Habitats and ecological niches of root-hemiparasitic plants: an
assessment based on a large database of vegetation plots

J 2015

Habitats and ecological niches of root-hemiparasitic plants: an assessment based on a large database of vegetation plots

TĚŠITEL, Jakub, Pavel FIBICH, Francesco DE BELLO, Milan CHYTRÝ, Jan LEPŠ et. al.

Basic information

Original name

Habitats and ecological niches of root-hemiparasitic plants: an assessment based on a large database of vegetation plots

Name in Czech

Biotopy a ekologické niky kořenových poloparazitů: zhodnocení na základě velké fytocenologické databáze

Authors

TĚŠITEL, Jakub (203 Czech Republic), Pavel FIBICH (203 Czech Republic), Francesco DE BELLO (380 Italy), Milan CHYTRÝ (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution) and Jan LEPŠ (203 Czech Republic)

Edition

Preslia, Praha, Česká botanická společnost, 2015, 0032-7786

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Článek v odborném periodiku

Field of Study

10600 1.6 Biological sciences

Country of publisher

Czech Republic

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

References:

URL

Impact factor

Impact factor: 2.711

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14310/15:00080900

Organization unit

Faculty of Science

UT WoS

000359093500001

Keywords in English

Bartsia; Beals index; Euphrasia; habitat suitability model; hemiparasite; Melampyrum; Odontites; Pedicularis; phytosociology; Rhinanthus; Thesium

Abstract

V originále

Root hemiparasites are a specialized group of green photosynthetic plants that obtain resources from the roots of other plants. Some root hemiparasites are considered to be important keystone species in temperate grasslands while others are listed as endangered. In this study, we used vegetation- plot data from the Czech National Phytosociological Database to construct habitat suitability models for root hemiparasites occurring in the Czech Republic. These models were based on a formalized vegetation classification, species co-occurrence patterns in vegetation units and actual presence of hemiparasitic species in the database. The resulting habitat models defined as sets of suitable plots for each species were further described by a climatic gradient, community Ellenberg indicator values and the leaf-height-seed (LHS) plant ecology strategy scheme values characterizing the associated vegetation. Using the properties of each vegetation unit, descriptors of the habitat suitability models and information from experimental studies, we interpreted the habitat suitability models as axes and shapes of ecological niches of individual root-hemiparasitic species. The individual hemiparasites differed in their favoured type of vegetation but almost all types of vegetation in the Czech Republic could host some of them. Semi-natural and natural grasslands with moderate availability of mineral macronutrients and water were identified as types of vegetation with a high incidence of hemiparasites and the highest number of species of hemiparasites. High incidence but low species richness of hemiparasites was recorded in forests and scrub. In contrast, most species of root hemiparasites did not occur in extreme habitats with a high level of stress or disturbance and at nutrient-rich andmoist sites dominated by fast-growing species, i.e. at sites with intense above-ground competition. This reflects the ecophysiological fundamentals of the hemiparasitic strategy, which provides efficient yet low-cost access to below-ground abiotic resources. On the one hand, this advantage diminishes at sites where primary macronutrients and soil moisture are abundant but on the other hand, exploitation of this advantage, however, requires non-extreme environmental conditions. Apart from this common pattern, individual species of hemiparasites differ in their ecological requirements, which frequently underlie their possible use as ecosystem engineers in grassland restoration or their conservation status

Links

GB14-36079G, research and development project

Name: Centrum analýzy a syntézy rostlinné diverzity (PLADIAS) (Acronym: PLADIAS)

Investor: Czech Science Foundation

Citovat

TĚŠITEL, Jakub, Pavel FIBICH, Francesco DE BELLO, Milan CHYTRÝ and Jan LEPŠ. Habitats and ecological niches of root-hemiparasitic plants: an assessment based on a large database of vegetation plots. Preslia. Praha: Česká botanická společnost, 2015, vol. 87, No 2, p. 87-108. ISSN 0032-7786.

