Pub Date : 2023-12-17DOI: 10.14712/23361964.2023.7
Jimmy C. Oppong, Michal Kešner, Jana Macháčková, Jiří Kučera, Jan Frouz
Drainage is often used to increase agriculture production, but it has adverse effects on biodiversity and water retention. Here, the effect of subsurface pipe drainage on peat meadows near Senotín (Czechia), which were drained from the mid-1980s to 1990s, was studied. Attempts were made to restore the peat meadows by damming drainage pipes using clay-filled trenches in 1996. In this case study, the effect on the depth of the water table, soil water retention, infiltration and soil temperature were recorded. Measurements of the original peat meadow (undrained site), drained meadow (drained site) and restored meadow (restored site) before restoration and two decades after restoration were recorded. The water table in undrained areas was higher than at drained and restored sites, indicating that drainage had lasting effect on drained and restored sites. Infiltration was lowest at the undrained site, greater at the drained site, and highest at the restored sites. Field water capacity was lowest at the restored site, greater at the drained site and highest at the undrained site. Soil water content at maximum saturation was lowest at the restored site, greater at the drained site and highest at the undrained site. Soil temperature was highest at the restored site with no significant difference between the undrained and drained sites. Soil moisture levels were highest at the undrained site and lowest at the drained site. In addition, the undrained and restored sites did not differ significantly in soil moisture content. In conclusion, restoration did not have a significant effect on the level of the water table, initiation of peat formation or ability of soil to hold water.
{"title":"The effect of underground drainage on peat meadows and inactivation of the drainage in an attempt to restore these meadows, which failed as it reduced the ability of soils to retain water","authors":"Jimmy C. Oppong, Michal Kešner, Jana Macháčková, Jiří Kučera, Jan Frouz","doi":"10.14712/23361964.2023.7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14712/23361964.2023.7","url":null,"abstract":"Drainage is often used to increase agriculture production, but it has adverse effects on biodiversity and water retention. Here, the effect of subsurface pipe drainage on peat meadows near Senotín (Czechia), which were drained from the mid-1980s to 1990s, was studied. Attempts were made to restore the peat meadows by damming drainage pipes using clay-filled trenches in 1996. In this case study, the effect on the depth of the water table, soil water retention, infiltration and soil temperature were recorded. Measurements of the original peat meadow (undrained site), drained meadow (drained site) and restored meadow (restored site) before restoration and two decades after restoration were recorded. The water table in undrained areas was higher than at drained and restored sites, indicating that drainage had lasting effect on drained and restored sites. Infiltration was lowest at the undrained site, greater at the drained site, and highest at the restored sites. Field water capacity was lowest at the restored site, greater at the drained site and highest at the undrained site. Soil water content at maximum saturation was lowest at the restored site, greater at the drained site and highest at the undrained site. Soil temperature was highest at the restored site with no significant difference between the undrained and drained sites. Soil moisture levels were highest at the undrained site and lowest at the drained site. In addition, the undrained and restored sites did not differ significantly in soil moisture content. In conclusion, restoration did not have a significant effect on the level of the water table, initiation of peat formation or ability of soil to hold water.","PeriodicalId":11931,"journal":{"name":"European journal of environmental sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138966496","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-12-17DOI: 10.14712/23361964.2023.11
Magdaléna Švecová, Zuzana Štípková, Iva Traxmandlová, P. Kindlmann
When examining the probability of extinction of a given orchid species, the species must be viewed as a metapopulation composed of many individual populations connected by migration. In biology, much attention has been paid to the dynamics of metapopulations, especially in the situation where metapopulation dynamics are affected by active migration of individuals between populations. However, this is not the case with orchids. Their seeds are passively spread by wind, and therefore are unable to actively choose the point where they land (passive migrants, unlike, e.g., butterflies, which can actively look for a suitable site that hosts, hosted or can potentially host a population of their species (active migrants). Thus, while active migrants can often find a suitable destination for their migration, passive migrants often die after landing at an unsuitable site. One would therefore expect that, other things being equal, the proportion of suitable sites inhabited by active migrants is larger than that inhabited by passive migrants. In passive migrants (orchids) we may therefore meet metapopulation dynamics of a different, yet unexplored type, in which some existing localities die out and new localities appear, in the vast majority where no orchids have ever grown before. This type of dynamics has not yet been studied anywhere and this paper is intended to be the first step in this direction. The main goal here is therefore empirical determination of actual distributions of population sizes in different metapopulations. We do it in four regions of the Czech Republic and for four species of orchids, considering the factors that influence it.
