Life Form Spectrum Research Articles

Grass Diversity in the Historical Kalash Valley, District Chitral, Hindukush Range, Pakistan

The present study was carried out to enlist the grass flora of Kalash valley, Pakistan theirecological characteristics and ethnobotanical uses. A total of 36 grass species belonging to 29 genera wereidentified. Poa was the dominant genus with 4 (11.11%) species followed by Avena, Bromus, Hordeumand Lolium represented by 2 (5.55%) species each. The remaining genera had one species each. Ecologicalcharacteristics revealed that 23 (63.89%) species were rarely occurring, 9 (25%) were common and 4(11.11%) species were abundantly occurring in the valley. Life form spectra showed that therophytes weredominant with 24 (66.67%) species followed by hemicryptophytes with 8 (22.22%) species, chamaephytes3 (8.33%) and geophytes had one (2.78%) species. Leaf size spectra revealed that 26 (72.22%) specieswere nanophylls, 4 (11.11%) were microphylls and 3 (8.33%) were mesophylls. 27 (75%) species weregrowing on dry places and 9 (25%) were growing on wet soils. Similarly, 33 (91.67%) were fodder species,3 (11.11%) were food species and 2 (5.55%) species were used for thatching purposes in the valley. Thepresent information will be useful for further ecological and biological researches on the grasses in thisdry temperate region of Pakistan.

Steppe of Tbilisi environs (East Georgia, South Caucasus)

Abstract Steppes of Tbilisi environs are studied. In the Tbilisi surroundings the steppe vegetation is either of primary or secondary origin. Steppe vegetation in the Tbilisi environs are represented by 4 formations: (1) Bothriochloeta ischaemum, (2) Festuceta valesiaci, (3) Stipeta pennatae and (4) Gramino-Mixtoherbeta. From them Bothriochloeta ischaemum and Festuceta valesiaci formations have more area covering and characterized by the comparatively rich typological composition. Typological composition of each formation is established. For each separated plant communities the basic structural characteristics (general projective coverage, sodding degree, dominant-edificatory plant, characteristic species, number of species, moss cover, litter, species richness, spectrum of life forms), distribution area in the Tbilisi environs and main physical-geographical conditions (altitude, exposure, inclination, soil type) are given.

Is the flora of oxbow lakes different from that of fishponds? A comparison of two types of water reservoirs in the Noteć River valley and Bydgoszcz Canal valley (NW Poland)

The study was conducted in the growing seasons of 2011–2013 and involved 10 oxbow lakes located in the vicinity of Chobielin and 10 fishponds near Ślesin (north-western Poland). The oxbow lakes were characterized by a greater floristic diversity (212 species) compared with the ponds (131 species). Their flora has a more natural character, which is manifested in a higher pro- portion of native species, including non-synanthropic spontaneophytes (45.3%) as well as some legally protected species. In the ar- tificial reservoirs, non-native species represented 12.2% of the total number of species, in natural reservoirs – only 8.5%. The main differences in the spectrum of life forms were manifested in a higher relative abundance of phanerophytes in the vegetation of the oxbow lakes (10.8%), and a higher abundance of hydrophytes along with helophytes (17.6%), therophytes (18.3%), and geophytes (16.3%) in the ponds. The flora of the oxbow lakes was represented by species belonging to 20 phytosociological classes, while the flora of the ponds – 14 classes. Molinio-Arrhenatheretea and Phragmitetea australis accounted for the highest relative species abun- dance in both types of water bodies. Oxbow lakes are characterized by a much greater proportion of species from Querco-Fagetea, almost exclusively non-synanthropic spontaneophytes. Management practices associated with the maintenance of the ponds translate into a higher proportion of ruderal species, by nearly 6%. As a result, taxa from Artemisietea vulgaris were more numerous in the ponds. Edificators from Lemnetea minoris and Potametea were also abundant there. The differences in the analysed flora, resulting primarily from different origins of the reservoirs and their surroundings (mainly forests in the case of the oxbow lakes and meadows around the ponds), was confirmed by statistical analysis and synanthropization indices. Despite their different origin and management methods, both types of reservoirs are valuable refuges for native flora and are characterized by high and similar values of floristic diversity indices. While the oxbow lakes are protected from degradation as protected habitats, the existence and condition of vegeta- tion in fishponds are entirely dependent on the economic regime of fish farms.

