Habitat heterogeneity stimulates regeneration of bryophytes and vascular plants on disturbed minerotrophic peatlands

2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 281-295
Author(s):  
Richard T. Caners ◽  
Varina Crisfield ◽  
Victor J. Lieffers

Wooded rich fens (WRF), characterized by high variation in surface topography and numerous plant species organized along microtopographic gradients, are abundant in continental western Canada. In regions where in situ oil sands exploration (OSE) prevails, however, winter operations eliminate the surface vegetation and mechanically flatten the exposed peat. This results in saturated or flooded soils during the growing season and eliminates plant species dependent on naturally elevated microhabitats, with implications for peatland recovery. In northeastern Alberta, we redeveloped hummock topography on replicate WRF after OSE by extracting blocks of frozen peat from peatland surfaces in the winter. Peat mounds and adjacent unmounded flattened areas were left to regenerate naturally and were sampled four to five summers later. Mounds facilitated the colonization of many peatland plants not adapted to waterlogged soils. For bryophytes, mean richness and diversity of liverworts, Sphagnum, and true mosses were higher in mounded plots than in unmounded plots. For vascular plants, woody plants (trees and shrubs) had higher richness, cover, and diversity (trees only) in mounded plots. Peat mounding may be effective for stimulating vegetation development on OSE-degraded WRF. All mounds, however, will require lateral expansion by hummock-forming mosses to provide the habitat volume required for development of large woody plants.

Author(s):  
M. B. Gaponenko ◽  
A. M. Gnatiuk

Preservation of rare plant species in nature (in situ) is an effective method of protection and maintenance of genetic diversity, but the preservation of plants ex situ is a necessary complement in modern conditions. In the M.M. Gry- shko National Botanical Garden of NAS of Ukraine to preserve and replenish the collections of plants listed in the Red Book of Ukraine and other protection lists is defined as one of the strategic tasks of the institution. In total, the institution has collected 190 species of plants protected by the law “On the Red Book of Ukraine”.The collection of rare and en- dangered tree and shrub plants is represented by 21 species, among which: Vulnerable — 9 (43%), Rare — 7 (33%), Endangered — 4 (14%), Not Evaluated — 1 (5%). This number of species and their representativeness is not suflcient for their successful protection ex situ. There is great prospects for expanding the collection to preserve species and spread the plants to other botanical gardens and arboretums of Ukraine.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meike Lemmer ◽  
Line Rochefort ◽  
Maria Strack

In-situ oil extraction activities impact the vast mosaic of boreal wetlands and uplands. Peatland restoration in these regions aims at reestablishing crucial peatland functions, such as peat accumulation and carbon (C) sequestration. In order to assess the success of fen restoration, we evaluated the biogeochemical conditions, the seasonal carbon balances via carbon dioxide (CO2) fluxes and methane (CH4) emissions, and addressed the global warming potential following different restoration techniques at two restored in-situ oil sands well pads, during two consecutive growing seasons. Restoration work involved: 1) the partial or complete removal of introduced well pad construction materials, and spontaneous revegetation, or 2) the partial removal of foreign clay, in addition to reintroduction of typical fen plant species such as Larix laricina, Salix lutea and Carex aquatilis. Comparisons were done with regional reference ecosystems (REF) consisting of three peatlands: a wooded bog, a wooded rich fen and a wooded extreme-rich fen. While the average electric conductivity of restored sectors (946 μS cm−1) was higher compared to REF (360 μS cm−1), the pH was quite similar (pH 5.8 REF, pH 6 restored). Dissolved organic carbon concentration was lower in all restored sectors (5–11 mg L-1 restored sectors, 15–35 mg L-1 REF), presumably due to the still incomplete recovery of vegetation and lower organic matter content associated with remnant well pad material. Re-establishment of shrub and brown moss species improved significantly the C uptake. However, the active introduction of plant species was no crucial restoration step, in order to return species beneficial for C uptake. Restoration treatments that were leveled closest to the surrounding REF showed the most similar seasonal C balance to REF. In shallow open water areas resulting from the complete removal of all construction materials, we measured the highest methane emissions making these flooded sites net C sources to the atmosphere with elevated global warming potential. The partial removal of the well pad’s mineral soil to near the water table level and the surface elevation of the surrounding ecosystem seems to be the most effective site management method to sequester carbon efficiently. However, further research is needed to evaluate the suitability of this restoration method for the recovery of biodiversity and possible impacts of residual foreign materials on fen ecosystems.


