-Carpinetum community. The presented research is important for formulating directions about how to manage the forests and their surroundings in terms of shaping forests of more natural character, with species more consistent with a forest habitat.

The Water Flow Regime in the Weir Area for Vascular and Rush Plant Species Composition

The hydrotechnical construction, damming up the riverbed, creates two zones of hydraulic conditions, which affect the water discharge and sediment transport routes, as well as plant species composition, as a habitat answer to the hydraulic regime. This study examined the diversity of the vascular and rush plant species upstream and downstream of the weir. The Świder River, a small lowland river in Central Poland, was chosen as a study area. An examined river reach was located at 21 + 340 kilometers of the Świder River. Vegetation properties, plant species, and granulometric fraction composition were recognized at chosen cross-sections along the riverbed where specific hydraulic conditions could be met. The spatial distribution of vortices, smooth or rapid flow areas, and velocity pulsations influence the biotic environment, thereby affecting the species composition, quantity, and plant diversity. In the headwater zone, an environment more favorable to grain accumulation could be met, which was mixed with organic components in an agricultural catchment area. This phenomenon leads to creating favorable conditions for increased biodiversity. The present study demonstrated that small weirs could positively affect the composition of vascular and rush plants.

Future forests and biodiversity: Effects of Douglas fir introduction into temperate beech forests on plant diversity

Introduction of drought-tolerant exotic tree species is seen as an important adaptation measure of forest management to climate change in Central Europe. Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) is particularly favored in this context, because it is adapted to summer droughts due to the climate in its natural distribution range in temperate western North America and it is also fast-growing and the wood is readily marketable. In Germany, there are plans to grow Douglas fir on a large scale in mixed forests with other tree species on acidic soils. Potential ecological consequences have not yet been sufficiently scrutinized. Here, we analyze effects of Douglas fir introduction into forests of European beech (Fagus sylvatica), which would naturally predominate Central Europe’s forests. We analyzed vascular plant diversity and species composition of the ground vegetation in a gradient with increasing Douglas fir canopy fraction that ranged from pure beech (0% Douglas fir) via mixed stands (25%, 50%, 75% Douglas fir) to pure (100%) Douglas fir forest. Species richness, Shannon diversity, and Simpson diversity increased with increasing Douglas fir canopy fraction. However, this increase was primarily driven by an increase of nitrogen-tolerant disturbance indicators, whereas the share of forest species that were predominant in pure beech forests decreased. Beech forest species declined gradually with increasing Douglas fir canopy fraction, but these declining species were fewer than the number of species increasing due to Douglas fir introduction. Cover of ∼30% of species remained constant when Douglas fir was introduced. Strong changes in the ground vegetation were observed at Douglas fir canopy fractions > 40 – 50% and the original character of the ground vegetation was completely lost beyond a threshold of 75%. Therefore, we discourage from high Douglas fir proportions beyond these thresholds in production forests and from any introduction of Douglas fir where nature conservation is a priority.

Study of the relationship between agrochemical indicators of soils and species composition of plants in some sites of the Lena River Delta, Northern Yakutia

In connection with climate change and the development of natural resources in the Arctic, increasingly relevant is the problem of revealing the response of tundra vegetation to various natural and anthropogenic impacts, as well as the search for indicators for developing a system of monitoring the state of ecosystems in the Far North. The aim of this work was to describe the floristic composition and structure of plant communities, as well as to search for relationships between agrochemical indicators of soils and the species composition of plants in certain key sites of the Lena River Delta. A total of ten key sites of the Lena delta were studied. Agrochemical analysis of the soil samples was performed using standard methods. The content of biogenic and abiogenic elements was measured using an emission spectrometer. The relationship between the soil parameters and floristic composition was studied using cluster analysis. It was shown that the clustering of sites by standard agrochemical indicators was weakly expressed, while in terms of the content of elements in the mineralized samples and in water extracts the sites were grouped into two clusters at the level of 40 %÷60 % of the differences. The clustering of sites by plant species composition was very weak, and it was not possible to identify clusters with high or medium level of similarity, nor was it possible to detect similarity between cluster diagrams constructed by soil parameters and by plant species composition. As a result of the study, it is shown that the species composition of vascular plants weakly correlates with the properties of the soils of the key sites. The individual features identified manifest themselves in the form of trends and no clear patterns of interrelation of vegetation and soil parameters are discerned.

