Vegetation of Europe: hierarchical floristic classification system of vascular plant, bryophyte, lichen, and algal communities

Vegetation classification consistent with the Braun-Blanquet approach is widely used in Europe for applied vegetation science, conservation planning and land management. During the long history of syntaxonomy, many concepts and names of vegetation units have been proposed, but there has been no single classification system integrating these units. Here we (1) present a comprehensive, hierarchical, syntaxonomic system of alliances, orders and classes of Braun-Blanquet syntaxonomy for vascular plant, bryophyte and lichen, and algal communities of Europe; (2) briefly characterize in ecological and geographic terms accepted syntaxonomic concepts; (3) link available synonyms to these accepted concepts; and (4) provide a list of diagnostic species for all classes. Location: European mainland, Greenland, Arctic archipelagos (including Iceland, Svalbard, Novaya Zemlya), Canary Islands, Madeira, Azores, Caucasus, Cyprus. Methods: We evaluated approximately 10 000 bibliographic sources to create a comprehensive list of previously proposed syntaxonomic units. These units were evaluated by experts for their floristic and ecological distinctness, clarity of geographic distribution and compliance with the nomenclature code. Accepted units were compiled into three systems of classes, orders and alliances (EuroVegChecklist, EVC) for communities dominated by vascular plants (EVC1), bryophytes and lichens (EVC2) and algae (EVC3). Results: EVC1 includes 109 classes, 300 orders and 1108 alliances; EVC2 includes 27 classes, 53 orders and 137 alliances, and EVC3 includes 13 classes, 24 orders and 53 alliances. In total 13 448 taxa were assigned as indicator species to classes of EVC1, 2087 to classes of EVC2 and 368 to classes of EVC3. Accepted syntaxonomic concepts are summarized in a series of appendices, and detailed information on each is accessible through the software tool EuroVegBrowser. Conclusions: This paper features the first comprehensive and critical account of European syntaxa and synthesizes more than 100 yr of classification effort by European phytosociologists. It aims to document and stabilize the concepts and nomenclature of syntaxa for practical uses, such as calibration of habitat classification used by the European Union, standardization of terminology for environmental assessment, management and conservation of nature areas, landscape planning and education. The presented classification systems provide a baseline for future development and revision of European syntaxonomy.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis Shows High Genetic Diversity and Ecological Niche Specificity among Haplotypes in the Maya Mountains of Belize

The amphibian pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has been implicated in amphibian declines around the globe. Although it has been found in most countries in Central America, its presence has never been assessed in Belize. We set out to determine the range, prevalence, and diversity of Bd using quantitative PCR (qPCR) and sequencing of a portion of the 5.8 s and ITS1-2 regions. Swabs were collected from 524 amphibians of at least 26 species in the protected areas of the Maya Mountains of Belize. We sequenced a subset of 72 samples that had tested positive for Bd by qPCR at least once; 30 samples were verified as Bd. Eight unique Bd haplotypes were identified in the Maya Mountains, five of which were previously undescribed. We identified unique ecological niches for the two most broadly distributed haplotypes. Combined with data showing differing virulence shown in different strains in other studies, the 5.8 s - ITS1-2 region diversity found in this study suggests that there may be substantial differences among populations or haplotypes. Future work should focus on whether specific haplotypes for other genomic regions and possibly pathogenicity can be associated with haplotypes at this locus, as well as the integration of molecular tools with other ecological tools to elucidate the ecology and pathogenicity of Bd

Climate change will increase naturalization risk from garden plants in Europe

Aim: Plant invasions often follow initial introduction with a considerable delay. The current non-native flora of a region may hence contain species that are not yet naturalized but may become so in the future, especially if climate change lifts limitations on species spread. In Europe, non-native garden plants represent a huge pool of potential future invaders. Here, we evaluate the naturalization risk from this species pool and how it may change under a warmer climate. Location Europe. Methods: We selected all species naturalized anywhere in the world but not yet in Europe from the set of non-native European garden plants. For this subset of 783 species, we used species distribution models to assess their potential European ranges under different scenarios of climate change. Moreover, we defined geographical hotspots of naturalization risk from those species by combining projections of climatic suitability with maps of the area available for ornamental plant cultivation. Results: Under current climate, 165 species would already find suitable conditions in > 5% of Europe. Although climate change substantially increases the potential range of many species, there are also some that are predicted to lose climatically suitable area under a changing climate, particularly species native to boreal and Mediterranean biomes. Overall, hotspots of naturalization risk defined by climatic suitability alone, or by a combination of climatic suitability and appropriate land cover, are projected to increase by up to 102% or 64%, respectively. Main conclusions: Our results suggest that the risk of naturalization of European garden plants will increase with warming climate, and thus it is very likely that the risk of negative impacts from invasion by these plants will also grow. It is therefore crucial to increase awareness of the possibility of biological invasions among horticulturalists, particularly in the face of a warming climate

Water sports could contribute to the translocation of ranaviruses

[EN] Ranaviruses have been identified as the cause of explosive disease outbreaks in amphibians worldwide and can be transmitted between hosts both via direct and indirect contact, in which humans might contribute to the translocation of contaminated material. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible role of water sports in the human translocation of ranavirus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), and B. salamandrivorans (Bsal). A total of 234 boats were sampled during the spring Spanish Canoe Championship which took place in Pontillón de Castro, a reservoir with a history of ranavirosis, in May 2017. Boats were tested for the presence of ranavirus and Batrachochytrium spp. DNA, using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction techniques (qPCR). A total of 22 swabs (22/234, 9.40%) yielded qPCR-positive results for Ranavirus DNA while Bd or Bsal were not detected in any of the samples. We provide the first evidence that human-related water sports could be a source of ranavirus contamination, providing justification for public disinfecting stations in key areas where human traffic from water sports is high.SITis study was partially funded by the Principado de Asturias, PCTI 2018–2020 (GRUPIN: IDI2018-000237) and FEDER. We thank Benjamin Rabanal from the Laboratorio de Técnicas Instrumentales, University of León, for Batrachochytrium spp. PCR analysis, and Frank Pasmans’ Lab for kindly providing Bd and Bsal DNA controls

