scholarly journals Impacts of soil disturbance on plant diversity in a dry grassland

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louise Imer Nabe-Nielsen ◽  
Jens Reddersen ◽  
Jacob Nabe-Nielsen
Keyword(s):  
Transition Zone ◽  
Threatened Species ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Soil Disturbance ◽  
Annual Species ◽  
Dry Grassland ◽  
Intermediate Disturbance ◽  
Dry Grasslands ◽  
Disturbance Regimes ◽  
Bare Sand

Abstract Dry grasslands are among the most species rich habitats in Europe, but they are also among the most threatened. Threats include too high and too low levels of disturbance. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of soil disturbance intensity on species composition and diversity in a dry grassland in Mols Bjerge National Park in Denmark. We recorded vascular plant species inside and just outside patches of bare sand, and in the transition zone between these. We found that the number of species was highest in the dense vegetation, intermediate at the transition and lowest in bare sand areas. However, an analysis of plant traits showed that the number of small annual species was highest in the transition zone. High abundance of small annual species may therefore indicate intermediate disturbance regimes. Based on a literature study we demonstrate that many threatened species are adapted to such habitats. This suggests that dry grasslands should be managed to maintain areas with intermediate disturbances intensities to maintain optimal conditions for many threatened species. To our knowledge, this is the first time it has been documented that small annual species can indicate intermediate disturbance regimes in dry grasslands.

Dry grasslands in Wood Buffalo National Park: reply

1999 ◽  
Vol 77 (7) ◽  
pp. 918-921
Author(s):  
A G Schwarz ◽  
Ross W Wein
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Summer Rainfall ◽  
Dry Grassland ◽  
Dry Grasslands ◽  
Key Species ◽  
Stipa Comata ◽  
Wood Buffalo National Park ◽  
Trees And Shrubs ◽  
Special Protection

In examining dry grassland areas of Wood Buffalo National Park (WBNP), we used vascular plant indicators commonly found in the grassland landscapes in the southern and central parts of the Prairie Provinces. With distance northward the landscapes become increasingly tree-dominated and the dry grasslands have fewer dry grassland indicator species (about 40 in the area of WBNP) and become smaller in size (about 1 ha in WBNP). Key species are Stipa comata Trin & Rupr., Stipa curtiseta (A.S. Hitchc.) Barkworth, and Stipa columbiana Macoun on the drier sites. Paleontological records and historical documents suggest that these remnant dry grasslands must expand during decades of drought and must contract during decades of higher summer rainfall. We hypothesize that fires might enhance dry grassland expansion by stressing and killing trees and shrubs. Southern dry grassland vascular plant species represent over 7% of the total in WBNP. It is reasonable to hypothesize that these represent special ecotypes that deserve special protection through prescribed burning.Key words: remnant grasslands, Stipa spp., climate change.

Lithostratigraphy of the Kweekvlei Formation (Witteberg Group), Cape Supergroup

2017 ◽  
Vol 120 (3) ◽  
pp. 421-432 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Browning ◽  
M. Reid
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Transition Zone ◽  
Distal Part ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Trace Fossil ◽  
Plant Debris ◽  
Lower Carboniferous ◽  
Fossil Assemblage ◽  
Low Diversity ◽  
Storm Wave

AbstractThe Lower Carboniferous, probably Tournaisian, Kweekvlei Formation is part of the Witteberg Group (Cape Supergroup) of South Africa. Together with the overlying Floriskraal Formation, it forms an upward-coarsening succession within the Lake Mentz Subgroup. Sedimentary features of the Kweekvlei Formation suggest deposition in a storm-wave dominated marine setting, within the storm-influenced, distal part of an offshore transition zone environment. This predominantly argillaceous formation preserves a low diversity trace fossil assemblage. Reworked vascular plant debris (including the problematic genus Praeramunculus sp.) and a shark spine have been reported for the Kweekvlei Formation. There are no known stratigraphic equivalents in South Africa.