Flora of karst lakes in the Pustynsky State Nature Reserve (Nizhny Novgorod oblast)

Pustynsky State Natural Reserve of Regional Importance (area 19,730 hectares) was established by decree of the administration of Nizhny Novgorod oblast on September 16, 2013. It is located in the Tyoshe-Seryozhinsky karst area of the Oka-Sura karst region or Seryozhe-Panskoy karst lake district. Its creation is justified by the need to protect the rare species of living organisms, diverse types of vegetation, unique landscapes and plant communities that are concentrated in this territory. Despite the fact that in 1934 on the shore of the Great Lake in the Staraya Pustyn village the biological station of the State University of Nizhny Novgorod was founded, local flora of the karst lakes which are linked into a single system by the channel of the River Seryozha, remains insufficiently studied. In 2014 and 2015 the authors conducted a study of the flora of the Pustynsky lake-river complex. The collection of material for study of the taxonomic composition of the flora of the reservoirs and the collection of herbarium material were carried out by the route method from a rowing boat and, in part, by traversing along the shore. Taxonomic, ecological (including the spectrum of life forms of plants) and ecobiomorphological analysis of the flora, including the analysis of the ratio of its latitudinal and longitude elements, was carried out in cameral conditions. The taxonomic analysis of flora showed 162 species of vascular plants from 61 genera and 42 families, 6 of these species – Najas minor All., N. major All., Trapa natans L., Potamogeton praelongus Wulf., P. trichoides Cham. et Schlecht. and Carex bohemica Schreb, being included in the List of Rare and Protected Species on the Territory of Nizhny Novgorod oblast. On the basis of the annotated list of plant species, taxonomic, geographic, ecological-coenotic and ecobiomorphological analysis of the flora of the water reservoirs was made. We confirmed that the flora of the lake-river complex is traditional for this territory. Poaceae, Cyperaceae, Potamogetonaceae, Polygonaceae and Asteraceae belong to the dominant families and Potamogeton L., Carex L., Juncus L. and Salix L. belong to the dominant genera of the Pustynsky lake-river system. The level of the hybrid component of the flora is extremely low, which is typical for the watershed lakes. We found that a 6.5 km stretch of the Seryozha River accounts for about 30% of species of the vascular plants belonging to the flora in the Volga River basin. The high species richness of the flora of this territory is due, primarily, to the specific features of the shoreline, forming a broad range of habitats and the relatively stable water level regime despite the strong fluctuation in the level of anthropogenic pressure. We found that boreal and plurizonal elements dominate zonally but Holarctic and Eurasian species – regionally. The predominance of species typical for the ecotone zones of lakes (hygrophytes, hydrophytes and mesophytes) is an integral feature of the ecological-coenotic diversity which is characteristic of the Volga River basin. According to the Raunkiaer classification of life forms, hemicryptophytes are the most numerous group and the hamephytes are the least numerous one. A biomorphological analysis shows the predominance of vegetative mobile, clearly polycentric and vegetative immobile monocentric ecobiomorphs.

Plant communities supported by the geological setting: the case history of the Isole dei Ciclopi (east Sicily)

