Richness of Colchic vegetation: comparison between refugia of south-western and East Asia

BACKGROUND: The Colchis is one of the species-rich refugia and a centre of biological diversity in western Eurasia. We analysed patterns of richness, endemism and invasions in relation to taxonomy (family membership), life form, certain habitats in the Colchis, and compared them to patterns found for Japan. RESULTS: We found that in the Colchis perennials are significantly over-represented in endemic species, and that they typically occur on limestone soils and in alpine tall herbaceous vegetation. The Asteraceae produce significantly large number of both endemic and alien species, whereas the Poaceae are over-represented in alien species but under-represented in endemics. Likewise, the Apiaceae are over-represented in endemics, whereas the Euphorbiaceae are over-represented in alien species. Similar patterns have been found in Yakushima, Japan. The Morisita-Horn index of similarity between these two sites was 0.83 (based on family size). Although the flora of Adjara comprised of fewer families than the flora of Yakushima, the largest families are richer in species in the flora of Adjara than in the flora of Yakushima. CONCLUSIONS: Floristic analysis of refugia of western Eurasia and their comparison with geographically distant areas can provide useful data for plant ecological and evolutionary studies. Potentially, such studies can produce testable hypotheses on plant migrations and on their historical geography. For example, the data presented in this study indicate that more severe conditions in the Pleistocene and geographical isolation of the Colchis may be responsible for the higher relative importance of adaptive radiation in the shaping of its modern flora

Ecological Facilitation May Drive Major Evolutionary Transitions

There is a growing consensus among ecologists that ecological facilitation comprises a historically overlooked but crucial suite of biotic interactions. Awareness of such positive interactions has recently led to substantial modifications in ecological theory. In this article we suggest how facilitation may be included in evolutionary theory. Natural selection based on competition provides a conceptually complete paradigm for speciation, but not for major evolutionary transitions-the emergence of new and more complex biological structures such as cells, organisms, and eusocial populations. We find that the successful theories developed to solve these specific problematic transitions show a consistent pattern: they focus on positive interactions. We argue that facilitation between individuals at different levels of biological organization can act as a cohesive force that generates a new level of organization with higher complexity and thus allows for major evolutionary transitions at all levels of biological hierarchy

Ethno-ecological contexts of the Skhalta Gorge and the Upper Svaneti (Georgia, the Caucasus)

The applicability and analytical power of political ecology is improved by study of the 'ethno-ecological context', which is based on the concept of socio-ecological systems (SES). It represents an operating principle of interactions between the ecological and social systems of a specific locality, developing under different historical, political and climatic regimes. We compare two socio-ecological systems in the high mountain regions of Georgia – the Skhalta Gorge and the Upper Svaneti. These are on the southern and northern borders of Georgia. Historically, their socio-ecological systems were similar but today the Skhalta Gorge is rapidly depopulating, whilst in the Upper Svaneti the population is stable. The comparison of the ethno-ecological context and today's state of affairs suggests that (i) "self-regulation" and conserving local culture and traditions, whilst the country undergoes rapid social and political changes, can lead to degradation or even destruction of either the ecological or the social components; (ii) conversely, sustainable development results from active intervention rather than abstaining from it; (iii) tourism appears as a mechanism that restores the ethno-ecological context by providing a source of income - under certain conditions, it supports traditional agriculture. Key words: Political ecology, ethno-ecological context, socio-ecological systems, Georgia, Adjara, Svaneti, Mulakhi community, Skhalta Gorge, sustainability, tourism

Laz Lexical Data from D.R. Peacock’s Collection: Representation, Reflections, Translation

The paper is a discussion of the Laz lexical data contained in D.R. Peacock’s lexicographic collection “Original Vocabularies of Five West Caucasian Languages”, in which English headwords are accompanied by their translations in Georgian, Megrelian, Laz, Svan, and Abkhazian. Laz is the most under-resourced Kartvelian (South Caucasian) language; therefore, Laz data, available in various, particularly, so far thoroughly unexamined sources, can serve as a valuable contribution to its representativeness. Hence, in order to fill in the gap, we provide a description of the lexical part of the collection in question and reflections of some following students of the Laz language

George Ellis’s 130 English Words and Their Equivalents in Caucasian Languages (Evidence from his 18th c. book)

