scholarly journals How do plant communities and flower visitors relate? A case study of semi-natural xerothermic grasslands

2013 ◽  
Vol 82 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Damian Chmura ◽  
Paweł Adamski ◽  
Zygmunt Denisiuk
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Correspondence Analysis ◽  
Positive Relationship ◽  
Detrended Correspondence Analysis ◽  
Permanent Plots ◽  
Moisture Index ◽  
Rarefaction Analysis ◽  
Flower Visitors

<p>The paper examines the relationships between the species composition of flower visitors and plants in the semi-natural xerothermic grasslands in southern and central Poland. Thirty 10 × 10 m permanent plots were laid out in total, mainly in nature reserves. The vegetation units studied were classified according to the Braun-Blanquet system; these were phytocoenoses of the <em>Festuco-Brometea</em> classes <em>Inuletum ensifoliae</em>, <em>Adonido-Brachypodietum pinnati</em> and the transitional plant community. Entomological research was performed using the Pollard method within the same plots. A particular site was visited only once and different sites were studied between April and August 2008. We applied, among others, co-correspondence-analysis Co-CA, detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) and redundancy analysis (RDA) to investigate the co-occurrence patterns of plants and flower visitors and their biotopic requirements. We found that the species composition of flower visitors cannot be predicted by floristic composition when the duration of the study is restricted to one day (but under similar weather conditions); however, there is a positive relationship between the species richness of insects and plants and a positive relationship between the number of plant species and the abundance of flower visitors. The Ellenberg moisture index and the cover of meadow species significantly explained the species composition of insects. The three various vegetation units and five dominant xerothermic species, i.e. <em>Adonis vernalis</em>, <em>Anemone sylvestris</em>, <em>Inula ensifolia</em>, <em>Linum hirsutum</em> and <em>Carlina onopordifolia</em> that were studied across time differed in the species richness of insects. Our results demonstrate that possible patterns in the species composition and the assembly rules of flower visitors are not apparent when the Pollard method is applied. Based on the data obtained using this method, the flower visiting assemblages seem not to be driven by competition and they primarily show a tendency to co-occur which can be an artifact. A plant-focused method that included a rarefaction analysis yielded more insightful results and shed more light on the differences between the dominant plants that shape the physiognomy of plant communities in a possible pollination specialization.</p>

scholarly journals Mikroskopijne grzyby pasożytnicze w zbiorowiskach roślinnych Wyżyny Częstochowskiej [Phytoparasitic micromycetes in plant communities of the Wyżyna Częstochowska Upland]

2015 ◽  
Vol 96 ◽  
pp. 1-144
Author(s):  
Małgorzata Ruszkiewicz-Michalska
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Vascular Plants ◽  
Host Plants ◽  
Fungal Species ◽  
Anamorphic Fungi ◽  
Permanent Plots ◽  
Biotic Factors ◽  
Beech Forests

Mycosociological studies on microfungi parasitising vascular plants were carried out on 21 permanent observation plots in 5 phytocoenoses representing beech forests (<em>Luzulo pilosae-Fagetum</em>, <em>Melico-Fagetum</em>, <em>Dentario enneaphyllidis-Fagetum</em>,  <em>Carici-Fagetum</em>)  and  xerothermic  grassland  (<em>Origano-Brachypodietum  pinnati</em>)  as  well as using route  method in other  plant communities.  The frequency  of host  plants and fungi  occurring on  permanent plots was estimated using 5-degree scale. The observations yielded in 478 fungal species belonging to <em>Peronosporales </em>(<em>Oomycota</em>), <em>Dothideales</em>, <em>Erysiphales</em>, <em>Helotiales</em>, <em>Hypocreales</em>, <em>Mycosphaerellales</em>, <em>Phyllachorales</em>, <em>Pleosporales</em>, <em>Xylariales </em>(<em>Ascomycota</em>), <em>Uredinales</em>, <em>Microbotryales</em>, <em>Urocystales </em>(<em>Basidiomycota</em>) and <em>Hyphomycetes </em>and <em>Coelomycetes </em>(anamorphic fungi), which were hosted by 301 species of vascular plants as well as by 19 taxa of <em>Erysiphales </em>and <em>Uredinales</em>. The predominanting group was anamorphic fungi (65% of species), especially members of <em>Sphaeropsidales </em>(39%). This group was however less dispersed on the study area than <em>Uredinales </em>and <em>Erysiphales</em>, which were represented by relatively small number of species. The results provided data on diversi- fied occurrence of fungi depending on abiotic (humidity, temperature, insolation) and biotic factors (e.g. density of host plant population) provided by plant communities. The differences concern species composition and richness of fungi, their distribution as well as frequency of hosts and parasites. In the case of members of <em>Erysiphales</em>, <em>Moniliales </em>and <em>Peronosporales </em>differences in phenology were also noted. The greatest species richness and distribution of the micromycetes was observed in <em>Origano-Brachypodietum </em>and the poorest were plots of <em>Luzulo pilosae-Fagetum</em>. Most frequently the parasites infected small percentage of the individuals in the population of the hosts (about 1%), which occurred with the lowest coverage (below 10%). This type of relationship between frequency of fungi and density of plants dominated in all of the studied phytocenoses. Sixty two species of fungi observed on Wyżyna Częstochowska Upland are new for Polish biota. They belong to anamorphic fungi, mainly to <em>Phyllosticta </em>(32 species) and <em>Ascochyta </em>(15).