An Overview of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Utah, With a Focus on Boreal Toads and Their Changing Conservation Status

The Boreal Toad (Anaxyrus boreas) has disappeared from a large portion of its range in southern Utah and it has been questioned whether Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd, also known as chytrid) has played a role in its disappearance. The role of chytrid in range contraction of Boreal Toads and other amphibians in Utah is unknown. The primary objective of this project is to determine if any historic Boreal Toad specimens have chytrid to determine its arrival in Utah. If any old specimens test positive, the secondary goal of this study is to determine if there is a relationship between the presence of chytrid and Boreal Toad disappearance. Previously collected Boreal Toad specimens from the Natural History Museum of Utah and the Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum were swabbed for chytrid. Sampling preserved specimens for chytrid is a fundamental step for a complete understanding of Boreal Toad disappearance in Utah. PCR and histological methods were the primary techniques for analyzing chytrid presence. The resulting genetic analysis detected chytrid in specimens dating back to the early 2000s as well as a specimen from 1961, but further skin analyses could not confirm chytrid presence in the skin of the specimen from 1961. As a result, this research project was not able to provide enough data for a thorough understanding of chytrid in historical Boreal Toad populations. However, this study examines the effectiveness of swabbing preserved specimens for chytrid and concludes that further research is needed to make progress in understanding the history of chytrid in Boreal Toads throughout the state and over time

Regeneration of Ostrya carpinifolia Scop. forest after coppicing: modelling of changes in species diversity and composition

In temperate forest ecosystems, management is one of the most relevant factors that can drive the temporal pattern of species. As species in an ecosystem show susceptibility to stress and disturbance, it is useful to take into account the plant community "compositional dimension", which derives from species behaviour and ecological attributes and provides information on the mechanisms underlying species assemblages. Taking into account the influence of environmental factors on species diversity and composition, in order to determine the most suitable ecological behaviour type of each species, the research aim was to generate a model for Ostrya carpinifolia coppiced woods (central Italy) that describes forest ecosystem regeneration after coppicing by the assessment of change in the composition of ecological behaviour types. Vascular species cover percentage, field data, soil data, light intensity at the undergrowth, dominant tree layer cover and time since last logging were recorded for 63 plots covering 400 m2 each (20 x 20 m), randomly selected within a set of homogeneous macro-environmental conditions. Low species richness is related to stressing factors (acid soil, high soil skeleton percentage), while high species richness is linked to high light intensity at the undergrowth level due to scarce canopy cover soon after coppicing. The driving forces affecting floristic composition, highlighted through multi-response permutation procedures (MRPP) were light intensity at the undergrowth, regenerative phase, dominant tree layer cover, acidity, presence/absence of outcropping rock or rock fragments and total nitrogen content. Six species groups, each one characterized by homogeneous ecological behaviour, were defined by indicator species analysis (ISA) and tested using bioindication values analysis. Floristic successional change, related to time since last coppicing, turned out to follow an ecological cycling process characterized by cyclical occurrence/disappearance of species belonging to the six groups

Detection of the amphibian pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis on spadefoots in the Kamloops region

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is a species of chytrid fungus responsible for the decline and extinction of amphibian populations worldwide (Longcore 1999 and others). Recently, B. dendrobatidis has been detected on western toads (Bufo boreas) in southwestern British Columbia (Deguise & Richardson 2009) and has therefore become a concern for conservationists across the province. Chytrid DNA can be extracted from tissue samples, skin swabs, and water bodies and subsequently detected using real time PCR techniques. It is currently unknown whether the chytrid fungus is affecting amphibian populations in the Kamloops area. This project aimed to first validate an effective real time PCR assay for detecting the presence of the amphibian pathogen B. dendrobatidis, and second to employ this real time PCR assay to detect B. dendrobatidis on experimental samples collected in the Kamloops region. Specifically, spadefoots were captured during the summer of 2013 from the New Afton mining site located south of Kamloops, BC. A total of 78 spadefoots were captured, swabbed, and subsequently weighed, measured and released. Parameters for optimizing an effective real time PCR assay were tested to detect B. dendrobatidis in experimental samples; initially a Taqman assay was tried, but due to a lack of success, a SYBR Green assay was used. DNA was extracted from all samples and 30 of these samples were tested for B. dendrobatidis using the SYBR Green assay and gel electrophoresis. B. dendrobatidis DNA was not detected in any of the 30 experimental samples. Melt curve analysis indicated the presence of multiple PCR products, products which were observed by gel electrophoresis at lengths less than 150 base pairs. It is possible that non-specific primer binding occurred, or that primer dimers formed, at low template DNA concentrations as these bands were not observed above 42 standard DNA copy numbers. Based on the results in hand, it is possible that (1) chytrid is not present in the ponds at New Afton mine, (2) chytrid is present but is not affecting the spadefoots, (3) the sensitivity of the SYBR Green assay was not sufficient to detect chytrid DNA, (4) PCR inhibitors interfered with the detection of chytrid DNA on samples, and (5) chytrid DNA did not adhere to the swabs that were used in this work. Future research should employ swabs with smaller tips and employ the more sensitive Taqman assay using a probe with a non-flourescent quencher (NFQ) as opposed to a black-hole quencher (BHQ-1) that was used here