Vascular Plant Species Research Articles

Floral Diversity in the Vicinity of Sugar-Mill of Semikhera, Bareilly, UP, India

Sugar industry is a crucial agricultural sector, producing large amounts of effluent affecting the environment. In order to study the effect of sugar mill effluents on native floral diversity in the locale of Kisan Sehkari Sugar Mill, Semikhera, Bareilly (Uttar Pradesh), the physicochemical analysis of the mill’s effluents and native soil was carried out. pH, EC, TDS, TS, BOD, COD, and metals were recorded. Order of the heavy metal concentrations in soil and sugar mill effluent was: Fe> >Mg>, Cu>, Zn>, Ni>, Cr>, Pb>, Cd, and Fe>Mg>Zn>Cr>Mn>Cu>Pb>Co>Ni>Cd respectively and pH, EC, TDS, BOD, and COD were also significantly above the permissible limit. Extensive field surveys were conducted thrice a year to explore floral diversity. Results found a total 88 species of vascular plants. The Fabaceae family was found to be dominant, followed by Asteraceae, Moraceae, Apocynaceae, Solanaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Poaceae, Myrtaceae, and Amaranthaceae. Additionally, two species of pteridophytes from the families of Pteridaceae and Thelypteridaceae were also collected. As per taxonomic studies, 82% of species belonged to dicotyledons, while only 14% were monocotyledons. The present study’s results demonstrated that the effluents’ physicochemical properties are significantly higher compared to a permissible level determined by CPCB (2017). Dominant species were above 70 %, common species were 40 to 70% and rare species below 40 %. Overall results indicate the possibility of eco-restoration of waste disposal sites of sugar mill areas with these native species growing luxuriantly without showing any toxic effect.

Changing species dominance patterns of Boreal‐Arctic heathlands: evidence of biotic homogenization

Heathlands are extensive systems often dominated by slow‐growing and long‐lived woody plants. These systems require longer‐term studies to capture if and how they are changing over time. In 2020, we resurveyed species richness and cover of vascular plant communities in 139 heathlands along the coastline of northern Fennoscandia, first surveyed during 1965–1975. The first survey included six heathland types, each with dominance – a cover of 25% or more – of the dwarf shrubs Calluna vulgaris, Kalmia procumbens, Betula nana, Vaccinium myrtillus and Empetrum nigrum. The two latter heathland types made up 29% and 48%, respectively, of all heathlands. In addition to the dominant dwarf shrubs giving their names to the heathland types, a few other species qualified as dominant. In the resurvey, all the heathland types had E. nigrum as the single dominant species, except for the heathland formerly dominated by B. nana. Most other species had low cover both at the time of the original survey and the resurvey. Also, the heathland types were species poor at the time of the original survey, with an average of eight vascular plant species per 4 m2 and were found equally species poor in the resurvey. Species richness differed between heathland types only at the time of the original survey, and the ratio of species exchange between the two surveys was negatively related to the original cover of E. nigrum.Here we provide a half‐century perspective on vegetation change, during which several heathland types in northern Fennoscandia have changed to Empetrum heathlands, reducing the diversity of heathland types across the Boreal to Arctic landscape. As a native plant, E. nigrum cannot be considered invasive, but its allelopathic capacity has likely already modified these heathland ecosystems and will continue to do so, reducing ecosystem multifunctionality across the region.

Дополнение к флоре сосудистых растений заказника "Ольджиканский" (Хабаровский край)

The data on 66 species of vascular plants, first identified in the Oldzhikansky Federal Reserve, of which one species (Fritillaria maximowiczii Freyn) is registered in the Red Data Book of Khabarovsk Krai, are given. The total number of vascular plant species in the Reserve, including the abovementioned additions, is 436.

Новые местонахождения сосудистых растений из Красной книги Чукотского АО

The authors present new data of the Chukotka south-east locations of 6 vascular plant species recorded in the regional Red Data Book. The greatest interest is the discovery of Lysiella oligantha, which is very rare in the region. Locations of 3 species from the list of the taxa whose condition required special attention have been exposed.

New plant records for the flora of Saudi Arabia

Our goal was to find and record new plants that had not previously been recorded for the flora of Arabian Peninsula, particularly for Saudi Arabia. Collections were made in several ecologically important areas of Saudi Arabia, particularly in Faifa region. It was revealed that eight new vascular plant species and one liverwort (Bryophyte) belonging to eight families were recorded for the first time. The investigation was done between January 2021 and May 2022.