scholarly journals Disentangling the Ecological Determinants of Species and Functional Trait Diversity in Herb-Layer Plant Communities in European Temperate Forests

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 552
Author(s):  
Janez Kermavnar ◽  
Lado Kutnar ◽  
Aleksander Marinšek
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Functional Trait ◽  
Forest Stand ◽  
Relative Importance ◽  
Herb Layer ◽  
Bud Bank ◽  
Tree Species Composition ◽  
Stand Characteristics

Forest herb-layer vegetation responds sensitively to environmental conditions. This paper compares drivers of both taxonomic, i.e., species richness, cover and evenness, and functional herb-layer diversity, i.e., the diversity of clonal, bud bank and leaf-height-seed plant traits. We investigated the dependence of herb-layer diversity on ecological determinants related to soil properties, climatic parameters, forest stand characteristics, and topographic and abiotic and biotic factors associated with forest floor structure. The study was conducted in different forest types in Slovenia, using vegetation and environmental data from 50 monitoring plots (400 m2 each) belonging to the ICP Forests Level I and II network. The main objective was to first identify significant ecological predictors and then quantify their relative importance. Species richness was strongly determined by forest stand characteristics, such as richness of the shrub layer, tree layer shade-casting ability as a proxy for light availability and tree species composition. It showed a clear positive relation to soil pH. Variation in herb-layer cover was also best explained by forest stand characteristics and, to a lesser extent, by structural factors such as moss cover. Species evenness was associated with tree species composition, shrub layer cover and soil pH. Various ecological determinants were decisive for the diversity of below-ground traits, i.e., clonal and bud bank traits. For these two trait groups we observed a substantial climatic signal that was completely absent for taxonomy-based measures of diversity. In contrast, above-ground leaf-height-seed (LHS) traits were driven exclusively by soil reaction and nitrogen availability. In synthesis, local stand characteristics and soil properties acted as the main controlling factors for both species and trait diversity in herb-layer communities across Slovenia, confirming many previous studies. Our findings suggest that the taxonomic and functional facets of herb-layer vegetation are mainly influenced by a similar set of ecological determinants. However, their relative importance varies among individual taxonomy- and functional trait-based diversity measures. Integrating multi-faceted approaches can provide complementary information on patterns of herb-layer diversity in European forest plant communities.

scholarly journals The vegetation types and management units of Goedverwacht farm in the mixed bushveld of the Northern Province, South Africa

Koedoe ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Breebaart ◽  
M. Deutschlander
Keyword(s):  
Plant Communities ◽  
Correspondence Analysis ◽  
Canonical Correspondence Analysis ◽  
Environmental Gradient ◽  
Detrended Correspondence Analysis ◽  
Northern Province ◽  
Computer Programme ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Management Units ◽  
Floristic Data

An analysis of the vegetation of Goedverwacht farm in the mixed bushveld of the Northern Province is presented. Releves were compiled in 33 stratified random sample plots. Eight distinct plant communities were identified by means ofBraun-Blanquet pro-cedures. Detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) was applied to the floristic data set using the computer programme DECORANA (Detrended Correspondence Analysis) to determine a probable environmental gradient and to facilitate in the identification of management units. The computer programme CANOCO (Canonical Correspondence Analysis) was used to apply canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) to the floristic data set. Two management units were determined by means of vegetation ordinations and soil data. A classification, description and ecological interpretation of the plant communities as well as a description of the management units are presented.

