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Summary: The diversity of plant–pollinator interactions is grounded in floral resources, with nectar considered one of the main floral rewards plants produce for pollinators. However, a global evaluation of the number of animal‐pollinated nectar‐producing angiosperms and their distribution world‐wide remains elusive.We compiled a thorough database encompassing 7621 plant species from 322 families to estimate the number and proportion of nectar‐producing angiosperms reliant on animal pollination. Through extensive sampling of plant communities, we also explored the interplay between nectar production, floral resource diversity, latitudinal and elevational gradients, contemporary climate, and environmental characteristics.Roughly 223 308 animal‐pollinated angiosperms are nectar‐producing, accounting for 74.4% of biotic‐pollinated species. Global distribution patterns of nectar‐producing plants reveal a distinct trend along latitudinal and altitudinal gradients, with increased proportions of plants producing nectar in high latitudes and altitudes. Conversely, tropical communities in warm and moist climates exhibit greater floral resource diversity and a lower proportion of nectar‐producing plants.These findings suggest that ecological trends driven by climate have fostered the diversification of floral resources in warmer and less seasonal climates, reducing the proportion of solely nectar‐producing plants. Our study provides a baseline for understanding plant–pollinator relationships, plant diversification, and the distribution of plant traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This perspective addresses the nature of the past and current relationships between the ecological and biogeographical regionalization of plants and plant communities. It uses four examples (two related to continental scale and two related to regional/local scale) to document the cases of cross‐pollination between both approaches in the past and the need for concerted use of both ecological and distributional data in formulating robust regional spatial classification systems of biotic assemblages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of local plant community characteristics is imperative for practical nature planning and management, and for understanding plant diversity and distribution drivers. Today, retrieving such data is only possible by fieldwork and is hence costly both in time and money. Here, we used nine bands from multispectral high-to-medium resolution (10–60 m) satellite data (Sentinel-2) and machine learning to predict local vegetation plot characteristics over a broad area (approx. 30,000 km2) in terms of plants' preferences for soil moisture, soil fertility, and pH, mirroring the levels of the corresponding actual soil factors. These factors are believed to be among the most important for local plant community composition. Our results showed that there are clear links between the Sentinel-2 data and plants' abiotic soil preferences, and using solely satellite data we achieved predictive powers between 26 and 59%, improving to around 70% when habitat information was included as a predictor. This shows that plants' abiotic soil preferences can be detected quite well from space, but also that retrieving soil characteristics using satellites is complicated and that perfect detection of soil conditions using remote sensing—if at all possible—needs further methodological and data development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest vegetation is an important component of forest ecosystems, contributing to terrestrial plant diversity while also providing a variety of ecological services. In managed landscapes, plantations emerge as dominant kinds after stand-replacing disturbances. However, the dynamics of vegetation cover, diversity, and composition in plantation forests remains poorly understood in the subtropical region. Our study recorded a rich floral diversity with 173 angiosperm species, characterized by varying life forms and distinct flowering phenology. The uneven distribution of species across families demonstrated the complexity of the ecosystem, with Poaceae being dominant. Diversity patterns among different plantation types varied, with Dalbergia sissoo and Populus nigra plantations exhibiting higher species richness and diversity. Conversely, Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Morus alba plantations displayed lower diversity, emphasizing the influence of plantation type on biodiversity. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (nMDS) and PERMANOVA analyses revealed significant dissimilarity patterns of vegetation composition. Indicator species analysis identified unique compositions within each plantation type, emphasizing the importance of conserving specific types to protect indicator species and maintained ecological distinctiveness. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) demonstrated that road accessibility, stem cutting, and fire significantly influenced plant distribution patterns. The present research underscored the importance of considering plantation type in forest management for biodiversity conservation and highlighted the environmental variables' influence on the formation of plant communities. These results provided major implications for sustainable forest management and conservation efforts in tropical regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate warming has triggered shifts in plant distributions, resulting in changes within communities, characterized by an increase in warm‐demanding species and a decrease in cold‐adapted species – referred to as thermophilization. Researchers conventionally rely on co‐occurrence data from vegetation assemblages to examine these community dynamics. Despite the increasing availability of presence‐only data in recent decades, their potential has largely remained unexplored due to concerns about their reliability. Our study aimed to determine whether climate‐induced changes in community dynamics, as inferred from presence‐only data from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), corresponded with those derived from co‐occurrence plot data. To assess the differences between these datasets, we computed a community temperature index (CTI) using a transfer function, weighted‐averaging partial least squares regression (WA‐PLS). We calibrated the transfect function model based on the species–temperature relationship using data before recent climate warming. Then we assessed the differences in CTI and examined the temporal trend in thermophilization. In a preliminary analysis, we assessed the performance of this calibration using three datasets: 1) Norwegian co‐occurrence data, 2) presence‐only data from a broader European region organized into pseudo‐plots (potentially capturing a larger part of the species niches), and 3) a combined dataset merging 1) and 2). The transfer function including the combined dataset performed best. Subsequently, we compared the CTI for the co‐occurrence plots paired up spatially and temporally with presence‐only pseudo‐plots. The results demonstrated that presence‐only data can effectively evaluate species assemblage responses to climate warming, with consistent CTI and thermophilization values to what was found for the co‐occurrence data. Employing presence‐only data for evaluating community responses opens up better spatial and temporal resolution and much more detailed analyses of such responses. Our results therefore outline how a large amount of presence‐only data can be used to enhance our understanding of community dynamics in a warmer world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon (Si) content in plant tissues is considered a functional trait that can provide multiple morpho‐physiological benefits to plant individuals. However, it is still unclear whether and how these individual benefits extend to plant community processes and ecosystem functioning. Here we investigated how plant Si content is associated with plant community properties and the ecosystem structure of herbaceous communities in Israel. We sampled 15 sites across the Mediterranean and desert ecosystems and built models to evaluate how plant silicon content (community‐weighted mean and standard variation) is associated with variables such as species richness, biomass production, plant cover, and functional diversity. Finally, we used model selection techniques to test whether models depicting plant Si content perform better than models using data on soil Si instead. Sites with lower susceptibility to drought had significantly more Si‐accumulating grass species and higher soils Si content. Models with plant Si content instead of soil Si, always performed better, although those considering Si content variation had overall stronger associations with community properties than only mean Si content. For instance, up to 51% of plant Si content variation was explained by climate, biomass production, and species richness, combined. Still, mean plant Si content and plant cover combined explained up to 42% of plant functional diversity. Our results suggest the that plant Si content serves as a proxy for understanding the ecological properties and functioning of arid and Mediterranean ecosystems. Nevertheless, the significance of Si has not been fully explored in other ecosystem types, where its influence may be less pronounced compared with the ecosystems examined in this study. In light of various global change scenarios, enhancing our understanding of Si as a plant functional trait could help bridge existing knowledge gaps and improve ecological modeling, thus enabling more accurate forecasts of changes in plant distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to determine plant community types and species distribution patterns and