Evolutionary correlates of extinction risk in Chinese angiosperm

China is widely known for its rich plant diversity, being a home for over 32,000 species of vascular plants. Approximately 11 % of them are threatened and require urgent conservation efforts. Although the major cause of species disappearance is known, the human activity does not affect all species equally. In our study we tested whether, at the family level, the risk of extinction is related to the evolutionary history and the total geographical range of the comprising family species. We gathered threat status data, evolutionary history information and range data for 27,102 Chinese angiosperm species representing 233 families. Using several Bayesian statistical approaches, we found that families with lower diversification rates had smaller geographic ranges, and that family diversification rate and geographic range size were strongly negatively associated with extinction risk. In contrast, the effect of family age on extinction risk, when its indirect effect through geographic range size was accounted for, was significantly positive. Our findings highlight the importance of considering evolutionary history in understanding the extinction dynamics and prioritization of species for protection. Our results imply that a special attention in conservation decisions should be given to species from the families with low diversification rates, old age and limited geographic ranges.

Vegetational and Structural Features of Forest Clearings in Plitvice Lakes National Park

The impact of various ecological factors, biogeographical position and both former and current anthropogenic activity in Plitvice Lakes National Park greatly influenced the development of different habitat types, including forest clearings. Due to the insufficient knowledge of this habitat type, based primarily on general descriptions within the National Habitat Classification of the Republic of Croatia (NN 27/2021, NN 101/2022), this paper deals with presenting their vegetational and structural characteristics in the national park area. The following taxonomic keys were used to determine plant species: Tutin et al. (1964-1980), Pignatti (1982), Javorka and Csapody (1991) and Martinčič et al. (1999). Furthermore, scientific nomenclature of plant species was conducted using Flora Croatica Database (Nikolić 2012), while threat status was aligned by the Red Book of Vascular Flora of Croatia (Nikolić and Topić 2005). Also, protection level was adjusted according to the Regulation on strictly protected species (NN 144/2013, NN 73/2016). Spectrum of life forms and chorological types were aligned according to Pignatti (2005). Vegetation was studied in accordance with the principles of the Braun-Blanquet approach (Braun-Blanquet 1964). Together with the basic parameters of the selected plots, the research also included the collection of structural parameters of forest clearings according to Medak et al. (2023). Based on conducted research, a total of 98 plots of forest clearing habitats were established with a total of five different forest clearing communities. The largest number of forest clearing communities belonged to Salicetum capreae, followed by Eupatorietum cannabini, Atropetum bella-donae, Telekium speciosae and Rubetum idaei. A total of 257 species of vascular plants were identified in the area and classified into 60 families. The most represented family was Asteraceae, while the highest relative representation of life-forms belonged to hemicryptophytes (H). Furthermore, the most represented chorologycal type in the area was Eurasian (20.6%). The habitat type contained a total of 11 strictly protected (SZ), 6 nearly threatened (NT), 3 vulnerable (VU), 2 data-deficient (DD) and 4 endemic species. In addition, the largest number of plots had an anthropogenic origin, irregular type (shape), occupied a small area (less than 1000 m2) and were located along the edges of both forests and forest roads. The results of this paper represent the first vegetational and structural data of forest clearings in the national park area which contribute to an expansion of our knowledge and understanding of this habitat type, and form a starting point for the necessary future research.

Vascular plant, bryophyte, and lichen biodiversity of Agguttinni Territorial Park, Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada: an annotated species checklist of a new Arctic protected area

Agguttinni Territorial Park is a large, newly established park on the east-central coast of Baffin Island in Nunavut, Canada. Previous knowledge of the plant and lichen biodiversity was limited and based mostly on collections made during the 1950 Baffin Island Expedition. We conducted a floristic inventory of the park in 2021 and re-examined previous collections. We recorded 141 species of vascular plants belonging to 25 families, 69 species of bryophytes in 27 families, and 93 species of lichens in 23 families. Most of the vascular plant and bryophyte species are new records for the park area, and some vascular plants, bryophytes, and lichens are newly reported for Baffin Island, Nunavut, or the Canadian Arctic or represent significant range extensions. Vascular plant species diversity varied greatly among localities, with inland valleys at the heads of fiords showing highest diversity and interior rocky barrens showing the lowest.

