Synecology of Cutandia maritma (L.) Barbey, a rare psammophytc species along the Montenegrin Coast (East Adriatc Coast)

Cutandia maritima is a circum-Mediterranean species that inhabits sandy dunesalong the coast line. It is fairly frequent on the western Adriatic coast but fairlyrare and possibly even non-native in the east. In Croatia, it was discovered in1990 in Crnika Bay on the island of Rab, which was considered until 2005 to bethe only site on the eastern Adriatic coast from the Gulf of Trieste in the northto Corfu in the south. In 2009, the species was briefly reported for Velika plaža(Long Beach) in Ulcinj (Montenegro) but without details about the habitattype and synecology. Te aim of this paper is thus to provide a deeper insightinto the ecology and synecology of C. maritima in the eastern Adriatic part ofthe distribution area. On Velika plaža in Ulcinj, the species was found along thewhole sea-inland gradient of sand dunes, in various types of vegetation: [1210]– annual vegetation of drift lines, [2110] – embryonic shifting dunes, [2120]– shifting dunes with Ammophila arenaria (white dunes), [2220] – dunes withEuphorbia terracina, [2130*] – fxed coastal dunes with herbaceous vegetation(grey dunes), and also [2190] – humid dune slacks

Distribution of alien species along sand dune plant communities zonation

Background and purpose: For a fairly long period, Velika plaža in Ulcinj, Montenegro has been considered to be one of the best-preserved sites with psammophilous vegetation along the Adriatic coast. In recent years, however, this area has been significantly transformed as a result of various human disturbances (e.g., a non-sustainable approach to touristic development, illegal dumping, sand exploitation etc.), and has become prone to alien plant invasions. We made a transect survey to assess the presence of alien species in the psammophilous communities.Materials and methods: In order to make a survey of the present state of plant life on Velika plaža, its floristic composition and zonation of plant communities, 20 transects were set perpendicular to the coast, regularly every 500 m. Quadrats (2 x 2 m) were laid contiguously in the form of a belt transect starting from the area with the first colonizing plants towards the end of the sand dune system with forest vegetation. This resulted in a matrix of 1124 plots and 196 species (15 alien and 181 native), on which multivariate analysis was performed.Results: Nine plant communities were detected, arranged in zonation from sea to inland. All of them were characterised by the presence of alien species. The least affected was the plant community dominated by Cladium mariscus, while the most affected ones were dominated by Scirpoides holoschoenus and Tripidium ravennae. Psammophilous vegetation is less affected by alien species than wetland communities. Foredunes are dominated by Xanthium orientale ssp. italicum, while Oenothera species are predominant on stable dunes.Conclusions: Sand dunes are a highly invaded ecosystem, with changed plant communities, so conservation measures should be considered.</p

Supplementary data for: "The demographic history of the wild crop relative Brachypodium distachyon is shaped by distinct past and present ecological niches"

Supplementary data to https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.06.01.54328

European Red List of Trees

The European Red List is a review of the status of European species according to IUCN regional Red Listing guidelines. It identifies those species that are threatened with extinction at the regional level – in order that appropriate conservation action can be taken to improve their status. This publication summarises results for all Europe’s native species of tree (454 species), of which 265 species (over 58%) are endemic to continental Europe, with 56% (252 species) endemic to the 28 EU Member States. Of these, 168 (42%) of the species are threatened with extinction at the European level, however, for 57 species (nearly 13%) there was insufficient information to assign a conservation status, and are therefore classified as Data Deficient, and in need of further research. The main threat to tree species in Europe has been identified as invasive or problematic species, impacting 38% of tree species, followed by deforestation and wood harvesting, and urban development (both affecting 20% of tree species). For threatened species, livestock farming, land abandonment, changes in forest and woodland management, and other ecosystem modifications such as fire are the major threats, impacting the survival of trees.Peer reviewe

An integrative approach supports the taxonomic distinction of the Sardo-Corsican endemic <i>Euphorbia semiperfoliata</i> from the widespread <i>E. amygdaloides</i> (Euphorbiaceae)