their relationships with environmental variables in Dabena woodland in western Ethiopia. A systematic sampling design was used. Representative and relatively homogeneous vegetation units of sampling sites were selected on the basis of physiognomy. Vegetation and environmental data were collected from a total of 92 plots (each 20 m × 20 m) which were placed at intervals of 200 m along the established transect lines. All vascular plant species in the plots were recorded. Floristic richness, diversity, evenness indices, and similarity of the plant communities were analyzed using R Package 3.2. Classification and ordination methods were used to describe community types and to examine the relationship between community type and environmental variables. Five plant communities were identified in the vegetation of Dabena woodland, namely, Clerodendrum myricoides-Vernonia hymenolepis, Erythrina brucei-Entada abyssinica, Combretum molle-Gardenia ternifolia, Galiniera saxifraga-Flacourtia indica, and Dracaena afromontana-Landolphia buchananii. All community types showed a high diversity index. The highest similarity coefficient was 0.49 between community types two and three, reflecting 0.51 dissimilarity in their species richness. Disturbance, altitude, CEC, phosphorous, OC, clay, and TN are the environmental factors that most influenced the distribution of the plant communities. The CCA diagram revealed that disturbance and silt strongly influenced the distribution of species in Clerodendrum myricoides‐Vernonia hymenolepis community, Combretum molle-Gardenia ternifolia community, and Erythrina brucei-Entada abyssinica community. Altitude, clay, and total nitrogen axes strongly influenced the distribution of species in Galiniera saxifraga-Flacourtia indica and Dracaena afromontana-Landolphia buchananii community. Therefore, it can be concluded that some other environmental variables may influence the distribution of the plant communities, which needs to be further investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microorganisms associated with plants play a crucial role in their growth, development, and overall health. However, much remains unclear regarding the relative significance of tree species identity and spatial variation in shaping the distribution of plant bacterial communities across large tropical regions, as well as how these communities respond to environmental changes. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the characteristics of bacterial community composition in association with two rare and endangered tropical tree species, Dacrydium pectinatum and Vatica mangachapoi, across various geographical locations on Hainan Island. Our findings can be summarized as follows: (1) Significant differences existed in the bacterial composition between D. pectinatum and V. mangachapoi, as observed in the diversity of bacterial populations within the root endosphere. Plant host-related variables, such as nitrogen content, emerged as key drivers influencing leaf bacterial community compositions, underscoring the substantial impact of plant identity on bacterial composition. (2) Environmental factors associated with geographical locations, including temperature and soil pH, predominantly drove changes in both leaf and root-associated bacterial community compositions. These findings underscored the influence of geographical locations on shaping plant-associated bacterial communities. (3) Further analysis revealed that geographical locations exerted a greater influence than tree species identity on bacterial community compositions and diversity. Overall, our study underscores that environmental variables tied to geographical location primarily dictate changes in plant bacterial community composition. These insights contribute to our understanding of microbial biogeography in tropical regions and carry significant implications for the conservation of rare and endangered tropical trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the age of big data, scientific progress is fundamentally limited by our capacity to extract critical information. Here, we map fine-grained spatiotemporal distributions for thousands of species, using deep neural networks (DNNs) and ubiquitous citizen science data. Based on 6.7 M observations, we jointly model the distributions of 2477 plant species and species aggregates across Switzerland with an ensemble of DNNs built with different cost functions. We find that, compared to commonly-used approaches, multispecies DNNs predict species distributions and especially community composition more accurately. Moreover, their design allows investigation of understudied aspects of ecology. Including seasonal variations of observation probability explicitly allows approximating flowering phenology; reweighting predictions to mirror cover-abundance allows mapping potentially canopy-dominant tree species nationwide; and projecting DNNs into the future allows assessing how distributions, phenology, and dominance may change. Given their skill and their versatility, multispecies DNNs can refine our understanding of the distribution of plants and well-sampled taxa in general. By modelling the distribution of the entire Swiss flora using deep learning and citizen science data, this study demonstrates a method that predicts flowering phenology and potentially dominant tree species more accurately than commonly used approaches. This approach could enable investigation of understudied aspects of ecology and refine our understanding of plant distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores plant communities dominated by the invasive species Fallopia x bohemica (Bohemian Knotweed) in Bulgaria. Using field data from 91 locations, an analysis identified the association Reynoutrietum japonicae within the alliance Aegopodion podagrariae. That association is recorded for the first time in Bulgaria. The vegetation is characteristically dominated by the Bohemian Knotweed species, which forms dense stands with low species richness. It mainly occurs in disturbed areas, such as riverbanks, roadsides and abandoned spots. This study contributes to understanding the distribution and composition of plant communities dominated by that invasive species. The negative impact of Bohemian Knotweed on the native flora and vegetation is also highlighted, with an emphasis on the need in control measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Plants possess a large variety of nonacquisitive belowground organs, such as rhizomes, tubers, bulbs, and coarse roots. These organs determine a whole set of functions that are decisive in coping with climate, productivity, disturbance, and biotic interactions, and have been hypothesized to affect plant distribution along environmental gradients.We assembled data on belowground organ morphology for 1712 species from Central Europe and tested these hypotheses by quantifying relationships between belowground morphologies and species optima along ecological gradients related to productivity and disturbance. Furthermore, we linked these data with species co‐occurrence in 30 115 vegetation plots from the Czech Republic to determine relationships between belowground organ diversity and these gradients.The strongest gradients determining belowground organ distribution were disturbance severity and frequency, light, and moisture. Nonclonal perennials and annuals occupy much smaller parts of the total environmental space than major types of clonal plants. Forest habitats had the highest diversity of co‐occurring belowground morphologies; in other habitats, the diversity of belowground morphologies was generally lower than the random expectation.Our work shows that nonacquisitive belowground organs may be partly responsible for plant environmental niches. This adds a new dimension to the plant trait spectrum, currently based on acquisitive traits (leaves and fine roots) only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Question: Species‐specific habitat associations are one of several processes that lead to a clustered spatial pattern of plant populations. This pattern occurs in tropical and temperate forests. To analyze species–habitat associations, four methods are commonly used when determining species–habitat associations from spatial point pattern and environmental raster data. Two of the methods randomize the spatial point pattern of plants, and two randomize the raster data of habitat patches. However, the strengths and weaknesses of the four methods have never been analyzed in detail. Methods: We conducted a simulation study to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the four most used methods. The methods are the gamma test, pattern reconstruction, the torus‐translation test and the randomized‐habitats procedure. We simulated neutral landscapes representing habitat patches and point patterns representing fine‐scale plant distributions. We built into our simulations known positive and negative species–habitat associations. Results: All four methods were equally good at detecting species–habitat associations. Detected positive associations better than negative ones. Furthermore, correct detections were mostly influenced by the initial spatial distribution of the point patterns, landscape fragmentation and the number of simulated null model randomizations. Conclusions: The four methods have advantages and disadvantages, and which is the most suitable method largely depends on the characteristics of the available data. However, our simulation study shows that the results are consistent between methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Importance of nurse plants structuring plant communities is well‐appreciated at local scales, yet the effect of a single nurse on large scales has been neglected in analyses. So far, studies only use environmental gradients within