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Keywords = calcareous high mountains

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13 pages, 5283 KiB  
Article
Assessing the Conservation Priority of Alpine Carabid Beetle Communities by Mapping the Index of Natural Value (INV) in Natura 2000 Habitats in the Brenta Dolomites (Italian Alps)
by Emiliano Peretti, Marco Armanini, Roberta Chirichella, Andrea Mustoni and Mauro Gobbi
Insects 2025, 16(6), 602; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16060602 - 7 Jun 2025
Viewed by 709
Abstract
The Dolomites (European Alps) are a UNESCO World Heritage Site known to harbor distinctive communities of carabid beetles adapted to high-altitude environments, whose composition is shaped mainly by landform and habitat type. We aimed to assess the conservation priority of carabid beetle communities [...] Read more.
The Dolomites (European Alps) are a UNESCO World Heritage Site known to harbor distinctive communities of carabid beetles adapted to high-altitude environments, whose composition is shaped mainly by landform and habitat type. We aimed to assess the conservation priority of carabid beetle communities in the Brenta mountain group (Italy). We used the Index of Natural Value (INV), based on the relative frequencies and abundances of highly specialized Alpine species, as a proxy of the sensitivity to disturbance, and, thus, to the vulnerability of the carabid beetle communities to extinction. We used information on Natura 2000 habitat cover to produce a map for identifying areas of the Brenta Dolomites inhabited by the carabid beetle communities most relevant for conservation. We also report on the main differences in terms of species composition between the investigated communities. We found a positive correlation between vulnerability and altitude. Specifically, the most vulnerable communities were recorded in high-altitude habitat types (limestone cliffs and pavements, calcareous and calcschist screes, and alpine calcareous grasslands). Alkaline fens resulted in having the least vulnerable community, while those in all other habitats (bush and forests) were found to have intermediate levels of vulnerability. Full article
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15 pages, 2135 KiB  
Article
Investigating Endemic Alpine Communities of Papaver corona-sancti-stephani and Cerastium lerchenfeldianum in the Southern Carpathians
by Claudia Biță-Nicolae, Daniela Mogîldea and Oliviu G. Pop
Diversity 2025, 17(4), 283; https://doi.org/10.3390/d17040283 - 17 Apr 2025
Viewed by 338
Abstract
The high-elevation calcareous screes of the Southern Carpathians are ecologically important habitats characterised by extreme environmental conditions. These habitats support specialised plant communities, including endemic and relict species, shaped by climatic, edaphic and biogeographic factors. This study examines three scree vegetation communities in [...] Read more.
The high-elevation calcareous screes of the Southern Carpathians are ecologically important habitats characterised by extreme environmental conditions. These habitats support specialised plant communities, including endemic and relict species, shaped by climatic, edaphic and biogeographic factors. This study examines three scree vegetation communities in the Bucegi, Piatra Craiului and Făgăraș massifs to assess species composition, ecological strategies and environmental influences. Phytosociological surveys were carried out using the Braun-Blanquet method, diversity indices (species richness, Simpson indices and species evenness) and multivariate analyses, including ANOSIM (ANalysis Of SIMilarities), SIMPER (Similarity Percentage method) and PCA (Principal Component Analysis), and were applied to evaluate species–environment relationships. A total of 62 vascular plant species were recorded, with Caryophyllaceae and Asteraceae as the dominant families. Differences in lifeform composition and species distribution between the massifs were related to variations in soil moisture, nutrient availability and climatic conditions. The results highlight the role of calcareous substrates in supporting alpine endemism and underline the influence of abiotic stress on community structure. Conservation efforts should prioritise these fragile ecosystems, especially as climate change and human activities increase pressure on high-elevation habitats. The study contributes to a broader understanding of the Carpathian alpine flora and its biogeographic connections with other European mountain systems, and it highlights the need for targeted conservation strategies to preserve biodiversity in these vulnerable environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Landscape Biodiversity)
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20 pages, 5072 KiB  
Article
Diversity, Ecology and Phytogeography of Bryophytes across Temperate Forest Communities—Insight from Mt. Papuk (Croatia, SE Europe)
by Antun Alegro, Vedran Šegota, Anja Rimac and Beáta Papp
Plants 2023, 12(19), 3346; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12193346 - 22 Sep 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2399
Abstract
It has been widely documented that the complex structure of forest ecosystems supports considerable bryophyte species and functional diversity. In this study, we assessed the diversity, distribution and ecological and phytogeographical features of bryophytes across a gradient of temperate forest types on Mt. [...] Read more.