The vascular plant diversity of Dzungarian Gobi in western Mongolia, with an annotated checklist

Phytotaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 501 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-55
Author(s):  
SHUKHERDORJ BAASANMUNKH ◽  
BATLAI OYUNTSETSEG ◽  
CHULUUNKHUYAG OYUNDARI ◽  
KHURELPUREV OYUNDELGER ◽  
MAGSAR URGAMAL ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Threatened Species ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Plant Species Richness ◽  
Species Number ◽  
Endemic Plants ◽  
Mountain Area ◽  
Western Mongolia ◽  
Comprehensive Survey

The Dzungarian Gobi (DzG), one of 16 phytogeographical regions in the country, is located in the southwestern part of Khovd province in western Mongolia. It comprises some of Mongolia’s largest reserves, namely the Great Gobi B Strictly Protected Area and the National Park Bulgan gol-Ikh Ongog. We conducted a comprehensive survey of the area’s floristic diversity between 2009 and 2019 by collecting vascular plants from different vegetation types in various seasons. In addition, we critically checked relevant published literature and material from the herbaria ALTB, GLM, GWF, HAL, KHU, LE, MW, NS, OSBU, UBA, and UBU to determine the occurrence of vascular plant species in the DzG region. Based on our collection data, a comprehensive checklist of DzG’s flora was compiled, representing 913 vascular plant taxa (including 34 subspecies and one variety) belonging to 329 genera and 70 families. Twenty-one taxa were newly found in the DzG region. We also investigated the conservation status of all species noted, and 19 endemic plants and 96 threatened species, including six critically endangered, 26 endangered, 57 vulnerable, and seven near threatened plants were recognized in this region. Eight rare species were newly assessed according to regional conservation status based on GeoCat and IUCN. The richest plant families found were Asteraceae (153 species), Fabaceae (77 species), Amaranthaceae (69 species), and Poaceae (68 species). Several uncertain endemic and non-endemic plants remain still discussion, such as Papaver baitagense and Rosa baitagensis; thus, further studies are needed on their taxonomic and conservation status. For each taxon, we provide its distribution in the region, elevation range, voucher number, and additional references. Finally, we analyzed species hotspots of DzG, based on three different plant species richness criteria: i. all recorded species, ii. endemic species, and iii. threatened species using our georeferenced records. The most diverse hotspot area in DzG is the Baitag Bogd Mountain area, which comprises the highest species number of all three richness criteria.

scholarly journals Terrestrial Molluscs in the Dry Grasslands of the DNIPRO Upland (Central Ukraine): New Records, Rare Species and Conservation Potential

2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Balashov ◽  
O. Vasyliuk ◽  
D. Shyriaieva ◽  
Z. Shvydka ◽  
O. Oskyrko ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rare Species ◽  
New Records ◽  
National Level ◽  
Red List ◽  
The Other ◽  
Rock Outcrops ◽  
Dry Grassland ◽  
Dry Grasslands ◽  
First Time ◽  
High Diversity

Abstract Thirty-six species of terrestrial molluscs were found in the dry grasslands and rock outcrops of the study area, including three that were not previously known for Central Ukraine: Granaria frumentum, Pupilla bigranata and Mediterranea inopinata. These species are relics related to dry open habitats and require conservation in Ukraine on the national level, G. frumentum is already listed in the Red Book of Ukraine, and the other two should be listed in its next edition. It is proposed to create the new protected areas in the most important newly revealed locations of these species. These rocky areas also retain the high diversity of land molluscs in the region. The invasive snail Xeropicta derbentina was found for the first time on the DNIPRO Upland, on the edge of natural dry grassland. The rare native snail Morlina glabra was recorded for the first time in Kyiv Region, it is proposed to be included into the regional red list.

scholarly journals Moving from pattern to process: coexistence mechanisms under intermediate disturbance regimes

2004 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 491-508 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katriona Shea ◽  
Stephen H. Roxburgh ◽  
Emily S. J. Rauschert
Keyword(s):  
Intermediate Disturbance ◽  
Disturbance Regimes ◽  
Coexistence Mechanisms

scholarly journals Dry Grassland Vegetation in the Transition Zone Between two Biogeographic Regions

Hacquetia ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Desislava Sopotlieva ◽  
Iva Apostolova
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
Humus Content ◽  
Life Forms ◽  
Grassland Vegetation ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Total N ◽  
Dry Grassland ◽  
Dry Grasslands ◽  
Biogeographic Regions