one type of ecosystem and tend to generalize the nurse effects.To assess how the effect of a single nurse species is modulated by different environmental settings, interactions between the shrub Vachellia caven and the surrounding plant communities were evaluated at 481 paired plots (outside vs. underneath the plant crown), in 39 sites across two distribution ranges, the Mediterranean west and the mostly subtropical east of the Andes Mountains (covering ca. 2 × 106 km2).Cover, abundance and richness of perennial plants underneath and outside V. caven were used as response variables to estimate an index indicative of plant interactions (relative interaction index [RII]) and tested how this was affected by the rainfall gradient and distribution range.Overall, RII responses to rainfall gradients had low conditional R2 (~0.25) in this large scale of analysis, but were significantly different between ranges: the RII followed a quadratic trend across the rainfall gradient in the western range, while this relationship was positive and close to linear at the eastern range.Then, by projecting the RII models (i.e. for abundance, cover and richness) spatially through a consensus map, we show that most positive effects of V. caven are geographically found in dissimilar areas: the central part of Chile (western range) and across the Paraná River (eastern range).When local fine‐scale predictors (i.e. annual herbs' cover and height, and herbivores' faeces cover) were used to model each response variable at the plot level (underneath or outside V. caven), we observed similar trends as when we considered only the large‐scale predictors.Synthesis. Here, we show that the effect of the same nurse species on neighbouring plant communities can be very different depending on ranges of distribution, stressing that its ecological function cannot be generalized and not only depends on local factors but also is large‐scale context‐dependent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In context of global change, biodiversity loss poses a serious problem in the Mediterranean basin. In Algeria, degradation problems (logging, deforestation, bush fires and agriculture) affect vegetation. Knowledge of vegetation characteristics is necessary to manage disturbed areas. That is why this study focused on demographic structure of main species of Ouled Bechih forest (Quercus canariensis and Quercus suber). On eight plots representing this forest of 900 m2, chosen at random, dendrometric and phytosociological parameters were collected. The results obtained reveal a total specific richness of 41 species. Principal families are Asteraceae (21.95%) and Fabaceae (7.32%). Average woody density is 154 individuals/ha with an average basal area of 27.33 m2/ha. Variance analysis shows that there is a high significant difference between the dendrometric parameters (p<0.001). Diameter and height structures are consistent with Weibull distribution. These structures indicate that trees are moderately stable with predominance of large diameter individuals. The results obtained will allow monitoring the vegetation dynamics and will help foresters to put in place a management plan to preserve this forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research work is focused on dendroecological potential of Pinus roxburghii (Sarg.) and Pinus wallichiana (A. B. Jacks.) in Jhika gali of murree. Age, growth rate, height, diameter at breast height (dbh), and phytosociological attributes of these two pine species were determined. Increment borers were used to obtain samples from study site. 50 samples from each species were obtained. In P. roxburghii the growth rate varied between 0.93 cm/year to 0.58 cm/year with Dbh 193 and 189.5 cm, respectively. Height was measured in between 30.17 and 18.6 m. In first stand of P. roxburghii maximum growth rate was 0.93 inches/year and minimum in growth rate in second stand was 0.58 cm/year with Dbh 193 and 189.5 cm, respectively. There was an inverse correlation between growth rate and dbh, but growth rate and height it was direct. In P. wallichiana growth rate varied between 1.3 cm/year with dbh 64 cm and 0.41 cm/year with dbh 105.1 cm. The relationship observed between height and growth rate was directly proportional in P. wallichiana, while it was inverse between dbh and growth rate. In Phytosociology, 92 species were collected belonging to 44 different families. IVI values of various species varied between minimum 0.99 and maximum 2.65. TWINSPAN is indicating the diverse nature of plant communities with diverse nature of grouping. Group I (G 1), Group II (G 3) has biodiversity in some of stands while Group II (G 2) has greatest biodiversity with five subgroups and subsequent associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Forestry Society of Croatia / Sumarski List Hrvatskoga Sumarskoga Drustva is the property of Forestry Society of Croatia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Arid Zone Research / Ganhanqu Yanjiu is the property of Arid Zone Research Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Functional traits influence plant distributions along broad environmental gradients leading species to occupy communities where their traits enable them to successfully establish and compete for resources. Trait differences are also expected to influence plant distributions and diversity at finer spatial scales within communities. However, relatively few empirical studies have examined the extent to which interspecific trait variation predicts local species-environment distributions. We surveyed herbaceous plants within a heterogeneous acid bedrock glade in south-central Wisconsin to elucidate how traits influence local plant distributions and diversity. Using quadrat-scale environmental covariates (soil depth, canopy openness, and neighborhood tree phenology) and species functional trait means (SLA, vegetative height, and seed mass), we modeled variation in local species distributions as well as plant diversity across 361 quadrats distributed evenly in a 1 ha study plot. Functional traits predictably mediated individualistic species distributions along local gradients in soil depth and canopy openness as well as differential plant responses to variation in canopy leaf phenology. Small-seeded herbs occurred in shallow soil microsites while the prevalence of large-statured plants increased with canopy openness. Local species richness and functional trait dispersion were greatest in microsites near canopy gaps where sun-adapted and shade-adapted plant species co-occur and in microsites surrounded by later-leafing trees. Interspecific trait differences influence local species distributions and shape spatial patterns of diversity within heterogeneous plant communities like bedrock glades. The parallels between local plant distributions within this heterogeneous community and regional plant distributions across the landscape suggest trait-mediated ecological sorting influences plant distributions along environmental gradients similarly across spatial scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of the annual excursion of the Working Group for Vegetation Science of the Italian Botanical Society, held in the Egadi Islands, Mount San Giuliano and Mount Cofano (W Sicily) on April 23--27 2022, are presented. This paper includes: (1) general information on the visited sites; (2) geology and geomorphology; (3) climatology and bioclimatology with tables of climatic data; (4) description of the following five geobotanical itineraries -- accompanied by 29 original vegetation relevés and 11 synthetic relevés, proceeding from different bibliographic references: (a) Mount San Giuliano; (b) Marettimo Island: coastal and subcoastal stretch of the southern part, between Punta Bassana and Contrada Chiappera; (c) Marettimo Island: Case Romane, Mount Pizzo Falcone and the north-western coastal stretch; (d) Island of Levanzo; (e) Mount Cofano -- with catenal pictograms of the vegetation, surveys and description of the plant communities and related syntaxonomic scheme; (5) list of the surveyed plant taxa, collected specimens and herbaria in which they are deposited. A new syntaxon is also described (Catapodio pauciflori-Moraeetum sisyrinchii ass. nova), referring to an ephemeral dry grassland located along the north-western coastal stretch of Marettimo. The new association is framed in the Plantagini-Catapodion balearici, alliance of the Stipo-Bupleuretalia semicompositi order of the class Stipo-Trachynietea distachyae (order Stipo-Bupleuretalia semicompositi, alliance Plantagini-Catapodion balearici). An original synoptic table, regarding 17 different plant communities with high frequency of Moraea sisyrinchium, provides a comparative framework of the new association with allied vegetation units so far described throughout the Mediterranean region. Syntaxonomical and nomenclatural remarks regarding the Mediterranean vegetation occurring in this territory are also given throughout the text. Some floristic updates for the study sites are also reported, including the discovery for the first time in Sicily of Lysimachia loeflingii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saudi Arabia diverse landforms include saltmarshes, sand dunes, desert plains, desert pavements, ancient lava fields, and mountains. Climate is influenced by winter Polar and summer Tropical Continental air masses. Tropical Maritime air affects southwestern regions during summer. Climate depends also on location and altitude with hot humid coastal areas, hot dry deserts, hyper-arid desert pavements and lava fields, and temperate mountainous regions. Climate exhibits spatiotemporal patterns reflecting north-south gradients of temperature, rainfall, evapotranspiration, and aridity. Vast latitudinal range and steep altitudinal gradient create temperature variations, affect