This paper provides an update inventory of the vascular flora and a framework of the plant communities of the Isole dei Ciclopi (Acicastello, Catania) taking into account their geological setting. A total of 111 phytosociological releves were performed in the period 2015-2016. The plant communities has been analyzed using WPGMA and Euclidean distance classification. The study area preserves interesting plant-communities, mainly represented by shrubs vegetation ( Oleo-Ceratonion siliquae and Pruno-Rubion ulmifolii ), rocky coast communities ( Crithmo-Staticion) , cliff vegetation ( Anthyllidion barbae-jovis ), halo-nitrophilous vegetation ( Pegano-Salsoletea ), spring-flowering meadows ( Frankenion pulverulentae ) and nitrophilous communities ( Allion triquetri and Echio-Galactition tomentosae ). The vegetation analysis allow the identification of twelve vegetation types and also the reconstruction of three vegetation series. The collected data have been organized in a GIS and the following thematic maps have been produced: vegetation map, habitats map (according to the 92/43/EEC Directive). According to directive 92/43/EU, only three habitat types were delimited through the phytosociological assessment of the plant communities. The flora of the investigated area consists of 102 taxa. The majority of the taxa represented in the life form spectrum are therophytes and hemicryptophytes. From a chorological point of view, the Mediterranean element outweighs the rest, followed by the most diverse group of widespread taxa. Furthermore a detailed geological investigation was carried out and a geological sketch map was performed. The comparison between the vegetation and geological maps shows a good correlation, mostly regarding the distribution of the plant communities onto the different types of substrata.

Floristic, life form and chorological studies of the Abshar protected area, Shirgah, Mazandaran Province, north of Iran

The Abshar protected area with 3639 ha and an altitude ranging from 400-855 m a.s.l. is one of the forest areas that due to its topography is covered by Carpinus betulus, Parrotia persica and Diospyros lotus speices. The floristic study of this area is long with sampling plots. The floristic-physiognomic investigation showed that flora of this region included 99 plant species which belonged to 81 genera and 49 families. The largest family was Rosaceae with 10 species. Classification based on life form spectrum indicated that geophytes (31.31%), phanerophytes (29.29%), hemicryptophytes (25.25%) and therophytes (14.14%) comprise the plants in the studied area. The results of chorological studies showed that the chorotype form Euro-Siberian elements (32 taxa, 32.32%) were the most important phytochorion in this area. Long period of wetness during the growing season and relatively high annual precipitation are the reasons of the high proportion of geophytes existence in the studied area. Phytogeographical comparison of the Abshar protected forest and the other forests in north of Iran identified two peaks in phytochoria curves, one in Euro-Siberian and the other one is in the Pluriregional elements.

Floristic composition and vegetation: Environmental relationships of Wadi Fatimah, Mecca, Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACTThe present study aimed to determine floristic composition, the structure of the vegetation, and species distribution at 16 sample plots in Wadi Fatimah, Mecca, Saudi Arabia, highlighting the ecological factors that affect species distribution. The study revealed 100 plant species belonging to 34 families. Fabaceae and Poaceae were the dominant families, and chamaephytes and therophytes were predominant life forms, which demonstrate a typical desert life-form spectrum. Altitude showed a highly significant association with species frequency distribution. The highest species richness value of 23 species per plot was recorded in the coastal plain (Vegetation groups II & III). The lowest species richness value of 9 species per plot was recorded in the littoral salt marsh (Vegetation group I). Chorological analysis exhibited the Saharao-Arabian–Sudano-Zambezian chorotypes, 47% of the studied species were bi-regional. Using TWINSPAN, DCA, and CCA multivariate analysis, four major vegetation groups were classified into three main ecosystems (I) Halopeplis perfoliata, Suaeda fruticosa, Acacia tortilis, and Suaeda fruticosa, representing the littoral salt marsh; (II) Rhazya stricta and Haloxylon salicornicum, characterized by the coastal plain; and (III) Senna italica, Glinus lotoides, and Tribulus macropterus were the leading groups in the inland mountainous country. The CCA ordination showed that the separation of Vegetation group III along the axis was affected by Mg, K, and P concentration, and VG IV was significantly associated with silt, clay, and fine sand content. Furthermore, the Vegetation group I was significantly correlated with Na and Ca concentration, and VG II group was significantly correlated with heavy metal concentrations of elements as Fe, Pb, Zn, Ni, and Cu.

