Distributions of vascular plants in the Czech Republic. Part 1

Despite a long history of botanical research on the Czech flora and the large amount of data on plant distribution that has been collected, there is still no comprehensive piece of work with distribution maps in this country and no distribution maps are available for more than a half of plant taxa. This paper is the first part of a series of publications prepared within the PLADIAS project, intended as the first step towards a complete atlas of the distribution of both native and alien vascular plants in the Czech Republic. It contains grid distribution maps of 75 taxa of the genera Achillea, Aegilops, Aira, Alopecurus, Avena, Bolboschoenus, Carex, Cladium, Elatine, Eleocharis, Eriophorum, Glyceria, Polypogon, Sclerochloa, Scheuchzeria, Sparganium, Tofieldia, Tragus and Viola. The maps are based on all available herbarium, literature and field records, which were stored at the CzechDistrib database, checked geographically and evaluated taxonomically, and shown inmaps using the Central European mapping grid template derived from quadrants of 5 × 3 arc minutes (corresponding to approximately 5.5 × 5.9 km). Many of these maps resulted from detailed revisions carried out during the work on the Flora of the Czech Republic. Maps of taxonomically difficult groups are based solely or mainly on herbarium specimens revised by taxonomic experts. If useful, recent versus old records, native versus alien occurrences, or records based on revised herbarium specimens versus all other records are distinguished using different symbols. Records used for producing maps are listed in electronic appendices. The maps are accompanied by texts that include an outline of general distribution, information on habitats and specific details on the distribution in the country. Where appropriate, comments on taxonomy, biology or spatial and temporal dynamics in distribution are given

Comparative analysis of plastid genomes in the non-photosynthetic genus Thismia reveals ongoing gene set reduction

Heterotrophic plants provide intriguing examples of reductive evolution. This is especially evident in the reduction of their plastid genomes, which can potentially proceed toward complete genome loss. Several milestones at the beginning of this path of degradation have been described; however, little is known about the latest stages of plastome reduction. Here we analyze a diversity of plastid genomes in a set of closely related non-photosynthetic plants. We demonstrate how a gradual loss of genes shapes the miniaturized plastomes of these plants. The subject of our study, the genus Thismia, represents the mycoheterotrophic monocot family Thismiaceae, a group that may have experienced a very ancient (60–80 mya) transition to heterotrophy. In all 18 species examined, the plastome is reduced to 14–18 kb and is highly AT-biased. The most complete observed gene set includes accD, seven ribosomal protein genes, three rRNA, and two tRNA genes. Different clades of Thismia have undergone further gene loss (complete absence or pseudogenization) compared to this set: in particular, we report two independent losses of rps2 and rps18

Long-term thermal sensitivity of Earth’s tropical forests

The sensitivity of tropical forest carbon to climate is a key uncertainty in predicting global climate change. Although short-term drying and warming are known to affect forests, it is unknown if such effects translate into long-term responses. Here, we analyze 590 permanent plots measured across the tropics to derive the equilibrium climate controls on forest carbon. Maximum temperature is the most important predictor of aboveground biomass (−9.1 megagrams of carbon per hectare per degree Celsius), primarily by reducing woody productivity, and has a greater impact per °C in the hottest forests (>32.2°C). Our results nevertheless reveal greater thermal resilience than observations of short-term variation imply. To realize the long-term climate adaptation potential of tropical forests requires both protecting them and stabilizing Earth’s climate