@article{1306249,
   author = {Těšitel, Jakub and Fibich, Pavel and de Bello, Francesco and Chytrý, Milan and Lepš, Jan},
   article_location = {Praha},
   article_number = {2},
   keywords = {Bartsia; Beals index; Euphrasia; habitat suitability model; hemiparasite; Melampyrum; Odontites; Pedicularis; phytosociology; Rhinanthus; Thesium},
   language = {eng},
   issn = {0032-7786},
   journal = {Preslia},
   title = {Habitats and ecological niches of root-hemiparasitic plants: an assessment based on a large database of vegetation plots},
   url = {http://www.preslia.cz/P152Tesitel.pdf},
   volume = {87},
   year = {2015}
}

TY  - JOUR
ID  - 1306249
AU  - Těšitel, Jakub - Fibich, Pavel - de Bello, Francesco - Chytrý, Milan - Lepš, Jan
PY  - 2015
TI  - Habitats and ecological niches of root-hemiparasitic plants: an assessment based on a large database of vegetation plots
JF  - Preslia
VL  - 87
IS  - 2
SP  - 87-108
EP  - 87-108
PB  - Česká botanická společnost
SN  - 00327786
KW  - Bartsia
KW  - Beals index
KW  - Euphrasia
KW  - habitat suitability model
KW  - hemiparasite
KW  - Melampyrum
KW  - Odontites
KW  - Pedicularis
KW  - phytosociology
KW  - Rhinanthus
KW  - Thesium
UR  - http://www.preslia.cz/P152Tesitel.pdf
N2  - Root hemiparasites are a specialized group of green photosynthetic plants that obtain resources from the roots of other plants. Some root hemiparasites are considered to be important keystone species in temperate grasslands while others are listed as endangered. In this study, we used vegetation- plot data from the Czech National Phytosociological Database to construct habitat suitability models for root hemiparasites occurring in the Czech Republic. These models were based on a formalized vegetation classification, species co-occurrence patterns in vegetation units and actual presence of hemiparasitic species in the database. The resulting habitat models defined as sets of suitable plots for each species were further described by a climatic gradient, community Ellenberg indicator values and the leaf-height-seed (LHS) plant ecology strategy scheme values characterizing the associated vegetation. Using the properties of each vegetation unit, descriptors of the habitat suitability models and information from experimental studies, we interpreted the habitat suitability models as axes and shapes of ecological niches of individual root-hemiparasitic species. The individual hemiparasites differed in their favoured type of vegetation but almost all types of vegetation in the Czech Republic could host some of them. Semi-natural and natural grasslands with moderate availability of mineral macronutrients and water were identified as types of vegetation with a high incidence of hemiparasites and the highest number of species of hemiparasites. High incidence but low species richness of hemiparasites was recorded in forests and scrub. In contrast, most species of root hemiparasites did not occur in extreme habitats with a high level of stress or disturbance and at nutrient-rich andmoist sites dominated by fast-growing species, i.e. at sites with intense above-ground competition. This reflects the ecophysiological fundamentals of the hemiparasitic strategy, which provides efficient yet low-cost access to below-ground abiotic resources. On the one hand, this advantage diminishes at sites where primary macronutrients and soil moisture are abundant but on the other hand, exploitation of this advantage, however, requires non-extreme environmental conditions. Apart from this common pattern, individual species of hemiparasites differ in their ecological requirements, which frequently underlie their possible use as ecosystem engineers in grassland restoration or their conservation status
ER  -

TĚŠITEL, Jakub, Pavel FIBICH, Francesco DE BELLO, Milan CHYTRÝ and Jan LEPŠ. Habitats and ecological niches of root-hemiparasitic plants: an assessment based on a large database of vegetation plots. \textit{Preslia}. Praha: Česká botanická společnost, 2015, vol.~87, No~2, p.~87-108. ISSN~0032-7786.

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