Rocks and walls: natural versus secondary habitats

LÁNÍKOVÁ, Deana and Zdeňka LOSOSOVÁ. Rocks and walls: natural versus secondary habitats. Folia Geobotanica. Průhonice: Institute of Botany, 2009, vol. 44, No 3, p. 263-280. ISSN 1211-9520.

Basic information

• Original name: Rocks and walls: natural versus secondary habitats
• Name in Czech: Skály a zdi: přírozená versus sekundární vegetace
• Authors: LÁNÍKOVÁ, Deana (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution) and Zdeňka LOSOSOVÁ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution).
• Edition: Folia Geobotanica, Průhonice, Institute of Botany, 2009, 1211-9520.

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Article in a journal
• Field of Study: 10600 1.6 Biological sciences
• Country of publisher: Czech Republic
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• WWW: URL
• Impact factor: Impact factor: 1.320
• RIV identification code: RIV/00216224:14310/09:00028622
• Organization unit: Faculty of Science
• UT WoS: 000270980500004
• Keywords in English: alien species; chasmophytic vegetation; diversity; Ellenberg indicator values; endangered species
• Tags: Reviewed

Abstract

Walls are often considered secondary habitats for vegetation of natural rock surfaces. Compared with rocks, walls differ in many features, for example the presence of a binding material (mainly calcareous mortar), location in settlements and exposure to human impact. A data set of 1,205 phytosociological relevés recorded on horizontal wall tops, wall verticals and rock verticals in the Czech Republic was used to compare their vegetation with regard to i) species composition (frequent species, species diversity, endangered and alien species) and ii) the ecological requirements of the respective species. Gamma diversity of vascular plant species was comparable in all habitat types (242 species on wall tops, 212 species on wall verticals and 197 species on rock verticals). Wall verticals had higher beta diversity, but lower alpha diversity than rocks. Remarkable differences were found comparing the diversity of alien species. Whereas alpha and gamma diversities of aliens were higher on both wall habitats, beta diversity of aliens was the highest on rocks. The high floristic heterogeneity of walls is mainly attributable to the large pool of species from the surrounding urbanized landscape (e.g., cultivated ornamental species and synanthropic weeds) that are favoured by high nutrient inputs. In contrast, species characteristic of rocks are mainly substrate specialists. Walls and rocks share the frequent occurrence of ferns, grasses and herbs typical of forest understorey and clearings. Compared with rocks, walls are generally colonized by species requiring higher nutrient content, soil reaction, temperature and moisture. Secondary wall habitats might be suitable for some rare and endangered species, but contrary to rocks their occurrences are only accidental and temporary. The

Abstract (in Czech)

Walls are often considered secondary habitats for vegetation of natural rock surfaces. Compared with rocks, walls differ in many features, for example the presence of a binding material (mainly calcareous mortar), location in settlements and exposure to human impact. A data set of 1,205 phytosociological relevés recorded on horizontal wall tops, wall verticals and rock verticals in the Czech Republic was used to compare their vegetation with regard to i) species composition (frequent species, species diversity, endangered and alien species) and ii) the ecological requirements of the respective species. Gamma diversity of vascular plant species was comparable in all habitat types (242 species on wall tops, 212 species on wall verticals and 197 species on rock verticals). Wall verticals had higher beta diversity, but lower alpha diversity than rocks. Remarkable differences were found comparing the diversity of alien species. Whereas alpha and gamma diversities of aliens were higher on both wall habitats, beta diversity of aliens was the highest on rocks. The high floristic heterogeneity of walls is mainly attributable to the large pool of species from the surrounding urbanized landscape (e.g., cultivated ornamental species and synanthropic weeds) that are favoured by high nutrient inputs. In contrast, species characteristic of rocks are mainly substrate specialists. Walls and rocks share the frequent occurrence of ferns, grasses and herbs typical of forest understorey and clearings. Compared with rocks, walls are generally colonized by species requiring higher nutrient content, soil reaction, temperature and moisture. Secondary wall habitats might be suitable for some rare and endangered species, but contrary to rocks their occurrences are only accidental and temporary. The

Links

• GA206/09/0329, research and development project: Name: Vegetace České republiky: dokončení národního přehledu rostlinných společenstev

Investor: Czech Science Foundation, Vegetation of the Czech Republic: completion of the national survey of plant communities

• IAA601630803, research and development project: Name: Makroekologická studie biodiverzity velkých měst: druhová bohatost, invaze a biotická homogenizace na příkladu dvou taxonomických skupin

Investor: Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Macroecological patterns of urban biodiversity: species richness, invasions and biotic homogenization in two taxonomic groups

• MSM0021622416, plan (intention): Name: Diverzita biotických společenstev a populací: kauzální analýza variability v prostoru a čase

Investor: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the CR, Diversity of Biotic Communities and Populations: Causal Analysis of variation in space and time