Zonación de la vegetación hidrófila de balsas periódicas en las zonas semiáridas de Baleares

In the South of Mallorca and Formentera semiarid areas, on limestones plataforms, there are small periodic freshwater ponds. In these ecosystems lives an interesting steppic fauna and an hydrophilous vegetation which belongs to Lemnetalia, Potametalia and Isoetalia Orders. We have developed an spatial zonation model of these vegetation communities using a Correspondence Analysis.En el Sur de Mallorca y en Formentera (Islas Baleares, España) bajo un clima semiárido y sobre plataformas calcáreas, existen pequeñas balsas periódicas de agua dulce pobladas por una fauna de tipo estepario y por una vegetación higrófila que ha sido adscrita a las Órdenes Lemnetalia, Potametalia y Isoetalia. En este trabajo presentamos un modelo de la zonación espacial de estas comunidades vegetales desarrollado con la ayuda de un análisis factorial de correspondencias

Ecological Surveys of Welsh Lakes 2016

This project set out to collect, process and supply to NRW ecological and environmental data from a network of 14 lake sites across Wales, in support of NRW’s integrated monitoring programme for protected sites (SACs and SSSIs), the Water Framework Directive, Nitrates Directive, Biodiversity Action Plans and other legislative and policy drivers. In particular the surveys are aimed at informing management and restoration of protected sites and facilitating delivery of River Basin Management Plans. Using standard methods, lakes were surveyed to assess the species and abundance of aquatic plants growing within and directly around the lake and to measure water clarity, dissolved oxygen and temperature within the lakes. · The aquatic plant species are listed within the report and the complete survey results supplied to NRW as MS Excel spreadsheets. · Calculations are presented for the onward use of determining the ecological status of the lakes with respect to the Water Framework Directive (LEAFPACS). The results of the aquatic plant surveys are suitable for the purposes of assessing site condition for Habitats Directive standing water features and SSSI status. The lake metrics are applicable for the production of ecological quality ratios from which the lakes may be classified in accordance with the requirements of Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) Ecological Surveys of Welsh Lakes 2016 (NRW Evidence Report No. 204). Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318135626_Ecological_Surveys_of_Welsh_Lakes_2016_NRW_Evidence_Report_No_204 [accessed Sep 29, 2017]

Hilfe zum Sammeln und Bestimmen von Arten der Gattung Callitriche (Wassersterne)

Die Wassersterne (Callitriche L.) zählen ungeachtet der Fortschritte in der Bearbeitung der Gattung nach wie vor zu den problematischen Arten, welche in der Bestimmungsarbeit hinreichend Erfahrung voraussetzen. Das schlägt sich auch im Bearbeitungsstand nieder. In der Mehrzahl der Florenlisten und Florenwerke wird deshalb vornehmlich auf eine Artdiagnose verzichtet, oder es sind die Aussagen mit Vorbehalt zu übernehmen. So zeigt es sich, daß unbelegte Angaben nicht verwertbar sind. Um für das Kartierungsvorhaben zum Florenatlas von Sachsen-Anhalt ausreichend Material verwerten zu können, sei hier eine Anregung zum Sammeln und Bestimmen der Gattung gegeben

Can environmental constraints determine random patterns of plant species co-occurrence?

Plant community ecologists use the null model approach to infer assembly processes from observed patterns of species co-occurrence. In about a third of published studies, the null hypothesis of random assembly cannot be rejected. When this occurs, plant ecologists interpret that the observed random pattern is not environmentally constrained – but probably generated by stochastic processes. The null model approach (using the C-score and the discrepancy index) was used to test for random assembly under two simulation algorithms. Logistic regression, distance-based redundancy analysis, and constrained ordination were used to test for environmental determinism (species segregation along environmental gradients or turnover and species aggregation). This article introduces an environmentally determined community of alpine hydrophytes that presents itself as randomly assembled. The pathway through which the random pattern arises in this community is suggested to be as follows: Two simultaneous environmental processes, one leading to species aggregation and the other leading to species segregation, concurrently generate the observed pattern, which results to be neither aggregated nor segregated – but random. A simulation study supports this suggestion. Although apparently simple, the null model approach seems to assume that a single ecological factor prevails or that if several factors decisively influence the community, then they all exert their influence in the same direction, generating either aggregation or segregation. As these assumptions are unlikely to hold in most cases and assembly processes cannot be inferred from random patterns, we would like to propose plant ecologists to investigate specifically the ecological processes responsible for observed random patterns, instead of trying to infer processes from patternsThis research and publication was possible thanks to a postdoctoral fellowship at The Open University (UK) and the project “Development of the recovery plan for A. rioxana in la Rioja. Measures of research, monitoring and control (University of Salamanca)”, both funded by the Regional Government of La Rioja (Spain

Phytosociological research on temporary ponds in Apulia (southern Italy)