Recreational transformation of the herbaceous layer in an urban forest ecosystem of Central Podolia

This article examines the impact of recreational activities on herbaceous cover of forests on the example of an urban environment in Central Podolia. The features of changes in environmental conditions of ecotypes of an urban forest have been shown through the systematic, biomorphological and ecomorphic structure of the herbaceous cover, the ratio of ecological groups, changes in type of ecological strategy of species, assessment of ecological fractions valences, and phytodiversity. We found 78 species of vascular plants. The most diverse families are Asteraceae, Poaceae and Lamiaceae. The biomorphological range of phytodiversity of the intensive recreational zone is characterized by a high proportion of adventive and ruderal species, dominance of vegetative mobile species, forming of monodominant groups and disturbed distribution of all spectrum types for coenotic morphs. Perennial hemicryptophytes dominate in the spectrum of life forms. The share of therophytes increased along the gradient of recreational transformation. Unrosellate herbal plants dominate in the structure of aboveground shoots and leaf placement, plants that don’t have special modifications dominate in the structures of underground shoots. Helophytes dominated in the analysis of heliomorphic plants. Mesophytes dominated almost everywhere. The share of hydrocontrastophobes increased with a gradual removal from places of recreation. Changes in acidomorphic and nitromorphic structures of plants were not found. Types of transitional groups of ecological strategies, including CR-, CS-, and CRS-strategies prevailed. The share of patiens diminished. Exsplerents from all types of primary ecological strategies dominated. Analysis of ecological valence fractions showed that species of hemi-euryvalent and euryvalent fractions dominate among hydromorphs, hemi-euryvalent species dominate among ecogroups of scale variability humidification of soil, hemystenovalences species dominate among trophomorphs. Euryvalenct fractions were absent in soil aeration ecogroups. The overall measure of phytodiversity is at its maximum in the zone of weak recreational transformation.

Plant Community Structure of Tropical Semi-Evergreen Forest of Reiek in Mamit District of Mizoram

Ecological study of tropical semi-evergreen forest of Reiek in Mizoram was carried out to determine the stratification of the forest as well as to prepare life form spectrum of the plant communities. Mizoram is a part of Indo- Myanmar region which falls under one of the 35 biodiversity hotspots identified worldwide and therefore has a rich biodiversity. A detailed floristic survey was carried out. Plant species were collected, mounted in herbarium sheets and identified. Structural analysis was carried out and profile diagram was drawn. The forest was found to be composed of three layers in both the disturbed and undisturbed areas of the forest. The life form spectrum has been compared with Raunkiers normal spectrum to find out the phytoclimate of the region. The study area was found to have an abundance of phanerophytes indicating a phanerophytic climate

Floristic Feature of Plant Cover Associated with Some Species of Genus Suaeda in Egypt

The present study provides an investigation of the floristic features, including list of plant species, life-span, life-form spectra and floristic analysis of the plant life associated with Suaeda maritima, Suaeda monoica, Suaeda pruinosa and Suaeda vera in family Chenopodiaceae in the Deltaic Mediterranean coast and Wadi Hagul of Egypt. This study also aims at recording the floristic structure to be used in measurement of plant diversity and ecological conservation plan of the study area in future. The total number of the recorded plant species surveyed in the study area was 103 species belonging to 80 genera and related to 23 families. These species are classified into three major groups according to their duration (life-span) as follows: 47 annuals (45.63%), 2 biennial (1.94%) and 54 perennials (52.42%). The main families are: Asteraceae (23 species), Poaceae (19 species) followed by Chenopodiaceae (17 species) and Fabaceae (7 species). The recorded species are also grouped under six types of life forms as follows: therophytes, chamaephytes, cryptophytes (comprising geophytes and helophytes), hemicryptophytes, phanerophytes and parasites. Out of the recorded species 56 species (about 54.36 % of the total species) are Mediterranean taxa, 18 species (17.48%) was belonging to Monoregional Saharo-Sindian element, 19 species are either Cosmopolitan (10 species = 9.71%), Palaeopical (5 species = 4.85%), Neotropical and Pantropical (2 species = 1.94 each).

