Alien flora of D.R. Congo: improving the checklist with digitised herbarium collections

Author(s):  
Farzaneh Bordbar ◽  
Pierre J. Meerts
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Farzaneh Bordbar ◽  
Pierre Meerts

Abstract The Democratic Republic of the Congo (D.R. Congo) represents a striking gap of knowledge on alien plant species. In this paper, we use digitised herbarium collections to assemble a checklist of alien plant species in D.R. Congo and to examine patterns in the alien flora. The new checklist comprises 426 alien species i.e., 182 (42.5%) casuals, 244 (57.5%) naturalised of which 80 (19% of aliens) are invasive. Discrepancies with previous databases are discussed. For many species in previous databases, we failed to find evidence for occurrence outside cultivation. A total of 158 taxa were not included in previous lists, 44 of which are new to D.R. Congo. Considering the size of the country and its rich native flora, the alien flora of D.R. Congo does not appear to be species rich. The alien flora is particularly rich in Fabaceae (15%) and in annual species (36%). America is by far the most important source continent (65%) and the proportion of annuals of American origin is particularly large among the most widespread species. Invasive success is discussed in terms of residence time. The very low number of new species records after 1960 is most likely accounted for by decreasing sampling effort. The results illustrate how herbarium collections can be used to critically revise existing checklists of alien species in tropical Africa. Field work is urgently needed to improve coverage of recent introductions and to monitor the status of alien species, especially in protected areas and around botanic gardens.


2020 ◽  
Vol 85-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
O.I. Shynder ◽  
Y.M. Negrash

Objective – to study the current distribution of Sedum pallidum in Ukraine, to analyze its state in the alien flora of Ukraine. Material and methods. The studies were conducted in 2008–2019 in the plain part of Ukraine and in the Mountain Crimea. Literature information, several national herbarium collections and other sources were analyzed. Special attention was paid to the delimitation of synantropic locations of S. pallidum from cultural ones. Results. S. pallidum is a sub-euxine species, which range occupies the Mountain Crimea. It is widely cultivated throughout Ukraine and is prone to naturalization, thanks to its vegetative and generative reproduction. In general, about 30 synantropic locations of S. pallidum have been recorded, mainly in the Middle Prydniprovia and Western Ukraine. Urban lawns and roadsides on light substrates are favorable ecological niches for S. pallidum. Соnclusions. S. pallidum is the alien species in the flora of the plain part of Ukraine and ergasiophyte in its origin. A potential secondary synanthropic range of this species occupies the whole country except the Carpathian highlands. It has been established that S. pallidum in the culture of the Forest-Steppe is a perennial herb. Two races identified in its composition (var. pallidum and var. bithynicum) are probably ecads, and have no systematic importance. In the culture, S. pallidum is characterized by successful vegetative and generative reproduction, which contributes to its naturalization. S. pallidum is often confused with other species of the genus, what does not contribute to its study in adventive floras. A key for S. pallidum determination has been proposed.


Author(s):  
Ali Omer ◽  
Maha Kordofani ◽  
Haytham H. Gibreel ◽  
Petr Pyšek ◽  
Mark van Kleunen

AbstractStudies on plant invasions depend on local and regional checklists of the alien flora. However, global overview studies have shown that some regions, including many African countries, remain understudied in this regard. To contribute to filling this gap, here we present the first checklist of alien plants of Sudan and South Sudan (the Sudans). We analysed the taxonomic and geographical composition of the species on this list. Our result show that of the 113 alien species in Sudans (99 in Sudan and 59 in South Sudan), 92 (81.4%) are naturalized and 21 (18.6%) are just casual aliens. The number of naturalized species represent 2.2% of the total flora of the Sudans (4096). The alien species belong to 44 families and 85 genera, and many of them are native to Southern America and Northern America (85.8%). Annual and perennial herbs are the prevailing life forms in the alien flora of the Sudans (68.1%), and, among the casual species, perennial herbs are underrepresented whereas woody tree species are over-represented. Alien plants of the Sudans are mostly used for medicinal and environmental purposes globally. The naturalized plants predominantly occur in man-made disturbed habitats, such as agricultural and ruderal habitats. This first overview of the alien flora of the Sudans should stimulate further research and recording of the alien flora to better understand the drivers and consequences of alien plants in the Sudans.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesamine C. Bartlett ◽  
Kristine Bakke‐Westergaard ◽  
Ingrid M. G. Paulsen ◽  
Ronja E. M. Wedegärtner ◽  
Florian Wilken ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (5) ◽  
pp. 429-438
Author(s):  
Jimena Samper-Villarreal ◽  
Jorge Cortés