rainfall seasonality and distribution, and influence dry season duration. Distribution of plant communities and species reflects multitudinous interactions between climate and plant traits, physiology, and chorology. Species exhibiting C3 photosynthesis inhabit cool northern regions and temperate southwestern mountains, species with C4 photosynthesis inhabit hot low-lying regions, and arido-active succulents with crassulacean acid metabolism dominate hyper-arid desert pavements and lava fields. Plant distribution also relates to species chorology with Euro-Siberian, Irano-Turanian, and Mediterranean chorotypes dominating cool northern regions and temperate southwestern mountains, while Saharo-Sindian, Sudano-Zambezian, and Tropical chorotypes dominating hot southern regions. Plant communities and species occurring in different habitats are described in relation to their traits, physiology, and chorology. Nature reserves and phytodiversity hotspots are considered with special reference to endemic, rare, endangered, and invasive species. An environmental perspective is also given in relation to anthropogenic pressures and positive directives of Saudi Vision 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive species science has focused heavily on the invasive agent. However, management to protect native species also requires a proactive approach focused on resident communities and the features affecting their vulnerability to invasion impacts. Vulnerability is likely the result of factors acting across spatial scales, from local to regional, and it is the combined effects of these factors that will determine the magnitude of vulnerability. Here, we introduce an analytical framework that quantifies the scale‐dependent impact of biological invasions on native richness from the shape of the native species–area relationship (SAR). We leveraged newly available, biogeographically extensive vegetation data from the U.S. National Ecological Observatory Network to assess plant community vulnerability to invasion impact as a function of factors acting across scales. We analyzed more than 1000 SARs widely distributed across the USA along environmental gradients and under different levels of non‐native plant cover. Decreases in native richness were consistently associated with non‐native species cover, but native richness was compromised only at relatively high levels of non‐native cover. After accounting for variation in baseline ecosystem diversity, net primary productivity, and human modification, ecoregions that were colder and wetter were most vulnerable to losses of native plant species at the local level, while warmer and wetter areas were most susceptible at the landscape level. We also document how the combined effects of cross‐scale factors result in a heterogeneous spatial pattern of vulnerability. This pattern could not be predicted by analyses at any single scale, underscoring the importance of accounting for factors acting across scales. Simultaneously assessing differences in vulnerability between distinct plant communities at local, landscape, and regional scales provided outputs that can be used to inform policy and management aimed at reducing vulnerability to the impact of plant invasions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interactions between plants and the soil are an important ecological process in terrestrial ecosystems as they affect plant community structure: when and where we find different plant species. Those interactions are typically thought of as one‐directional: local soil conditions filter through dispersing species to produce a community of locally adapted plants. However, plants can modify local physicochemical soil conditions via their roots and associations with soil microbes. These may in turn affect the local fitness of other plants, making plant–soil interactions bidirectional. In order to understand how they differ from other ecological processes that structure plant communities, we need a theory connecting these individual‐level plant–soil feedbacks to community‐level patterns. Here, we build this theory with a mathematical model of plant community dynamics in which soil conditioning is explicitly modeled over time and depends on the density of the plants. We analyze this model to describe the long‐term composition and spatial distribution of the plant community. Our main result is that positive plant–soil feedbacks will create clustering of species with similar soil preferences. The composition of these clusters is further influenced by niche width and conditioning strength. In contrast with competitive dynamics driven by niche overlap, only species belonging to the same cluster can maintain high relative abundance in the community. Spatial heterogeneity in the form of an environmental gradient generates patches, each representing a single cluster. However, such patchiness is disfavored when species differ in dispersal ability. We show that stronger dispersers cannot take over the habitat as long as an exogenous driver favors soil conditions that benefit the other species. If exogenous drivers supersede soil conditioning by plants, we retrieve classic habitat filtering, where species are selected based on their suitability to the local environment. Overall, we provide a novel mathematical model for positive plant–soil feedback that we use to describe the spatial patterns of plant abundance and traits related to soil preference and conditioning ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantity and quality of green space (GS) exposure play an important role in urban residents' physical and psychological health. However, the current framework for assessing GS quality is primarily based on 2-D remote sensing data and 2.5-D street-view images. Few studies have comprehensively evaluated residential community GSs from an overall 3-D perspective. This study proposes a novel systematic framework for evaluating the quantity and quality of residential GSs based on the generation of a high-resolution 3-D point cloud using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-digital aerial photogrammetry (DAP). Nine indices were proposed: green volume ratio, floor green volume index, green groups diversity index, vegetation diversity index, greenspace fragmentation, average vegetation colour distance, vegetation colour diversity, activity areas ratio, and green cohesion index of activity site. These metrics were calculated using the classified point clouds from four typical Chinese residential communities with different residential greenery types and population densities. The results showed that our method could quantitatively identify the differences in residential GS exposure within urban residential communities. For example, a residential community with a large plant distribution and rich greenery variations had higher greenspace volume ratio and vegetation diversity index values. Our findings suggest that this novel framework, employing cost-effective UAV-DAP, can clearly describe different GS attributes and characteristics, aiding decision-makers and urban planners in comprehensively implementing GS interventions to improve the residents' quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the influence of topographic factors on the diversity and spatial distribution of plant species around FAST(Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope), three typical plant communities(tree layer, shrub layer, vine layer)in the karst peak-cluster depression around FAST were selected as the study objects, and ANOVA and canonical correspondence analysis(CCA)were used to investigate the species diversity and spatial distribution of plant communities under different topographic factors(altitude, slope, aspect, and gradient). The results were as follows:(1)The α-diversity index of plant communities around FAST showed a trend of shrub layer > tree layer > vine layer, and the α-diversity index of plants in the tree layer and vine layer increased with the increase of altitude(P<0.05), while the topographic factor had no significant effect on the α-diversity of plants in shrub layer.(2)The spatial distribution of plant community species around FAST was most influenced by the altitude, followed by the slope(P<0.05).(3)The Jaccard similarity index above 70% was extremely dissimilar and moderately dissimilar at altitude and slope gradients. The Jaccard similarity index of the three plant communities tended to increase with the increase of altitude and then decrease along the increase of the slope around FAST. In summary, species differed in their habitat selection, and altitude and slope are key factors affecting the spatial distribution of plant communities in the karst depressions around FAST. Species diversity can better reflect the differences in plant communities in terms of species composition. Species diversity is not only influenced by topographic factors, but also related to biotic and abiotic factors, such as temperature, precipitation, human activities, and functional plant traits. Therefore, corresponding environmental factors need to be added in future studies to further investigate the intrinsic mechanisms of plant species diversity and species spatial distribution at the regional scale and to strengthen the ecological protection of the surrounding area, improve the forest composition, and provide a good natural environment around FAST and in the karst peak-cluster depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community structure and dynamics are influenced by numerous abiotic and biotic factors requiring large datasets to disentangle, which are often difficult to obtain over the spatiotemporal scales necessary for meaningful analysis. The approach outlined here illustrates one potential solution to this problem by leveraging computer vision methods to gain accurate, in-depth