Aim In contrast to non‐forest vegetation, the species richness–productivity (SR‐P) relationship in forests still remains insufficiently explored. Several studies have focused on the diversity of the tree layer, but the species richness of temperate deciduous forests is mainly determined by their species‐rich herb layer. The factors controlling herb‐layer productivity may differ from those affecting tree layers or open herbaceous vegetation, and thus the SR‐P relationship and its underlying processes may differ. However, the few relevant studies have reported controversial results. Here we explore the SR‐P relationship in the forest herb layer across different areas from oceanic to continental Europe, and put the effect of habitat productivity on species richness into context with other key factors, namely soil pH and light availability.
Location North‐western Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia and southern Urals (Russia).
Methods We measured herb‐layer species richness and biomass, soil pH and tree‐layer cover in 156 vegetation plots of 100 m2 in deciduous forests. We analysed the SR‐P relationship and the relative importance of environmental variables using regression models for particular areas and separate forest types.
Results We found a consistent monotonic increase in the herb‐layer species richness with productivity across all study areas and all forest types. Soil pH and light availability also affected species richness, but their relative importance differed among areas.
Main conclusions We suggest that the monotonically increasing SR‐P relationship in the forest herb layer results from the fact that herb‐layer productivity is limited by canopy shading; competition within the herb layer is therefore not strong enough to exclude many species. This differs fundamentally from open herbaceous vegetation, which is not subject to such productivity limits and consequently exhibits a unimodal SR‐P relationship. We present a conceptual model that might explain the differences in the SR‐P relationship between the forest herb layer and open herbaceous vegetation.
Aim The diversity changes that occurred in Central European forests during the early Holocene can be better understood using ecological knowledge of modern analogues of these forests, which occur in far Eastern Europe. Here we compare the diversity of vascular plants, bryophytes and snails among different forest types of the Southern Urals to provide insights into the palaeoecology of the vanished Central European forests.Location Southern Ural Mountains, Bashkortostan, Russia.Methods We recorded all species of vascular plants, ground-dwelling bryophytes and land snails, and measured biotic and abiotic variables, in 100-m 2 plots located in four forest types dominated by different trees: Pinus sylvestris-Larix sibirica, Betula pendula-Populus tremula, Quercus robur and Acer platanoides-Tilia cordataUlmus glabra. These types correspond to the chronosequence of forest communities that occurred in Central Europe in the early Holocene.
ResultsThe species richness of herb-layer plants was most affected by the canopy-transmitted light. The former three forest types had open canopy and were rich in species, whereas the Acer-Tilia-Ulmus forests were darker and poor in species. The species richness of ground-dwelling bryophytes decreased from coniferous to broad-leaved deciduous forests. In contrast, the highest species richness of snails was in the Acer-Tilia-Ulmus forests owing to the higher calcium content in the litter of these trees.Main conclusions Based on the modern analogue of the Southern Ural forests, we propose the hypothesis that the late-glacial open-canopy pine and larch forests of Central European lowlands were rich in light-demanding species of vascular plants, many of which were also typical of tall-grass steppes or mesic grasslands. They also contained several species of ground-dwelling bryophytes. The spread of birch, aspen and oak in the early Holocene reduced the local species richness of ground-dwelling bryophytes but not of vascular plants. The subsequent spread of elm, lime, maple and ash caused canopy closure, a retreat of the lightdemanding herbs and a decline in the local species richness of vascular plants. Besides the increased shading by these tree species, their litter enriched soils in calcium, and enhanced decomposition and nutrient cycling. This supported an increase in the species richness of land snails.
This publication is to announce the database of the Moss Flora of Russia at http://arctoa.ru/Flora/ basa.php. It also explains the strategy and approaches so as to be maximally useful for the publication of the Moss Flora of Russia, a six-volume print edition that was started in 2017. The database currently contains over 128 000 records; it is shown to be reasonably complete for illustrating the species distribution within the expanded territory of the country. A number of scripts allow instant comparison of various territories, highlighting hotspots and underexplored areas. Problems of data control and presentation are discussed. Резюме В данной статье анонсируется база данных по флоре мхов России, размещенная по адресу http://arctoa.ru/Flora/basa.php. В ней также представлены стратегия и подходы к максимально полному ее использованию для подготовки публикации шеститомного печатного издания "Флора мхов России", которое стартовало в 2017 г. В настоящее время в базе представлено более 128 000 образцов; показано, что уже сейчас распространение видов на территории страны отражается адекватно. Наличие нескольких скриптов позволяет быстро проводить сравнение флор разных территорий, которое выявляет наиболее флористически богатые регионы и "белые пятна" в исследовании флор. Обсуждаются проблемы контроля за внесением информации и ее представ-лением.
The bryophytic communities of NorthEastern Bashkiria were studied. The paper presents 5 syntaxa, including two new associations for Bashkiria: Platygyrietum repentis Le Blanc 1963 and Orthotrichetosum speciosi (Jaggli 1934) Barkman 1958. Three subassociations are described as new. The diagnostic species of high syntaxa often have been used for the establishment of the Urals associations, since the floristic composition of epiphytic and epixylic communities in Bashkiria are rather poor in number of species. Резюме Были изучены сообщества мохообразных северо-восточной части Башкирии. Представлена характеристика 5 синтаксонов, в том числе две новые для Башкирии ассоциации Platygyrietum repentis Le Blanc 1963 и Orthotrichetosum speciosi (Jaggli 1934) Barkman 1958. Впервые описаны также 3 субассоциации. Для выделения многих ассоциаций использованы диагностические виды высших единиц, что связано с общей обедненностью бриофлоры Башкирии.
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