Arid agroecosystem plant diversity results from habitat-specific traditional management

In the arid landscapes of South Morocco's Saharan fringe, traditional agroecosystems stand out for their rich diversity of segetal vegetation. This study examines the segetal flora of these unique agroecosystems, investigating their richness, community characteristics and composition. We collected 155 relevés in fields located in the Guelmim province comprising three agroecosystem types: Oases, terraced and floodplain fields (faïd). We found 221 vascular plant species including seven regional endemics and one nationally very rare species. Using TWINSPAN, we identified three plant communities, each restricted to a specific agroecosystem type, displaying differences in species composition, floristic status, life-form and biogeographical spectra. Oasis vegetation had the highest overall number of species, terraced fields had the highest diversity, and therophytes were dominant across all communities, with faïds being the most therophyte-rich. The pan-Mediterranean chorotype dominated all three community types. Apophytes dominated, particularly in faïd and terraced fields, surpassing oasis fields rich in ruderals. We found that traditional cereal agroecosystems in southern Morocco harbor species-rich segetal plant communities created by habitat-based land-use systems. Our results highlight the significance of agricultural practices and local abiotic factors in shaping the agroecosystems, which are adapted to arid environments and sensitive to environmental and social changes.

Ecological and floristic features of modern plant groupings on the territory of the Kipchak archaeological complex

The article presents the results of the study of the peculiarities of the existing vegetation cover on the territory of the Kipchak archaeological complex (Republic of Bashkortostan). The data of ecological and botanical description are presented, which contribute to the interpretation of the natural state of vegetation groupings on the territory where archaeological surveys are conducted. The investigated burial ground and settlement are part of the objects of the Kipchak archaeological complex and are located near the village of Kipchakovo. The article includes a list of vascular plants that were discovered and described in this area during the survey in 2022, indicating their relevance to the trial areas of the Kipchak archaeological complex. According to the survey data the most widespread species of vascular plants were identified, they include: Vicia tenuifolia Roth, Fragaria vesca L., Trifolium alpestre L., Galium verum L., Achillea millefolium L., Achillea millefolium L., Dactylis glomerata L., mountain clover Trifolium montanum L., Trifolium medium L., Galium boreale L., Elytrigia repens (L.) Nevski. To date, the study area is assessed as slightly disturbed.

Non-destructive, whole-plant phenotyping reveals dynamic changes in water use efficiency, photosynthesis, and rhizosphere acidification of sorghum accessions under osmotic stress.

Noninvasive phenotyping can quantify dynamic plant growth processes at higher temporal resolution than destructive phenotyping and can reveal phenomena that would be missed by end-point analysis alone. Additionally, whole-plant phenotyping can identify growth conditions that are optimal for both above- and below-ground tissues. However, noninvasive, whole-plant phenotyping approaches available today are generally expensive, complex, and non-modular. We developed a low-cost and versatile approach to noninvasively measure whole-plant physiology over time by growing plants in isolated hydroponic chambers. We demonstrate the versatility of our approach by measuring whole-plant biomass accumulation, water use, and water use efficiency every twodays on unstressed and osmotically stressed sorghum accessions. We identified relationships between root zone acidification and photosynthesis on whole-plant water use efficiency over time. Our system can be implemented using cheap, basic components, requires no specific technical expertise, and should be suitable for any non-aquatic vascular plant species.

Representativeness of herbarium collections in relation to protected species of vascular plants of the Lovozero Mountains (Murmansk Region)

Representativeness of herbarium collections in relation to protected species of vascular plants of the Lovozero Mountains (Murmansk Region)

Ecological and Biogeographical Imprints in a Beech Glacial Refugium

The distribution of vascular plant species and assemblages existing in beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forests was compared with the distribution of beech chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) haplotypes, aiming to identify possible interpretable trends of co-occurrence, on a small geographical scale, and to infer the relevant historical factors. Vegetation and genetic (cpSSR) data were collected from 60 plots on Mt. Menikio (northeastern Greece). Classification and ordination analyses were applied on the vegetation data, while on the cpSSR data, diversity measures and genetic structure analyses were employed. A probabilistic co-occurrence analysis was performed on haplotypes and taxa. The results show that a plant biogeographical border exists on Mt. Menikio which, in addition, has acted both as a refugium and as a meeting point of lineages for more than one glacial cycle. Significant associations of co-occurrence between haplotypes and vascular taxa were found but no common distribution patterns between the former and species assemblages were identified. The combined consideration of the distribution profiles of species assemblages, plant species and cpDNA haplotypes (corresponding to the three levels of biodiversity) provides concrete information on historical events, leading to a comprehensive understanding of the evolutionary and biogeographical processes that have shaped specific spatial patterns of biodiversity.