{"title":"Difficulties in determining distribution of population sizes within different orchid metapopulations","authors":"Magdaléna Švecová, Zuzana Štípková, Iva Traxmandlová, P. Kindlmann","doi":"10.14712/23361964.2023.11","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14712/23361964.2023.11","url":null,"abstract":"When examining the probability of extinction of a given orchid species, the species must be viewed as a metapopulation composed of many individual populations connected by migration. In biology, much attention has been paid to the dynamics of metapopulations, especially in the situation where metapopulation dynamics are affected by active migration of individuals between populations. However, this is not the case with orchids. Their seeds are passively spread by wind, and therefore are unable to actively choose the point where they land (passive migrants, unlike, e.g., butterflies, which can actively look for a suitable site that hosts, hosted or can potentially host a population of their species (active migrants). Thus, while active migrants can often find a suitable destination for their migration, passive migrants often die after landing at an unsuitable site. One would therefore expect that, other things being equal, the proportion of suitable sites inhabited by active migrants is larger than that inhabited by passive migrants. In passive migrants (orchids) we may therefore meet metapopulation dynamics of a different, yet unexplored type, in which some existing localities die out and new localities appear, in the vast majority where no orchids have ever grown before. This type of dynamics has not yet been studied anywhere and this paper is intended to be the first step in this direction. The main goal here is therefore empirical determination of actual distributions of population sizes in different metapopulations. We do it in four regions of the Czech Republic and for four species of orchids, considering the factors that influence it.","PeriodicalId":11931,"journal":{"name":"European journal of environmental sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138965785","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-12-17DOI: 10.14712/23361964.2023.9
I. Mikeladze, Z. Manvelidze, David Tsiskaridze, G. Shainidze
Chorokhi Delta is known for its high diversity and many habitats, which however are being threatened by invasive plants. Here, the effects of four invasive species of plants, namely Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Sicyos angulatus, Solidago canadensis and Verbena brasiliensis were studied. These species were recorded in the coastal area of the Black Sea and in particular in Georgia for the first time in the first half of the last century and S. angulatus is a very recent arrival. Currently, these species constitute a significant threat to biodiversity at local, national and global levels. These invasive species were monitored from 2021 to 2022. During this period, sites with high densities of the invasive species were identified. For each species, 5 transects were randomly set, and along each of them, 10 plots (1 × 1 m) were surveyed. The density, frequency, coverage and average height of the invasive plants were measured in each plot. These measurements were recorded twice per year for two years (2021–2022). All this information will be used to develop management plans aimed at preventing their further spread or control their abundance. The results indicate that Ambrosia artemisiifolia is the most invasive and widely distributed. Verbena brasiliensis and Sicyos angulatus are also highly competitive species that can seriously affect semi-natural habitats in the Chorokhi Delta and in agricultural land located close to the Delta. Unlike these species, Solidago canadensis is not widely distributed in the area studied. However, its ability to survive in a wide range of habitats and clonal growth indicate that it is potentially a highly dangerous invasive species, which in the future is expected to expand its range and severely affect the semi-natural ecosystems and agricultural land in the Chorokhi Delta. The results of the present study demonstrate the high adaptability of the species studied and their potential for spreading further in the near future.