community data from ~ 10,000 photographs of salt marsh plants across an elevation gradient at Sapelo Island, GA, USA. A convolutional neural network (ResNext101) trained to detect the 6 dominant plant species achieved high accuracy for all species, allowing mapping of high-marsh plant communities over gradients in elevation and pore-water salinity. To statistically analyze the high-resolution mapping data, we constructed a structural equations model using the generated data as informed by prevailing ecological theory for salt marshes in the Southeastern United States. Model fit to data was strong, with R2 values for five of six plant species > 0.7. The distribution of the rare understory perennial Limonium carolinianum, however, was not accurately predicted by the model. Modeled effects of abiotic factors elevation and soil salinity were commensurate with the literature. Biotic interactions also largely conformed to ecological understanding of Southeastern marshes, but a potentially novel positive interaction between Borrichia frutescens and Batis maritima was observed. Overall, this approach shows promise as a method of efficiently generating and statistically analyzing community data for sessile species at scales not previously possible. This study contributes to a growing body of work developing integrated computer vision and big data techniques for ecological field work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in some combination of niche availability, niche overlap and the strength of interspecific interactions are thought to drive changes in plant composition along resource gradients. However, because these processes are difficult to measure in the field, their relative importance in driving compositional change in plant communities remains unclear. In an Australian temperate grassland, we added seeds of three native and three exotic grasses to 1875 experimental plots in a way that allowed us to simultaneously estimate niche availability, niche overlap and the strength of pairwise interspecific interactions along a gradient of nutrient availability, obtained by adding 0, 5 or 20 g m−2 each of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium jointly to plots. Niche availability (the proportion of microsites suitable for establishment and growth) was generally low and did not vary in response to nutrient addition. Most species co‐occurred along the nutrient gradient by partitioning the available niche space. Where species interacted due to niche overlap, the abundance of one species, the native Chloris truncata, was usually facilitated by other species, with each of the five other species increasing the niche availability to C. truncata under at least one nutrient treatment. Chloris truncata also competitively excluded two species from some but not all sites they could otherwise have occupied. These outcomes did not clearly differ across nutrient treatments. Our results show that fine‐scale spatial heterogeneity in establishment microsites can enable species to co‐occur via niche partitioning, and competitive exclusion is rare. This finding contributes to an emerging picture that niche partitioning is common and frequently a stronger influence on recruitment outcomes than interspecific competition. The importance of competition in structuring plant communities may be overestimated if recruitment processes are overlooked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Devonian plants in Siberia present protracted pioneer succession. Research into the survivorship dynamics of early plant communities upon the palaeocontinent Angarida have demonstrated that transgression and volcanogenic nutrient influx were key to the survival of colonizing plants. Taxic proportions show that migrating taxa entered Angarida from the southwest, Kuznetsk and Minusinsk basins, dispersing across the continent in waves through central areas northwards. The patterns of dispersal are consistent throughout the Devonian. Increased nutrient load from the active pulses of the Viluy-Yakutsk Large Igneous Province, biogeomorphic ecosystem engineering and the increased biomass of Angaridan plants are assisted by Late Devonian transgression. These cumulative factors can be linked to the Late Devonian marine extinctions observed in Siberia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate is critical for plant altitudinal distribution patterns. Non-climatic factors also have important effects on vegetation altitudinal distribution in mountain regions. The purpose of this study was to explore the current distribution of plant diversity along the altitudinal gradient in the Taihang Mountain range of northern China and to estimate the effects of climatic and non-climatic factors on the elevational pattern. Through a field survey, a total of 480 sampling plots were established in the central Taihang Mountain range. Alpha diversities (the Shannon–Weiner index and Simpson index) and beta diversities (the Jaccard index and Cody index) were measured based on the survey data. Plant community structure change based on the altitudinal gradient was explored by measuring the diversity indices. Canonical correspondence analysis was carried out to determine the factors influencing plant altitudinal distribution. The contributions of climatic and non-climatic factors on plant distribution were determined by partial methods. The results showed that the plant diversity of the elevational gradient complied with a "hump-shaped" pattern, in which communities in the medium altitude area with higher plant diversity had a higher species turnover rate, and non-climatic factors, particularly the anthropogenic factors, had an important influence on the plant altitudinal pattern. In conclusion, climatic and non-climatic factors both had important effects on the plant altitudinal pattern. It is strongly recommended to reduce human interference in mountain vegetation protection and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise: Numerous processes influence plant distributions and co‐occurrence patterns, including ecological sorting, limiting similarity, and stochastic effects. To discriminate among these processes and determine the spatial scales at which they operate, we investigated how functional traits and phylogenetic relatedness influence the distribution of temperate forest herbs. Methods: We surveyed understory plant communities across 257 forest stands in Wisconsin and Michigan (USA) and applied Bayesian phylogenetic linear mixed‐effects models (PGLMMs) to quantify how functional traits and phylogenetic relatedness influence the environmental distribution of 139 herbaceous plant species along broad edaphic, climatic, and light gradients. These models also allowed us to test how functional and phylogenetic similarity affect species co‐occurrence within microsites. Results: Leaf height, specific leaf area, and seed mass all influenced individualistic plant distributions along landscape‐scale gradients in soil texture, soil fertility, light availability, and climate. In contrast, phylogenetic relationships did not consistently predict species‐environment relationships. Neither functionally similar nor phylogenetically related herbs segregated among microsites within forest stands. Conclusions: Trait‐mediated ecological sorting appears to drive temperate‐forest community assembly, generating individualistic plant distributions along regional environmental gradients. This finding links classic studies in plant ecology and prior research in plant physiological ecology to current trait‐based approaches in community ecology. However, our results fail to support the common assumption that limiting similarity governs local plant co‐occurrences. Strong ecological sorting among forest stands coupled with stochastic fine‐scale interactions among species appear to weaken deterministic, niche‐based assembly processes at local scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Questions: Given the current multiplicity of threats to pond biodiversity, there is a clear need to examine which environmental drivers determine the composition and distribution of species. Using wetland plants as pond biodiversity surrogates, two questions led to this work: How do wetland plant species assemblages and abundance vary across local‐ and regional‐scale classification schemes in wetlands? How does wetland plant beta‐diversity vary within these wetland classification schemes? Location: Western Patagonia, Argentina, from 36°S to 56°S and from 73°W to 65°W. Methods: Wetland plant distribution constrained by water and climatic factors was analyzed using canonical correspondence analysis. Variance partitioning analysis was performed to assess which classification scheme (phytogeographical units, wetland regions, wetland genesis and hydrogeomorphological types) better explained variation in plant composition. An IndVal analysis was also carried out to detect taxa with the highest association values (indicator taxa) for the different categories of wetland classification. Beta‐diversity was calculated to evaluate variation patterns within classification schemes. Results: Plant distribution was mainly related to site location across the latitudinal gradient, following a decreasing pattern of air temperature from northern to southern wetlands. Variance partitioning analysis confirmed the effectiveness of a regional‐scale classification (wetland regions) in predicting plant associations, and the IndVal analysis also highlighted this classification scheme above the remainder, sustaining the highest number of indicator taxa. Wetland plant beta‐diversity patterns were explained by relatively high species turnover, with species composition showing low nestedness values. Conclusion: Climate factors rather than local characteristics were the main drivers of plant distribution at the wide regional