Ecological facets of plant species rarity in rock outcrop ecosystems of the Gulf Islands, British ColumbiaThis paper is one of a selection of papers published as part of the special Schofield Gedenkschrift.

Botany ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 88 (4) ◽  
pp. 429-434
Author(s):  
Kella D. Sadler ◽  
Gary E. Bradfield
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Rare Plants ◽  
Rock Outcrop ◽  
Rock Outcrops ◽  
Moss Species ◽  
Rare Taxa ◽  
Large Scale Disturbance ◽  
Gulf Islands ◽  
Species Rarity ◽  
Rock Outcrop Ecosystems

Rare plants and their habitats are integral to the conservation of biodiversity in many areas. With increasing habitat destruction and fragmentation, there is an urgent need to identify elements of diversity that are at risk, to adequately address conservation priorities, and successfully implement management strategies. In this research project, plant species rarity in rock outcrop ecosystems occurring on the Gulf Islands in southwestern British Columbia was examined at 13 study sites (3000 m2 area examined per site). Bryophytes comprised the largest portion of rare taxa; 18 of the 20 provincially rare taxa were mosses, including two species new to Canada. Challenges facing rare plant species conservation were considered from a landscape management perspective. Rock outcrops represent non-equilibrial, primary successional systems; some form of perpetual large-scale disturbance (e.g., climate and (or) grazing) may be integral to maintaining these ecosystems, their constituent habitats, and the occurrence of many rare moss species. In contrast with vascular plants, which are of focal concern in relatively deeper-soiled Garry oak meadows (i.e., native herbs and grasses), bryophytes have limited competitive ability. As such, the rare bryophytes of rock outcrop ecosystems are likely to be highly sensitive to successional development within sites (i.e., factors reducing the availability of early successional habitats) that may arise through land use modifications and (or) changes in local climatic conditions related to global warming.

scholarly journals Conservation ecology of rare plants within complex local habitat networks

Oryx ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 696-703 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin J. Crain ◽  
Ana María Sánchez-Cuervo ◽  
Jeffrey W. White ◽  
Steven J. Steinberg
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Plant Conservation ◽  
Rare Plants ◽  
Rare Plant ◽  
Potential Contribution ◽  
Habitat Types ◽  
Rock Outcrops ◽  
Rare Plant Species ◽  
Conservation Targets ◽  
Rare Plant Conservation

AbstractEffective conservation of rare plant species requires a detailed understanding of their unique distributions and habitat requirements to identify conservation targets. Research suggests that local conservation efforts may be one of the best means for accomplishing this task. We conducted a geographical analysis of the local distributions of rare plants in Napa County, California, to identify spatial relationships with individual habitat types. We measured the potential contribution of individual habitats to rare plant conservation by integrating analyses on overall diversity, species per area, specificity-weighted richness, presence of hotspots, and the composition of the rare plant community in each habitat type. This combination of analyses allowed us to determine which habitats are most significant for rare plant conservation at a local scale. Our analyses indicated that several habitat types were consistently associated with rare plant species. In broad terms, grasslands, oak forests, coniferous forests, wetlands, serpentines, chaparral, and rock outcrops were most consistently highlighted. No single habitat stood out in every analysis however, and therefore we conclude that careful selection of an assemblage of habitats that best represents diverse, restricted and unique rare plant communities will be the most efficient approach to protecting rare plant habitat at local scales. Accordingly we present a means of identifying conservation targets and protecting global biodiversity through local efforts.

Return of the megaherbs: plant colonisation of derelict ANARE station buildings on sub-Antarctic Heard Island

Polar Record ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 235-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Whinam ◽  
P.M. Selkirk ◽  
A.J. Downing ◽  
Bruce Hull
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Vascular Plants ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Water Tank ◽  
Moss Species ◽  
Left Behind ◽  
Plant Colonisation ◽  
Vascular Plant Species ◽  
Heard Island ◽  
Antarctic Research

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.

The relationship of reproductive biology to the rarity of endemic Aster curtus (Asteraceae)

1999 ◽  
Vol 77 (1) ◽  
pp. 140-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
David E Giblin ◽  
Clement W Hamilton
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Northwest ◽  
Reproductive Biology ◽  
Fluorescent Microscopy ◽  
Pollen Grains ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
Rare Plants ◽  
Glacial Outwash ◽  
Compatible Cross ◽  
Species Rarity ◽  
Filled Seeds