{"title":"Distribution and invasiveness of four non-native species of plants in ecosystems in the Chorokhi delta (SW Georgia)","authors":"I. Mikeladze, Z. Manvelidze, David Tsiskaridze, G. Shainidze","doi":"10.14712/23361964.2023.9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14712/23361964.2023.9","url":null,"abstract":"Chorokhi Delta is known for its high diversity and many habitats, which however are being threatened by invasive plants. Here, the effects of four invasive species of plants, namely Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Sicyos angulatus, Solidago canadensis and Verbena brasiliensis were studied. These species were recorded in the coastal area of the Black Sea and in particular in Georgia for the first time in the first half of the last century and S. angulatus is a very recent arrival. Currently, these species constitute a significant threat to biodiversity at local, national and global levels. These invasive species were monitored from 2021 to 2022. During this period, sites with high densities of the invasive species were identified. For each species, 5 transects were randomly set, and along each of them, 10 plots (1 × 1 m) were surveyed. The density, frequency, coverage and average height of the invasive plants were measured in each plot. These measurements were recorded twice per year for two years (2021–2022). All this information will be used to develop management plans aimed at preventing their further spread or control their abundance. The results indicate that Ambrosia artemisiifolia is the most invasive and widely distributed. Verbena brasiliensis and Sicyos angulatus are also highly competitive species that can seriously affect semi-natural habitats in the Chorokhi Delta and in agricultural land located close to the Delta. Unlike these species, Solidago canadensis is not widely distributed in the area studied. However, its ability to survive in a wide range of habitats and clonal growth indicate that it is potentially a highly dangerous invasive species, which in the future is expected to expand its range and severely affect the semi-natural ecosystems and agricultural land in the Chorokhi Delta. The results of the present study demonstrate the high adaptability of the species studied and their potential for spreading further in the near future.","PeriodicalId":11931,"journal":{"name":"European journal of environmental sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138966184","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-12-17DOI: 10.14712/23361964.2023.12
Michaela Steffelová, Iva Traxmandlová, Zuzana Štípková, P. Kindlmann
Orchids can be classified in terms of their pollination into rewarding species, which produce nectar in their flowers that serves as a reward for pollinators and deceptive species, whose flowers do not contain nectar and save energy for other purposes. This paper concentrates on the latter. Deceptive orchids attempt to deceive their pollinators by being similar to some non-orchid rewarding species, but not providing a reward. Each of these strategies has its advantages and disadvantages in terms of their effect on future fitness of a plant and/or population and subsequently its survival as a species. In summary, the literature indicates that deceptive strategies may lower reproductive success, but may be compensated for in that they cost less in terms of energy. This should be taken into consideration when developing management strategies for these species, which is often done by non-orchid specialists. This article is intended for such non-specialist audience and includes a description of the main types of deceptive strategies used by orchids, as well as examples of the most typical species.
{"title":"Pollination strategies of deceptive orchids – a review","authors":"Michaela Steffelová, Iva Traxmandlová, Zuzana Štípková, P. Kindlmann","doi":"10.14712/23361964.2023.12","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14712/23361964.2023.12","url":null,"abstract":"Orchids can be classified in terms of their pollination into rewarding species, which produce nectar in their flowers that serves as a reward for pollinators and deceptive species, whose flowers do not contain nectar and save energy for other purposes. This paper concentrates on the latter. Deceptive orchids attempt to deceive their pollinators by being similar to some non-orchid rewarding species, but not providing a reward. Each of these strategies has its advantages and disadvantages in terms of their effect on future fitness of a plant and/or population and subsequently its survival as a species. In summary, the literature indicates that deceptive strategies may lower reproductive success, but may be compensated for in that they cost less in terms of energy. This should be taken into consideration when developing management strategies for these species, which is often done by non-orchid specialists. This article is intended for such non-specialist audience and includes a description of the main types of deceptive strategies used by orchids, as well as examples of the most typical species.","PeriodicalId":11931,"journal":{"name":"European journal of environmental sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138966452","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-12-17DOI: 10.14712/23361964.2023.8
Lawrence Tanner, Genevieve Kikukawa, Kaylyn Weits
Recent anthropogenic climate change has caused both glacial retreat and increased vegetative growth on Arctic and subarctic tundra landscapes resulting in changing albedo and energy budgets. Glacial forelands are topographically and ecologically heterogeneous landscapes comprising ice-contact and outwash deposits subject to primary succession. The most recent moraines on the foreland of the Skaftafellsjökull in southern Iceland are mostly unvegetated, but vegetation cover increases with the age in a general sense. Vegetated outwash channel terraces occur between the moraines, and a broad vegetated outwash plain occurs distal to the oldest moraine. Variations in albedo were measured at ground level to determine the specific role of vegetation types and varying substrates. Albedo and coverage by major plant groups were measured along transects established on moraines ranging in age from 20 to 130 years and the terrace of one outwash channel and three locations on the outwash plain. Total vegetation cover and coverage by mosses increases on the glacial moraines largely as a function of time but is subject to strong aspect effects. Total vegetation cover and moss cover are highest on outwash deposits, possibly due to a sheltered aspect and greater uniformity of the outwash surface. Measured albedo exhibits a modest positive correlation with total vegetation cover and a modest negative correlation with rock and soil exposure. The strongest positive correlation was found between albedo and moss cover. The differences in brightness between moraines and outwash deposits are evident visually at the landscape scale on satellite photographs and quantifiable by image-processing software.