scale analyzed. Wetland region (classification based on climatic criteria) was the most effective scheme in predicting plant associations and sustaining the highest number of indicator taxa. Also, ponds located in the Patagonian Andes and those with a glacigenic origin contribute most to the regional wetland plant diversity. Therefore, these aspects should be taken directly into account in the future delineation of protected areas to increase the resilience of Patagonian wetland habitats and their associated biota, and to maintain the ecosystem services that they provide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Association is the basic unit of plant community classification. Exploring the distribution of plant associations can help improve our understanding of biodiversity conservation. Different associations depend on different habitats and studying the association level is important for ecological restoration, regional ecological protection, regulating the ecological balance, and maintaining biodiversity. However, previous studies have only focused on suitable distribution areas for species and not on the distribution of plant associations. Larix gmelinii is a sensitive and abundant species that occurs along the southern margin of the Eurasian boreal forests, and its distribution is closely related to permafrost. In this study, 420 original plots of L. gmelinii forests were investigated. We used a Maxent model and the ArcGIS software to project the potential geographical distribution of L. gmelinii associations in the future (by 2050 and 2070) according to the climate scenarios RCP 2.6, RCP 4.5, and RCP 8.5. We used the multi‐classification logistic regression analysis method to obtain the response of the suitable area change for the L. gmelinii alliance and associations to climate change under different climate scenarios. Results revealed that temperature is the most crucial factor affecting the distribution of L. gmelinii forests and most of its associations under different climate scenarios. Suitable areas for each association type are shrinking by varying degrees, especially due to habitat loss at high altitudes in special terrains. Different L. gmelinii associations should have different management measures based on the site conditions, composition structure, growth, development, and renewal succession trends. Subsequent research should consider data on biological factors to obtain more accurate prediction results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatial distributions and associations of plant species in a stand can provide essential information about their dynamics. However, since tree spatial distribution and association depend on factors that operate at different scales, disentangling the effects of environmental heterogeneity and plant–plant interactions requires the choice of a suitable null model for spatial analysis. We analyzed the spatial distributions of the same savanna palm tree populations that were studied, the underlying hypothesis being that these distributions have changed in 20 years. To remove the effect of large-scale environmental heterogeneity, the inhomogeneous L -function under the heterogeneous Poisson null model was used. We showed: (i) unlike 20 years ago, adults had a regular distribution instead of an aggregated distribution in the grass savanna; (ii) although the spatial distribution of seedlings and juveniles was always aggregated, we observed a decrease in the size of the aggregates (intensities); (iii) except for juveniles, no other stages were associated with nutrient-rich patches, which was also different 20 years ago; (iv) we did not observe any particular difference in structure between two study sites, only that female palm trees were spatially associated with entire-leafed seedlings in the reserve while they were spatially independent in the rural area. Our study supports the hypothesis that the spatial distributions have partially changed, and that the management of spatial heterogeneity has improved and given more precision in the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) in the emerging South Atlantic region during the late Aptian (Early Cretaceous) is reflected in the spatio-temporal distribution of plant communities recorded in eight Brazilian sedimentary basins. The distribution of the bioclimatic groups of hygrophytes, hydrophytes, tropical lowland flora, upland flora, and xerophytes was quantified using pollen and spores. A predominance of xerophytes from the tropical xerophytic shrubland biome characterized the pre-evaporitic, evaporitic, and post-evaporitic paleoclimatic phases, in particular the evaporitic phase. The region experienced humidity events in the pre-evaporitic and post- evaporitic phases, especially near the paleoequator, where the tropical rainforest biome with two phytophysiognomies (lowland and montane rainforests) prevailed. Increasing humidity had a positive effect on plant diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Geomorphological processes profoundly affect plant establishment and distributions, but their influence on functional traits is insufficiently understood. Here, we unveil trait–geomorphology relationships in Arctic plant communities. Location: High‐Arctic Svalbard, low‐Arctic Greenland and sub‐Arctic Fennoscandia. Time period: 2011–2018. Major taxa studied: Vascular plants. Methods: We collected field‐quantified data on vegetation, geomorphological processes, microclimate and soil properties from 5,280 plots and 200 species across the three Arctic regions. We combined these data with database trait records to relate local plant community trait composition to dominant geomorphological processes of the Arctic, namely cryoturbation, deflation, fluvial processes and solifluction. We investigated the relationship between plant functional traits and geomorphological processes using hierarchical generalized additive modelling. Results: Our results demonstrate that community‐level traits are related to geomorphological processes, with cryoturbation most strongly influencing both structural and leaf economic traits. These results were consistent across regions, suggesting a coherent biome‐level trait response to geomorphological processes. Main conclusions: The results indicate that geomorphological processes shape plant community traits in the Arctic. We provide empirical evidence for the existence of generalizable relationships between plant functional traits and geomorphological processes. The results indicate that the relationships are consistent across these three distinct tundra regions and that geomorphological processes should be considered in future investigations of functional traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive and alien plant species (IAPS) are considered as major threats to native biodiversity because IAPS alter ecosystem structure and their functions. We assessed the association of four major IAPS (Mikania micrantha, Chromolaena odorata, Lantana camara, and Parthenium hysterophorus) and the abundance of wild ungulates in Barandabhar Corridor Forest (BCF), Chitwan, Nepal. We collected data on the presence of wild ungulates in IAPS invaded habitats through direct observation and sign surveys. Our study showed that the cover of M. micrantha was significantly high in Sal forest (Prominence value PV = 73.23) followed by riverine forest (PV = 40.5) and grassland (PV = 37.7) whereas P. hysterophorus was high in grasslands (PV = 22.9). Similarly, C. odorata was significantly high in Sal forest (PV =141.6%), and L. camara was high in mixed forest (PV = 22.6). It was found that there was a significant negative association of IAPS (p = 0.002) with wild ungulates. The abundances of deer and wild pigs were more in the buffer zone than in the non-buffer zone. The abundance of deer decreased with increasing cover of C. odorata, M. micrantha, and P. hysterophorus (p = 0.002). Similarly, the abundance of wild pigs decreased with increasing cover of M. micrantha and L. camara. IAPS were not uniformly distributed in different habitats and abundances of wild ungulates were less in IAPS invaded habitats. Hence, it is important to initiate management plans to control IAPS spread to avoid their negative impacts on wild ungulate population such as deer and wild pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Gulf of Naples is an important centre of endemism, well known from the floristic point of view, but much less from the phytosociological one. In this paper we investigated the non-forest vegetation focusing on communities rich in endemics. We described two communities as new: Eryngio amethystini-Santolinetum neapolitanae for the garrigues on limestone, Globulario neapolitanae-Loniceretum stabianae for the vegetation on dolomitic rocks, both from the Lattari mountains, and we extend the area of Crithmo maritimi-Limonietum cumani for the vegetation on volcanic rocks and rarely on limestones along the coast, which was known for a few localities. The syntaxonomical position and the phytogeographical context of these communities are discussed. A few taxonomic notes are added on rare or interesting species retrieved in the course of the enquiry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At small scales, sedimentary deposition types mediate hydrological changes to drive wetland vegetation distribution patterns and species diversity. To examine the effects of sediment types on the distribution and diversity of plant communities in a wetland region, 150 quadrats were investigated (elevation range of 10.5–12.5 m) in the lake basin areas of Poyang Lake. We divided the surface soil into three sediment types (lacustrine sediments, fluvio-lacustrine sediments, and fluvial sediments), and then compared and analyzed the distribution and species diversity of the wetland plants among them. The results