AbstractSeagrass conservation and management requires scientific understanding of spatial and temporal variability, information that is currently limited for the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP). Here, we analysed seagrass presence based on previous reports, herbarium collections and stakeholder knowledge, combined with field characterization in Golfo Dulce, southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Seagrasses were found at multiple locations along a narrow border close to shore and in up to 6 m depth within Golfo Dulce, dating back to 1969. Two seagrass species were found, Halophila baillonii and Halodule beaudettei. Seagrass biomass values for Golfo Dulce (12.0 ± 8.5 g DW m−2) were lower and water nutrient concentrations were higher than previously reported in the gulf. Shoot density (1513 ± 767 shoots m−2) was similar to previous reports. Stable isotope values in seagrass were −11.3 ± 1.0‰ δ13C and 1.2 ± 0.9‰ δ15N; while those in sediments were −26.1 ± 1.3 and 2.5 ± 0.9‰. In Golfo Dulce, isotopic values of both seagrass species do not overlap with other known primary producers. Management strategies should aim to minimize known seagrass stressors, protect potential seagrass habitat, and take into account the dynamic life strategies of the two seagrass species found.


2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 215-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pere Aymerich ◽  
Llorenç Sáez

This is an inventory of the vascular alien flora of Catalonia (northeastern Iberian Peninsula, Spain) updated to 2018, representing 1068 alien taxa in total. 554 (52.0%) out of them are casual and 514 (48.0%) are established. 87 taxa (8.1% of the total number and 16.8 % of those established) show an invasive behaviour. The geographic zone with more alien plants is the most anthropogenic maritime area. However, the differences among regions decrease when the degree of naturalization of taxa increases and the number of invaders is very similar in all sectors. Only 26.2% of the taxa are more or less abundant, while the rest are rare or they have vanished. The alien flora is represented by 115 families, 87 out of them include naturalised species. The most diverse genera are Opuntia (20 taxa), Amaranthus (18 taxa) and Solanum (15 taxa). Most of the alien plants have been introduced since the beginning of the twentieth century (70.7%), with a strong increase since 1970 (50.3% of the total number). Almost two thirds of alien taxa have their origin in Euro-Mediterranean area and America, while 24.6% come from other geographical areas. The taxa originated in cultivation represent 9.5%, whereas spontaneous hybrids only 1.2%. From the temporal point of view, the rate of Euro-Mediterranean taxa shows a progressive reduction parallel to an increase of those of other origins, which have reached 73.2% of introductions during the last 50 years. The most important way of introduction is gardening (58.0%), followed by agriculture and commerce, while forestry is marginal. Invasive taxa mainly come from gardening and trade, but the proportion of the latter that become invasive is higher (6.1% and 15.6%, respectively). Most of the established aliens are annual and perennial forbs, while other biological types are less represented. These two types are also dominant among the invasive alien species, although a notable increase of trees and climbers has been observed recently.