Grasshopper (Insecta: Orthoptera: Acrididae) assemblages of tallgrass prairie: influences of fire frequency, topography, and vegetation

1988 ◽  
Vol 66 (7) ◽  
pp. 1495-1501 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward W. Evans
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Relative Abundance ◽  
Tallgrass Prairie ◽  
Detrended Correspondence Analysis ◽  
Fire Frequency ◽  
Local Species Richness ◽  
Principal Axes ◽  
Local Plant ◽  
Local Species

Grasshopper assemblages were sampled by sweep net in native tallgrass prairie at Konza Prairie, Kansas, in 1982 – 1986 to assess the influences of fire, topography, and vegetation on local species composition. Species composition at 38 sites was analysed by ordination (detrended correspondence analysis). Frequency of fire and topographic location were reflected along the first two principal axes, respectively. Grass-feeding grasshoppers were more numerous than forb- and mixed-feeding grasshoppers throughout the prairie, but forb and mixed feeders became relatively more frequent as fire frequency decreased. Local species richness of grasshoppers was greater on sites burned infrequently than on sites burned annually or biennially, and on upland than on lowland sites. Local species richness was positively correlated with local plant species richness and diversity, reflecting in part that local relative abundance of forb-feeding grasshoppers was positively correlated with local relative abundance of forbs. Collectively these results are consistent in suggesting that through their effects on local plant communities, fire frequency and topography are major factors influencing the composition of local grasshopper assemblages in tallgrass prairie.

scholarly journals Floristic composition and similarity of 15 hectares in Central Amazon, Brazil

2018 ◽  
pp. 1927-1938
Author(s):  
Kátia Emidio da Silva ◽  
Sebastião Venancio Martins ◽  
Carlos Antonio Alvares Soares Ribeiro ◽  
Nerilson Terra Santos ◽  
Celso Paulo De Azevedo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Rare Species ◽  
Diversity Index ◽  
Mantel Test ◽  
Permanent Plots ◽  
Terra Firme ◽  
Floristic Similarity ◽  
Forest Diversity ◽  
Number Of Individuals

The Amazon region is one of the most diverse areas in the world. Research on high tropical forest diversity brings up relevant contributions to understand the mechanisms that result and support such diversity. In the present study we describe the species composition and diversity of 15 one-ha plots in the Amazonian terra firme dense forest in Brazil, and compare the floristic similarity of these plots with other nine one-ha plots. The 15 plots studied were randomly selected from permanent plots at the Embrapa Experimental site, Amazonas State in 2005. The diversity was analysed by using species richness and Shannon’s index, and by applying the Sorensen’s index for similarity and unweighted pair-group average (UPGMA) as clustering method. Mantel test was performed to study whether the differences in species composition between sites could be explained by the geographic distance between them. Overall, we identified 8 771 individuals, 264 species and 51 plant families. Most of the species were concentrated in few families and few had large number of individuals. Families presenting the highest species richness were Fabaceae (Faboideae: 22spp., Mimosoideae: 22spp.), Sapotaceae: 22spp., Lecythidaceae: 15 and Lauraceae: 13. Burseraceae had the largest number of individuals with 11.8% of the total. The ten most abundant species were: Protium hebetatum (1 037 individuals), Eschweilera coriacea (471), Licania oblongifolia (310), Pouteria minima (293), Ocotea cernua (258), Scleronema micranthum (197), Eschweilera collina (176), Licania apelata (172), Naucleopsis caloneura (170) and Psidium araca (152), which represented 36.5% of all individuals. Approximately 49% of species had up to ten individuals and 13% appeared only once in all sampled plots, showing a large occurrence of rare species. Our study area is on a forest presenting a high tree species diversity with Shannon’s diversity index of 4.49. The dendrogram showed two groups of plots with low similarity between them (less than 0.25), and the closer the plots were one to another, more similar in species composition (Mantel R=0.3627, p<0.01). The 15 plots in our study area share more than 50% of their species composition and represent the group of plots that have the shortest distance between each other. Overall, our results highlight the high local and regional heterogeneity of environments in terra firme forests, and the high occurrence of rare species, which should be considered in management and conservation programs in the Amazon rainforest, in order to maintain its structure on the long run.