In the western Mediterranean, Corsica and Sardinia are characterised by high plant diversity and endemism, and exhibit a tight biogeographic connection. One of the endemic taxa thriving in forests, macchia, along riversides and in mountain grasslands of both islands is Euphorbia semiperfoliata. It was often considered a subspecies of the widespread European forest plant Euphorbia amygdaloides, or deemed closely related with the western Asian E. macroceras and E. oblongifolia. Here, we explored the evolutionary origin of E. semiperfoliata using nuclear ITS sequences that showed that E. semiperfoliata is divergent from E. amygdaloides and the other species of E. sect. Patellares, which indicates its old, likely Tertiary origin. In addition, its relative genome size is different from E. amygdaloides and other species and several morphological characters revealed by morphometric analyses differentiate E. semiperfoliata from E. amygdaloides. Finally, we provide a taxonomic treatment for E. semiperfoliata, including the typification and a morphological description.</p

A rare liverwort in the Mediterranean area, &lt;I&gt;Crossocalyx hellerianus&lt;/I&gt; (Nees ex Lindenb.) Meyl., newly recorded for Montenegro

A new species for Montenegro, Crossocalyx hellerianus was recorded during a bryological field investigation of the Durmitor Mountains. To our knowledge this is the first record of the genus Crossocalyx for the bryophyte flora of Montenegro. We report the distribution of C. hellerianus in the Mediterranean region, and provide a short description of the ecology of the species and its Montenegrin population.</p

Nuclear genome size variation in the allopolyploid Onosma arenaria–O. pseudoarenaria species group: Methodological issues and revised data

We used flow cytometry (FCM) to investigate genome size variation in two polymorphic allopolyploids, Onosma arenaria and O. pseudoarenaria, in Central Europe and the Balkan Peninsula. An intercalating DNA stain, propidium iodide (PI), and internal standardization were used. Our data showed that cytosolic compounds may be present in FCM samples and could inhibit, or more frequently promote, PI intercalation. In the absence of PI intercalation interference, leaf-based genome size estimates were observed to be lower than seed-based ones in O. pseudoarenaria, whereas no difference was recorded in O. arenaria. In incubation tests genome size values frequently increase after a longer staining period. For final genome size measurements, we applied the FCM protocol based on seed material using a ~150-min incubation period, and provide evidence of mean genome size variation among populations of both species. Two and four natural genome size groups were revealed in O. arenaria and O. pseudoarenaria respectively. Group mean genome sizes varied considerably in both O. arenaria (5.36â 5.76 pg) and O. pseudoarenaria (5.98â 6.58 pg). This extensive genome size variation is attributed to unexplored taxonomic heterogenity in both taxa. Future taxonomic revision of the group may be supported with genome size measurements obtained using an appropriately standardized methodology.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

An Asphodelus ramosus dominated plant community in Montenegro: fringe or grassland?

Our phytosociological study in Montenegro (Ćemovsko polje) deals with the syntaxonomy of arid grasslands in the Adriatic region and, in particular, different interpretations of plant communities dominated by Asphodelus ramosus. The main aims of this study were to contribute to knowledge of the composition of dry grasslands dominated by Asphodelus ramosus in Montenegro and to compare instances of Asphodelus ramosus dominated vegetation along the Adriatic. Our vegetation dataset included 82 phytosociological relevés: 17 from our recent field work and 72 relevés of South European Asphodelus ramosus communities. Ordination analysis (NMDS) was used for comparison of Asphodelus ramosus dominated communities in the Adriatic region. The Asphodelus ramosus community from Montenegro was classified into Bromo erecti-Chrysopogonetum grylli. The analysis revealed two distinct vegetation groups: grassland communities of the vegetation class Festuco-Brometea from Montenegro, Croatia and Albania, and edge vegetation of the new class Charybdido pancratii-Asphodeletea ramosi from Italy. Comparison with similar vegetation types shows high similarity with associations on the eastern Adriatic coast, where they are treated as grassland communities belonging to the alliance Chrysopogono grylli-Koelerion splendentis, order Scorzoneretalia villosae, class Festuco-Brometea