2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 28-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. A. Baranovski

Nowadays, bioecological characteristics of species are the basis for flora and vegetation studying on the different levels. Bioecological characteristics of species is required in process of flora studying on the different levels such as biotopes or phytocenoses, floras of particular areas (floras of ecologically homogeneous habitats), and floras of certain territories. Ramensky scale is the one of first detailed ecological scales on plant species ordination in relation to various environmental factors; it developed in 1938 (Ramensky, 1971). A little later (1941), Pogrebnyak’s scale of forest stands was proposed. Ellenberg’s system developed in 1950 (Ellenberg, 1979) and Tsyganov’s system (Tsyganov, 1975) are best known as the systems of ecological scales on vascular plant species; these systems represent of habitat detection by ecotopic ecomorphs of plant species (phytoindication). Basically, the system proposed by Alexander Lyutsianovich Belgard was the one of first system of plant species that identiified ectomorphs in relation to environmental factors. As early as 1950, Belgard developed the tabulated system of ecomorphs using the Latin ecomorphs abbreviation; he also used the terminology proposed in the late 19th century by Dekandol (1956) and Warming (1903), as well as terminology of other authors. The article analyzes the features of Belgard’s system of ecomorphs on vascular plants. It has certain significance and advantages over other systems of ecomorphs. The use of abbreviated Latin names of ecomorphs in tabular form enables the use shortened form of ones. In the working scheme of Belgard’s system of ecomorphs relation of species to environmental factors are represented in the abbreviated Latin alphabetic version (Belgard, 1950). Combined into table, the ecomorphic analysis of plant species within association (ecological certification of species), biotope or area site (water area) gives an explicit pattern on ecological structure of flora within surveyed community, biotope or landscape, and on environmental conditions. Development and application by Belgrard the cenomorphs as «species’ adaptation to phytocenosis as a whole» were completely new in the development of systems of ecomorphs and, in this connection, different coenomorphs were distinguished. Like any concept, the system of ecomorphs by Belgard has the possibility and necessity to be developed and added. Long-time researches and analysis of literature sources allow to propose a new coenomorph in the context of Belgard’s system of ecomorphs development: silvomargoant (species of forest margin, from the Latin words margo – edge, boundary (Dvoretsky, 1976), margo – margin, ad margins silvarum – along the deciduous forest margins). As an example of ecomorphic characterization of species according to the system of ecomorphs by Belgard (when the abbreviated Latin ecomorph names are used in tabular form and the proposed cenomorph is used), it was given the part of the table on vascular plants ecomorphs in the National Nature Park «Orelsky» (Baranovsky et al). The Belgard’s system of ecomorphs is particularly convenient and can be successfully applied to data processing in the ecological analysis of the flora on wide areas with significant species richness, and the proposed ecomorph will be another necessary element in the Belgard’s system of ecomorphs. 


2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 51-55
Author(s):  
S. A. Abiev ◽  
S. A. Aipeisova ◽  
N. A. Utarbaeva

<p>The purpose of our work is to assess the health state of woody plants growing in different habitats of the city of Aktobe. We have studied the health state of arboreal and shrubby plants growing in various urban habitats; the survey was conducted during 2016-2017 by route-visual method. We performed the analysis of species diversity, abundance and density in urban area. The assessment of health state of the trees was made according to V.A. Alekseev. From your data and literature review we established that such species as Ulmus pinnato-ramosa, Acer negundo, Populus tremula, Populus nigra, and Syringa vulgaris have strong winter resistnce in the territory of Aktobe; we registered that only their apex buds and emds of the shoots were frozen in severe winters. The medium-resistant speices include Ulmus laevis and Acer platonoides. They are less plastic and suffer from late spring and early autumn frosts. The Amorpha fruticosa, Vitis vinifera, and Parthenocissus guinguefolia could be considered as the non-resistant species, since they usually freeze up to the snow cover line. The analysis of the vital state made it possible to assess the resistance to urban conditions of the majority of trees and shrubs registered in urban habitats of Aktobe. According to the preliminary data, the origin of the plant and its winter resistance are of main importance when introducing new species to urban area.</p>


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Markéta Mejdová ◽  
Jiří Dušek ◽  
Lenka Foltýnová ◽  
Lenka Macálková ◽  
Hana Čížková

AbstractThe study estimates the parameters of the photosynthesis–irradiance relationship (PN/I) of a sedge-grass marsh (Czech Republic, Europe), represented as an active “green” surface—a hypothetical “big-leaf”. Photosynthetic parameters of the “big-leaf” are based on in situ measurements of the leaf PN/I curves of the dominant plant species. The non-rectangular hyperbola was selected as the best model for fitting the PN/I relationships. The plant species had different parameters of this relationship. The highest light-saturated rate of photosynthesis (Asat) was recorded for Glyceria maxima and Acorus calamus followed by Carex acuta and Phalaris arundinacea. The lowest Asat was recorded for Calamagrostis canescens. The parameters of the PN/I relationship were calculated also for different growth periods. The highest Asat was calculated for the spring period followed by the summer and autumn periods. The effect of the species composition of the local plant community on the photosynthetic parameters of the “big-leaf” was addressed by introducing both real (recorded) and hypothetical species compositions corresponding to “wet” and “dry” hydrological conditions. We can conclude that the species composition (or diversity) is essential for reaching a high Asat of the “big-leaf ”representing the sedge-grass marsh in different growth periods.