Floristic diversity and vegetation structure of Al-Dissah area northwestern Saudi Arabia

This study was conducted on wadi Al-Dissah; a part of Jabal Qaraqir and its surrounding area in the Northwestern region of Saudi Arabia. Jabal Qaraqir in Saudi Arabia is the first site to be assessed for the Important Plant Area (IPA) programme in the Arabian Peninsula. This paper has the objective of determining the floristic composition, species diversity and the vegetation structure of the plant communities, including a breakdown of its different life forms and chorology of the recorded species. A total of 63 species belonging to 61 genera and 31 families were recorded. One family; Adiantaceae belongs to Pteridophyta, while the other 30 families are angiospermae. About 35% of the recorded species in the study area are belonging to four families: Asteraceae and Poaceae had the highest contribution (each had 9.5% of the total species followed by Boraginaceae and Fabaceae (7.9% each). The data also reflect the high taxonomic diversity in the study area. The life form spectrum of the recorded species showed the prevalence of theorphytes (49.2%) followed by chamaephytes (17.5%), phanerphytes (14.3%), geophytes (9.5%), while the least frequent life form class was hemicryptophytes (7.9%). The chorological analysis of the recorded species in the study area showed the predominance of biregional taxa (50.8%) over the other phytogeographical elements followed by the monoregional (25.4%). The present study findings showed that most species belonged to Saharo-Arabian – Sudanian (15.9%) followed by Sudanian elements (11.1%). Only one endemic species is recorded in the study area; Dolichorhynchus arabicus I.C.Hedge & KitTan (syn Douepea arabica). It is a rare threatened endemic plant species in Saudi Arabia. It was locally in Wadi Qaraqir. Other rare species were Ficus palmata which is a small tree with edible fruits, belonging to family Moraceae, and Parietaria umbricola which is an annual species belonging to family Urticaceae. Plant species of Al-Dissah area were checked with international IUCN list. Eight of the recorded species in the study area are globally threatened and incorporated into the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Version 3.1: Cyperus laevigatus, Mentha longifolia, Nerium oleander, Phragmites australis, Tamarix nilotica, Typha domingensis, Chrozophora tinctoria, Adiantum capillus-veneris. All of them are included in the least concern category. Five plant communities were recognized in the study area. The highest plant diversity was reported in plant communities which occupy the wet wadi bed where the perennial stream flows together with the nearby areas between palm trees; Phragmites australis and Mentha longifolia communities. As floristic analyses are the prerequisites for conservation of plant species, therefore, it is critical to examine the current status of floristic and species diversity to provide appropriate guidelines for developing effective system of conservation and management. Information from this study may provide a valuable reference for appropriate conservation and management of the study area.

Laws of organization and chemical analysis: Blainville and Müller.

When "general physiology" emerged as a basic field of research within biology in the early nineteenth century, Henri Ducrotay de Blainville (1777-1850) on the one hand and Johannes Peter Müller (1801-1858) on the other appealed to chemical analysis to account for the properties and operations of organisms that were observed to differ from what was found in inorganic compounds. Their aim was to establish laws of vital organization that would be based on organic chemical processes, but would also be of use to explain morphological and functional differences among life forms. The intent of this paper is to specify for each of these leading physiologists the different presuppositions that provided theoretical frameworks for their interpretation of what they conceived of as laws of organization underpinning the dynamics of vital phenomena. Blainville presumed that the properties of organic compounds depended on the chemical properties of their constitutive molecules, but combined according to patterns of functional development, and that the latter could only be inferred from an empirical survey of modes of organization across the spectrum of life forms. For Müller, while all vital processes involved chemical reactions, in the formative and functional operations of organisms, these reactions would result from the action of life forces that were responsible for the production of organic combinations and thus for vital and animal functions. As both physiologists set significant methodological patterns for their many disciples and followers, their respective quasi-reductionist and anti-reductionist positions need to be accounted for.