Assessment of the population status of the relict species Lomelosia austroaltaica (Bobrov) Sojak in the flora of the Kazakstan Altai

The article discusses the population parameters of a rare relict species Lomelosia austroaltaica in the territory of the Kalba Upland in the Kazakhstan Altai. It has been established that the population is located in the Eastern Kalba on the Medvedka Mountain (Koktau Mountains) as part of the feather grass-lomelosia phytocenosis. The total area occupied by phytocenosis with the participation of Lomelosia austroaltaica, is 2.5 hectares. Vegetation cover is poorly formed, represented by 30 species of flowering plants. The structure and appearance of the phytocenosis are determined by the dominants Stipa capillata- cop2, S. pennata - cop1. In ecological terms, the species composition of the higher vascular plants of the surveyed phytocenosis is formed by xeropetrophytes - 20 species (66.7 %), xeromesophytes - 7 species (23.3 %), mesophytes - 3 species (10 %). The total projective cover is 44.4 %, the proportion of Lomelosia austroaltaica in the phytobiota is 22.2 %, i. e. according to its coenotic features, the species is an assectator. Individuals are scattered and unevenly distributed over the area, their height ranges from 28 to 48 cm (33.6 ± 7.4.6), forming loose sods 47.9 ± 5.2 cm in diameter from 46.3 ± 7.2 cm vegetative and 51.3 ± 10.5 cm generative shoots. A direct dependence of seed productivity on the number of formed heads on a generative shoot was revealed. Mass flowering of individuals was recorded in the second decade of June, the period of seed ripening is late August - early September. The population is normal, incomplete, the age spectrum is left-sided. The ratio of young and adult fractions (pl + j + im) : (v + g) = 11.8 : 7.8 indicates a stable state of the population at the present stage. Mainly seeds maintain the number of individuals. The species needs state protection.

Plant species composition and vegetation structure of Sphagnum cultivation sites

AbstractAimsThe cultivation of Sphagnum mosses in paludiculture has high potential for the use of formerly drained peatlands under wet conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the plant species composition and vegetation structure of Sphagnum cultivation sites in comparison with near‐natural donor sites and rewetted sites without Sphagnum introduction.LocationCentral Europe, northwest Germany close to the Dutch–German border.MethodsThe treatments (rewetting with and without Sphagnum introduction) and a near‐natural donor as a reference were each studied at three different sites. At each site, bryophyte and vascular plant species composition as well as parameters of vegetation structure were sampled in 40 randomly positioned plots of 25 cm × 25 cm.ResultsIn addition to the highly frequent Sphagnum, several further plant species typical of bogs were introduced. At two cultivation sites, the species composition showed a high degree of similarity to the near‐natural donor sites, whereas the third site was more similar to the rewetted sites without the introduction of Sphagnum biomass. Rewetted sites were species‐poor in comparison with all other sites. Apart from a high cover of Sphagnum, the vegetation structure at the cultivation sites differed significantly from the near‐natural donor sites.ConclusionsSphagnum cultivation sites can be used to grow donor material for peatland restoration and contribute to species conservation by providing substitute habitat for bog‐typical and threatened plant species.

Recovery of vegetation on former alpine roads: how long does it take?

