Life form and preference can drive spatial relationships among plant species in semi-arid rangelands of middle Iran

2013 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Farzaneh Khojasteh ◽  
Mohammad Ali Zare Chahouki ◽  
Hossein Azarnivand ◽  
Zaal Kikvidze
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Spatial Patterns ◽  
Life Form ◽  
Life Forms ◽  
Spatial Relationships ◽  
Plant Interactions ◽  
Shrub Species ◽  
Arid Rangelands ◽  
Preferred Species ◽  
Semi Arid

The interaction among species is one of the most important factors influencing the distribution of plants in a given habitat. Vegetation of arid rangelands often appears patchy with many herbaceous species associated with shrub species. It was hypothesised that plant interactions among different life forms together with the effect of grazing preference generate this type of spatial distribution of plant species in the semi-arid rangelands of middle Iran. Spatial patterns and associations were quantitatively analysed using Hopkins’ index and Chi-square tests to establish links between spatial relationships, plant life forms and preference by grazers on the south foothills of the Taleghan ranges, Alborz Province. Data were collected from three geographical sites with different dominant species and clumped patterns of plant spatial distributions for these species were detected. These spatial patterns were probably generated by the interplay of life form-dependent facilitative interactions among plants and the grazing pressure on preferred species rather than due to their intrinsic characters. In the study sites, grass species were significantly more frequently observed in the vicinity of nurse species than in open areas. It was also found that plant-plant interactions may change in response to changes in environmental conditions, such as soil characters and the benefits achieved by the beneficiary species from being associated with nurse species. All preferred perennial species were spatially associated with shrub species (Astragalus gossypinus Fischer and Thymus kotschyanus Boiss & Hohen), while nurse species that just physically protect the beneficiary species from grazing (e.g. A. gossypinus) did not associate with non-preferred species (e.g. Stipa barbata Desf). Instead, these non-preferred species may positively aggregate with nurse plants showing other beneficial characteristics such as nitrogen fixation and improvement of soil conditions.

scholarly journals Biodiversity conservation in cities: Defining habitat analogs for plant species of conservation interest

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Itani ◽  
M. Al Zein ◽  
N. Nasralla ◽  
S. N. Talhouk
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Species Interactions ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Life Form ◽  
Landscape Management ◽  
Life Forms ◽  
Habitat Diversity ◽  
Green Spaces ◽  
Urban Habitat ◽  
Stepwise Method

AbstractUrban plant habitats have become primary drivers of species interactions. They consist of managed vegetation and spontaneous assemblages of native, naturalized, ornamental garden escapes, and invasive species. Our objective was to define urban habitat analogs for a plant species of conservation interest, Matthiola crassifolia, which has persisted in varying abundance in the Mediterranean city of Beirut.We adopted a stepwise method that integrates two vegetation assessments, floristics, and physiognomy. We placed seventy-eight quadrats (1m x 1m) in 12 study sites following a deliberate biased method to capture habitat diversity. In every quadrat, we performed taxonomic identification and recorded life form of each species. We pooled species that shared the same life form into categories and estimated area cover for each of these life forms. We performed TWINSPAN analysis on floristic data to identify species positively associated with M. crassifolia, and on life forms, to determine plant assemblages that promote optimal M. crassifolia representation. We then combined findings from both analyses to generate a description of urban habitat analogs suitable for M. crassifolia.The results revealed that urban habitat analogs favorable to M. crassifolia include green spaces dominated by palms, low-lying succulents, or by shrubs with scale-like leaves. On the other hand, spaces dominated by turf grass, canopy trees, or vegetation that produces significant litter were not favorable to M. crassifolia’s persistence. Based on these findings, we generated a plant palette of native and non-native species to design urban habitat analogs favorable to the persistence of M. crassifolia.Synthesis and applicationsThe application of this method can inform planting designs that yield suitable habitats for plants of conservation interest. It can also guide landscape management plans that seek to create or modify green spaces to optimize growing conditions for species of conservation interest. Depending on sites, and based on the information generated by the stepwise method, designers and managers may decide to exclude life forms of native or non-native species that do not support the growth of a species of conservation interest, or they may create an artificial habitat that is conducive to its persistence.

scholarly journals Plant–plant interactions and local patterns of diversity from semi-arid to subalpine Mediterranean plant communities

