Environmental determinants of variation in Czech Calthion wet
meadows: a synthesis of phytosociological data

J 2004

Environmental determinants of variation in Czech Calthion wet meadows: a synthesis of phytosociological data

HÁJEK, Michal and Petra HÁJKOVÁ

Basic information

Original name

Environmental determinants of variation in Czech Calthion wet meadows: a synthesis of phytosociological data

Authors

HÁJEK, Michal (203 Czech Republic, guarantor) and Petra HÁJKOVÁ (203 Czech Republic)

Edition

Phytocoenologia, Berlin/Stuttgart, Gebrüder Borntraeger, 2004, 0340-269X

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Článek v odborném periodiku

Field of Study

10600 1.6 Biological sciences

Country of publisher

Germany

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

Impact factor

Impact factor: 0.389

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14310/04:00028894

Organization unit

Faculty of Science

UT WoS

000220317000002

Keywords in English

Central Europe; Calthenion; environmental gradients; factors; Filipendulenion; nutrient availability; plant community; productivity; soil reaction; species richness; vegetation; wetlands

Abstract

V originále

A comprehensive data set of Czech Calthion wet meadow vegetation and relevant environmental data were collected and published by E. Balátová in 1972- 1997. This paper presents a synthesis of this phytosociological data set with the aim of (i) finding the main gradients in Calthion wet meadow vegetation and relating them to soil chemistry factors, (ii) comparing soil chemistry within different soil depths and various vegetation types and (iii) evaluating each soil chemistry variable with respect to its ability to explain variation in wet meadow vegetation. Correspondence analysis revealed that vegetation changes along two major gradients of the same importance: (i) from species-rich communities to the species-poor, tall-forb communities of highly-productive habitats and (ii) from neutrophytic communities to acidophytic communities, mostly of mountain habitats. The first PCA axis of environmental variables is clearly identified as the axis of acidity, the second one as the axis of nutrients. The factors connected with soil acidity and base saturation (e. g. pH, H+, Al3+, Ca2+) are inter-correlated, and they are the most important of the measured factors for vegetation composition. This is also reflected in traditional phytosociological classification. Nutrients (N, P, K) are also inter-correlated and explain less, but still a very significant part of vegetation variation. However, the Filipendulenion communities, which often developed after cessation of mowing or as a result of eutrophication, are only weakly differentiated according to the amount of available soil nutrients. This apparent paradox is presumably caused by nutrient depletion during the development of these highly-productive stands. A relationship between their development and calcium concentration in the topmost soil layer has also been found.

Links

GA206/02/0957, research and development project

Name: Formalizovaná klasifikace polopřirozené travinné vegetace České republiky

Investor: Czech Science Foundation, Formalized classification of the semi-natural grassland vegetation of the Czech Republic

MSM 143100010, plan (intention)

Name: Časoprostorová dynamika biodiverzity v ekosystémech střední Evropy.

Investor: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the CR, Spatiotemporal biodiversity dynamics in ecosystems of Central Europe

Citovat

HÁJEK, Michal and Petra HÁJKOVÁ. Environmental determinants of variation in Czech Calthion wet meadows: a synthesis of phytosociological data. Phytocoenologia. Berlin/Stuttgart: Gebrüder Borntraeger, 2004, vol. 34, No 1, p. 33-54. ISSN 0340-269X.

@article{553636,
   author = {Hájek, Michal and Hájková, Petra},
   article_location = {Berlin/Stuttgart},
   article_number = {1},
   keywords = {Central Europe; Calthenion; environmental gradients; factors; Filipendulenion; nutrient availability; plant community; productivity; soil reaction; species richness; vegetation; wetlands},
   language = {eng},
   issn = {0340-269X},
   journal = {Phytocoenologia},
   title = {Environmental determinants of variation in Czech Calthion wet meadows: a synthesis of phytosociological data},
   volume = {34},
   year = {2004}
}

TY  - JOUR
ID  - 553636
AU  - Hájek, Michal - Hájková, Petra
PY  - 2004
TI  - Environmental determinants of variation in Czech Calthion wet meadows: a synthesis of phytosociological data
JF  - Phytocoenologia
VL  - 34
IS  - 1
SP  - 33-54
EP  - 33-54
PB  - Gebrüder Borntraeger
SN  - 0340269X
KW  - Central Europe
KW  - Calthenion
KW  - environmental gradients
KW  - factors
KW  - Filipendulenion
KW  - nutrient availability
KW  - plant community
KW  - productivity
KW  - soil reaction
KW  - species richness
KW  - vegetation
KW  - wetlands
N2  - A comprehensive data set of Czech Calthion wet meadow vegetation and relevant environmental data were collected and published by E. Balátová in 1972- 1997. This paper presents a synthesis of this phytosociological data set with the aim of (i) finding the main gradients in Calthion wet meadow vegetation and relating them to soil chemistry factors, (ii) comparing soil chemistry within different soil depths and various vegetation types and (iii) evaluating each soil chemistry variable with respect to its ability to explain variation in wet meadow vegetation. Correspondence analysis revealed that vegetation changes along two major gradients of the same importance: (i) from species-rich communities to the species-poor, tall-forb communities of highly-productive habitats and (ii) from neutrophytic communities to acidophytic communities, mostly of mountain habitats. The first PCA axis of environmental variables is clearly identified as the axis of acidity, the second one as the axis of nutrients. The factors connected with soil acidity and base saturation (e. g. pH, H+, Al3+, Ca2+) are inter-correlated, and they are the most important of the measured factors for vegetation composition. This is also reflected in traditional phytosociological classification. Nutrients (N, P, K) are also inter-correlated and explain less, but still a very significant part of vegetation variation. However, the Filipendulenion communities, which often developed after cessation of mowing or as a result of eutrophication, are only weakly differentiated according to the amount of available soil nutrients. This apparent paradox is presumably caused by nutrient depletion during the development of these highly-productive stands. A relationship between their development and calcium concentration in the topmost soil layer has also been found.
ER  -

HÁJEK, Michal and Petra HÁJKOVÁ. Environmental determinants of variation in Czech Calthion wet meadows: a synthesis of phytosociological data. \textit{Phytocoenologia}. Berlin/Stuttgart: Gebrüder Borntraeger, 2004, vol.~34, No~1, p.~33-54. ISSN~0340-269X.

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