revealed the following findings: (i) within this elevation range, Carex cinerascens, Carex cinerascens–Polygonum criopolitanum, Polygonum criopolitanum, and Phalaris arundinacea communities exist; (ii) from lacustrine sediments to fluvial sediments, the distribution of plant communities showed a transition trend—with the Carex cinerascens and Phalaris arundinacea communities shifting into the Polygonum criopolitanum community; (iii) detrended correspondence analysis and redundancy analysis demonstrated that the soil particle composition and flood duration in 2017 generated a differential wetland plant distribution under the conditions of three sediment types along the littoral zones of Poyang Lake; and (iv) the plant communities on the lacustrine sediments had a higher species diversity than those established on the fluvio-lacustrine sediments and fluvial sediments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global changes have altered the distribution pattern of the plant communities, including invasive species. Anthropogenic contamination may reduce native plant resistance to the invasive species. Thus, the focus of the current review is on the contaminant biogeochemical behavior among native plants, invasive species and the soil within the plant–soil ecosystem to improve our understanding of the interactions between invasive plants and environmental stressors. Our studies together with synthesis of the literature showed that (i) the impacts of invasive species on environmental stress were heterogeneous, (ii) the size of the impact was variable and (iii) the influence types were multidirectional even within the same impact type. However, invasive plants showed self-protective mechanisms when exposed to heavy metals (HMs) and provided either positive or negative influence on the bioavailability and toxicity of HMs. On the other hand, HMs may favor plant invasion due to the widespread higher tolerance of invasive plants to HMs together with the 'escape behavior' of native plants when exposed to toxic HM pollution. However, there has been no consensus on whether elemental compositions of invasive plants are different from the natives in the polluted regions. A quantitative research comparing plant, litter and soil contaminant contents between native plants and the invaders in a global context is an indispensable research focus in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reference 1 Loredo Varela R.C., Fail J. Host Plant Association and Distribution of the Onion Thrips, Thrips tabaci Cryptic Species Complex. †[128]Operculina aequisepala (Domin)[80]Crassulaceae-Sedum acre L.[118]Sedum sp. †[24]Cucurbitaceae-Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Correction: Loredo Varela, R.C.; Fail, J. Host Plant Association and Distribution of the Onion Thrips, Thrips tabaci Cryptic Species Complex. [Extracted from the article]

This study examines species composition, diversity and plant community distribution along environmental gradients of Tulu Lafto Forest (here after called TLF) in Horo Guduru Wollega Zone of Oromia National Regional State, western Ethiopia. Seventy-five quadrats of 400 m2 were systematically laid following altitudinal gradient. A complete list of trees, shrubs, lianas and herbs including vascular epiphytes were made from each quadrat. Environmental variables including soil samples were collected, recorded and analyzed for each quadrat. In the forest, 230 plant species belonging to 188 genera and 79 families were identified. Out of these, 16 species are endemic to the flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea and 56 were new records for Wollega (WG) floristic region. Asteraceae and Fabaceae are the top species rich plant families. Cluster analysis and ordination methods identified 3 plant community types mainly influenced by topographic, edaphic and anthropogenic factors. TLF exhibited an intermediate A fromontane type suggesting the need to revise the existing vegetation classification in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distribution pattern of plant community is the result of the interaction of environmental factors and human activities, especially the elevation gradient is considered as the decisive factor of the distribution pattern of plant community. In order to explore the relationship between plant community distribution pattern and environmental factors and its driving mechanism in Qilian Mountains National Nature Reserve of Gansu Province, the characteristics of plant community and its relationship with environmental factors in the study area were disucssed, using quantitative classification and DCCA sequencing methods on the basis of field investigation. The results were as follows:(1)There were 85 species of seed plants belonging to 30 families and 56 genera in 88 sampling plots of Qilian Mountains National Nature Reserve of Gansu Province, including twelve species of Gramineae, nine species of Compositae, eight species of Fabaceae, six species of Rosaceae and five species of Chenopodiaceae, accounting for 14.11%, 10.59%, 9.41%, 7.06% and 5.88% of total species, respectively. These plants could be classified into nine plant communities throught TWINSPAN.(2)Nine plant communities were clustered and distributed on the DCCA sequencing diagram, showing a good environmental gradient. Altitude had a great influence on the distribution pattern of plant communities, followed by precipitation, temperature, slope, slope direction and soil humus.(3)Among the variables influencing plant community spatial distribution pattern, environmental factors accounted for 25.24%, spatial factors accounted for 13.21%, space factor and environment factor interactions accounted for 9.03%, 52.52% of the community distribution pattern was not accounted by spatial factor and environmental factor section, and this part mainly reflected the human activity influence on plant community distribution pattern in the study area. The results of this paper are of great significance to the ecological restoration of vegetation and the stable maintenance of biodiversity in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ecotone of ecological communities is usually rich in species and complex in floristic components, which is regarded as a key zone. Budanla Mountain is located in the transition zone of semi-humid to semi-arid ecological environment in Tibet. Because of its special natural geographical environment, it has rich mountain plant diversity. However, the composition and floristic characteristics of seed plants in this important ecological transition area are still not well understood. In order to clarify the floristic composition and vertical distribution pattern of seed plants on the south slope of Budanla Mountain, the floristic characteristics of seed plants on the south slope of this mountain were systematically studied through field plant community quadrat investigation, laboratory specimen identification and related literature review in this paper, the richness pattern of advantage genera and geographical composition along the altitude gradient was also explored. The results were as follows:(1)There were approximately 316 species of seed plants belonging to 45 families and 156 genera in the south slope of Budanla Mountain, in which there were the most abundant single species and small genera of seed plants, the temperate distribution type was dominant at the genus and species level.(2)In the vertical distribution gradient of geographical elements, the temperate distribution type had a peak value at 4 000 m, including 53 genera, and showed a downward trend with the increase of altitude.(3)The nature of floristic geographical elements and the vertical distribution of species richness in this area might be mainly affected by the local semi-humid climate, local environmental factors and topography. The results of this study can provide important basic data for the study of plant diversity protection and resource utilization in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dreams of Humboldt and many of his successors have not yet come true. Despite the great achievements of the last century, we still do not know the total number of vegetation types or the difference in the patterns of the distribution of diversity above and below the ground, we cannot predict all the effects of climate change on vegetation at the regional and global scale, we do not know the hidden and dark parts of species diversity in most ecosystems, nor are we able to make historical vegetation maps for many areas of the Earth. We also do not know the cultural contribution of many plant communities for the development of human populations and civilization, nor do we know the future recreational and therapeutical potential of vegetation (e.g., aromatherapy, ecotherapy). Geobotanical methods can effectively contribute to finding the answers to hot questions in current ecology. Since there are so many gaps in our geobotanical knowledge and so many young researchers still speechless with delight when looking at endless steppes, lush rainforests, tall-herbs, or colorful meadows, there is no doubt that geobotany will be a thriving and developing discipline in the future. Its driving force is the passion of researchers and admiration for the beauty of various types of vegetation and their dynamics as well as awareness of the need to protect them for generations to come. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional traits related to regeneration responses to the environment are highly determinants of distribution patterns of plant communities. A large body of studies on seed traits suggests that regional climate may act as a strong filter of plant recruitment; however, few studies have evaluated the relative importance of seed traits and environmental filters for seed persistence at the population level. We tested the role of seed mass, water content and desiccation tolerance, as well as the germination time as proxies for seed tolerance to environmental filters (water deficit, heat shock and high temperatures) by comparing the response of tree species co-occurring in savannas located in different regions: Cerrado biome of Central Brazil and the Rio Branco savannas of northern Brazil. Seeds collected in savannas of Rio Branco showed a higher tolerance to environmental filters than those collected in savannas of the Cerrado. While the germination percentages largely varied in response to the treatments, the germination times were virtually unaffected by them, irrespective of seed origin, seed mass and water content. At the population level, the regional environment was a key determinant of seed tolerance to stress, irrespective of seed traits. Germination time was shown to represent a conservative seed trait and more linked to a species-specific germination strategy than to regional characteristics. Our results suggest that recruitment patterns of Cerrado savannas may be more impacted than Rio Branco savannas by the climate scenarios predicted for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This investigation was carried out during 2012–2013 in order to bring out the forest vegetation of the Finike Forest Planning Unit. The study area is located in the Southwestern part of Turkey within the Mediterranean Basin. Field sampling was undertaken using the old Braun-Blanquet method, and 77 sampled relevés were sampled from the study area. The database consists of 214 vascular plant taxa, dominated by the Mediterranean phytogeographical region and Hemicryptophytes. The sampled relevés were classified using the Modified TWINSPAN, and distribution patterns of the plant communities were analysed using non-metric multidimensional scaling with the integration of the R-Project and JUICE program. Topographic factors were assessed for the interpretation of the differentiation among communities. Five associations, four (Lino corymbuloso-Genistetum acanthocladae, Rhamno nitidae-Quercetum cocciferae, Asparago acutifoli-Pinetum brutia, and Lamio striati-Cedretum libani) of which are new, were defined as belonging to the Mediterranean bioclimatic strata within five classes. The distribution of these five plant associations was highly affected by altitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant species represent the hierarchical expression of vegetation as it is affected by various environmental gradients. We explored the plant species composition, distribution pattern, communities formation and their respective indicators under the influence of various environmental factors in the Dhirkot region, Azad Jammu and Kashmir. It was hypothesized that different environmental factors were responsible for the formation of various plant communities each with a distinct indicator. Quantitative ecological techniques were used for the sampling of vegetation. A total of 114 quadrats were established in 13 selected sampling sites. Phytosociological attributes were calculated for each plant species at each quadrat. Soil samples were collected and analyzed using different standard protocols. All the collected data were analyzed using Cluster Analysis, Indicator Species Analysis and Canonical Correspondence Analysis of PCORD and CANOCO software, respectively. A total of 145 plant species were recorded belong to 62 different families. Asteraceae and Lamiaceae were the dominant families, represented by 12 species each (8.27%). Cluster Analysis classify all the stations and plants into four major plant communities as 1) Olea-Desmodium-Prunilla community. 2) Abies-Zanthoxylum-Pteracanthus community 3) Cedrus-Elaeagnus-Hypericum community 4) Alnus-Myrsine–Ranunculus community. Soil pH, electrical conductivity, soil saturation, organic matter and altitude were the significant environmental factors that play its essential role in the plant species distribution, composition, formation of major plant communities and their respective indicators in the region. It is recommended that the identified indicator and rare plant species of the investigated area can further be grown for conservation and management purposes in in-situ environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morro Três Irmãos, in Terra Rica-PR, is located in the northwest of Paraná, under the Atlantic Forest in the interior, with the main physiognomy being the Semideciduous Seasonal Forest, with the presence of floristic elements typical of a vegetation enclave. The application of the phytosociological study in this area aims to analyze the most relevant characteristics of the area and its present conditions, using the technique of graphical representation of vegetation pyramids. The field survey was carried out according to the relevant methodology, generating a comparative analysis of the evolution of the vegetation in the area. The study resulted in qualitative and quantitative information located spatially and temporally, such as the abundance, frequency, dominance and diversity indices, in addition to the so-called species importance value, representing the vegetation of the vertically collected points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrological conditions drive the distribution of plant communities in wetlands to form vegetation zones where the material cycling varies with plant species. This mediation effect caused by the distribution of vegetation under hydrological conditions will affect the emission of N2O during the nitrogen migration in wetlands. In this study, five vegetation zones in the second largest wetland of China were investigated in situ during high and low water levels to elucidate the effect mediated by vegetation. With the increase in the rate of change of water levels, the zones of the mud flat, nymphoides, phalaris, carex, and reeds were distributed in sequence in the wetland, and the densities of carbon and nitrogen sequestrated by plants also increased. The carbon and nitrogen densities in each zone during low water level was significantly higher than that during high water level, while the organic carbon and the total nitrogen of sediments during high water level was higher. Sediments converted between source and sink for both carbon and nitrogen, during the annual fluctuation in water level. The flux in N2O emissions showed significant differences between the vegetation zones during each water level period. The emission flux decreased with the increasing C : N ratio in sediments, approximating the threshold at 0.23 μg m-2 h-1 when the C : N ratio > 25. The phylum abundance of Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Chloroflexi in sediments increased with flooding. The denitrifying nirS and nirK genes and anammox hzsB gene were significantly affected by water level fluctuation, with the maximal variations of these genes occurring in the mud flat and nymphoides zone. The results indicate that the distribution of plants under hydrological conditions modified the stoichiometric ratio of sediments, resulting in the variations of N2O emission fluxes and microbial communities in vegetation zones. Therefore, hydraulic regulation rather than direct planting would be an effective strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in freshwater wetlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Plant community zonation and geomorphology changed along a coastal dune segment. • Variation of biogeomorphic variables alongshore correlated with shoreline trends. • Two distinct dune ecogeomorphic states have been identified in close proximity. • Identified dune states explained by long-term shoreline change rates. • Sediment retention capacity by local vegetation was low due to abiotic factors. Coastal dunes are complex landforms whose morphology results from various interactions between biotic and abiotic factors. Here, we explore the longshore variability of the morphological features, plant community distribution and accumulation patterns of a dune segment (1.4 km-long) located at the downdrift end of a sandy peninsula in the Ria Formosa, Portugal. To understand the main drivers of the observed variability and the implications for dune morphological response, this information was combined with recent multidecadal shoreline evolution data. The integrated results document significant differences in dune morphology, sedimentation patterns and plant zonation, with two distinct dune configurations or states identified in close proximity. One (western sector) shows a narrower dune system, vegetation cover characterised by pioneer species with low densities, and squeezed plant zonation. Conversely, the other (eastern sector) presents a wider dune system with a new foredune, a more developed plant zonation and relatively high vegetation density. Both states could be partially explained by the recent shoreline trends and inlet shifts, with stable to retreating trends in the western sector and shoreline progradation in the eastern one. Plant zonation and accumulation patterns suggest that the dune along the retreating sector is in a cycle of inland migration, encouraged by the reduced accommodation space and the low retention capacity of the vegetation across the dune stoss. Alternatively, observations along the prograding sector suggest that the greater accommodation space and the stabilising feedback between vegetation and topography promoted the seaward progradation of the system and the development of an incipient foredune. Outcomes support the importance of biogeomorphic feedbacks for the dune configuration, but they also evidence that the role of vegetation within the feedback is primarily regulated by physical factors that ultimately promote or inhibit vegetation effects on dune topography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]