Xeric grasslands of the inner-alpine dry valleys of Austria – new insights into syntaxonomy, diversity and ecology

Aims: We studied the syntaxonomic position, biodiversity, ecological features, nature conservation value and current status of dry grasslands investigated by Josias Braun-Blanquet more than 60 years ago. Study area: Inner-alpine valleys of Austria. Methods: We sampled 67 plots of 10 m2, following the standardized EDGG methodology. We subjected our plots to an unsupervised classification with the modified TWINSPAN algorithm and interpreted the branches of the dendrogram syntaxonomically. Biodiversity, structural and ecological characteristics of the resulting vegetation units at association and order level were compared by ANOVAs. Results: All the examined grasslands belong to the class Festuco-Brometea. From ten distinguished clusters, we could assign four clusters to validly published associations, while the remaining six clusters were named tentatively. We classified them into three orders: Stipo-Festucetalia pallentis (Armerio elongatae-Potentilletum arenariae, Phleo phleoidis-Pulsatilletum nigricantis, Medicago minima-Melica ciliata community, Koelerio pyramidatae-Teucrietum montani), Festucetalia valesiacae (Sempervivum tectorum-Festuca valesiaca community); Brachypodietalia pinnati (Astragalo onobrychidis-Brometum erecti, Agrostis capillaris-Avenula adsurgens community, Anthericum ramosum-Brachypodium pinnatum community, Ranunculus bulbosus-Festuca rubra community, Carduus defloratus-Brachypodium pinnatum community). Conclusions: The ten distinguished dry grassland communities of the Austrian inner-alpine valleys differ in their ecological affinities as well as their vascular plant, bryophyte and lichen diversity. We point out their high nature conservation importance, as each of them presents a unique habitat of high value. Taxonomic reference: Names of vascular plants, bryophytes and lichens follow Fischer et al. (2008), Frahm and Frey (2004) and Nimis et al. (2018), respectively. Syntaxonomic reference: Names of orders and classes follow Mucina et al. (2016), references for associations and alliances are given in the text. Abbreviations: ANOVA = analysis of variance; DCA: detrended correspondence analyses; EDGG: Eurasian Dry Grassland Group; EIV: ecological indicator value; FL: Fließ; GR: Griffen; GU: Gulsen; KA: Kaunerberg; LA: Laudegg castle in Ladis; MA: Marin; NM: Neumarkt in der Steiermark; OM: Obermauern; PÖ: Pöls; PU: Puxer Loch; TWINSPAN = Two-way indicator species analysis; ZS: Zinizachspitze.

VASCULAR PLANTS OF THE VALLEYS OF THE KEMA AND UNZHA RIVERS (VOLOGDA REGION, RUSSIA)

The work is devoted to the analysis of the flora of vascular plants in the valleys of the Kema and Unzha Rivers (the Volga basin), as one of the areas of the Vologda Region lacking botanical studies. In July 2005, the area from Borok of Nikolskiy District to Kunozh of Babushkinskiy District, with a total length of about 130 km, was surveyed using the route-key method. On this area, in the valley-river complexes, 454 species of higher vascular plants belonging to 255 genera and 84 families were recorded, including 371 species in the Kema River valley and 388 species in the Unzha River valley. The article contains an annotated list of flora; for rare and attention-grabbing species, complete label data are provided. The studied flora has a typical boreal character with significant participation of southern (nemoral, nemoral-boreal) and Siberian species. In the valleys of these rivers, a total of 70 species included in the second edition of the Red Data Book of Vologda Region have been identified. These species (listed according to their conservation status) were as follows: Endangered (EN): Epipogium aphyllum; Vulnerable (VU): Carex atherodes, Cinna latifolia; Near Threatened (NT): Brachypodium pinnatum, Cacalia hastata, Cenolophium denudatum, Chimaphila umbellata, Cotoneaster melanocarpus, Dactylorhiza baltica, Diplazium sibiricum, Glyceria lithuanica, Lathyrus pisiformis, Pyrola chlorantha, Stellaria hebecalyx, Viola collina, V. hirta; Least Concern (LC): Abies sibirica, Carex rhizina, Conioselinum tataricum, Dactylorhiza traunsteineri s.str., Delphinium elatum s.str., Goodyera repens, Huperzia selago, Ligularia sibirica, Malaxis monophyllos, Ophioglossum vulgatum, Trisetum sibiricum, Ulmus glabra, U. laevis; Data Deficient (DD): Campanula cervicaria, Rubus caesius, and also 39 species of “biological control” category. The paper presents data on the flora of “Gladkiy Bor” and “Unzhenskiy Les” landscape reserves. Within the boundaries of these specially protected natural areas, populations of 53 species officially recognised as rare species in the Region were identified (10 protected species and 15 species of biological control in “Gladkiy Bor” and 19 and 24, respectively, in “Unzhenskiy Les” landscape reserve).