Abstract The geographic position of Bulgaria results in a variety of climatic and biogeographic influences on the country’s vegetation. We aim to describe the plant diversity of dry grasslands distributed in the transitional belt between the south-eastern European and Mediterranean biogeographic regions in SE Bulgaria, and to reveal if there are any obvious differences in soil properties, presence of life forms and chorotypes between syntaxa. The data set consists of 349 releves of vascular plants and bryophytes sampled in different semi-natural herbaceous vegetation types. By applying TWINSPAN, we classified 176 releves of dry grasslands to eight associations and one unranked community. One association and two subassociations are described here for the first time. Data on soil depth, soil moisture, soil pH, humus and total N content, numbers of different life forms and chorotypes were analysed statistically. The dry grasslands in SE Bulgaria were classified into different vegetation classes sharing the same territory: their communities present similarities in species composition and they have similar ratios of hemicryptophytes/therophytes and Euro-Asiatic/Mediterranean species. Dry grassland vegetation occupies mostly shallow and dry soils that vary slightly in pH, humus content and soil moisture between associations.

Impacts of water stress removal and disturbance regimes on Mediterranean dry grasslands diversity and succession

Plant Ecology ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 216 (10) ◽  
pp. 1351-1369 ◽  
Author(s):  
Solène Masson ◽  
Matthieu Gauvain ◽  
François Mesléard ◽  
Thierry Dutoit
Keyword(s):  
Water Stress ◽  
Dry Grasslands ◽  
Disturbance Regimes

scholarly journals Dry Grasslands in the Slovenský Kras MTS (Slovakia) and the Aggteleki-karszt MTS (Hungary) — A Comparison of Two Classification Approaches

Hacquetia ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Dübravková-Michálková ◽  
Monika JanišOvá ◽  
Jiří Kolbek ◽  
Róbert Šuvada ◽  
Viktor Virók ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Expert System ◽  
Central Europe ◽  
Numerical Classification ◽  
Grassland Vegetation ◽  
Dry Grassland ◽  
Dry Grasslands ◽  
Unsupervised Method ◽  
Formal Definitions ◽  
Phytosociological Relevés

Dry Grasslands in the Slovenský Kras MTS (Slovakia) and the Aggteleki-karszt MTS (Hungary) — A Comparison of Two Classification ApproachesThe paper brings numerical classification of 48 new phytosociological relevés of dry grassland vegetation from the Slovenský kras Mts and the Aggteleki-karszt Mts located on the border between Slovakia and Hungary (Central Europe). We performed a comparison of two classification approaches (an unsupervised method - modified TWINSPAN, and a supervised approach - electronic expert system based on formal definitions of associations), which were applied on the same dataset. Four associations were distinguished:Campanulo divergentiformis-Festucetum pallentisZólyomi (1936) 1966,Poo badensis-Caricetum humilis(Dostál 1933) Soó ex Michálková in Janišová et al. 2007,Alysso heterophylli-Festucetum valesiacae(Dostál 1933) Kliment in Kliment et al. 2000 andFestuco rupicolae-Caricetum humilisKlika 1939. A newly recorded stand of the rareStipetum tirsaeMeusel 1938 association is characterised. What is more, we established a neotype of theAlysso heterophylli-Festucetum valesiacaeassociation.

scholarly journals Conservation, restoration and biodiversity of Palaearctic grasslands – Editorial to the 6th EDGG special issue in Hacquetia

Hacquetia ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 167-170
Author(s):  
Orsolya Valkó ◽  
Rocco Labadessa ◽  
Stephen Venn
Keyword(s):  
Special Issue ◽  
Dry Grassland ◽  
Dry Grasslands ◽  
Grassland Habitats ◽  
Effective Conservation ◽  
Sandy Grasslands

Abstract This special issue is a collection of articles about the conservation, restoration and biodiversity of Palaearctic grasslands and was initiated by the Eurasian Dry Grassland Group at the 15th Eurasian Dry Grassland Conference (EDGC), held at Graz, Austria in 2019. The papers in this special issue cover a range of grassland habitats from montane dry grasslands to lowland sandy grasslands, feathergrass steppes and meadow steppes, and focus on the biodiversity values, conservation issues and restoration prospects of Palaearctic grasslands. We hope that the articles in this special issue will contribute to a better understanding of the ecology of grasslands and support their more effective conservation.

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