scholarly journals To Care or Not to Care? Which Factors Influence the Distribution of Early-Flowering Geophytes at the Vienna Central Cemetery (Austria)

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 4657
Author(s):  
Julia Konic ◽  
Franz Essl ◽  
Bernd Lenzner
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Ornamental Plants ◽  
Early Flowering ◽  
Urban Nature ◽  
Protected Species ◽  
High Care ◽  
Vegetation Surveys ◽  
Galanthus Nivalis ◽  
Specific Management

Cemeteries not only serve as burial sites but also as a habitat for many animal and plant species, as the specific management of cemeteries creates conditions that hardly exist anywhere else. So-called stinzen plants are those plant species that show a connection to old garden cultures and need precisely these conditions. Many stinzen plants are early-flowering geophytes. We examined which factors influence the distribution and abundance (=cover values) of early-flowering geophytes at the largest cemetery in Austria, the Zentralfriedhof in Vienna, and tried to identify such stinzen populations. In spring 2020, we performed two vegetation surveys in 143 plots and recorded the occurrence and abundance (in %) of early-flowering geophytes. Then, we collected four variables for each plot: (1) cemetery type (architectural cemetery, park cemetery, and memorial), (2) care intensity, (3) type of use (path between graves, abandoned graves, free space between road and grave, and open meadow area with adjacent graves), and (4) distance to the next path. We recorded a total of nine different early-flowering geophyte species. All nine species were found on plots with very low care intensity. Only two species were found on paths between graves. Six species are listed as threatened on Vienna’s Red Data List. Two species, Eranthis hyemalis and Galanthus nivalis, are ornamental plants. Plots in the park cemetery have significantly lower average cover values of early-flowering geophytes than plots in the other two cemetery types. This can be explained by high maintenance measures and increased visitor pressure due to its location. Additionally, the data revealed that high care intensity seems to harm early-flowering geophytes. This study showed that cemeteries are refugia for protected species in urban areas and should, therefore, be considered in urban nature conservations.

Purification Effects of Artificial Vegetated Floating Bed on Polluted Water

2012 ◽  
Vol 599 ◽  
pp. 441-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Qiang Li ◽  
Ying He Jiang ◽  
Zhao Hua Li
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Restoration ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Ornamental Plants ◽  
Polluted Water ◽  
Test Plant ◽  
Do Concentration ◽  
Removal Efficiencies ◽  
Thalia Dealbata ◽  
Strong Ability

Four species of ornamental plants, namely Thalia dealbata Fraser ex Roscae, Hydrocotyle vulgaris L., Iris pseudacorus L. and Canna indica L. were planted on the ecological floating bed, respectively, so as to study their effects of removing pollutants from polluted water. The experiment lasted for 42 days. The results indicate that the four plant species are adaptable to grow in polluted water and their fresh weights, heights and roots increased significantly at the end of the experiment. The growth rates are in the sequence of Canna > Thalia dealbata > Iris > Hydrocotyle vulgaris. The four test plant species have different effects on DO concentration in water, and the influence degrees are in the sequence of Hydrocotyle vulgaris > Thalia dealbata > Canna > Iris. All of the four plant species have a strong ability to remove NH4+-N, TN, TP and CODcr,, which is higher than that of the control treatments (P<0.05). The efficiencies of removing NH4+-N TN, TP and CODcr, by Hydrocotyle vulgaris , Thalia dealbata , Canna and Iris are 96.83%, 90.32%, 82.75% and 78.73%; 78.98%, 76.15%, 70.87% and 62.43%; 62.28%, 56.57%, 60.00% and 54.84%; 93.99%, 92.96%, 92.45% and 92.39%, respectively. Seeing that they have significant removal efficiencies on pollutants, the four plant species are recommended as ornamental plants applicable to ecological restoration engineering of polluted water in urban areas.

scholarly journals THE BEHAVIOR OF URBAN COMMUNITIES IN PLANTING USEFUL PLANTS IN THE YARD DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-16
Author(s):  
Novriyanti Novriyanti ◽  
Dian Iswandaru ◽  
Inggar Damayanti
Keyword(s):  
Urban Communities ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Urban Community ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Ornamental Plants ◽  
Useful Plants ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Plant Groups

Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic that forces restrictions on movement between people is thought to impact the utilization of yards in urban areas positively. However, there is not much information about yard management practices, including plant species managed by urban communities. In the framework of biodiversity conservation, this research aims to explore the variety of plant species planted in the yards, the area of ​​managed yards, and the planting motivation of the urban community, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research was conducted from May to August 2020 using an online questionnaire (Google Form), and direct interviews with target respondents consisted of communities spread across two major cities in Lampung Province, i.e. Metro City and Bandar Lampung City. The research findings showed that only 8% of respondents planted various useful plant species during the COVID-19 pandemic, while the rest of them planted long before the pandemic occurred. The plant groups that the respondents commonly owned were ornamental plants (70%), while 30% of the existing species were medicinal plants and spices. The motivations included enjoying the yield (herbs and medicine), filling the spare time, enjoy gardening and love plants, making the house beautiful and cool, and even planting it for sale. Of the five planting goals or motivations of the urban community, the motivation to enjoy the yield was the highest, followed by the desire to have a beautiful yard and enjoy gardening. This condition is believed to continue to exist even though modernization is expanding.  Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic, ethnobotany, ornamental plants, residential landscape, useful plants

scholarly journals Effect of Systemic Deer Repellent Tablets and Liquid on Deer Browsing of Containerized Ornamentals

HortScience ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 564D-564c
Author(s):  
Gary L. Wade ◽  
Jeff Jackson ◽  
Kendra Henderson
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Ornamental Plants ◽  
Ammonium Phosphate ◽  
Research Station ◽  
Forest Research ◽  
Deer Browsing ◽  
Denatonium Benzoate ◽  
The Media ◽  
Potassium Sulfide

Economic and aesthetic losses from deer browsing of ornamental plants in nurseries and landscapes has increased significantly during recent years. This, according to wildlife specialists, is primarily due to hunting restrictions in urban areas. There are numerous so-called “deer repellents” on the market, but most are foliar applied and can be washed off or diluted with rain or irrigation. This study evaluated the effect of a systemically absorbed deer repellent tablet, Repellex (trademarked product), on deer browsing of containerized ornamental plants. A foliar applied counterpart, Repellex liquid, was also evaluated. The 1.5-gm tablets are a 14–2–2 fertilizer containing denatonium benzoate, lactose, ammonium phosphate, hydrous magnesium, and potassium sulfide. Two to eight tablets, depending on the size of the container, are placed adjacent to the root ball of the plant and 2 inches below the media surface at time of transplant. Gumpo azalea, Indian hawthorne, daylily, and Manhattan Euonymus were used for the study. Plants treated with tablets were held 6 to 8 weeks, according to manufacturer recommendations, under nursery conditions, then transported to deer-holding pens at the Whitehall Forest Research Station at the Univ. of Georgia. The pens, 1/2- to 1 acre in size, contained seven to 12 deer, depending on the study. Growth measurements initially and at weekly intervals were used to assess the degree of deer browsing. Results varied by plant species. Generally, the tablets were ineffective in preventing deer browsing when compared to the control. The foliar applied liquid was effective in reducing deer for up to 6 weeks when compared to the control. Plants treated with a tablet at time of propagation and two additional tablets when transplanted were browsed to the container within 2 days of deer exposure.

scholarly journals Minor Treatments Can Play a Significant Role in Preserving Natural Habitats and Protected Species on the Shore of a Central European Lake

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 1540
Author(s):  
Bence Fülöp ◽  
Bálint Pacsai ◽  
Judit Bódis
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Active Management ◽  
Lake Balaton ◽  
Protected Species ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Management Interventions ◽  
Natural Grasslands ◽  
Tourism Potential

Semi-natural grasslands were previously established through traditional land use and maintained by active management, but their extension nowadays is declining rapidly, particularly in areas that also have tourism potential. In parallel, the conservation value of the remaining areas is increasing. The shore of Lake Balaton is a particularly good example, as Lake Balaton is an area highly affected by tourism, yet there have been valuable habitats able to survive and provide refuge for many vulnerable, protected species. Fortunately, we have reliable information about the vegetation of the area from two decades ago. Comparing these data with our recent surveys we investigated the changes in habitats and the distribution of protected plant species in connection with the active conservation treatments such as grazing or cutting. Our results show that in areas where treatments are still ongoing, protected plant species are more likely to survive, or even other species can appear, which is in clear contrast with conditions experienced in abandoned areas, where at least seven protected species have disappeared. According to our results, minor, but appropriately chosen and well-executed management interventions, can help in the long-term maintenance of species-rich habitats and improving the conservation status of threatened species.