The deed of conveyance of 1722, by which Sir Hans Sloane gave the Society of Apothecaries control of their ‘Physick Garden at Chelsey’ in perpetuity, forged an important link between the Apothecaries and the Royal Society, one that has lasted to the present day. For the next 75 years the Apothecaries paid an annual tribute of dried plant specimens to the Royal Society as proof that they were continuing to use the garden for its proper purpose. These specimens, which have survived the centuries with remarkably little damage, now provide important evidence of what was being grown in the garden at the time and may also be nomenclaturally important as representing plants given botanical names by Philip Miller in 1768. A careful search in the herbarium collections of the Department of Botany in the Natural History Museum at South Kensington, where the Royal Society specimens are now held, has resulted in the location of all but a small number of the 3750 specimens that were sent. Tracing them has not been easy for a number of reasons, not least because they are now dispersed among the several million specimens in the Museum’s collections. The names of the plants used by the Apothecaries in the lists that were the starting point for the search were those current at the time, hence of pre-Linnaean character, and had first to be linked to present-day names before the work could begin. Some lists of names were found to be inaccurate and some were entirely misleading.


Biotropica ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincent Droissart ◽  
Olivier J. Hardy ◽  
Bonaventure Sonké ◽  
Farid Dahdouh-Guebas ◽  
Tariq Stévart

Phytotaxa ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 213 (2) ◽  
pp. 87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazem Negaresh ◽  
SAYED MOHAMMAD REZA KHOSHROO ◽  
ROYA KARAMIAN ◽  
MOHAMMAD REZA JOHARCHI

A taxonomic review of Rhaponticoides in Iran is based on morphological characters of the specimens from the authors’ expeditions and other herbarium collections. Rhaponticoides lachnopus, R. schmidii, R. sect. Iranicae and R. sect. Ruthenicae are proposed as new combinations. Full description for the genus Rhaponticoides and R. sect. Iranicae and R. sect. Ruthenicae are presented for the first time here. Three names, R. lachnopus, R. ruthenica and its synonym, are typified. A synopsis with recognized sections and species, relevant synonyms, type citations, lists of specimens examined and an identification key are provided for the genus Rhaponticoides in Iran. In addition, some notes about ecology and habitat of Rhaponticoides especially in Iran are given. Finally, the geographical distribution of all the 4 species recognized in Iran is presented and mapped.


Geo&Bio ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (20) ◽  
pp. 160-171
Author(s):  
Liudmyla Zavialova ◽  
◽  
Antonina Ilyinska ◽  
Ilona Mykhalyuk ◽  
Мyroslav Shevera ◽  
...  

The article presents an analysis of scientific heritage of the biologist Antoni Andrzejowski (1785–1869), whose name is well known in Ukraine and abroad as a naturalist and a scientist. Antoni Andrzejowski had been cooperating with V. Besser for many years and accompanied him in his trips, he was the first botanist in Kremenets that was born in Volyn, and, at the same time, the first who graduated from the Kremenets Lyceum. His contribution to botanical, zoological, palaeontological, and geological sciences is also recognised, in particular he authored the first geological map of Podillia. The scientist is known primarily for pioneering research on plant diversity: together with W. Besser, he initiated the floristic study of Volyno-Podillia and the Right-Bank Ukraine. He was a traveller, a researcher of the flora, fauna (both modern and fossil) and geology of Podillia, Polissia, the Dnieper, and the Black Sea, as well as the author of a number of original scientific works. During his numerous trips, he collected a variety of scientific materials, including a herbarium, most of which is stored at M. G. Kholodny Institute of Botany NAS of Ukraine. As a taxonomist, he described more than 250 new taxa of vascular plants from 37 families (Brassicaceae, Asteraceae, Boraginaceae Rosaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Lamiaceae, etc.). As an expert of flora and landscape art, A. Andrzejowski took part in the creation of parks (primarily within estates in Podillia), some of which have survived (e.g., in Stavyshche, Kyiv Oblast), but most of them have been lost. A. Andrzejowski almost constantly combined his research activities with pedagogical work: he taught pupils and students of the Volynian Gymnasium (Kremenets Lyceum), St Volodymyr Imperial University of Kyiv, and the Prince Bezborodko Physical and Mathematical Lyceum of Nizhyn. He belonged to the Vilna-Kremenets Scientific School with the classical traditions of an integrated approach to the study of nature. Most of the biography and various aspects of A. Andrzejowski’s activity are discussed in numerous studies, including some of our previous publications. His preserved scientific heritage, in particular botanical works and herbarium collections, also have not escaped the attention of scientists.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document