Alpine areas worldwide are under heavy land‐use pressure and degradation. Active restoration treatments can contribute to accelerating recovery of degraded areas. However, monitoring data are needed to understand the contribution of restoration treatments to long‐term management and to predict time to recovery (TR). In this study, we used monitoring data on removed roads in an alpine area in Norway to investigate TR of three vegetation‐based indicators. Four restoration treatments were tested: 1) removal of added gravel down to original terrain surface, and stirring of topsoil; 2) adding fertilizer to the stirred topsoil; 3) adding seeds to the fertilized topsoil; and 4) no removal of added gravel, but stirring of top layer (gravel and soil). The restoration of roads took place in 2002, and monitoring of permanent plots was carried out in 2004, 2009, 2014, and 2019. Reference plots in intact vegetation next to removed roads were monitored in 2014 and 2019. We used species composition and species richness of vascular plants as well as total vegetation cover as indicators of restoration outcome and investigated predicted TR for these indicators under different restoration treatments. Species composition changed significantly with time since restoration in all treatments, approaching that of the reference vegetation. The recovery of species composition was slowest in fertilized and seeded plots, where estimated TR was 2–3 times longer (> 45 years) than in the other treatments (< 20 years). Species richness of vascular plants was restored quickly (< 5 years) within all restoration treatments, whereas recovery of vegetation cover varied more (20–30 years). Our study confirms that vegetation recovery in alpine environments is a long‐term process, but that adding seeds and nutrients is unnecessary for, and even inhibits, the recovery of narrow, disturbed sites such as former roads.

The spread of alien vascular plant species in the biotopes of the Moshnohirsky Ridge (Cherkasy region, Ukraine)

Invasion of organisms pose a potential threat to the existence of natural habitats and lead to impoverishment of biological diversity. Particularly pronounced is the negative impact within the boundaries of the Middle Dnieper region, where approximately a quarter of vascular plant species are of alien origin. The purpose of the study was to identify the current species composition of alien vascular plant species, the specific features of their distribution outside the culture, naturalisation, and involvement in plant communities of Moshnohirsky Ridge biotopes. The species composition of plants was recorded by transects and releves in the habitats of representatives of alien plant species were conducted to achieve this goal. It was determined that the vegetation cover of forest and related biotopes in the research area is significantly contaminated with alien vascular plant species, amounting to 48 species from 45 genera and 29 families. Substantial involvement of alien species is noted in Forest biotopes of hornbeam-oak forests – 35.4%, and oak and pine-oak forests – 29.2%. Among the alien species that have a substantial impact on the structure of plant communities of these broad-leaved forest biotopes are Impatiens parviflora DC., Robinia pseudoacacia L., Acer negundo L. Over time, the majority of introduced species are considered neophytes (81.3%), with a significant portion originating from North America (43.8%), the Mediterranean region (16.7%), and East Asia (8.3%). In terms of their penetration into natural ecosystems, species that are capable of actively integrating into natural communities, namely agriophytes and agriocoenophytes, hold high positions (a total of 30.2%). In contrast to these groups, limited alien species without active distribution – ephemerophytes and colonophytes are substantially represented in the groupings of the research area (30.6%). The identified patterns of distribution and cenotic distribution of alien species are the primary basis for the formation of optimal measures to counteract new invasions in forest communities and restrain the process of population compaction for species that already have a wide distribution within the research area

CHANGES IN FLORA SPECIES COMPOSITION AND SOIL ENZYME ACTIVITY IN COMMUNITIES OF ACER NEGUNDO IN THE KEMEROVO REGION

The article presents the study results of the species composition of vascular plants and soil activity in communities dominated by Acer negundo . The studies were carried out on accounting sites located in the mountain-taiga and forest-steppe zones of Kuzbass. The selection of trial plots was made taking into account the horizontal differentiation of space into under-crown (registration plots) and external zones (control) of phytogenic fields. Floristic descriptions and analysis of the soil by the level of activity of enzymes (invertase, protease, phosphatase) were carried out using standard methods. The species diversity of vascular plants in the areas under study constituted 64 species. The dominant plant species in the ash-leaved maple communities were identified. Under the canopy of A. negundo , ruderal species - Cirsium setosum, Elytrigia repens, Lamium album, Urtica dioica, and Taraxacum officinale - dominate, while in the outer zones, the proportion of meadow species increases - Achillea millefolium, Dactylis glomerata, and Festuca pratensis . It has been established that the floristic composition of communities does not affect significantly the level of activity of soil enzymes. In the undercrown space of A. negundo , an increase in the activity of hydrolytic enzymes by an average of 11% was noted, compared with the outer zones.