{"title":"Albedo on a glacial foreland at ground level and landscape scale driven by vegetation-substrate patterns","authors":"Lawrence Tanner, Genevieve Kikukawa, Kaylyn Weits","doi":"10.14712/23361964.2023.8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14712/23361964.2023.8","url":null,"abstract":"Recent anthropogenic climate change has caused both glacial retreat and increased vegetative growth on Arctic and subarctic tundra landscapes resulting in changing albedo and energy budgets. Glacial forelands are topographically and ecologically heterogeneous landscapes comprising ice-contact and outwash deposits subject to primary succession. The most recent moraines on the foreland of the Skaftafellsjökull in southern Iceland are mostly unvegetated, but vegetation cover increases with the age in a general sense. Vegetated outwash channel terraces occur between the moraines, and a broad vegetated outwash plain occurs distal to the oldest moraine. Variations in albedo were measured at ground level to determine the specific role of vegetation types and varying substrates. Albedo and coverage by major plant groups were measured along transects established on moraines ranging in age from 20 to 130 years and the terrace of one outwash channel and three locations on the outwash plain. Total vegetation cover and coverage by mosses increases on the glacial moraines largely as a function of time but is subject to strong aspect effects. Total vegetation cover and moss cover are highest on outwash deposits, possibly due to a sheltered aspect and greater uniformity of the outwash surface. Measured albedo exhibits a modest positive correlation with total vegetation cover and a modest negative correlation with rock and soil exposure. The strongest positive correlation was found between albedo and moss cover. The differences in brightness between moraines and outwash deposits are evident visually at the landscape scale on satellite photographs and quantifiable by image-processing software.","PeriodicalId":11931,"journal":{"name":"European journal of environmental sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138966649","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-12-17DOI: 10.14712/23361964.2023.10
S. Kaur
This paper presents an attempt to establish a protocol for the conservation of Cypripedium cordigerum D. Don a vulnerable species of orchid using in vitro symbiotic seed germination. The suitability of four orchids seed germination media [Terrestrial orchid medium (BM), modified terrestrial orchid seed germination medium (BM-1), Malmgren modified terrestrial orchid medium (MM), Knudson C medium (KC)] was tested using different photoperiods i.e. 24-h dark or 12-h light per day. The seed capsules were harvested at two different stages of development in order to determine the effect of capsule maturity on seed germination. The maximum percentage germination of seed from intact capsules in the dark was 65.00 ± 0.12% on the BM-1 medium. Release of brownish exudates was stopped by the addition of activated charcoal to the cultures. Seedlings developed in 26.17 ± 0.17 weeks. The current study is the first to report the ex-situ conservation of C. cordigerum.
本文试图利用体外共生种子萌发技术，为保护易危物种堇菜（Cypripedium cordigerum D. Don）制定一套方案。唐（Cypripedium cordigerum D.Don）的体外共生种子发芽法。使用不同的光周期（即每天 24 小时黑暗或 12 小时光照）测试了四种兰花种子萌发培养基[陆生兰花培养基（BM）、改良陆生兰花种子萌发培养基（BM-1）、Malmgren 改良陆生兰花培养基（MM）、Knudson C 培养基（KC）]的适宜性。在两个不同的发育阶段收获种子蒴果，以确定蒴果成熟度对种子萌发的影响。在 BM-1 培养基上，完整蒴果种子在黑暗条件下的最大发芽率为 65.00 ± 0.12%。在培养基中加入活性炭可阻止棕色渗出物的释放。幼苗发育时间为 26.17 ± 0.17 周。本研究首次报道了 C. cordigerum 的异地保护。
{"title":"In vitro asymbiotic propagation of the vulnerable slipper orchid Cypripedium cordigerum D. Don","authors":"S. Kaur","doi":"10.14712/23361964.2023.10","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14712/23361964.2023.10","url":null,"abstract":"This paper presents an attempt to establish a protocol for the conservation of Cypripedium cordigerum D. Don a vulnerable species of orchid using in vitro symbiotic seed germination. The suitability of four orchids seed germination media [Terrestrial orchid medium (BM), modified terrestrial orchid seed germination medium (BM-1), Malmgren modified terrestrial orchid medium (MM), Knudson C medium (KC)] was tested using different photoperiods i.e. 24-h dark or 12-h light per day. The seed capsules were harvested at two different stages of development in order to determine the effect of capsule maturity on seed germination. The maximum percentage germination of seed from intact capsules in the dark was 65.00 ± 0.12% on the BM-1 medium. Release of brownish exudates was stopped by the addition of activated charcoal to the cultures. Seedlings developed in 26.17 ± 0.17 weeks. The current study is the first to report the ex-situ conservation of C. cordigerum.","PeriodicalId":11931,"journal":{"name":"European journal of environmental sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138966758","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-06-30DOI: 10.14712/23361964.2023.2
Yi-Huei Jiang, A. Purvis
Biodiversity provides humans with abundant natural resources, but due to human activities, land use has become one of the main factors determining the loss of biodiversity. Previous research has shown that land use has different effects on different species. To illustrate this phenomenon, this study used a wide range of sets of data to determine how land use affects species diversity worldwide, and whether this effect depends on the continent. This study mainly uses linear mixed-effects models (LMM) and generalized linear mixed-effects models (GLMM) to address the questions from two aspects: abundance and species richness. The results show that the responses of both abundance and species richness differ significantly between continents, which in Europe are significantly lower than in countries with primary vegetation. However, due to the sample size for Europe being much larger than that for Asia and Oceania, this result also indicates that the level of sampling could have biased the results.
