Long-term Population Development and Spatial Pattern of Carex curvula Subspecies

Population dynamics along a primary succession gradient: do alpine species fit into demographic succession theory?

“…Because of higher vegetation, mean cover and higher beta-diversity (70 % and 3, respectively; Raffl et al, 2006b), competition with other species is assumed to be a determining factor. Competition with Kobresia myosuroides -the dominant graminoid species on this site (Raffl et al, 2006b) -may be suggested, as found in a study on Carex subspecies (Erschbamer and Winkler, 2005). Plantlets of P. alpina were hardly present in the early and late successional stage, suggesting that the switch from asexual to sexual reproduction may depend upon the amelioration of the environmental conditions.…”

“…Population-dynamic models allow investigation of the current population structure and dynamics, and projection of future population development (Caswell, 2001). Such modelling has been applied to a variety of plant species differing in life history and environment, but to only a few species from arctic -alpine habitats, most of them showing clonal growth (Callaghan, 1976;Erschbamer, 1994;Erschbamer et al, 1998;Morris and Doak, 1998;Tolvanen et al, 2001;Dinnétz and Nilsson, 2002;Erschbamer and Winkler, 2005;Weppler et al, 2006). None of these studies have compared different species with each other, attempted to relate their dynamics to certain stages of primary succession, or drawn general conclusions on life-history strategies.…”

Signals of range expansions and contractions of vascular plants in the high Alps: observations (1994–2004) at the GLORIA* master site Schrankogel, Tyrol, Austria

“…This cannot be convincingly explained by temperature-dependent factors only. The species is known to persist over an extremely long time at the same site (Grabherr et al, 1978;Steinger et al, 1996;Grabherr, 1997), and its extinction risk was found to be low in pioneer grassland (Erschbamer & Winkler, 2005). C. curvula, however, avoids unstable sites affected by periglacial phenomena (Guisan et al, 1998;Pauli et al, 1999), which may retard its expansion.…”