Disturbance by biomass removal is a crucial mechanism maintaining the diversity of Palaearctic grasslands, which are unique biodiversity hotspots. The century-long traditional land use of mowing, ...grazing and burning, has been fundamentally changed in many parts of the Palaearctic. Due to socio-economic changes, large areas of former pastures and meadows have been abandoned, leading to a succession towards secondary scrublands or forest and the encroachment of competitor grass species, all leading to a decrease in biodiversity. Here we report the causes and consequences of the cessation of traditional grassland management regimes, provide strategies for reducing the impact of abandonment and consider these from the perspective of sustainability. We consider the possibilities for initiating sustainable management regimes in the contemporary socio-economic environment, and discuss the prospects and limitation of alternative management regimes in the conservation of grassland biodiversity. These themes are also the core topics of this Special Feature, edited by the EDGG. We hope that this Special Feature will encourage steps towards more sustainable strategies for the conservation of Palaearctic grasslands and the integration of the sustainability perspective into their conservation.
Species identification is fundamentally important within the fields of biology, biogeography, ecology and conservation. The genus
L. (Geraniaceae) comprises about 430 species distributed throughout ...most parts of the world. According to the most recent treatments, subg.
is the largest subgenus with over 370 species classified in ten sections. The subg.
is represented in Iran by 13 species. These species are grouped 3 sections. In spite vast distribution of many
species that grow in Iran, there are not any available report on their genetic diversity, mode of divergence and patterns of dispersal.
Therefore, we performed molecular (ISSR markers) and morphological studies of 102 accessions from 13 species of
(subg.
) that were collected from different habitats in Iran. The aims of present study are: 1) can ISSR markers identify
species, 2) what is the genetic structure of these taxa in Iran, and 3) to investigate the species inter-relationship? The present study revealed that combination of morphological and ISSR data can identify the species.
Pollen morphology of
,
and
subsp.
, last of those studied for the first time, was investigated using light and scanning electron microscopy, based on 10 herbarium specimens. The aim of the study was ...to provide detailed data on the pollen characteristics of these taxa to identify similarities and differences between them. Pollen grains are pantoporate, spheroidal, circular in outline; small- and medium-sized. Exine sculpture is nanoechinate, tectum is psilate or psilate-perforate. Pore membranes are nanoechinate. Diagnostic relevance of the characters of pollen grains is discussed (pollen and pore diameters, distance between pores and between pore centres, nanoechini size and density, number of nanoechini on pore membranes, structure of columellae). UPGMA dendrograms based on palynological data support the differentiation of
(section Corollinae),
and
subsp.
(section Beta). The obtained characteristics of pollen grains of
species can be used in spore-pollen analysis, especially in identifying the impact of human economic activity in the past.
The new Checklist of hornworts (Anthocerotophyta) and liverworts (Marchantiophyta) of Slovenia within current political boundaries comprises 181 species, additional 4 subspecies and 2 varieties. ...Additional 5 species are denoted by a question mark since reports are considered questionable. An alphabetically arranged tabular presentation of genera, species and lower taxa shows their presence in the phytogeographical units of Slovenia. The records from the periods before and after 1958 are marked with different symbols. Each species also has a new Red List status in Slovenia. The checklist includes the data from the literature and Herbarium LJU. Annotations to selected species give a critical evaluation of the literature and herbarium data. A list of taxa that should be excluded from the flora of Slovenia, the synonyms and the used literature with floristic data not cited in this article are also added.
