| 1. |
- Dengler, Juergen, et al.
(author)
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GrassPlot - a database of multi-scale plant diversity in Palaearctic grasslands
- 2018
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In: Phytocoenologia. - : Schweizerbart. - 0340-269X. ; 48:3, s. 331-347
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- GrassPlot is a collaborative vegetation-plot database organised by the Eurasian Dry Grassland Group (EDGG) and listed in the Global Index of Vegetation-Plot Databases (GIVD ID EU-00-003). GrassPlot collects plot records (releves) from grasslands and other open habitats of the Palaearctic biogeographic realm. It focuses on precisely delimited plots of eight standard grain sizes (0.0001; 0.001;... 1,000 m(2)) and on nested-plot series with at least four different grain sizes. The usage of GrassPlot is regulated through Bylaws that intend to balance the interests of data contributors and data users. The current version (v. 1.00) contains data for approximately 170,000 plots of different sizes and 2,800 nested-plot series. The key components are richness data and metadata. However, most included datasets also encompass compositional data. About 14,000 plots have near-complete records of terricolous bryophytes and lichens in addition to vascular plants. At present, GrassPlot contains data from 36 countries throughout the Palaearctic, spread across elevational gradients and major grassland types. GrassPlot with its multi-scale and multi-taxon focus complements the larger international vegetationplot databases, such as the European Vegetation Archive (EVA) and the global database " sPlot". Its main aim is to facilitate studies on the scale-and taxon-dependency of biodiversity patterns and drivers along macroecological gradients. GrassPlot is a dynamic database and will expand through new data collection coordinated by the elected Governing Board. We invite researchers with suitable data to join GrassPlot. Researchers with project ideas addressable with GrassPlot data are welcome to submit proposals to the Governing Board.
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| 2. |
- Jiroušek, Martin, et al.
(author)
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Classification of European bog vegetation of the Oxycocco‐Sphagnetea class
- 2022
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In: Applied Vegetation Science. - : Wiley. - 1402-2001 .- 1654-109X. ; 25:1, s. 1-19
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aims: Classification of European bog vegetation (Oxycocco- Sphagnetea class); iden -tification of diagnostic species for the class and vegetation subgroups (orders and alliances); development of an expert system for automatic classification of vegetation plots; and production of distribution maps of the Oxycocco- Sphagnetea class and its alliances.Location: Europe.Methods: A data set of vegetation- plot records was compiled to include various bog types over most of the European continent. An unsupervised classification (beta- flexible linkage method, Sørensen distance measure) and detrended correspondenceanalysis (DCA) ordination were applied. Formal definitions of syntaxa based on spe -cies presence and covers, and respecting the results of the unsupervised classifica-tion, were developed and included in a classification expert system.Results: The Oxycocco- Sphagnetea class, its two orders (Sphagno- Ericetalia tetralicisand Sphagnetalia medii) and seven compositionally distinct alliances were formally de -fined. In addition to the syntaxa included in EuroVegChecklist, three new alliances were distinguished: Rubo chamaemori- Dicranion elongati (subarctic polygon and palsa mires); Erico mackaianae- Sphagnion papillosi (blanket bogs of the northwestern IberianPeninsula); and Sphagno baltici- Trichophorion cespitosi (boreal bog lawns). The latter alliance is newly described in this article.Conclusions: This first pan- European formalized classification of European bog veg -etation partially followed the system presented in EuroVegChecklist, but suggested three additional alliances. One covers palsa and polygon mires, one covers Iberian bogs with endemics and one fills the syntaxonomical gap for lawn microhabitats in boreal bogs. A classification expert system has been developed, which allows assign -ment of vegetation plots to the types described.
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| 3. |
- Mucci, Nadia, et al.
(author)
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Genetic diversity and landscape genetic structure of otter (Lutra lutra) populations in Europe
- 2010
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In: Conservation Genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1566-0621 .- 1572-9737. ; 11:2, s. 583-599
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Eurasian otter populations strongly declined and partially disappeared due to global and local causes (habitat destruction, water pollution, human persecution) in parts of their continental range. Conservation strategies, based on reintroduction projects or restoration of dispersal corridors, should rely on sound knowledge of the historical or recent consequences of population genetic structuring. Here we present the results of a survey performed on 616 samples, collected from 19 European countries, genotyped at the mtDNA control-region and 11 autosomal microsatellites. The mtDNA variability was low (nucleotide diversity = 0.0014; average number of pairwise differences = 2.25), suggesting that extant otter mtDNA lineages originated recently. A star-shaped mtDNA network did not allow outlining any phylogeographic inference. Microsatellites were only moderately variable (H (o) = 0.50; H (e) = 0.58, on average across populations), the average allele number was low (observed A (o) = 4.9, range 2.5-6.8; effective A (e) = 2.8; range 1.6-3.7), suggesting small historical effective population size. Extant otters likely originated from the expansion of a single refugial population. Bayesian clustering and landscape genetic analyses however indicate that local populations are genetically differentiated, perhaps as consequence of post-glacial demographic fluctuations and recent isolation. These results delineate a framework that should be used for implementing conservation programs in Europe, particularly if they are based on the reintroduction of wild or captive-reproduced otters.
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