State and development of phytocenoses on research plots in the Krkonoše Mts. forest stands

The paper assesses the state and development of phytocenoses in beech, mixed and spruce stands on permanent research plots (PRP) 1–32 in the Krkonoše (Giant) Mts. in the years 1980–2005, i.e. during the air-pollution calamity and afterwards. Dynamics (the extent of change) of the vegetation structure has been expressed as the overall change of species composition in comparison with the year 1980. The change was quantified using the Euclidean distance or as the change of the several first ordination axes (DCA 1–DCA 4). Species composition was significantly changing on all 32 PRP stands in the period 1980–2005; some species completely disappeared (e.g. Cicerbita alpina, Lamium maculatum, Phyteuma spicatum, Viola biflora) or their ratio was reduced (e.g. Blechnum spicant, Dentaria enneaphyllos, Homogyne alpina). From the viewpoint of diversity, the most significant change is the reduction of species in the moss layer, which was observed in all types of stands; in beech and mixed forests the average number of species dropped from 4.8 to 2.7 (44%), in non-declining spruce stands the number fell from 11.6 to 5.5 (53%), and in declining spruce stands it dropped from 10.4 to 3.3 (68%). The overall reduction of species diversity ranged between 31% and 43%; the highest reduction was recorded at species with lower representation. The most significant factors influencing the species composition were altitude and exposition of plot.

Analytical Aspects of Diterpene Alkaloid Poisoning with Monkshood

A sensitive and specific method for aconitine extraction from biological samples was developed. Aconitine, the main toxic alkaloid from plants belonging to Aconitum species (family Ranunculaceae), was determined in plant material by an external standard method, and by a standard addition calibration method in biological fluids. Described here is one fatal case and five intoxications of accidental aconitine poisoning following the ingestion of aconite mistaken for an edible grass, Aruncus dioicus (Walt.) Fernald, “mountain asparagus”, and Cicerbita alpina (L.) Wallroth. The aconitine content in urine was in the range 2.94 μg/mL (dead patient) – 0.20 μg/mL (surviving patients), which was almost two to four times higher than that in plasma.

Genetic Differentiation among Populations of Cicerbita alpina (L.) Wallroth (Asteraceae) in the Western Alps

In this study we analyzed the genetic population structure of the hygrophilous tall-herb Cicerbita alpina in the western Alps because this group of mountain plants is underrepresented in the biogeographical literature. AFLP (amplified fragment length polymorphism) fingerprints of 40 samples were analyzed from four populations situated in a transect from the southwestern Alps to the eastern part of the western Alps and one population from the Black Forest outside the Alps. Two genetic groups can be distinguished. The first group (A) comprises the populations from the northern and eastern parts of the western Alps, and the second group (B) comprises the populations from the southwestern Alps and the Black Forest. Group A originates most likely from at least one refugium in the southern piedmont regions of the Alps. This result provides molecular evidence for a humid climate at the southern margin of the Alps during the Würm glaciation. Group B originates presumably from western or northern direction and we discuss two possible scenarios for the colonization of the Alps, i. e. (1) long-distance dispersal from southwestern refugia and (2) colonization from nearby refugia in the western and/or northern Alpine forelands. The study demonstrates that the target species harbours considerable genetic diversity, even on a regional scale, and therefore is a suitable model for phylogeographic research.

On the occurrence of sonchuside A in Cicerbita alpina and its chemosystematic significance

The subaerial parts of Cicerbita alpina yielded the guaianolide 8-acetyl- 15?-D-glucopyranosyllactucin (1) and the germacranolide Sonchuside A (2). The sonchuside A is reported for the first time from the genus Cicerbita. 1H-NMR and 13C NMR data of compounds 1 and 2 measured in deuterodimethyl sulfoxide and deuteromethanol, respectively, are given and the chemosystematic implications of the occurrence of sonchuside A in C. alpina are discussed briefly.