The authors discovered a new population of
Guss., a species hitherto considered strictly endemic to Monte Gallo. Useful elements for the ecological characterisation of the new population are ...provided. The stretch of carbonate coastline between the Egadi Islands and the western portion of the Province of Palermo displays a very high wealth of valuable floristic elements and represents an unicum in terms of both phytogeography and ecology. Considering the extreme fragmentation of the distribution pattern of many endemic and exclusive species that characterise this district, as in the case of
, the authors suggest upgrading the strategies to protect the local botanical heritage, going beyond the species approach and thinking on a wider territorial scale.
is one of the most threatened plant species in Romania. The current distribution of this species is very fragmented, and the population size has been reduced in the last 30 years. Information on the ...habitat preferences of the species has not been summarized yet. In this context, this study aimed to identify the habitat preferences of the species
in Romania. The study was carried out in the NE (Moldova) and SE (Muntenia) regions of Romania. For the vegetation analysis, a total of 46 relevés were used. To classify the vegetation, we applied the hierarchical agglomerative clustering method, using the ß-flexible algorithm with ß = -0.25 and the Bray-Curtis dissimilarity. The data were represented as mean percentage values, according to the the Braun-Blanquet scale . Relationships between floristic composition and environmental variables were analyzed with Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) and Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA). The vegetation analysis showed that
grows in xerophilous, mesophilous and halophilous grasslands and ash-alpine alluvial forests. The species occurs in the communities of the
alliance, of the
order, mainly. The results of the CCA analysis indicate that the variation of the floristic composition of
is influenced by the annual mean temperature (BIO1).
Botanical surveys carried out during the last 13 years throughout central and northern Tunisia (North Africa) allow to find first national and continental N-African records of non-native taxa ...belonging to Bignoniaceae. The genera
,
, and
are new for N-Africa (
is new for the whole Africa).
is here considered as a naturalized alien species, whereas
,
,
,
,
, and
are casuals. Distribution in Tunisia, phenology, and original photographs are provided for each species. A diagnostic key for Tunisian Bignoniaceae is also given. Moreover, the name
(basionym of
) is lectotypified on a specimen preserved at K (isolectotypes at FI), whereas the holotype indication of the name
(basionym of
), made in
, is here corrected according to the Art. 9.10 of
(lectotype at UPS; isolectotype, here reported for the first time, at LD).
We conducted a phytosociological survey of pioneer shrub and shrub-wood (brushwood) communities on river banks at the contact of gravel bars and rockfall, slope debris or colluvium in the spring area ...of the Nadiža River, in the gorge of the Soča River between Srpenica and Kobarid (Log Čezsoški and Magozd), in the Tolminka valley, and in certain other locations in the hills of western Slovenia. We identified a successional sequence of two grey willow and hop hornbeam communities, which we classify into the associations
(
) and
(
). Both are indicators of natural river banks that have not been artificially stabilized. We expanded the knowledge of hop hornbeam communities in the pre-Alpine–northern-Dinaric part of Slovenia with a description of a new association
. Its sites are characterised by slightly moist soil, and its stands by a higher proportion of species of the alliance
The new Checklist of mosses (Bryophyta) of Slovenia within current political boundaries comprises 669 species, 6 subspecies and 18 varieties. Additional 13 species are denoted by a question mark ...since reports are considered questionable. An alphabetically arranged tabular presentation of genera, species and lower taxa, also shows their presence in particular phytogeographical units of Slovenia. The records from the periods before and after 1959 are marked with different symbols. Each species has also new Red List status in Slovenia. The checklist includes the data from literature and the Herbarium LJU. Annotations to selected species give a critical evaluation of the literature and herbarium data. A list of taxa that should be excluded from the flora of Slovenia and the synonyms used in the floristic literature for Slovenia are also added.
The biological reserve of Sidi Boughaba has a unique plant biodiversity, with many animals, including birds, finding refuge there. Data on this biodiversity is old and incomplete. This ...phytosociological study was carried out to define the vegetation structure of the area. Stratified sampling was carried out and 124 relevés were recorded. Multivariate statistical analyses (correspondence factorial analysis and hierarchical ascending classification) used to process the relevés revealed the presence of 9 plant groups, including 4 plant associations and 5 subassociations, which belong to 3 phytosociological classes (
,
and
).
is the most widespread in the area, showing several successional stages on grey and consolidated dunes. Vegetation of
can only be found on mobile sand. Vegetation of the class
occupies an inter-dunar depression on hydromorphic soil. The association
is newly described as five subassociations of
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