The fecundity of rare plants is a commonly used indicator of performance at the population or species level. However, accurately interpreting reproductive output requires an understanding of a particular species's breeding system. The purpose of this study was to determine if reproductive biology contributes to the restricted distribution of Aster curtus Cronq. We hypothesized that (i) A. curtus, like many Asteraceae species, is self-incompatible, and (ii) that pollinations between patches produce significantly more filled seeds than pollinations within patches. Fluorescent microscopy of pistils harvested after greenhouse pollination showed A. curtus to be partially self-compatible. Cross-pollination resulted in significantly more pollen grains per stigma and significantly greater pollen germination than self-pollination. Similarly, field pollination trials showed that between-patch crosses produced significantly more filled seeds than within-patch crosses. Nevertheless, within-patch pollinations produced substantial levels of filled seed. Results from the greenhouse and field trials suggest that the reproductive biology of A. curtus contributes little to its rarity. Understanding why A. curtus is rare has important implications to the conservation of the glacial outwash prairie. Moreover, the data from this research can be used in further developing predictive models for plant species rarity based on reproductive biology.Key words: Aster, endemic, Pacific Northwest, rarity, reproductive biology, self-incompatibility.

scholarly journals Ecological Impacts of Megaprojects: Species Succession and Functional Composition

Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 2411
Author(s):  
Hamada E. Ali ◽  
Solveig Franziska Bucher
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Invasive Plant ◽  
Species Traits ◽  
Natural Vegetation ◽  
Ecological Impacts ◽  
Imperata Cylindrica ◽  
Dry Matter Content ◽  
Large Scale Disturbance ◽  
The Impact

Land-use changes have huge impacts on natural vegetation, especially megaprojects, as the vegetation layer is destroyed in the course of construction works affecting the plant community composition and functionality. This large-scale disturbance might be a gateway for the establishment of invasive plant species, which can outcompete the natural flora. In contrast, species occurring in the area before the construction are not able to re-establish. In this study, we analyzed the impact of a pipeline construction on a wetland nature reserve located in northern Egypt. Therefore, we analyzed the plant species occurrence and abundance and measured each plant species’ traits before the construction in 2017 as well as on multiple occasions up to 2 years after the construction had finished on altogether five sampling events. We found that the construction activity led to the establishment of an invasive species which previously did not occur in the area, namely, Imperata cylindrica, whereas five species (Ipomoea carnea, Pluchea dioscoridis, Polygonum equisetiforme, Tamarix nilotica, and Typha domingensis) could not re-establish after the disturbance. The functionality of ecosystems assessed via the analysis of plant functional traits (plant height, specific leaf area, and leaf dry matter content) changed within species over all sampling events and within the community showing a tendency to approximate pre-construction values. Functional dispersion and Rao’s quadratic diversity were higher after the megaproject than before. These findings are important to capture possible re-establishment and recovery of natural vegetation after construction and raise awareness to the impact of megaprojects, especially in areas which are high priority for conservation.

scholarly journals Rare component of Halych National Nature Park forest ecosystems flora (Ivano-Frankivsk region)

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 290-302
Author(s):  
Dmytrash-Vatseba I.I. ◽  
Shumska N.V. ◽  
Gniezdilova V.I.
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Rare Species ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Rare Plants ◽  
Occurrence Rate ◽  
Population Number ◽  
Vascular Plant Species ◽  
General Number ◽  
Nature Park

The paper contains a synopsis of rare component of flora of Halych National Nature Park forest ecosystems, as well as evaluation of distribution trends of rare vascular plant species and the state of their populations. Being established in 2004, the Park is located in Halych district of Ivano-Frankivsk region on the area of 14684.8 ha. Forests occupy the biggest part of its territory (81.1 %), among which predominate poor and mixed oak (Querceta roboris), beech (Fageta sylvaticae) and hornbeam (Carpineta betuli) woods. Inventory check of plant cover of the forest ecosystems has been done between 2008-2019 years. According to the results of our study, within the forests and forest margins grow 303 vascular plant species, out of which 63 are rare (20.8 %). The list of rare species is composed of species included to the Red Data Book of Ukraine, of species protected by international conventions and directives and complemented by species that are threatened within the study region. Species were considered as threatened if the number of localities and / or population size were small. Regionally rare species were selected based on the analyzes of results of our field survey and materials of herbarium collections. We have found that the third part of rare species (33.3 %) has high coenotic amplitude and a bit less species (26.2 %) favor forest margins. Rare species having low coenotic amplitude are confined to beech woods (19.1 %). Rare species are considerably distinguished by occurrence. Species with scarce occurrence predominate. For instance, 61 % of the species were found in 1-5 localities, of which 25 species occur only in one or two sites. Share of species growing in 6-10 localities within the Park is equal to 26.6 %. Only a small percentage (6.2 %) of rare species comprises species with relatively frequent occurrence (11–20 localities as well as more than 20 cites). Rare species of the Park forests with the highest occurrence rate are Lilium martagon and some members of Orchidaceae family. Predominantly, rare species have populations of small size, for instance, 81.2 % of the species were found in quantities of a few plants – several hundreds of individuals. The most threatened are species general number of which at the Park area is several plants (15.6 %). These species are as follows: Circaea alpina, Atropa bella-donna, Campanula latifolia, Phyteuma spicatum, Epipactis atrorubens etc. The biggest groups comprise species with general number of few tens and several hundreds of individuals (totally 65.6 %). Species with big populations represent far smaller part of forest rare species. Nine rare species grow in the number of several thousands of plants within the Park and three species (Allium ursinum, Galanthus nivalis and Leucojum vernum) – over a million. It has been established that 52.4 % of rare species populations taken together remain in critically bad state, 28.6 % of the populations – in bad state, 14.3 % – in satisfactory state. Only 4.8 % of populations are in good state. Our results show that about 95 % of species are in need of protection and continuous monitoring of population number. Furthermore, 51 species of rare plants,having low number and bad state of populations, require to work out and implement management plans for their restoration. Key words: rare species, vascular plants, population state, species occurrence, population number