Impacts of Diffuse Land-Use on Plant Diversity Patterns in the Miombo Woodlands of Western Zambia

Land use is known to influence the diversity of vascular plants in the Miombo woodlands. However, little is known about the interaction between soil and land use in herbaceous and woody species. We compared the diversity of vascular plants at the plot level (20 m × 50 m) and site level for three sites in the Miombo woodlands of western Zambia subject to different levels of intensity classes of diffuse land use (e.g., livestock herbivory and selective timber harvesting). For each of the sites, twenty plots were randomly selected for assessment of species composition of vascular plant species, indicators of land-use intensity, and soil chemistry per plot. We hypothesized that the site with the lowest human impact would have the highest richness and diversity of woody and herbaceous species. At the site level, we found that richness and diversity of woody species were unaffected by land-use intensity, whereas herbaceous species richness was higher for the protected site (28 species on average per 1000 m2) than the two other sites (23 and 21 species on average per 1000 m2). At the plot level, herbaceous species richness was positively associated with woodcutting and soil pH. We interpret the positive effect of woodcutting on herbaceous species richness as the effect of lower competition by the woody component for resources such as water, nutrients, and light. With regard to the absence of any effect of land-use intensity on the richness of woody species, we conclude that in our study areas selective timber harvesting may be at a sustainable level and might even have a positive effect on the diversity of the herbaceous layer.

Factors affecting the biodiversity of historical landscape elements: detailed analyses from three case studies in Slovakia.

A direct, positive correlation between biodiversity and the traditional agricultural landscape is evident on the national or regional scale. It is mostly conditioned by higher landscape diversity and less intensive farming. We have carried out research on a detailed scale at plot level (productive plots of arable lands, grasslands, vineyards, orchards, and unproductive agrarian landforms (mostly field margins) such as terraced slopes, terraced steps, heaps, mounds, and unconsolidated walls) in three traditional agricultural landscapes: the mountain village Liptovská Teplička, the vineyard landscape in Svätý Jur, and dispersed settlements in a submontane area in Hriňová. We determined the statistical significance of the impact of the selected landscape ecological factors (a set of factors concerning land use and management, agrarian landforms and relief properties) on the distribution of vegetation and selected invertebrate groups (spiders, millipedes, grasshoppers, and crickets). We also explored whether maintaining traditional land use and traditional management helped to enhance the biodiversity. We found that the management regime is the most important factor determining the species composition of vascular plants and all studied animal groups. Also, present land use and agrarian landforms character (type, skeleton content, continuity) are significant factors. Our expectation of a positive relationship between biodiversity and the maintaining traditional land use and traditional management was, in general, not confirmed: such a relation was only found in Svätý Jur for biodiversity of spiders.

Forest age and topographic position jointly shape the species richness and composition of vascular plants in karstic habitats

Key messageDolines may provide important safe havens for many plant species and play a key role in maintaining biodiversity. The combined effects of forest age and topographic position influence the biodiversity patterns of these unique habitats. Forest managers, conservationists, and researchers need to work together in order to maintain the species richness and composition of these habitats under environmental changes.ContextDolines are the most prominent geomorphological features in many karst landscapes that may provide important microhabitats for many species.AimsWe aim to contribute to a better understanding of how forest age and topographic position influence the plant species richness and composition of vascular plants within doline habitats.MethodsWe studied the effects of forest age (four age classes: from 5- to 10-year-old stands to more than 90-year-old stands), topographic position (south-facing slope, bottom, and north-facing slope), and their interaction on the distribution of vascular plants and mean Ellenberg indicator values in dolines using detrended correspondence analysis and mixed-effects models. Diagnostic species for the forest age classes and topographic positions were also determined.ResultsDifferent groups of vascular plant species usually showed significant preferences for certain topographic positions and/or forest age classes in dolines. In general, the number of species in all studied groups of plants increased after a few years of canopy removal. The number of plant species in almost all groups was lowest in dolines covered with 40–45-year-old forests. The moist and nutrient-rich doline bottoms covered with 90–120-year-old forests harboured many climate change vulnerable plant species.ConclusionsForest age and topographic position considerably influence the species richness and composition of vascular plants in dolines; therefore, forest managers and conservationists need to consider their potential impacts when evaluating the effects of climate warming on karst landscapes.