In the present paper we describe the lexicographic segment of George Ellisřs book Memoir of a Map of the Countries Comprehended Between the Black Sea and the Caspian; with an Account of the Caucasian Nations, and Vocabularies of Their Languages (1788). The final part of the book provides specimina of Caucasian languages. This lexicographic segment is divided into six tables. The English wordlist consists of 130 items; they are translated into various Caucasian languages (more exactly, languages of the Caucasus). This is the earliest English-Caucasian lexicographic resource

Demetrius Rudolph Peacock and the Languages of Georgia

The paper is a discussion of D.R. Peacock‘s lexicographic resource ―Original Vocabularies of Five West Caucasian Languages‖ and provides information about the author and his work. The English headwords are accompanied by their translations in the languages spoken in Georgia: Georgian, Megrelian (―Mingrelian‖), Laz (―Lazian‖), Svan (―Swanetian‖), and Abkhazian. With a number of positive aspects, Peacock‘s ―Vocabularies‖ should be considered a significant vestige in the history of English-Caucasian lexicography which can yield much valuable information as a result of the thorough investigation of individual entries and their translation equivalents in the five Caucasian languages spoken in Georgia.The paper is a discussion of D.R. Peacock‘s lexicographic resource ―Original Vocabularies of Five West Caucasian Languages‖ and provides information about the author and his work. The English headwords are accompanied by their translations in the languages spoken in Georgia: Georgian, Megrelian (―Mingrelian‖), Laz (―Lazian‖), Svan (―Swanetian‖), and Abkhazian. With a number of positive aspects, Peacock‘s ―Vocabularies‖ should be considered a significant vestige in the history of English-Caucasian lexicography which can yield much valuable information as a result of the thorough investigation of individual entries and their translation equivalents in the five Caucasian languages spoken in Georgia

Modelling the distribution of the Caucasian oak (Quercus macranthera) in Western Asia under future climate change scenarios

The Caucasian oak (Quercus macranthera), a native tree of Western Asia, typically grows at high altitudes where the effects of climate change are particularly notable. We analysed the climatic determinants of the current distribution of Q. macranthera and assessed the redistribution of areas suitable for this species as a consequence of climate change. We described the current range of distribution and predicted the potential geographical distribution of the Caucasian oak using species distribution models and five algorithms from two Shared Socio-Economic Pathways (SSPs: SSP 1‒2.6 and 5‒8.5) for the years 2035, 2055, and 2085, which are based on two General Circulation Models (GCMs). The Random Forest algorithm most accurately described the current distribution of Q. macranthera. SSP 1‒2.6 and SSP5‒8.5 predicted a pronounced contraction of the highly suitable habitat for the Caucasian oak due to the increase in temperatures and changes in seasonal precipitation dynamics, that more intensive climate change could lead to a greater loss of highly suitable habitats, and that the populations of Q. macranthera could survive only in the Alborz Mountains (northern Iran) and in the Great Caucasus Mountains. Our work helps to establish conservation strategies for species monitoring in order to minimise the potential impacts of climate change

Wine, Beer, Snuff, Medicine, and Loss of Diversity - Ethnobotanical travels in the Georgian Caucasus

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The annotated checklist of plant species that occur in the wetland habitats of Georgia (the Caucasus)

Abstract The checklist includes 270 species that belong to 80 families and 183 genera. Each species has been annotated with the following information: life form, wetland indicator status, and location. In this checklist, Angiosperms are represented by 252 species (93.3%), Bryophytes – 10 species (3.7%), Pteridophytes – 8 (3%), Gymnosperms – 1 (0.4%). The largest families by the number of species are Cyperaceae – 39 (14.4%), Poaceae – 29 (10.7%), Rosaceae – 19 (7.1%), Asteraceae – 17 (6.3%), Fabaceae – 11 (4.1%) and Juncaceae – 11 (4.1%). The checklist is dominated by 55 Palaearctic species (20.4%), followed by 46 Holarctic (17.1%), 31 Euro-Mediterranean (11.5%), 31 Cosmopolitan (11.5%), and 27 Euro-Siberian (10.03%) species. The endemism rate is 4.8%, and the proportion of invasive and naturalized plants is 8.5%. Obligate wetland plants, mainly belonging to the families Cyperaceae and Juncaceae, make up 34.2% of the floristic composition. This is the first comprehensive published checklist of the flora of Georgian wetlands, annotated with wetland indicator values