scholarly journals Wild orchids of Tyumen and challenges, related to their preservation

2021 ◽  
Vol 38 ◽  
pp. 00053
Author(s):  
Mariya Kazantseva ◽  
Sergei Artyomenko
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Small Groups ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Forest ◽  
Municipal Services ◽  
Public Gardens ◽  
The Family ◽  
Forest Belts ◽  
Epipactis Helleborine ◽  
The City

There are 11 plant species of the Orchidaceae family in the city area of Tyumen; eight of them are protected in the Tyumen region, one species is included in the Red Book of Russia. Representatives of the family are found in the urban forest complex, roadside forest belts, on lawns and in public gardens of the central part of the city. Most species are represented locally by single specimens or small groups; three species – Epipactis helleborine, Platanthera bifolia and Neottianthe cucullata can form large complete coenopopulations. The main anthropogenous factors negatively affecting the condition of orchids in the city are: reconstruction of roads and plantations, regular mowing of grass in the habitats of plants. The protection of species requires coordinated efforts of municipal services for the improvement of urban areas and environmental organizations.

The effect of drainage height on plant-species composition on a semi-arid green roof system

2021 ◽  
Vol 67 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 149-155
Author(s):  
Har'el Agra ◽  
Hadar Shalom ◽  
Omar Bawab ◽  
Gyongyver J. Kadas ◽  
Leon Blaustein
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Plant Diversity ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Green Roof ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Green Roofs ◽  
Plant Species Composition ◽  
Roof System ◽  
Semi Arid

Abstract Green roofs are expected to contribute to higher biodiversity in urban surroundings. Typically, green roofs have been designed with low plant diversity. However, plant diversity can be enhanced by controlling resource availability and creating distinct niches. Here we hypothesize that by using different drainage heights during the short plant-growing season in a semi-arid green roof system we can create distinct niches and plant communities. Our experiment took place at the University of Haifa, north Israel. We tested three different heights of drainage outlet: 10 cm under the surface of the substrate (Low), 1 cm under the surface of the substrate (Medium) and 3 cm above the surface of the substrate (High) on plant species-composition in green-roof gardens. Grasses cover was higher in High and Medium drainages while forbs cover was higher in Low drainage. Species richness was the highest in Low drainage while diversity indices showed the opposite trend. We conclude that by changing the height of the drainage we can create different niches and change species composition in a short time period of one growing season. This way we can create more diverse green roof communities and enhance biodiversity in urban areas, particularly in semi-arid regions.

Nutritional Value of Habitat for Moose on Urban and Military Lands

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 158-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph H. Welch ◽  
Perry S. Barboza ◽  
Sean D. Farley ◽  
Donald E. Spalinger
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Industrial Development ◽  
Ornamental Plants ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Model Potential ◽  
Habitat Modification ◽  
Available Nitrogen ◽  
Winter Diet ◽  
Nutrition And Diet ◽  
Moose Population

Abstract Moose Alces alces are large and conspicuous animals valued for wildlife watching and hunting opportunities. However, near urban areas they can cause collisions with vehicles and damage to garden and ornamental plants. We studied a population of adult female moose that lives in and around both urban and industrial development on an active Army and Air Force base adjacent to Anchorage, Alaska, to evaluate nutrition and diet, map habitat quality, and model how habitat development affects the number of moose the landscape can support. Population density was moderate and hunter harvest was high in our study area, so we hypothesized that moose in our study area would be in similar condition to other healthy populations in Alaska. We also hypothesized that, in our study area, shrublands would support more moose than any other habitat type and that areas disturbed for urban development would be crucial to maintaining the local moose population. Rump fat depths, blood chemistries, and pregnancy rates in November and March for moose in our study area were consistent with populations in good to moderate condition. Microhistology of composite fecal samples indicated that willows Salix spp. dominated the summer diet, whereas the winter diet was divided among willows, birch Betula spp., and cottonwood Populus balsamifera. Low concentrations of available nitrogen in winter stems limited the number of moose that could be supported in our study area. Shrublands were the most valuable habitat type for moose, theoretically supporting 11–81 times more moose per hectare than any other habitat type. Shrublands were more concentrated within the developed portion of our study area than the surrounding undeveloped portions of the military base; and the access to shrublands in clearings, greenbelts, and parks sustains the productivity of this moose population despite the many disturbances of an urbanized landscape. Our habitat values can be used to model potential impacts of habitat modification on the number of moose the landscape can support.