Distribution of uranium series radionuclides in upland vegetation of northern Saskatchewan. I. Plant and soil concentrations

1986 ◽  
Vol 64 (11) ◽  
pp. 2446-2452 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. W. Sheard
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Primary Source ◽  
The Other ◽  
Moss Species ◽  
Uranium Series ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Northern Saskatchewan ◽  
Uranium Accumulation ◽  
Lead 210

Levels of lead-210, polonium-210, radium-226, and uranium are reported for 10 plant species (2 conifer, 4 shrub, 3 lichen, and 1 moss species) and soils in northern Saskatchewan. Two localities were studied in each of two regions, one uraniferous, the other not. Nonvascular species showed the highest levels of lead-210, polonium-210, and uranium, and the shrubs, the highest levels of radium-226. The lichen and moss species show no significant difference in accumulation of lead-210 and polonium-210 among regions, reflecting the assumed atmospheric distribution and particulate accumulation of these radionuclides. Seven of eight species for which comparisons could be made showed significant differences in uranium accumulation among regions. High levels in the lichen and moss species suggest that the primary source of uranium in these species is not directly from the soil. In contrast to the other radionuclides, radium-226 only showed significant differences among localities within regions, this being due to high accumulations occurring at one locality in the nonuraniferous region.

The Rare Plants in The Alas Kedaton Tourism Forest, Tabanan, Bali

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Nyoman Wijana ◽  
I Made Oka Riawan ◽  
Sanusi Mulyadiharja
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Sampling Method ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Rare Plants ◽  
Forest Area ◽  
Rare Plant ◽  
Rare Plant Species ◽  
Illegal Mining ◽  
The Social ◽  
Rare Category

Forests are a source of foreign exchange that has been exploited on a large scale for timber. This exploitation causes a rapid reduction in forest area. Until now, the destruction of the forest environment is still happening, both by illegal logging and illegal mining. This study aims to determine the number of rare plant species in Alas Kedaton Tourism Forest, Tabanan, Bali, Indonesia; and the factors causing the rarity of these plant species. The population in this research is the plant species in Alas Kedaton Tourism Forest. Meanwhile, the social population is all people in the Alas Kedaton Tourism Forest area. The sampling method for plant species is the quadratic method was used to investigate the diversity and the number of rare plants. While for the social sampling was conducted by interviewing with purposive sampling method to the local community around the Alas Kedaton areas. Determination of endangered plant species was conducted by studying of available documents, in-depth interviewing, and seeking information from various existent sources. The collected data analyzed descriptively. The results of this study indicated there are 48 species of plants with 26 families, which are generally found in Alas Kedaton Tourism Forest. Of this number, 42 (87.5%) plant species are included in the rare category; (2) of the 42 species of rare plants in the Alas Kedaton Tourism Forest, there are 8 (19.04%) plant species that are included in the National rare category, 20 (47.62%) rare plant species in Bali, 10 ( 23.81%) rare plant species in Tabanan Regency, and 4 (9.52%) species included in the rare category at the District level (especially Marga District); and (3) factors causing the scarcity of plant species in Alas Kedaton Tourism Forest are (a) past environmental degradation, (b) reproductive problems of rare plants, (c) human intervention, (4) disturbance by animals, especially long tailed monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) and bats (Pteropus vampyrus).