SPECIES DIVERSITY OF THE FLORA OF THE WESTERN HLYNIANSKA AREA OF THE DUBRIVSKE PRIMARY KAOLIN DEPOSIT

We describe the results of the study of the flora of regenerated and transformed vegetation on the territory of the Zahidno-Glynske section of the Dubrivske deposit of primary kaolin. The authors determined the species composition of higher vascular plants and mosses in the studied area. They made a brief analysis of the ecological features of the distribution of individual species or their systematic groups. They also made a short analysis of the ecological features of the distribution of individual species or their systematic groups. In particular, we established a connection between the features of the ecosystem structure and the ratios of representatives of different plant families, and also constructed a syntaxonomic scheme of plant groups based on the principles of the Brown- Blanke ecological and floristic school. During the research, we discovered 151 representatives of the flora. Among them are 143 species of higher vascular plants from 33 families and 9 species of mosses from 7 families. The most numerous are the families Poaceae (24 species), Asteraceae (21 species), Rosaceae (14 species), and Fabaceae (10 species). The vegetation of the studied area belongs to 13 classes, 19 orders, 35 unions, and 40 associations. There is an active restructuring of settlements with constant reformatting of the econiche packaging during the process of natural restoration of the vegetation cover with the help of primary autogenous successions. Empty econiches are formed here. They can potentially be inhabited, both by rare representatives of biota and habitats and by dangerous synanthropic species. For example, these habitats become vulnerable to the introduction of invasive species of transformers, which threaten rare biota components, ecosystem stability processes, agriculture, and human health. In this regard, territories, where active mineral extraction is carried out or restored after its termination, should be under constant monitoring regarding floristic and phytocenotic diversity. No species included in the IUCN Red List, the European Red List, annexes, and resolutions to the Berne Convention, Red Book of Ukraine, and to the list of regionally rare species were found on the territory. The invasive species-transformer Solidago canadensis was located on the territory. It is in the early stages of penetration and transformation of habitats of renewable natural vegetation.

Ecologically relevant canopy openness from hemispherical photographs

Canopy openness determines forest biodiversity, radiation regime and understorey microclimate. Traditionally, canopy openness was calculated from hemispherical photographs with a full 180° angle of view, but photographic equipment providing only narrower angles of view is increasingly used. Despite that, it is unknown how well canopy openness estimated from restricted angles of view predicts different forest characteristics. To fill this gap, we explored how different canopy openness estimates predicts vascular plant species richness and composition, in-situ measured air and soil temperature and photosynthetically active radiation across different types of European deciduous broadleaved forests. We further benchmarked performance of canopy openness against radiation site factors and evaluated accuracy of canopy openness calculation using artifitial calibration targets.Canopy openness calculated from angles of view < 180° was a better predictor of all measured variables than canopy openness from the whole hemispherical photograph. Openness from 80° - 120° angle of view best explained plant species richness, community composition, in-situ measured air and soil temperatures, and the photosynthetically active radiation. Moreover, canopy openness from a 100° angle of view predicted all variables except maximum air temperature better than the total radiation site factor. Finally, canopy openness calculated from angles of view < 120° was less affected by image quality and therefore more comparable between different photographic equipment including smartphones with an external fisheye lens.We found that canopy openness from a complete hemisphere is not required for many ecological applications. Therefore, many consumer-grade cameras and smartphones with an external fisheye lens can provide ecologically relevant canopy openness. Nevertheless, specialized cameras and fisheye lenses should still be preferred. Finally, researchers can predict plant assemblages, forest microclimate and understorey radiation regimes better if they calculate canopy openness from ∼100° angle of view rather than from the whole hemispherical photograph.