{"title":"How land use affects biodiversity: An analysis of the differences in the effects recorded on different continents","authors":"Yi-Huei Jiang, A. Purvis","doi":"10.14712/23361964.2023.2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14712/23361964.2023.2","url":null,"abstract":"Biodiversity provides humans with abundant natural resources, but due to human activities, land use has become one of the main factors determining the loss of biodiversity. Previous research has shown that land use has different effects on different species. To illustrate this phenomenon, this study used a wide range of sets of data to determine how land use affects species diversity worldwide, and whether this effect depends on the continent. This study mainly uses linear mixed-effects models (LMM) and generalized linear mixed-effects models (GLMM) to address the questions from two aspects: abundance and species richness. The results show that the responses of both abundance and species richness differ significantly between continents, which in Europe are significantly lower than in countries with primary vegetation. However, due to the sample size for Europe being much larger than that for Asia and Oceania, this result also indicates that the level of sampling could have biased the results.","PeriodicalId":11931,"journal":{"name":"European journal of environmental sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45700282","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-06-30DOI: 10.14712/23361964.2023.3
G. Varsamis, T. Merou, Katerina Tseniklidou, Katerina Goula, S. Tsiftsis
Mt. Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece, is a biosphere reserve and a magnet for countless visitors. In the wider area of Olympus, at least 1,700 species and subspecies of plants are recorded, 26 of which are endemic. Most of the endemics only occur in the high or subalpine zone, which is expected to be strongly affected by climate change or in specific microsites that might be affected by several other factors. Thus, the unique flora of the mountain will probably become extinct. Ex situ conservation can be utilized to prevent and even reverse this trend and preserve plant diversity for future generations. The aim of the present study was to develop reproduction protocols for the endemic species on Mt. Olympus, Centaurea incompleta, Centaurea litochorea and Viola striis-notata, to facilitate their mass production, either for ex situ conservation or reintroduction into their natural habitats, if necessary. Seeds of the target species were collected in summer 2021. In a sample of the collected seeds, the embryo viability was checked using sequentially 1% w/v tetrazolium solution and Evans blue solution concentration of 0.25% w/v. As for the germination tests, two treatments were used to terminate seed dormancy: (a) cold stratification at } 2 °C, and (b) imbibition in gibberellic acid (250 ppm) for 48 hours. The results showed that more than 75% of the embryos in the fertile seeds were viable. In the seed germination tests, treatment with gibberellic acid resulted in germination percentages for Centaurea incompleta and Viola striis-notata are equal to or very close to the seed viability percentage. In contrast, no treatment was successful for Centaurea litochorea, as the control germination percentage was higher.