Two new species of Thismia subsect. Odoardoa (Thismiaceae) from Borneo

Background – Two new species of the sect. Thismia subsect. Odoardoa, Thismia cornuta Hroneš, Sochor & Dančák and Thismia pallida Hroneš, Dančák & Rejžek, from Malaysian Borneo are described and illustrated. The former species is distributed in the Bario area of the Kelabit Highlands of Sarawak, and the latter occurs in the SAFE (Stability of Altered Forest Ecosystem) Project area, northwest of Tawau in Sabah.Methods – This study is based on field observations in several forest localities in Sarawak and Sabah and herbarium material deposited in SAN, SAR and OL. Both conventional herbarium techniques and comparison with protologues of described species were applied.Results – Thismia cornuta is morphologically closely related to T. inconspicua Sochor & Dančák from Brunei Darussalam and T. chrysops Ridl. from the Malay Peninsula but it differs from both species by the presence of only two appendages at apical margin of the connective, by horn-like projection on each side of the lateral appendage and by white colour of perianth tube. It was found at three localities and is preliminarily treated as endangered (EN). Thismia pallida is morphologically close to T. filiformis Chantanaorr. from Thailand but differs by the presence of five appendages at apical margin of connective, by box-shaped lateral appendage exceeding apex of connective and by shorter filiform appendage of perianth lobe. It was found at a single locality within twice logged secondary forest and it is preliminarily treated as critically endangered (CR). This is only the second record of Thismia species inhabiting secondary forests in tropical Asia

First record of functional underground traps in a pitcher plant : Nepenthes pudica (Nepenthaceae), a new species from North Kalimantan, Borneo

Nepenthes pudica, a new species from North Kalimantan, Indonesia, is described and illustrated. The species belongs to the N. hirsuta group (sensu Cheek and Jebb 1999) but exhibits some characters that are unique within the group or even within the genus. Above all, it produces underground, achlorophyllous shoots with well-developed, ventricose lower pitchers that form in soil cavities or directly in the soil. No lower pitchers are formed above ground. The main part of its prey are ants, besides other litter- and soil-inhabiting species of invertebrates. A number of infaunal species were found in both aerial and underground pitchers, mainly Diptera and nematodes. Nepenthes pudica is known only from a few neighbouring localities in the Mentarang Hulu district of North Kalimantan, where it grows on ridgetops at an elevation of 1100–1300 m. Its discovery underlines the natural richness of Borneo's rainforest and the necessity to preserve this important ecosystem with its enormous and still undiscovered biodiversity

Two new species of Thismia subsect. Odoardoa (Thismiaceae) from Borneo

Background – Two new species of the sect. Thismia subsect. Odoardoa, Thismia cornuta Hroneš, Sochor & Dančák and Thismia pallida Hroneš, Dančák & Rejžek, from Malaysian Borneo are described and illustrated. The former species is distributed in the Bario area of the Kelabit Highlands of Sarawak, and the latter occurs in the SAFE (Stability of Altered Forest Ecosystem) Project area, northwest of Tawau in Sabah.Methods – This study is based on field observations in several forest localities in Sarawak and Sabah and herbarium material deposited in SAN, SAR and OL. Both conventional herbarium techniques and comparison with protologues of described species were applied.Results – Thismia cornuta is morphologically closely related to T. inconspicua Sochor & Dančák from Brunei Darussalam and T. chrysops Ridl. from the Malay Peninsula but it differs from both species by the presence of only two appendages at apical margin of the connective, by horn-like projection on each side of the lateral appendage and by white colour of perianth tube. It was found at three localities and is preliminarily treated as endangered (EN). Thismia pallida is morphologically close to T. filiformis Chantanaorr. from Thailand but differs by the presence of five appendages at apical margin of connective, by box-shaped lateral appendage exceeding apex of connective and by shorter filiform appendage of perianth lobe. It was found at a single locality within twice logged secondary forest and it is preliminarily treated as critically endangered (CR). This is only the second record of Thismia species inhabiting secondary forests in tropical Asia

Analýza biodiverzity v CHKO Bílé Karpaty jako podklad pro stanovení nové zonace a vhodného managementu cenných území

Cílem projektu je zpracovat návrh nové zonace CHKO Bílé Karpaty včetně optimální péče o nejcennější území na základě síťového mapování cévnatých rostlin a vybraných zoologických taxonů. Výsledkem projektu bude i databáze nálezů s grafickými výstupy, mapa kvality vodotečí a vědecké publikace. Zpráva popisuje práce vykonané v roce 2003: Charakteristika CHKO a BR Bílé Karpaty, síťové mapování cévnatých rostlin, ornitologický průzkum, ichtyologický a hydrobiologický průzkum, lepidopterologický průzkum, carabidologický průzkum