2021 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sookyung Shin ◽  
Jung-Hyun Kim ◽  
Ji-Hee Dang ◽  
In-Soon Seo ◽  
Byoung Yoon Lee

AbstractThe climate is changing rapidly, and this may pose a major threat to global biodiversity. One of the most distinctive consequences of climate change is the poleward and/or upward shift of species distribution ranges associated with increasing temperatures, resulting in a change of species composition and community structure in the forest ecosystems. The Baekdudaegan mountain range connects most forests from the lowland to the subalpine zone in South Korea and is therefore recognized as one of the most important biodiversity hotspots. This study was conducted to understand the distribution range of vascular plants along elevational gradients through field surveys in the six national parks of the Baekdudaegan mountain range. We identified the upper and lower distribution limits of a total of 873 taxa of vascular plants with 117 families, 418 genera, 793 species, 14 subspecies, 62 varieties, two forms, and two hybrids. A total of 12 conifers were recorded along the elevational gradient. The distribution ranges of Abies koreana, Picea jezoensis, Pinus pumila, and Thuja koraiensis were limited to over 1000 m above sea level. We also identified 21 broad-leaved trees in the subalpine zone. A total of 45 Korean endemic plant species were observed, and of these, 15 taxa (including Aconitum chiisanense and Hanabusaya asiatica) showed a narrow distribution range in the subalpine zone. Our study provides valuable information on the current elevational distribution ranges of vascular plants in the six national parks of South Korea, which could serve as a baseline for vertical shifts under future climate change.


2008 ◽  
Vol 45 (9) ◽  
pp. 1061-1082 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan C. McKellar ◽  
Alexander P. Wolfe ◽  
Ralf Tappert ◽  
Karlis Muehlenbachs

The Late Cretaceous Grassy Lake and Cedar Lake amber deposits of western Canada are among North America’s most famous amber-producing localities. Although it has been suggested for over a century that Cedar Lake amber from western Manitoba may be a secondary deposit having originated from strata in Alberta, this hypothesis has not been tested explicitly using geochemical fingerprinting coupled to comparative analyses of arthropod faunal content. Although there are many amber-containing horizons associated with Cretaceous coals throughout Alberta, most are thermally mature and brittle, thus lacking the resilience to survive long distance transport while preserving intact biotic inclusions. One of the few exceptions is the amber found in situ at Grassy Lake. We present a suite of new analyses from these and other Late Cretaceous ambers from western Canada, including stable isotopes (H and C), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, and an updated faunal compendium for the Grassy and Cedar lakes arthropod assemblages. When combined with amber’s physical properties and stratigraphic constraints, the results of these analyses confirm that Cedar Lake amber is derived directly from the Grassy Lake amber deposit or an immediate correlative equivalent. This enables the palaeoenvironmental context of Grassy Lake amber to be extended to the Cedar Lake deposit, making possible a more inclusive survey of Cretaceous arthropod faunas.


Polar Record ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 235-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Whinam ◽  
P.M. Selkirk ◽  
A.J. Downing ◽  
Bruce Hull

Buildings were constructed and artefacts left behind on sub-Antarctic Heard Island, associated with Antarctic research expeditions since 1926. Both bryophytes and vascular plants are colonising many parts of the now derelict buildings. On these structures and artefacts, the authors recorded four species of vascular plants out of the 11 that occur on Heard Island and nine species of mosses out of the 37 recorded from Heard Island. The vascular plant species most frequently recorded colonising structures and artefacts was Pringlea antiscorbutica (288 occurrences), with the area colonised varying from 0.3 cm2 to 430.0 cm2. Muelleriella crassifolia was the moss species that was most frequently recorded (14 occurrences), colonising areas from 2.1 cm2 to 12.9 cm2. The highest number of bryophyte species (seven) was recorded on the stone and cement of the ‘water tank.’ Pringlea antiscorbutica, Poa cookii, Azorella selago, Muelleriella crassifolia, Bryum dichotomum, Dicranoweisia brevipes and Schistidium apocarpum are all expected to continue to colonise the ANARE ruins, as well as areas that have become available since building removal and also possibly areas bared by further deglaciation.


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