Communities of broadleaved woodlands of the lower part of the forest belt of the Belaya river basin (North-Western Caucasus)

The study of phytocoenotic diversity of oak and oak-hornbeam forests of the lower part of the forest belt in the Belaya river basin (Western Caucasus) was performed using the Braun-Blanquet approach. Five floristically different groups of releves were identified based on quantitative classification (Ward's method, Jaccard Distance Measure). An association rank was established for each group. According to the results of comparative syntaxonomic analysis, three associations of moderately masic oak and oak-hornbeam forests - Geranio sanguinei-Quercetum petraeae ass. nova hoc loco (diagnostic species: Pinus sylvestris, Calamagrostis arundinacea, Rhododendron luteum, Geranium sanguineum, Vaccinium arctostaphylos), Inulo salicinae-Quercetum petraeae ass. nova hoc loco (diagnostic species: Brachypodium pinnatum, Inula salicina, Dorycnium graecum, Laser trilobum, Trifolium medium, Viola alba, Stachys officinalis, Pyrethrum poteriifolium, Phleum phleoides, Teucrium chamaedrys, Genista patula) and Acero tatarici-Carpinetum betuli ass. nova hoc loco (diagnostic species: Phalacroloma annuum, Thalictrum minus, Torilis japonica, Prunus divaricata, Physalis alkekengi, Lamium maculatum, Acer tataricum) were included in the alliance Crataego-Carpinion Passarge 1981, order Lathyro-Carpinetalia Passarge 1981, class Carpino-Fagetea Jakucs et Passarge 1968. The correct syntaxonomic position of two associations of mesic hornbeam and oak-hornbeam forests - Dryopterido filicis-maris-Carpinetum betuli ass. nova hoc loco (diagnostic species: Dryopteris filix-mas, Circaea lutetiana, Aegopodium podagraria, Paris incompleta, Abies nordmanniana, Impatiens noli-tangere, Festuca gigantean, Symphytum grandiflorum, Dipsacus pilosus, Aconitum orientale, Asperula caucasica, Moehringia trinervia, Polygonatum orientale) and Vincetoxico scandentis-Carpinetum betuli ass. nova hoc loco (diagnostic species: Viola hirta, Vincetoxicum scandens, Ligustrum vulgare, Lathyrus vernus, Polygonatum multiflorum, Rubus caucasicus, Euphorbia squamosa) has not been determined, however their relations to beech and beech-hornbeam forests of the order Rhododendro-Fagetalia orientalis Passarge 1981 were noted. The described associations of oak-hornbeam forests correspond to the regional ecological series of communities along the moisture gradient.