The Nyárády Erazmus Gyula’s Herbarium in the Debrecen University’s Plant Collection

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-78
Author(s):  
Katalin Bartók ◽  
Attila Takács
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Endemic Species ◽  
School Teacher ◽  
Secondary School Teacher ◽  
High Mountains ◽  
Moss Species ◽  
Left Behind ◽  
Plant Collection

Abstract After the publication of the book entitled “Recollection of Gyula E. Nyárády” (2016), the interest of his inheritance increased significantly. His left behind herbarium was estimated to have 55,000 sheets (1988), while till 2016 its number increased up to 85,000. The herbarial investigations are taking place over the Romania’s borders too, such as in the plant collection of the Debrecen University. With this occasion, we have studied the part collections of Rezső Soó (40,000 specimens), the Zoltán Siroki’s (20,000 specimens), together with the kryptogame (3,000 bryophytes) ones. In the Debrecen University plant collection we found 166 plant species collected and determined by E. Gy. Nyárády, among them 154 are superior plant and 12 are moss. In the Soó collection 112 plants arose from E. Gy. Nyárády, 69% of them are from Slovakia, 29% from Romania and 1% from Poland. The Slovakian collections took place in the 1905-1916 period, the most of them (34 species) are from 1910, being collected in Késmárk and Tatra’s region, where E. Gy. Nyárády was secondary school teacher. The Romanian collections took place in the 1905-1942 period, the 33 species mainly arise from the high mountains (especially Rodna Mountains), as well as from the Transylvanian Plain. We have found three endemic species among them: Festuca carpathica Dietr., Koeleria transsilvanica Schur (syn. Koeleria macracantha ssp. transsilvanica (Schur) A. Nyár., and Thymus pulcherrimus Schur. In the Siroki collection there are 42 plant sheets, originated from Slovakia, from 1908-1913 period. The four Romanian plants came from the Rodna Mountains. The Kryptogam Herbarium contains 12 Romanian moss species, collected between 1925 and 1929, most of them being from Székelyudvarhely (Odorheiu Secuiesc). The genus Carex occurs most frequently in the Nyárády-collection, due to his increased interest to sedges, forming 39% of the studied species. In accordance with the labels, in his collecting trips he was occasionally accompanied by Béla Husz (1911, Szepes) and Ádám Boros (1929, Korond).

scholarly journals Species-specific effects of passive warming in an Antarctic moss system

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (11) ◽  
pp. 190744 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah M. Prather ◽  
Angélica Casanova-Katny ◽  
Andrew F. Clements ◽  
Matthew W. Chmielewski ◽  
Mehmet A. Balkan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Fungal Biomass ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Moss Species ◽  
Abiotic Environment ◽  
Invertebrate Communities ◽  
Passive Warming ◽  
Specific Effects ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Antarctic Moss

Polar systems are experiencing rapid climate change and the high sensitivity of these Arctic and Antarctic ecosystems make them especially vulnerable to accelerated ecological transformation. In Antarctica, warming results in a mosaic of ice-free terrestrial habitats dominated by a diverse assemblage of cryptogamic plants (i.e. mosses and lichens). Although these plants provide key habitat for a wide array of microorganisms and invertebrates, we have little understanding of the interaction between trophic levels in this terrestrial ecosystem and whether there are functional effects of plant species on higher trophic levels that may alter with warming. Here, we used open top chambers on Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, Antarctica, to examine the effects of passive warming and moss species on the abiotic environment and ultimately on higher trophic levels. For the dominant mosses, Polytrichastrum alpinum and Sanionia georgicouncinata , we found species-specific effects on the abiotic environment, including moss canopy temperature and soil moisture. In addition, we found distinct shifts in sexual expression in P . alpinum plants under warming compared to mosses without warming, and invertebrate communities in this moss species were strongly correlated with plant reproduction. Mosses under warming had substantially larger total invertebrate communities, and some invertebrate taxa were influenced differentially by moss species. However, warmed moss plants showed lower fungal biomass than control moss plants, and fungal biomass differed between moss species. Our results indicate that continued warming may impact the reproductive output of Antarctic moss species, potentially altering terrestrial ecosystems dynamics from the bottom up. Understanding these effects requires clarifying the foundational, mechanistic role that individual plant species play in mediating complex interactions in Antarctica's terrestrial food webs.

scholarly journals Conservation Evaluation of the Small-flowered Tonella, Tonella tenella, in Canada

2006 ◽  
Vol 120 (2) ◽  
pp. 179
Author(s):  
George W. Douglas ◽  
Jenifer L. Penny
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Private Property ◽  
Columbia River ◽  
The West ◽  
Rock Outcrops ◽  
West Side ◽  
Central California ◽  
Gulf Islands ◽  
Talus Slopes ◽  
Conservation Evaluation

In Canada, the Small-flowered Tonella, Tonella tenella, is restricted to the west side of Saltspring Island in the Gulf Islands of southwestern British Columbia. This population represents the northern limits of the species which is disjunct from its main range in southern Washington (Columbia River gorge), through Oregon to central California. In British Columbia, Tonella tenella is associated with rock outcrops and dry, steep, sparsely forested talus slopes at elevations of 50 to 300 m. The population on Saltspring Island is on private property and not directly imperilled at this time. There is, however, a potential for housing development in the future on this waterfront site, thus the authors consider the species endangered.

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