scholarly journals Diversity, Composition, and Abundance Distribution of Birds in Kariangau Industrial Zone, Balikpapan City, East Borneo

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 605-612
Author(s):  
Alexander Kurniawan Sariyanto Putera ◽  
Yeni Aryati Mulyani ◽  
Dyah Perwitasari Farajallah ◽  
Stanislav Lhota ◽  
Tadeas Toulec
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Diversity Index ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Industrial Zone ◽  
Abundance Distribution ◽  
Bird Abundance ◽  
Rarefaction Analysis ◽  
Similarity Indices ◽  
Boat Traffic

The Kariangau Industrial Zone extends industry from Balikpapan city in the Central Balikpapan to the coast in Western Balikpapan, forming a part of Balikpapan Bay. Our study aimed to estimate the diversity, species composition, and the abundance distribution of birds at the industrial zone of Balikpapan City. Our study contained six replicates each of boat transects on four rivers, the Somber, Getah, Paka Dua, and Wain rivers during the months of May and June 2017. We calculated the Margalef diversity and Bray–Curtis similarity indices to estimate diversity and species composition, whereas bird abundance distributions were analyzed using Paleontological Statistics (PAST) version 3.12. The Getah river had the highest diversity index (4.846), followed by the Somber (3.988), Wain (3.510), and Paka Dua (3.050) rivers. The Bray–Curtis index revealed high similarity in species composition between the Wain and Paka Dua. Our rarefaction analysis showed that the Wain and Paka Dua rivers were well sampled and had lower species richness, with low differences between the observed and expected species richness, than the Somber and Getah rivers. Fisher Log Series Model also showed abundance distribution being highest at Getah (11.170), and lowest at the Paka Dua Rivers (5.221). This observation may be due to heightened industrial activities and boat traffic on each river. Our study provides a useful baseline for future research on the bird assemblages on Balikpapan Bay.

Ordination by detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) of the vegetation of Swartboschkloof, Jonkershoek, Cape Province

Bothalia ◽  
1987 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 121-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. J. Mcdonald
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Correspondence Analysis ◽  
Detrended Correspondence Analysis ◽  
Vegetation Classification ◽  
Environmental Data ◽  
Strongly Correlated ◽  
Intensive Study ◽  
Dca Ordination ◽  
Soil Moisture Status

The data of a Braun-Blanquet vegetation classification was ordinated using detrended correspondence analysis (DCA). This was done at the Fynbos Biome intensive study site, Swartboschkloof, Jonkershoek, to investigate the factors determining the distribution of the plant communities. Superimposition of environmental data on the DCA ordination confirmed the indications of the Braun-Blanquet classification that the distribution of plant communities is most strongly correlated with soil geology and, to a lesser extent, with soil moisture status. The ordination also proved useful for examining the relationships between the transitional communites and the distinct communities of Swartboschkloof.

scholarly journals Biodiversity recovery of Neotropical secondary forests

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. eaau3114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danaë M. A. Rozendaal ◽  
Frans Bongers ◽  
T. Mitchell Aide ◽  
Esteban Alvarez-Dávila ◽  
Nataly Ascarrunz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Anthropogenic Disturbance ◽  
Secondary Forests ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Rarefaction Analysis ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Dual Strategy ◽  
Tropical Landscapes

Old-growth tropical forests harbor an immense diversity of tree species but are rapidly being cleared, while secondary forests that regrow on abandoned agricultural lands increase in extent. We assess how tree species richness and composition recover during secondary succession across gradients in environmental conditions and anthropogenic disturbance in an unprecedented multisite analysis for the Neotropics. Secondary forests recover remarkably fast in species richness but slowly in species composition. Secondary forests take a median time of five decades to recover the species richness of old-growth forest (80% recovery after 20 years) based on rarefaction analysis. Full recovery of species composition takes centuries (only 34% recovery after 20 years). A dual strategy that maintains both old-growth forests and species-rich secondary forests is therefore crucial for biodiversity conservation in human-modified tropical landscapes.

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