Balkan endemic vascular plants of Montenegro — critical inventory with chorological and life-form analyses

Abstract: Balkan endemic taxa are those whose distribution is restricted exclusively to the Balkan Peninsula. In the vascular flora of Montenegro there are 372 Balkan endemic taxa (at the species and subspecies levels), of which 39 taxa are distributed only in Montenegro. This paper presents an overview of the Balkan endemic taxa in Montenegro with their families, chorological groups, life-form categories and distribution by geographical subregion. The richest families in terms of Balkan endemic taxa are Asteraceae and Caryophyllaceae, while the richest genus is Hieracium (Asteraceae). The chorological structure of the flora shows that the largest numbers of Balkan endemic taxa are from the S European mountain and C European mountain chorological groups, while in the life-form spectrum of the flora hemicryptophytes and chamaephytes are the most numerous. The presence of Balkan endemic taxa in the six geographical subregions of Montenegro is also analysed. Floristic similarities among the geographical subr...

Anthropogenic changes in environmental conditions of phytocoenoses of medium sized-sized Ukrainian river valleys (based on the example of the River Tyasmyn – a tributary of the Dnieper)

The problem of anthropogenic degradation of rivers is usually marked by its multi-sectoral and often international character as well by the large number of sources of environmental threat. Therefore, its solution requires a systematic approach based on transparent and coordinated interagency and international cooperation. The River Dnieper inUkrainehas undergone a remarkable transformation as a result of the construction of a cascade of reservoirs. Anthropogenic damage to the plants and soil that cover its basin have caused damage to the functioning of ecological regimes of theDnieper’s tributaries. Small and medium-sized rivers are dying. In this article, attention is paid to a typical middle-sized (164 km) river of theDnieperBasin, the Tyasmyn. Its middle and lower parts are located in the overtransformed Irdyn-Tyasmyn valley. During the last glaciation it formed the central part of the right arm of the ancientDnieper. Regulation of the Tyasmyn runoff, pollution, the creation of theKremenchugreservoir on theDnieper, grazing and recreational load have led to the threat of the river degrading. Therefore, the aim of this article is to characterize the structure of the herbaceous vegetation in the central and lower parts of the Tyasmyn valley and assess the level of its dependence on anthropogenic changes in the conditions of the ecotypes. The methods used are: retrospective and system analysis, comparative ecology (ecological profile or transect), botanic methods, phytoindication, the mapping method and mathematical statistics. The features of changes in environmental conditions of ecotypes of the river valley have been shown through systematic, biomorphological, ecomorphic structure of the herbaceous cover, the ratio of ecological groups and changes in types of ecological strategy of species, phytodiversity. We found 89 species of vascular plants. The most diverse families were Asteraceae, Poaceae and Lamiaceae. The biomorphological range of phytodiversity of the Tyasmyn valley is characterized by a high proportion of adventive and ruderal species, dominance of vegetative mobile species and disturbed distribution of all spectrum types for coenotic morphs. Depletion of the floristic composition and formation of monodominant groups in the middle of the valley were found. The overall measure of phytodiversity reached its maximum in the areas furthest from the mouth of the valley, lower towards the valley mouth and lowest in the area of pasture and recreational digression. Perennial hemicryptophytes and therophytes dominate the spectrum of life forms. Herbaceous plants without rosettes prevailed in the structure of above ground shoots and placement of leaves, while plants without special adaptations prevail in the structure of underground shoots. In the hydromorph structure with increasing distance from the mouth of the river there is a tendency for the share of hydrophytes, subhydrophytes to fall and, conversely, that of submesophytes to increase. Hygromesophytes and mesophytes prevail almost everywhere. Changes in the acidomorphic and nitromorphic structure of plants were not found. Semieutrophes, hemieurytopic, hemistenotopic plants and types of transitional groups of ecological strategies, including CR-, CS-, and CRS-strategies prevail. Vegetation of middle and lower flow of the river Tyasmyn degrades at stages II–IV of anthropogenic transformation.