{"title":"How different reproduction protocols can affect the germination of seeds: The case of three stenoendemic species on Mt. Olympus (NC Greece)","authors":"G. Varsamis, T. Merou, Katerina Tseniklidou, Katerina Goula, S. Tsiftsis","doi":"10.14712/23361964.2023.3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14712/23361964.2023.3","url":null,"abstract":"Mt. Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece, is a biosphere reserve and a magnet for countless visitors. In the wider area of Olympus, at least 1,700 species and subspecies of plants are recorded, 26 of which are endemic. Most of the endemics only occur in the high or subalpine zone, which is expected to be strongly affected by climate change or in specific microsites that might be affected by several other factors. Thus, the unique flora of the mountain will probably become extinct. Ex situ conservation can be utilized to prevent and even reverse this trend and preserve plant diversity for future generations. The aim of the present study was to develop reproduction protocols for the endemic species on Mt. Olympus, Centaurea incompleta, Centaurea litochorea and Viola striis-notata, to facilitate their mass production, either for ex situ conservation or reintroduction into their natural habitats, if necessary. Seeds of the target species were collected in summer 2021. In a sample of the collected seeds, the embryo viability was checked using sequentially 1% w/v tetrazolium solution and Evans blue solution concentration of 0.25% w/v. As for the germination tests, two treatments were used to terminate seed dormancy: (a) cold stratification at } 2 °C, and (b) imbibition in gibberellic acid (250 ppm) for 48 hours. The results showed that more than 75% of the embryos in the fertile seeds were viable. In the seed germination tests, treatment with gibberellic acid resulted in germination percentages for Centaurea incompleta and Viola striis-notata are equal to or very close to the seed viability percentage. In contrast, no treatment was successful for Centaurea litochorea, as the control germination percentage was higher.","PeriodicalId":11931,"journal":{"name":"European journal of environmental sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42060495","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-06-30DOI: 10.14712/23361964.2023.6
O. Kameniar, M. Baláž, Marek Svitok, M. Mikoláš, Martin Ferencik, M. Frankovič, Dheeraj Ralhan, R. Gloor, M. Svoboda
Mountain spruce- and beech-dominated forests (SDPF and BDPF) are of major importance in temperate Europe. However, information on the differences between their historical disturbance regimes, structures, and biodiversity is still incomplete. To address this knowledge gap, we established 118 circular research plots across 18 primary forest stands. We analysed the disturbance history of the last 250 years by dendrochronological methods and calculated disturbance frequency, severity, and timing. We also measured forest structure (DBH, tree density, volume of deadwood, and other parameters). Breeding bird populations were examined by point count method during the spring seasons 2017–2018 (SDPF) and 2019–2020 (BDPF). Using direct ordination analysis, we compared the disturbance history, structure and bird assemblage in both forest types. While no differences were found regarding disturbance regimes between forest types, forest structure and bird assemblages were significantly different. SDPF had a significantly higher density of cavities and higher canopy openness, while higher tree species richness and more intense regeneration was found in BDPF. Bird assemblage showed higher species richness in BDPF, but lower total abundance. Most bird species which occurred in both forest types were more numerous in spruce-dominated forests, but more species occurred exclusively in BDPF. Further, some SDPF- preferring species were found in naturally disturbed patches in BDPF. We conclude that although natural disturbances are important drivers of primary forest structures, differences in the bird assemblages in the explored primary forest types were largely independent of disturbance regimes.
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Pub Date : 2023-06-30DOI: 10.14712/23361964.2023.5
Mudasir Ali
Elucidating the taxonomy of species is important for conservation purposes, but unfortunately musk deer in Kashmir have not been studied extensively. Examination of the museum specimens of musk deer from the Kashmir region indicated that in Kashmir there are possibly two species. Field studies in Jammu and Kashmir revealed that the musk deer occurring in the Wardwan – Kishtwar belt are apparently different from those that occur in the main part of Kashmir. This study is based on a systematic review of the literature on the taxonomy of musk deer in Kashmir along with some personal field observations. The species most predominantly occurring in Kashmir is the Kashmir musk deer (Moschus cupreus). The other possible species is Himalayan musk deer (Moschus leucogaster) occurring mostly in the Wardwan – Kishtwar belt of Jammu and Kashmir. The affinities of musk deer in Kashmir with other species of musk deer are also studied.
{"title":"Systematic review and analysis of the taxonomy of musk deer in Kashmir","authors":"Mudasir Ali","doi":"10.14712/23361964.2023.5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14712/23361964.2023.5","url":null,"abstract":"Elucidating the taxonomy of species is important for conservation purposes, but unfortunately musk deer in Kashmir have not been studied extensively. Examination of the museum specimens of musk deer from the Kashmir region indicated that in Kashmir there are possibly two species. Field studies in Jammu and Kashmir revealed that the musk deer occurring in the Wardwan – Kishtwar belt are apparently different from those that occur in the main part of Kashmir. This study is based on a systematic review of the literature on the taxonomy of musk deer in Kashmir along with some personal field observations. The species most predominantly occurring in Kashmir is the Kashmir musk deer (Moschus cupreus). The other possible species is Himalayan musk deer (Moschus leucogaster) occurring mostly in the Wardwan – Kishtwar belt of Jammu and Kashmir. The affinities of musk deer in Kashmir with other species of musk deer are also studied.","PeriodicalId":11931,"journal":{"name":"European journal of environmental sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44985702","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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