Structure and seasonal dynamics of the adventitious fraction of the flora of "Gagarin Park" (Dnipro)

Alien species significantly change the structure and functions of green spaces in cities, can affect people's health and cause economic damage to the urban economy. Studies show that the flora of urboecosystems has been significantly transformed by human economic activity, which causes the spread and rapid advancement of invasive species and the reduction of phytodiversity. The object of the study was the grass cover of "Gagarin Park" (Dnipro). The species composition and projective cover of vascular plants of the grass layer were studied in April–May and June–July 2021–2022. Experimental sites measuring 3×3 m were laid in different parts of the park, the total number of spring descriptions – 420, summer – 230. Field work was carried out using classic geobotanical methods of research (route-reconnaissance, detailed-route, geobotanical description, establishment of test plots). 121 species of vascular plants belonging to 45 families were recorded in the grass cover of Gagarin Park (Dnipro). The most numerous are Asteraceae (17%) and Poaceae (12%). At the beginning of the growing season, the families Lamiaceae, Rosaceae, and Scrophulariaceae are characterized by the richest species composition; in the summer, the role of Aceraceae, Brassicaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Fabaceae, and Rosaceae increases. 42 adventive species belonging to 29 families were found in the grass layer of the park. The share of adventitious plants increases during the growing season from 22 to 37% in species composition. In spring, representatives of the Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, and Scrophulariaceae families predominate among the 12 registered adventives (15% each), in summer the number of adventive species increases to 36, and the Asteraceae family dominates (28%). The spectrum of life forms is dominated by herbaceous annuals - 33.3% and perennials - 23.8%, as well as numerous seedlings of woody species – 21.4%. There are much fewer biennials (9.5%) and vines (7.1%), biennials and shrubs are represented singly. American species (33.4%) are the leaders in species diversity by origin: North American and South American migroelements have 13 and 1 species, respectively. There are also numerous representatives of Mediterranean (23.8%) and Asian origin (21.4%). This ratio is more typical for the group of invasive plants than for alien species of Ukraine as a whole. The predominance of species of American origin indicates that plants that grow in similar conditions in their original habitat are best adapted to new conditions. This confirms the proposition that species with a transcontinental habitat type have greater opportunities for adaptation to new conditions than species originating from adjacent floristic regions. The spectrum of adventitious plant biomorphs in «Gagarin Park» is dominated by annuals in the spring, but in the summer the share of woody species seedlings increases. Among the life forms according to K. Raunkier (or climamorph), the largest percentage belongs to therophytes in spring, and phanerophytes and hemcryptophytes in summer. The dominant group of biomorphs is vegetatively immobile plants – 80% in spring and 55% in summer. Cenomorphic analysis of the grass cover indicates the dominance of ruderants throughout the season, which is natural for the analyzed group of adventive plants. Xeromesophytes and mesophytes predominate among hygromorphs, and mesotrophs among tromorphs, which indicates favorable conditions for the growth of tree vegetation in the park. Among the heliomorphs, heliophytes and scioheliophytes predominate, which reflects the increased level of illumination under the canopy of woody park plants compared to typical forest phytocenoses. In the grass cover of the «Gagarin park», representatives of alien species with high and medium indicators of phytocenotic activity were found. Among them, most of them belong to invasive plants and transformative species – Impatiens parviflora, Solidago canadensis, Acer negundo, Erigeron annuus, they are the ones that pose a threat to the phytodiversity of the studied ecosystem, inhibit naturalization processes and require measures to regulate the number of populations. Due to the detected increased phytocenotic activity of Partenocissus quinquefolia and Vitis vinifera, we state that these species acquire invasive properties, therefore they require the attention of researchers and monitoring.

