Hieracium sylvularum (Asteraceae) in the Mordovia State Nature Reserve: invasive plant or historical heritage of the flora?

Abstract

Protected Areas are considered as one of the most appropriate tool for biodiversity conservation. However, invasion of alien species is one of the main and widely known problems of these territories. Therefore, the timely detection and prevention of the invasive species dispersal is one of the main tasks of researchers in Protected Areas. The European species Hieracium sylvularum was found in the Mordovia State Nature Reserve in 2012. In the following years, new locations have been discovered there. That is why the main traits of the ecology and biology, invasiveness level of the alien species were studied. An investigation of the five known H. sylvularum locations has been carried out in the Mordovia Reserve. Attention has been paid to the age-structure of the populations, the accompanying floras' composition and morphometrical parameters of the generative individuals. The environmental conditions of habitats were revealed and compared using phytoindication methods. The mass and germination of seeds, harvested on different locations, were studied. The results indicate that H. sylvularum is not an invasive species. This alien plant is able to reproduce primarily vegetatively. Probably, the population area can extend gradually on each location. Seed dispersal is difficult due to low germinability of seeds, despite of their significant number per plant. Based on obtained results, dry and semi-dry light lichen-moss-Pinus-forests have a higher invasibility by H. sylvularum. Therefore, perhaps, its new locations may be found especially in these habitats. Annual monitoring of the currently known locations of this alien plant is necessary in the Mordovia State Nature Reserve.

Cypripedium calceolus (Orchidaceae) in Central Russia: a case study for its populations in two protected areas in the Republic of Mordovia (Russia)

“…Similar results shown using the Jaccard similarity index and phytoindication methods allow us to propose their conjoint use for other plant species as it was tested earlier (e.g. Couto et al 2016, Khapugin et al 2016, Khapugin 2017, Michálková 2007.…”

Contribution to the floras of Lipetsk and Voronezh Regions (new vascular plant records from Usmansky pine forest)

“…Для средней полосы европейской части России вид отмечен как встречающийся вблизи мест культивирования, но не образующий натурализовавшихся популяций (Maevskiy, 2014). В Липецкой области ранее отмечался только как культивируемое растение (Alexandrova et al, 1996) (Maevskiy, 2014;Khapugin, 2017). Для флоры Липецкой области имеются сведения, что «в парке Лотарево на полутенистых местах под старыми дубами В. В. Алехин (Alekhin, 1925) отмечал H. murorum L. (H. sylvaticum L.) и H. vulgatum Fries.», но гербарные образцы отсутствуют (Alexandrova et al, 1996: 242).…”

The floristic lists as a source to characterize environment conditions of habitats using phytoindication methods: A case study for Iris aphylla (Iridaceae) and Lilium martagon (Liliaceae) in central Russia

“…Absence of correlation between data of similarity indices (in present study -Jaccard's index) and data of statistical analysis for environment factors may be explained by significant differences in environment conditions of studied localities of both target species, as well as transitional nature of most plant communities (forest edges). Usage of data for more or less homogenous plant communities usually provides results characterised by high correlation of similarity indices and results of statistical analyses (Havlová, 2006;Michálková, 2007;Couto et al, 2016;Khapugin et al, 2016b;Khapugin, 2017).…”