Long-Term Changes in Spatial Patterns and Life-Stage Structure in a Population of Senecio umbrosus Waldst. et Kit. Along With the Transformation of Grassland Vegetation

This paper was a part of studies conducted within an island population of the ragwort <em>Senecio umbrosus </em>(White Mt, southeastern Poland), a vulnerable element of xerothermic grasslands. Special attention was paid to the effects of expansive grass encroachment vs. grassland burning episodes on spatiotemporal patterns and life-stage structure of individuals in the population. The population traits were investigated nine times from 1990 to 2010, within three permanent patches differing in soil properties, initial floristic composition, grassland cover (particularly the cover of <em>Brachypodium pinnatum</em>), ragwort cover and density, shrub/tree cover influencing light intensity (full light–shadow), and grassland burning (zero–six episodes). There was a drastic decline in ragwort abundance within all the study patches accompanied by a decrease in the population clustering coefficient and a gradual equalization of the spatial distribution of ramets. The abundance was negatively correlated (PCA analysis) with an increase in <em>B. pinnatum </em>cover and positively correlated with the number of burning episodes, which temporarily delimited persistent litter cover and facilitated recruitment of new individuals. The decrease in ramet abundance ranged from 3.8 times (medium-high, moderately shadowed grassland; six cases of burning) to 8.3 times (high, dense, and shadowed grassland; four cases of burning). The patch of low, loose, sunlit, and never-burned grassland with the greatest initial density of ragwort (a 6.8-fold decrease in abundance) has evolved with time into a high and dense grassland with a greater coverage of <em>B. pinnatum </em>and <em>Calamagrostis epigejos</em>, additionally shaded by shrubs and young trees.

Habitat requirements of the endangered heath bush-cricket Gampsocleis glabra (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae) in an isolated population

Steppes and xerothermic grasslands are hotspots of biodiversity, but are threatened by habitat destruction and fragmentation. The heath bush-cricket, Gampsocleis glabra, is considered to be a specialist of xerothermic habitats and appears in national red lists as a threatened species in several European countries. The goal of the current research was to determine the habitat requirements of G. glabra in an isolated habitat patch in Poland, at the northern edge of its range. By comparing the composition of plant species and vegetation architecture of vacant and occupied sites in the summers of 2018 and 2019, it was found that this population of G. glabra still maintained a strict specialisation for the xerothermofilous Festuco-Brometea plant community. On the contrary to previous studies, however, Stipa-type grasses were not essential for the occurrence of the species and the majority of occupied areas were based on the plant Brachypodium pinnatum. The physiognomy of plant communities was crucial for the abundance of stridulating males, which showed a preference for dense grasses at 10 cm high. The habitat characteristics of patches occupied by males and females did not differ significantly. The study of habitat requirements of this endangered Orthoptera species in an isolated habitat patch could serve as a prelude to the restoration of similar locations before it becomes extinct. This study may also underpin the development of a global conservation strategy for G. glabra.

BELT DISTRIBUTION OF VEGETATION IN THE BASIN OF THE AT-BASHI RIVER OF THE INNER TIEN-SHAN OF KYRGYZSTAN

Geobotanical characteristics of the main types, subtypes, formations and groups of vegetation associations in the section of the altitude profile are given. Kyrgyzstan is a high-mountainous country of Central Asia, which is located in the center of the mountain systems of Tien-Shan and Pamir-Alay. Up to 90% of its territory is raised to absolute heights of more than 1500 m. Vegetation cover of Kyrgyzstan is located in a system of vertical belts. Steppes and meadow-steppes are the most widespread in the At-Bashi river basin. Among them there are bunchgrass steppes and meadow-steppes, dry steppes and meadow-steppes with a significant share of wormwood and drought-resistant motley grasses, as well as mountain meadows. Among mountain meadows there are tall, medium and low grass meadows. High grass meadows, developed in low mountains and middle mountains, in the north and south differ in the species composition of plants. In the northern regions, the following species are of major importance: Dactylis glomerata, Bromus inermis, Elytrigia repens, Brachypodium pinnatum ; representatives of the genera: Poa, Vicia, Thalictrum . The largest share of the steppe vegetation is occupied by plants, which according to the requirements to heat and moisture occupy an intermediate position between desert plants and meadows. The basis of vegetation of steppes is formed by species of genera of turf cereals: Stipa, Festuca , Ptilagrostis with very characteristic hairy and blue-gray leaves. Steppes, unlike deserts and semi-deserts, are characterized by a greater richness of plant species and density of vegetation. Steppes serve as good pastures.