The ephemeral hygrophilous vegetation occurring in the temporary ponds of Apulia (southern Italy) weres studied following the phytosociological approach. On the base of 153 phytosociological relevés carried out during the period 2015-2018, 19 associations were identified, of which 16 described for the first time. All the associations belong to the Isoeto-Nanojuncetea class. The surveyed associations can be arranged in two orders, such as Isoetetalia, including those with a winter-spring cycle and Nanocyperetalia, regarding those with a summertime cycle. The identified association has been examined in detail, and for each one, we provided a phytosociological table. The communities belonging to the Isoetetalia are 17 and arranged in four alliances (Isoetion, Preslion cervinae, Cicendio filiformis-Solenopsion laurentiae, Agrostion salmanticae); instead, those ones of Nanocyperetalia are two both included in the Verbenion supinae. In order to highlight the relationships among the associations, all the relevés used for this investigation are processed. Overall, this analysis confirms the autonomy of the associations, grouping them according to the syntaxonomic arrangement proposed by the authors. Taxonomic investigations on the flora occurring in these habitats allowed the detection of two new subspecies of Solenopsis laurentia, both with a different autoecology

Contribution to the knowledge of Mediterranean wetland vegetation: Lemnetea and Potamogetonetea classes in Western Sicily

The freshwater aquatic vegetation of the Lemnetea and Potamogetonetea classes in Western Sicily was surveyed and analyzed. 85 lakes and small pools were investigated collecting 147 phytosociological unpublished relev\ue9s to integrate the very scarce available data (only 3 relev\ue9s). By applying statistical analyses on abundances data and on the bases of physiognomy and dominant species, two alliances (Lemnion minoris and Stratiotion) and four different coenoses have been identify for the Lemnetea class; while 11 associations, assigned to two orders (Potamogetonetalia pectinati and Callitricho hamulatae-Ranunculetalia aquatilis) and four alliances (Potamogetonion, Nymphaeion albae, Ranunculion aquatilis and Ranunculion omiophyllo-hederacei) have been recognized for the Potamogetonetea class. A new association (Junco bufonii-Ranunculetum omiophylli ass. nov.) and a new subassociation (Ranunculetum peltati ranunculetosum rionii subass. nov.) have been proposed, whereas other six vegetation units were found to be new for the study area (Potamogetono-Ceratophylletum submersi, Potamogetonetum pusilli, Ranunculetum aquatilis, Ranunculetum peltati and Ranunculetum rionii, Lemno-Callitrichetum obtusangulae). For all the coenoses recognized, new insights on the floristic composition, syntaxonomy, synphiognomy, synecology and synchorology are reported, offering a reasoned overview of the aquatic vegetation of the western sector of the main Mediterranean island

Conservação de charcos temporários mediterrânicos sob maneio agrícola: uma avaliação usando flora

Os charcos temporários mediterrânicos são um dos habitats mais ameaçados da Europa. Estes ecossistemas são caracterizados por estarem sujeitos a condições ecológicas extremas e instáveis, devido à alternância entre a fase inundada e seca. Estes charcos albergarem uma grande variedade de espécies, algumas delas raras e ameaçadas. A realização deste estudo teve como objetivos a: 1) identificação de charcos temporários mediterrânicos na região Alentejo; 2) caracterização da componente florística e físico-química da água e do solo dos CTM identificados; 3) identificação de indicadores do estado de conservação deste habitat. Foram amostrados 45 charcos temporários, onde foram identificadas 123 espécies de plantas. A flora foi inventariada em duas fases do ciclo anual de enchimento dos charcos: inverno e primavera. A análise de espécies indicadoras e a fidelidade permitiram identificar as espécies características dos diferentes estados de conservação (bom, intermédio e mau). O estado de conservação dos charcos foi também relacionado com 16 parâmetros físico-químicos da água e do solo. Apenas quatro parâmetros da água estão significativamente relacionados com o estado de conservação dos CTM. A água dos charcos bem conservados apresentam valores baixos de condutividade, amónio e dureza total e valores elevados de oxigénio dissolvido; Abstract: Conservation of Mediterranean temporary ponds under agricultural usage – un evaluation using flora Mediterranean temporary ponds are one of the most threatened habitats in Europe. These ecosystems are characterized by their instability and exposure to extreme environmental conditions due to changes during flooded and dried phases. These ponds support a variety of species, some of them rare and endangered. The objectives of this study were: 1) identification of Mediterranean temporary ponds in the Alentejo region; 2) characterization of the floristic component and physicochemical water and soil parameters, from the identified CTM; 3) identification of habitat conservation status indicators. We sampled 45 Mediterranean temporary ponds, where 123 species of plants have been identified. The flora was sample in two phases of the annual cycle filling of the ponds: winter and spring. The indicator species analysis and fidelity allowed to identify characteristic species of different conservation status (good, intermediate and bad). The conservation status of the ponds was also related to 16 physical and chemical parameters of water and soil. Only four water parameters are significantly related to CTM conservation status. The water of well preserved ponds exhibit lower values of conductivity, total hardness and ammonium, and high levels of dissolved oxygen

Hippuris vulgaris L. en la provincia de Zamora

Hippuris vulgaris L.in Zamora province Palabras clave. Corología, Hippuris, plantas amenazadas, Zamora.Key words. Chorology, Hippuris, threatened species, Zamora