Which factors determine plant invasions in vegetation of man-made habitats in the Czech Republic?
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2008 |
| Type | Article in Proceedings |
| Conference | Urban biodiversity & Design, Book of Abstracts, Third Conference of the Competence Network Urban Ecology |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Ecology |
| Keywords | plant invasion; archaeophytes; neophytes; Czech Republic; regression tree |
| Description | Factors determining the invasibility of different types of anthropogenic vegetation were studied in the Czech Republic. A data set of 3420 vegetation plots recorded between 1945 and 2005 was used. A set of climatic variables, propagule pressure, and local habitat conditions was obtained for each plot. All species were classified as native, archaeophytes, and neophytes and their relative proportion was calculated for each plot. Regression tree models were used to determine the ecological characteristics of the most invasible man-made habitats in the Czech Republic. The plots contained on average 31.9% archaeophytes and 7.3% neophytes. Both archaeophytes and neophytes were found predominantly in strongly disturbed habitats with a high nutrient supply located at low elevations in warmer climatic areas of the Czech Republic. The highest proportion of alien species was found in annual ruderal vegetation. Archaeophytes prevailed in alliances Malvion neglectae and Bromo-Hordeion murini, while neophytes were mainly found in Salsolion ruthenicae alliance. Archaeophytes are more influenced by local habitat conditions and preferentially colonize sunny and dry man-made habitats with higher soil reaction. Neophytes have no special preferences for local habitat conditions and their highest proportion was found mainly in disturbed habitats at low elevations. |
| Related projects: |