A Phytogeographical Metaanalysis of the Semiarid Caatinga Domain in Brazil

Seasonally Dry Tropical Plant Formations (SDTFs) are among the most threatened biomes worldwide. Nevertheless, they have received less scientific attention than rainforests or savannas. One such SDTF, the Caatinga Phytogeographic Domain (CPD), is the largest semiarid tropical ecoregion in South America. Earlier floristic studies of the Caatinga flora discerned two floristic groups in the CPD, in terrains of crystalline and sedimentary origin respectively. We compiled and analysed the most comprehensive dataset on CPD plant distributions to produce a general biogeographical synthesis for Caatinga, including inselbergs, riverine forests and ecotonal areas. Not only are crystalline and sedimentary caatingas clearly distinct, but inselbergs collectively form a third floristic group in the CPD. Non-woody plants, omitted from many studies, are a major component of Caatinga diversity, comprising more than 60 % of species in some local communities. Raunkiaerian life-form spectra of Caatinga sites show that Caatinga vegetation differs in life-form spectra from those of major world biomes, supporting recognition of SDTFs as a discrete world biome.

Raunkiaerian life-forms in the Atlantic forest and comparisons of life-form spectra among Brazilian main biomes

Life-form spectra are known to vary greatly among different biomes, being largely defined by macroclimates on a global scale. Benign climates usually have biomes with a large proportion of phanerophytes, whereas harsher climates favor life-forms with greater degrees of bud protection. We sampled the flora of a semideciduous Atlantic forest and classified each recorded species in one of the Raunkiaerian life-forms. We then compared the biological spectrum of this seasonal forest with other published spectra of the main Brazilian biomes. We show that each biome has a clear functional spectrum and that the semideciduous Atlantic forest is to some extent functionally similar to Amazonian and Atlantic ombrophilous forests. The relatively moist semideciduous and the ombrophilous forests have biological spectra dominated by phanerophytes. The fire-prone, seasonal “Cerrado” savannas have spectra dominated by both phanerophytes and hemicryptophytes. However, the spectra of the semiarid “Caatinga” woodlands seem to depend on soil type: woodlands on crystalline terrains are dominated by therophytes, whereas those on sedimentary terrains are dominated by both phanerophytes and therophytes. Sedimentary caatingas have spectra whose features are in an intermediate position between those of crystalline caatingas and moist forests. On a continental scale, macroclimate seems to be the most important environmental factor separating different biological spectra, but wildfires in the “Cerrado” and soil differences between crystalline and sedimentary Caatinga woodlands also play an important role in defining the local spectrum on a regional scale.

What are the most important factors determining different vegetation types in the Chapada Diamantina, Brazil?

A transect was used to examine the environmental and biological descriptors of a compact vegetation mosaic in the Chapada Diamantina in northeastern Brazil, including the floristic composition, spectrum of plant life forms, rainfall, and soil properties that defined areas of cerrado (Brazilian savanna), caatinga (seasonally dry tropical forest thorny, deciduous shrub/arboreal vegetation) and cerrado-caatinga transition vegetation. The floristic survey was made monthly from April/2009 to March/2012. A dendrogram of similarity was generated using the Jaccard Index based on a matrix of the species that occurred in at least two of the vegetation types examined. The proportions of life forms in each vegetation type were compared using the chi-square test. Composite soil samples were analyzed by simple variance (ANOVA) to examine relationships between soil parameters of each vegetation type and the transition area. The monthly precipitation levels in each vegetation type were measured and compared using the chi-square test. A total of 323 species of angiosperms were collected distributed in 193 genera and 54 families. The dendrogram demonstrated strong difference between the floristic compositions of the cerrado and caatinga, sharing 2% similarity. The chi-square test did not demonstrate any significant statistical differences between the monthly values of recorded rainfall. The organic matter and clay contents of the soilsin the caatinga increased while sand decreased, and the proportions of therophyte, hemicryptophyte, and chamaephyte life forms decreased and phanerophytes increased. We can therefore conclude that the floristic composition and the spectrum of life forms combined to define the cerrado and caatinga vegetation along the transect examined, with soil being the principal conditioning factor determining the different vegetation types, independent of precipitation levels.