Reassessment of the risks of climate change for terrestrial ecosystems

Forecasting the risks of climate change for species and ecosystems is necessary for developing targeted conservation strategies. Previous risk assessments mapped the exposure of the global land surface to changes in climate. However, this procedure is unlikely to robustly identify priority areas for conservation actions because nonlinear physiological responses and colimitation processes ensure that ecological changes will not map perfectly to the forecast climatic changes. Here, we combine ecophysiological growth models of 135,153 vascular plant species and plant growth-form information to transform ambient and future climatologies into phytoclimates, which describe the ability of climates to support the plant growth forms that characterize terrestrial ecosystems. We forecast that 33% to 68% of the global land surface will experience a significant change in phytoclimate by 2070 under representative concentration pathways RCP 2.6 and RCP 8.5, respectively. Phytoclimates without present-day analogue are forecast to emerge on 0.3–2.2% of the land surface and 0.1–1.3% of currently realized phytoclimates are forecast to disappear. Notably, the geographic pattern of change, disappearance and novelty of phytoclimates differs markedly from the pattern of analogous trends in climates detected by previous studies, thereby defining new priorities for conservation actions and highlighting the limits of using untransformed climate change exposure indices in ecological risk assessments. Our findings suggest that a profound transformation of the biosphere is underway and emphasize the need for a timely adaptation of biodiversity management practices.

СОВРЕМЕННОЕ СОСТОЯНИЕ РАСТИТЕЛЬНЫХ СООБЩЕСТВ ТЕРРИТОРИИ ОЗЕРА БОЛЬШОЕ ВАВАЙСКОЕ

This article analyzes the current state of plant communities on the territory of Lake Bolshoye Vavayskoye. The study covers the abundance, distribution and ecological relationships of the plant world.
 The article presents the results of field research conducted in different seasons of the year. The composition and structure of plant communities, as well as their functional characteristics, are described. Special attention is paid to the analysis of the impact of anthropogenic activities on the state of plant communities and their biodiversity.
 The study found that the plant communities of Lake Bolshoye Vavayskoye are characterized by a high level of biodiversity. In the studied phytocenoses (shrub larch with dwarf cedar, cedar dwarf lingonberry-ledum, lingonberry-lichen larch, fir-spruce moss, fir-spruce shrub, meadow, etc.) grow 283 species of vascular plants, which represent 18.03% of the total number of vascular plants o. Sakhalin, 5 rare plant species listed in the Red Books of the Russian Federation and the Sakhalin Region were also identified, such as Picea glehnii, Taxus cuspidata, Nuphar pumila, Nymphaea tetragona, Arália cordata. However, the study also showed that anthropogenic impact on the lake has a negative impact on the state of plant communities. In particular, signs of water pollution and deforestation have been identified, which leads to a decrease in biodiversity and deterioration of the environmental situation.
 The authors of the article draw attention to the importance of preserving this natural resource and its environmental sustainability, since in recent decades the territory has undergone anthropogenic impact. The study also highlights the importance of long-term monitoring and environmental control of the area to ensure the conservation of the lake's biodiversity and ecosystems for future generations. The results of the study may be useful for organizing nature conservation and developing an environmentally sustainable approach to the use of resources in the region.

Rare faction of flora of the designed landscape reserve “Balka Shchurovka”