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio I. Arroyo ◽  
Yolanda Pueyo ◽  
Hugo Saiz ◽  
Concepción L. Alados
Keyword(s):  
Plant Communities ◽  
Beta Diversity ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Plant Interactions ◽  
Shrub Species ◽  
Local Neighborhood ◽  
Mediterranean Plant ◽  
Management And Conservation ◽  
Semi Arid ◽  
Plant Plant

AbstractAn understanding of the diversity spatial organization in plant communities provides essential information for management and conservation planning. In this study we investigated, using a multi-species approach, how plant–plant interactions determine the local structure and composition of diversity in a set of Mediterranean plant communities, ranging from semi-arid to subalpine habitats. Specifically, we evaluated the spatial pattern of diversity (i.e., diversity aggregation or segregation) in the local neighborhood of perennial plant species using the ISAR (individual species–area relationship) method. We also assessed the local pattern of beta-diversity (i.e., the spatial heterogeneity in species composition among local assemblages), including the contribution of species turnover (i.e., species replacement) and nestedness (i.e., differences in species richness) to the overall local beta-diversity. Our results showed that local diversity segregation decreased in the less productive plant communities. Also, we found that graminoids largely acted as diversity segregators, while forbs showed more diverse neighborhoods than expected in less productive study sites. Interestingly, not all shrub and dwarf shrub species aggregated diversity in their surroundings. Finally, an increase in nestedness was associated with less segregated diversity patterns in the local neighborhood of shrub species, underlining their role in creating diversity islands in less productive environmental conditions. Our results provide further insights into the effect of plant–plant interactions in shaping the structure and composition of diversity in Mediterranean plant communities, and highlight the species and groups of species that management and conservation strategies should focus on in order to prevent a loss of biodiversity.

Temporal variation of pollination classes in a tropical Venezuelan plain: the importance of habitats and life forms

2006 ◽  
Vol 84 (3) ◽  
pp. 443-452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nelson Ramírez
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Rainy Season ◽  
Life Form ◽  
Transition Period ◽  
Flowering Phenology ◽  
Life Forms ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Community Level ◽  
Disturbed Areas ◽  
Trees And Shrubs

Pollination of a total of 155 plant species was evaluated monthly in relation to flowering phenology, habitats, and life forms in the Venezuelan Central Plain. The relationships between flowering phenology and pollinating agent classes and their abundance were evaluated. The total number of pollinating agent classes was significantly correlated with the number of plant species for habitats and life forms, and at the community level. The number of pollinating agent classes did not change statistically with respect to flowering phenology for life form, habitats, and overall community, but the number of pollinting agent classes increased from the dry season to the rainy season for overall community and habitats, except for forest. The abundance of pollinating agents was significantly affected by flowering time. A cluster analysis revealed that the abundance of pollinating agent classes differed throughout the year, separating the dry and rainy seasons. Two trends were found in the temporal pattern of the nine pollinating agents: (1) nonseasonal, in which flowering of bat- and bird-pollinated species did not change drastically throughout the year; and (2) seasonal, in which the number of bee-, butterfly-, fly-, wasp-, moth-, beetle-, and wind-pollinated species changed throughout the year, increasing from the dry to the rainy season at the community level. The number of pollinating bees, butterflies, flies, and wasps peaked during the dry season for trees and shrubs, and therefore for forest. The number of moth-pollinated species increased from the mid-dry season to the rainy season, with a peak during the dry–rainy transition period. Beetle- and wind-pollinated species are phenologically concentrated in the rainy season: beetle-pollinated species were mainly in the forest and forest–savanna transition, and wind-pollinated species were associated with herbaceous species in savanna and disturbed areas. The distribution of pollinating agents was affected by seasonality in habitats and life forms. Therefore, life form may be considered a proximate element, reducing interference in the pollination process at the community level.

scholarly journals EVALUATION OF ETHNOBOTANICAL PLANTS USED BY THE MALAMUTHANS TRIBAL COMMUNITY IN THE MEDAPPARA FOREST, WESTERN GHATS OF KERALA

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 17-44
Author(s):  
Anjana P.R ◽  
Paulsamy S
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Life Form ◽  
Life Forms ◽  
Ethnic Community ◽  
Tribal Community