Plant diversity of Ghorkhod Protected Area, NE Iran

Ghorkhod Protected Area (GPA) is located in a transitional zone among different biogeographical units in North Khorassan Province, NE Iran. The study area is mainly a mountainous region in western extensions of Khorassan-Kopet Dagh floristic province. We investigated the floristic composition, life form spectrum and phytogeography of the study area through several random collection efforts and 200 vegetation samples (reléves) in selected vegetation types during 2007–2012. A total of 663 vascular plant species belonging to 367 genera and 81 families are recorded as native and naturalized in GPA. Angiosperms and Dicots are among the most diverse plant groups. The richest plant families are Asteraceae (88 species), Poaceae (78), Lamiaceae (45), Brassicaceae (43), Fabaceae (38), and Caryophyllaceae (32). The genera Allium L. (17 species), Astragalus L. (15) and Cousinia Cass. (12) are the richest ones, however, the majority of the species belongs to oligotypic and monotypic genera. Life form spectrum of the study area is dominated by hemicryptophytes (38.9%) and therophytes (23.4%). Allium transvestiens Vved., Agropyron desertorum Schult., Helictotrichon turcomanicum Czopanov and Piptatherum latifolium (Roshev.) Nevski are recorded as new to Iran. The core flora of the area has the Irano-Turanian origin. However, the wide-range and widespread elements are also well represented in the study area. GPA is inhabited by several endemic, rare and narrow-range plant species, indicating the biodiversity importance of the study area in NE Iran.

Floristic composition, biological spectrum and conservation status of the vegetation in Nikyal valley, Azad Jammu and Kashmir

ObjectiveTo analyze floristic compositions, biological spectrum and conservation status of the existing vegetation in valley. MethodsA quantitative phytosociological survey was conducted using quadrat method at different sites. Sampling was done by using quadrat method. A complete floristic list of the plant communities of the study area was compiled on the basis of plant collection. Life form and leaf spectra were constructed using the complete list of the plant communities collected from study area. Conservation status of each species was established on the basis of International Union for Conservation of Nature criteria. ResultsThe flora of Nikyal valley consisted of 110 species belonging to 51 families and 98 genera. Poaceae (18 spp.), Asteraceae (10 spp.), Lamiaceae (8 spp.) and Fabaceae (7 spp.) were the leading families in the area. Biological spectrums of 13 different plant communities were grouped into four plant associations on the basis of cluster analysis and detrended correspondence analysis. The data showed that hemicryptophytes (32.73%) were the dominant life form in the area followed by therophytes (23.64%) and nanophanerophytes (22.73%) during monsoon season. Similarly, nanophyllous species (37.27%) followed by microphyllous species (29.09%) remained dominant during monsoon in the investigated area. ConclusionsThe majority of important plant species of Nikyal valley are critically endangered, therefore effective measures for conservation of plant resources of the valley are urgently needed. We recommend the floristic life-form spectrum technique if working in sufficiently large areas, because it could provide an indication of the prevailing phytoclimate.

Temporal changes in the impacts on plant communities of an invasive alien tree, Acacia longifolia

Studies on the impacts of invasive plants are common but most are short term and fail to consider the temporal context of invasion. The present work investigated particular invasions on two different time scales and asked: (1) Do the impacts of an invasive tree on plant communities change after decades of invasion? (2) Are patterns of impacts dynamic over a period of five years? (3) Can multiple parameters reveal impacts that are unnoticed when single-value parameters are measured alone? Contrasting plant communities (long invaded, recently invaded and non-invaded) of a Portuguese coastal dune were compared during a 5-year period to assess the impacts of the invasive Acacia longifolia. Plant diversity, richness, cover, plant traits, indicator species analysis, similarity between areas and species turnover were analysed to reveal spatial and temporal patterns of change. Native species richness declined in both invaded areas. As invasion time increased, species shared with natural habitats decreased along with native plant cover, diversity and species turnover. Many species typical of dunes were replaced by generalists and exotics species, and richness of species with some level of nitrophily increased, particularly in recently invaded areas. Life form spectrum was radically transformed in invaded areas with several small-sized life forms being replaced by one single microphanerophyte. Germination of A. longifolia was greatest in long invaded areas. Findings show that modification of plant communities intensifies with invasion time and that invasion promotes a diversity of structural and functional changes which are dynamic over a few years (medium-term scale) but which tend to stabilize after several decades (long-term scale). An analysis of parameters in combination revealed changes that were not apparent when the same parameters were considered separately.