The article is devoted to the study of the modern distribution of certain rare plant species within the "Balka Shchurovka" beam system (near the settlements of Dniprovske, Novomykolaivka of the Verkhnyodniprovska OTG of the Dnipropetrovsk region) and substantiation of the prospects for granting the object the status of a nature conservation area. The natural diversity of the vegetation cover of the designed reserve consists of zonal steppe vegetation, bairach forests, psamophilic and petrophilic communities, and meadow vegetation. According to indicators of biodiversity, the territory b. Shchurovka is one of the most valuable within the borders of Verkhnyodniprovska OTG of Dnipropetrovsk region. In the process of researching the flora of the planned reserve, a number of new locations of species rare for the region and the region were discovered. 26 regionally rare plant species grow here, 13 species listed in the Red Book of Ukraine, 3 species from Resolution 6 of the Berne Convention and Annexes of the Habitats Directive, presented in the flora of Ukraine, 1 species from the World Red List. The list of plants of the Dnipropetrovsk region included in the Red Book of Ukraine includes 56 species of vascular plants, of which 13 species grow within the b. Rat, which is 23% of the total number of red book species of Dnipropetrovsk region. An important and interesting feature of the layer of sand exposed on the right slope of the gully is the presence of blocks of red sandstone enriched with iron oxides. Near the sandstone outcrops, a characteristic complex of flora has formed on sandy soil with the participation of Sempervivum ruthenicum Schnittsp. & C.B. Lehm, Pulsatilla pratensis (L.) Mill. s.l., Thymus pallasianus Heinr.Braun, Peucedanum arenarium Waldst. & Kit. (Taeniopetalum arenarium (Waldst. & Kit.) V. N. Tichomirov), Achillea leptophylla M. Bieb. Jurinea cyanoides (L.) Rchb and Pulsatilla patens (L.) Mill grow here. s.l. - rare species from the Annexes of the Habitats Directive, Annex I of the Berne Convention, which prefer biotopes with an intact structure as part of rare coenoses. The study of the rare fraction of the flora of the beam system in the context of the conservation of biodiversity of the Right Bank Steppe of the Dnieper region can become the basis of the nature conservation concept of sustainable development of the region.

Rare faction of flora of the designed landscape reserve “Balka Shchurovka”

The article is devoted to the study of the modern distribution of certain rare plant species within the "Balka Shchurovka" beam system (near the settlements of Dniprovske, Novomykolaivka of the Verkhnyodniprovska OTG of the Dnipropetrovsk region) and substantiation of the prospects for granting the object the status of a nature conservation area. The natural diversity of the vegetation cover of the designed reserve consists of zonal steppe vegetation, bairach forests, psamophilic and petrophilic communities, and meadow vegetation. According to indicators of biodiversity, the territory b. Shchurovka is one of the most valuable within the borders of Verkhnyodniprovska OTG of Dnipropetrovsk region. In the process of researching the flora of the planned reserve, a number of new locations of species rare for the region and the region were discovered. 26 regionally rare plant species grow here, 13 species listed in the Red Book of Ukraine, 3 species from Resolution 6 of the Berne Convention and Annexes of the Habitats Directive, presented in the flora of Ukraine, 1 species from the World Red List. The list of plants of the Dnipropetrovsk region included in the Red Book of Ukraine includes 56 species of vascular plants, of which 13 species grow within the b. Rat, which is 23% of the total number of red book species of Dnipropetrovsk region. An important and interesting feature of the layer of sand exposed on the right slope of the gully is the presence of blocks of red sandstone enriched with iron oxides. Near the sandstone outcrops, a characteristic complex of flora has formed on sandy soil with the participation of Sempervivum ruthenicum Schnittsp. & C.B. Lehm, Pulsatilla pratensis (L.) Mill. s.l., Thymus pallasianus Heinr.Braun, Peucedanum arenarium Waldst. & Kit. (Taeniopetalum arenarium (Waldst. & Kit.) V. N. Tichomirov), Achillea leptophylla M. Bieb. Jurinea cyanoides (L.) Rchb and Pulsatilla patens (L.) Mill grow here. s.l. - rare species from the Annexes of the Habitats Directive, Annex I of the Berne Convention, which prefer biotopes with an intact structure as part of rare coenoses. The study of the rare fraction of the flora of the beam system in the context of the conservation of biodiversity of the Right Bank Steppe of the Dnieper region can become the basis of the nature conservation concept of sustainable development of the region.