Crown width models for woody plant species growing in urban areas of the U.S.

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 905-917
Author(s):  
James A. Westfall ◽  
David J. Nowak ◽  
Jason G. Henning ◽  
Tonya W. Lister ◽  
Christopher B. Edgar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Woody Plant ◽  
Woody Plant Species ◽  
Crown Width ◽  
The U.S

scholarly journals Landscape and Climate Influence the Patterns of Genetic Diversity and Inbreeding in Cerrado Plant Species

Diversity ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 421
Author(s):  
Luciana Cristina Vitorino ◽  
Mateus Neri Oliveira Reis ◽  
Layara Alexandre Bessa ◽  
Ueric José Borges de Souza ◽  
Fabiano Guimarães Silva
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Isolation By Distance ◽  
Buffer Size ◽  
Mean Annual Temperature ◽  
Plant Populations ◽  
Landscape Features ◽  
Center Periphery

The anthropization of the landscape of the Cerrado biome that has occurred over the past few decades has fragmented its natural environments, impacting the connectivity of the plant populations and altering their gene flow. Plant species may also reduce population size in response to sub-optimal climatic and environmental conditions, and observed distribution patterns may align with theoretical schemes, such as the center–periphery model, that is, it is possible that populations on the edge have lower genetic diversity than center populations, theoretically submitted to environmental conditions closer to the optimum. In this context, we evaluate whether the genetic diversity and inbreeding coefficients of Cerrado plant species are affected by landscape features and climate characteristics, and in particular, if the distribution of the genetic diversity of these plants is consistent with the center–periphery model. To do this, we conducted a literature search for genetic studies of Cerrado plant populations using Scopus, Web of Science, and Scielo databases and the species found were used as a proxy to explore patterns throughout the biome. The data were analyzed using generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) and multiple matrix regressions (MMRRs) to evaluate the effects of landscape features and climatic variables on the observed (HO) and expected heterozygosity (HE), allelic richness (AR) and inbreeding (Fis) patterns of the local populations. The landscape was evaluated in terms of the percentage land cover of agriculture (AG), forestry (FO), remnant vegetation (RV), urban areas (UA), pasture (PA), and water (WA) within buffers of 1 km, 3 km, and 5 km around the study populations. We analyzed 121 populations of 31 plant species. The GLMMs showed that HO was affected by FO regardless of buffer size, while HE was also affected by FO, but also by WA and UA. AR was affected by WA and UA in all three buffer zones while the Fis was affected by FO and AU. The MMRRs showed that WA may affect HO, HE, and Fis within the 1 km buffer, while FO affects HO and UA affects AR within the 5 km buffer. In the case of the 1 km and 3 km buffers, however, the geographic distance between populations was identified as a factor determining the genetic diversity and inbreeding indices, indicating that isolation by distance may be an important factor defining the breeding patterns of the Cerrado plant populations. The GLMMs and MMRRs also showed that the mean annual temperature (MAT) and, to a lesser extent, isothermality (ISO) can explain the variation in genetic diversity observed in the Cerrado plant populations. We also found that the center–periphery model fits the distribution pattern observed in most of the species evaluated, including Annona crassiflora,Annona coriacea, Copaifera langsdorffii, and Eugenia dysenterica. Our results indicate that changes in the climate and the landscape of Brazilian Cerrado must be considered carefully to guarantee minimizing the impacts of these processes on the genetic diversity of Cerrado plant species and ensuring the long-term conservation of these species in this biome.

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