Land-use intensification reduces multi-taxa diversity patterns of Small Woodlots Outside Forests in a Mediterranean area

Land-use intensification exacerbates landscape fragmentation, increasing the negative effects on biodiversity. In this context, the biodiversity value of Trees Outside Forests (TOF; scattered trees, tree lines and small woodlots) is often overlooked by landscape planning and conservation programs, which typically focus on protecting larger and more intact areas. More empirical studies on taxa inhabiting TOF are needed to support and promote their conservation in human-altered lands.However, we are not aware of any study focusing on multiple taxa living in small woodlots outside forests (SWOFs) in the Mediterranean basin. We investigated how diversity patterns of multiple taxa in SWOFs respond to a land-use intensification gradient, from natural areas to more disturbed ones (agricultural and urban areas), in a Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot.We explored the influence of land-use types on species richness and composition of vascular plants and six ground-dwelling invertebrate groups (pseudoscorpions, spiders, darkling beetles, rove beetles, ground beetles, and ants). Species composition was more sensitive than species richness to land-use change, highlighting the need to consider a suitable measure for interpreting ecological processes. We observed a strong influence of land use embedding SWOFs on the mean composition and beta diversity of taxa: land-use intensification led to a general homogenization of diversity patterns, especially among agricultural and urban areas. In our study area, vascular plants responded more sensitively to land-use change than invertebrates. For most invertebrates: the higher the land-use intensity, the lower the species composition dissimilarity due to the dominance of good dispersers or disturbance-tolerant species. More vagile species and disturbance-tolerant species can move across open habitats and colonize new areas, reducing compositional differences and potentially boosting species pools. We demonstrated that SWOFs play a key role in supporting viable populations of invertebrates, also in human-altered lands, underlining the need to promote their conservation in this Mediterranean fragmented landscape to avoid homogenization from driving a generalized biodiversity loss.

Research on species diversity and assessment of biodiversity indices of vascular plants in different wetland habitats in Cu Lao Dung district, Soc Trang province

The study was carried out on Cu Lao Dung (CLD), a small island located in the lower Mekong River, in SocTrang province. The objective of the study was to survey the diversity of species composition and biodiversityindexes of vascular plants here. Since then, the environmental quality has been initially assessed throughthe research plant group. The study was carried out in 2 years (2018-2020) with qualitative research (followingthe sampling route) and quantitative research (collecting samples in standard plots. The results of speciescomposition diversity obtained 106 species belonging to 88 genera, 49 families of 2 phyla. The ten mostdiverse plant families here account for 53.77%. The canal habitat was the habitat with the most species.Woody plants were the dominant group in terms of life forms. The plants in the study area were usedmedicinally with the rate of 91.51%. Biodiversity index results showed that Sonneratiacaseolaris was auniformly distributed species and was also the dominant species in CLD mangroves. Mangrove forests inCLD were tropical plantations and were stable. Nypafruticans was the predominant species in lagoon habitatsand inundated areas inside and outside the dyke. The groups of plants in this habitat have been greatlyaffected by relatively stable environmental conditions. The habitats of rivers, canals and lowland gardenswere the habitats with the most species. The biodiversity index H reached 5.48, which was an adaptiveenvironment for aquatic plants in the study area.

Macroecological drivers of vascular plant species composition in semi-natural grasslands: A regional study from Lower Silesia (Poland)

In agricultural landscapes of Europe, species-rich semi-natural grasslands provide numerous ecosystem services, such as forage production, ground and surface water regulation, and carbon sequestration. In the face of the declining area of grasslands, information about the macroecological drivers of grasslands diversity is an important element of studies on their ecology and management. Here, we tested the effect of factors representing environmental gradients, landscape structure, human pressure, habitat continuity in time, and spatial structure on species composition of vascular plants in semi-natural grasslands. The analysis was performed using a multivariate approach for 689 vegetation plots distributed across ~20,000 km2 in the Lower Silesia region (Poland, Central Europe). We found that species composition was significantly influenced by factors representing all studied groups. The most influential factors were temperature, long-term habitat continuity, and topography. Moreover, we captured the correlation between habitat conditions and habitat continuity. Old grasslands (existing since the 1940s) usually occurred in wet habitats, and medium grasslands (existing since the 1980s) existed in highlands in most cases. We highlighted the potential of freely available environmental databases, as well as historical topographic maps, in the exploration of patterns of species composition at a large spatial extent. The result show also the usefulness of vegetation databases in recognition of grassland complexes contributing the regional biodiversity.