Medappara forest of Kerala was surveyed to list out the ethnobotanical plants used by Malamuthans tribal community. Totally 250 plants belonging to 86 families were reported to be present in the study area, in which Fabaceae family was the dominant one contributed 25 species followed by the families, Euphorbiaceae (16 species), Asteraceae (13 species) and Acanthaceae with 12 species and the distribution of species in the study area includes various life-forms viz., trees (81 species), shrubs (53 species), herbs (78 species), climbers (35 species) and epiphytics (3 species) habits respectively. Of the 250 plant species, 237 (95%) were recognized as medicinally important and also cures 127 types of ailments. Of the 250 plant species encounted at all life-form levels. Sixteen ailment categories were classified, among them a higher number of 110 species were prescribed by the Malamuthan ethnic community for Gastro Intestinal Ailment (GIA).

scholarly journals Floristic Composition and Biological Spectrum of Hazarnoe Forest of District Malakand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

2017 ◽  
pp. 29-44
Author(s):  
ASGHAR KHAN
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Life Form ◽  
Growth Form ◽  
Floristic Composition ◽  
Leaf Size ◽  
Life Forms ◽  
Size Spectrum ◽  
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ◽  
Total Plant ◽  
Biological Spectrum

The plant species of Hazarnoe Forest of District Malakand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, were evaluated floristically from April 2016 to November 2017. Of the total 240 reported plant species, 38 were monocots, 196 dicots which belongs to 85 families and 188 genera respectively. Poaceae was the leading family contributed 20 species. Family Asteraceae contributed (14 spp.), Lamiaceae (13 spp.) while Papilionaceae and Solanaceae each with 10 species. Of the total plant taxa perennials were 161 species compared to annuals (73 spp.) and biennials (06 spp.). The dominant growth form was herbs that contributed (108 spp.) followed by trees (50spp.) and shrubs (45 spp.) respectively. Phanerophytes were the dominant life-form (92 spp.) whereas leaf size spectrum of microphyll was reported as abundant in the overall floristic. Phanerophytes and microphyll leaf size was the dominant life forms which show typical climate of subtropical region governing the area. Conclusion of study was that the vegetation of the area is under heavy biotic pressure and need proper conservation.

scholarly journals Analysis of the Rare Woody Plants Used in Greenery for Phytogeographic Region, Life Form and IUCN Categories

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 66-73
Author(s):  
V. Novruzov ◽  
E. Iskender ◽  
T. Mammadov ◽  
R. Abbasov ◽  
F. Rustamova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Woody Plants ◽  
Life Form ◽  
Life Forms ◽  
Iucn Categories ◽  
Natural Flora

According to hazard categories (IUCN), 46 species from 35 genera were identified belonging to 24 families of rare tree and shrub plants common in the natural flora of Azerbaijan used for landscaping Absheron. As a result of the analysis, it was found that the NT category (almost endangered) includes 12 species, and the CR category (endangered) includes 8 species. The plant species studied in the article were also analyzed by phytogeographic region and life forms. The results of the study showed that in addition to landscaping, other measures for the protection of the studied plants are necessary.

scholarly journals Empirical Evaluation of the Elevational Rapoport’s Rule: The Species Richness Patterns for Vascular Plants on Seorak Mountain, Korea

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ji-Dong Kim ◽  
Mi-Hyun Lee ◽  
Juhyeon Song ◽  
Seong Yeob Byeon ◽  
Jeong Eun Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Life Form ◽  
Elevation Gradient ◽  
Empirical Evaluation ◽  
Northeast Asia ◽  
Species Abundance ◽  
Life Forms ◽  
Elevation Gradients ◽  
Mountainous Regions ◽  
Abundance Patterns

Research on species abundance patterns and the advanced elevational Rapoport rule (ERR) has been widespread in recent years; however, for the temperate mountainous regions in northeast Asia, such research is lacking. Here, we collected plant species from the Seorak Mountain in northeast Asia through field surveys. The species were divided into 11 groups according to the life-form types and phytogeography affinities of each species. The ERR was tested using Steven’s method and by examining the species abundance patterns of each group. The species abundance patterns revealed a positive multimodal pattern along the elevation gradient, but phytogeography affinities (increasing trend) and life-form (unimodal) exhibited different patterns. The elevation gradients (1350 m for the mean elevation-range relationships), which are affected by the boundary effect and different life-forms, did not consistently support the ERR. However, herbs as well as rare, endemic, and red list species showed consistent support for the ERR, which can be influenced by phytogeography affinities. Thus, the results from Seorak Mountain showed that the ERR was not consistent for different plant life-forms in the same area. The result of our field survey revealed that life-forms in the plant species did not support ERR, whereas phytogeography affinities could support and explain ERR.

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