Original plant diversity and ecosystems of a small, remote oceanic island (Corvo, Azores): Implications for biodiversity conservation

Remote islands harbour many endemic species and unique ecosystems. They are also some of the world's most human-impacted systems. It is essential to understand how island species and ecosystems behaved prior to major anthropogenic disruption as a basis for their conservation. This research aims to reconstruct the original, pre-colonial biodiversity of a remote oceanic island to understand the scale of past extinctions, vegetation changes and biodiversity knowledge gaps.We studied fossil remains from the North Atlantic island of Corvo (Azores), including pollen, charcoal, plant macrofossils, diatoms and geochemistry of wetland sediments from the central crater of the island, Caldeirão. A comprehensive list of current vascular plant species was compiled, along with a translation table comparing fossilized pollen to plant species and a framework for identifying extinctions and misclassifications.Pollen and macrofossils provide evidence for eight local extinctions from the island's flora and show that four species listed as ‘introduced’ are native. Up to 23 % of the pollen taxa represent extinct/misclassified species. Corvo's past environment was dynamic, shifting from glacial-era open vegetation to various Holocene forest communities, then almost completely deforested by fires, erosion and grazing following Portuguese colonisation. Historical human impacts explain high ecological turnover, several unrecorded extinctions and the present-day abundance of vegetation types like Sphagnum blanket mire.We use Corvo as a case study on how fossil inventories can address the Wallacean and Hookerian biodiversity knowledge gaps on remote islands. Accurate baselines allow stakeholders to make informed conservation decisions using limited financial and human resources, particularly on islands where profound anthropogenic disruption occurred before comprehensive ecological research.

Ukrainian Plant Trait Database: UkrTrait v. 1.0.

Considering the growing demand for plant trait data and taking into account the lack of trait data from Eastern Europe, especially from its steppic region, we launched a new Ukrainian Plant Trait Database (UkrTrait v. 1.0) aiming at collecting all the available plant trait data from Ukraine.To facilitate further use of this database, we linked the trait terminology to the TRY Plant Trait Database, Thesaurus of Plant Characteristics (TOP) and Plant Trait Ontology (TO). For taxa names, we provide the crosswalks between the Ukrainian checklist and international sources, i.e. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy, World Checklist of Vascular Plants (World Checklist of Vascular Plants (World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), World Flora Online (WFO) and Euro+Med PlantBase. We aim to integrate our data into the relevant global (TRY Plant Trait Database) and pan-European (FloraVeg.EU) databases. The current version of the database is freely available at the Zenodo repository and will be updated in the future. Until now, plant traits for the Ukrainian flora were scattered across literature, often focusing on single species and written mainly in Ukrainian. Additionally, many traits were in grey literature or remained non-digitised, which rendered them inaccessible to the global scientific community. Addressing this gap, our Ukrainian Plant Trait Database (UkrTrait v. 1.0) represents a significant step forward. We compiled and digitised plant traits from local Ukrainian literature sources. Furthermore, we performed our own field and laboratory measurements of various plant traits that were not previously available in literature. In the current version of the UkrTrait, we focus on vascular plant species that are absent from the other European trait databases, with emphasis on species that are representative for the steppe vegetation. Traits assembled from literature include life span (annuals, biennials, perennials), plant height, flowering period (flowering months), life form (by Raunkiaer), plant growth form and others. Our own measured traits include seed mass, seed shape, leaf area, leaf nitrogen concentration and leaf phosphorus concentration. The current version, i.e. UkrTrait v. 1.0, comprises digitised literature data of 287,948 records of 75 traits for 6,198 taxa and our own trait measurements of 2,390 records of 12 traits for 388 taxa.

Geodiversity data for Europe.

Geodiversity is an essential part of nature's diversity. However, geodiversity is insufficiently understood in terms of its spatial distribution and its relationship to biodiversity over large spatial extents. Here, we present European geodiversity data at resolutions of 1 km and 10 km. We assess terrestrial geodiversity quantitatively as a richness variable (georichness) using a commonly employed grid-based approach. The data incorporate aspects of geological, pedological, geomorphological and hydrological diversity, which are also available as separate richness variables. To evaluate the data, we correlated European georichness with empirically tested national georichness data from Finland, revealing a positive correlation at both 1 km (rp = 0.37, p < 0.001) and 10 km (rp = 0.59, p < 0.001) resolutions. We also demonstrate potential uses of the European data by correlating georichness with vascular plant species richness in two contrasting example areas: Finland and Switzerland. The positive correlations between georichness and species richness in Finland (rp = 0.34, p < 0.001) and Switzerland (rp = 0.26, p < 0.001) further support the use of our data in geodiversity-biodiversity research. Moreover, there is great potential beyond geodiversity-biodiversity questions, as the data can be exploited across different regions, ecosystems and scales. These geodiversity data provide an insight on abiotic diversity in Europe and establish a quantitative large-scale geodiversity assessment method applicable worldwide. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Geodiversity for science and society'.