It has been widely documented that the complex structure of forest ecosystems supports considerable bryophyte species and functional diversity. In this study, we assessed the diversity, distribution and ecological and phytogeographical features of bryophytes across a gradient of temperate forest types on Mt. Papuk. This is the largest and highest mountain in the lowland, Pannonian part of Croatia, with high geological diversity and various temperate forests covering 95% of the mountain. According to the predominant tree species (oak vs. beech), geological bedrock (calcareous vs. siliceous) and soil reaction (alkaline vs. acidic), 21 study plots were classified into four distinct forest types. In all, 184 bryophyte species (35 liverworts and 149 mosses) were recorded. Although the forest types investigated did not differ significantly with respect to species richness, each was characterized by a considerable number of diagnostic bryophyte species. According to our results, one of the main ecological factors determining the variability of the forest bryophyte composition was geological bedrock and the associated soil reaction. Basiphilous forests developed on carbonate bedrock harbored more thermophilous and nitrophilous bryophytes and were characterized by southern-temperate and Mediterranean–Atlantic biogeographic elements. In contrast, acidophilous forests growing on silicate bedrock were characterized by wide-boreal and boreo-arctic–montane elements, i.e., bryophytes indicating cooler habitats and nitrogen-deficient soils. Based on the results, we hypothesized that the main latitudinal biogeographic distinction between southern and northern biogeographic elements is driven more by geological substrate than by the main tree species in forest communities. The present study confirmed previous findings that bryophytes are good and specific habitat indicators and show associations with different forest types, which can help to understand the complexity, ecological microconditions and biogeographic characteristics of forest communities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Plant Ecology)
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14 pages, 1440 KiB  
Article
Characterization of Mineral Composition and Nutritional Value of Acacia Green Pods
by Soraia I. Pedro, Carlos A. L. Antunes, Carmo Horta, Inês Pitacas, Joana Gonçalves, Jorge Gominho, Eugenia Gallardo and Ofélia Anjos
Plants 2023, 12(9), 1853; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12091853 - 30 Apr 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3713
Abstract
The Acacia genus is considered one of the most invasive taxa in some habitats, namely coastal dunes, maritime calcareous soils, fresh lands in the valleys, mountainous areas, and the banks of watercourses and roadsides. In Portugal, the severity risk is very high, so [...] Read more.
The Acacia genus is considered one of the most invasive taxa in some habitats, namely coastal dunes, maritime calcareous soils, fresh lands in the valleys, mountainous areas, and the banks of watercourses and roadsides. In Portugal, the severity risk is very high, so this study aimed to evaluate the nutritional and mineral contents of the green pods as a potential source for livestock feeds and soil fertilizer because, as far as we know, there is no use for this species. The seven different species of Acacia (Acacia mearnsii Link, Acacia longifolia (Andrews) Willd, Acacia melanoxylon R. Br., Acacia pycnantha Bentham, Acacia dealbata Link., Acacia retinodes Schlecht, and Acacia cyclops A. Cunn. ex G. Don fil) were evaluated. The results showed that Acacia green pods have a high protein, fibre and minerals content, especially in potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg). All species present a different profile of the studied parameters, suggesting different potentials for their future use. Near-infrared spectroscopy was a potential tool to predict the earlier quality of the Acacia green pods to better select the raw material for the different applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alternatives for a Sustainable Management of Invasive Plant Species)
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42 pages, 12124 KiB  
Article
Soil Formation and Mass Redistribution during the Holocene Using Meteoric 10Be, Soil Chemistry and Mineralogy
by Alessandra Musso, Dmitry Tikhomirov, Michael L. Plötze, Konrad Greinwald, Anne Hartmann, Clemens Geitner, Fabian Maier, Fanny Petibon and Markus Egli
Geosciences 2022, 12(2), 99; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences12020099 - 21 Feb 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5321
Abstract
Soil development and erosion are important and opposing processes in the evolution of high-mountainous landscapes, though their dynamics are not fully understood. We compared soil development between a calcareous and a siliceous chronosequence in the central Swiss Alps at high altitudes, which both [...] Read more.
Soil development and erosion are important and opposing processes in the evolution of high-mountainous landscapes, though their dynamics are not fully understood. We compared soil development between a calcareous and a siliceous chronosequence in the central Swiss Alps at high altitudes, which both cover soil formation over the Holocene. We calculated element mass balances, long-term erosion rates based on meteoric 10Be and we determined the rates of soil formation. We also analyzed the shifts in the mineralogical composition, weathering indices, the particle size distribution, carbon stocks and oxalate extractable Fe, Al, and Mn. The siliceous soils had high chemical weathering rates at the early stage of soil formation that strongly decreased after a few millennia. The development of calcareous soil was characterized by high carbonate losses and a shift to finer soil texture. Soil erosion hampered the upbuilding of soil horizons in the early stages of soil development, which led to a delay in soil and vegetation development. This study shows how soil formation drivers change over time. In the early stages of soil development, the parent material predominantly drives soil formation while at later stages the vegetation becomes more dominant as it influences surface stability, hydrological pathways, and chemical weathering that determine water drainage and retention. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cutting Edge Earth Sciences: Three Decades of Cosmogenic Nuclides)
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19 pages, 5448 KiB  
Article
Climate Change and Alpine Screes: No Future for Glacial Relict Papaver occidentale (Papaveraceae) in Western Prealps
by Yann Fragnière, Loïc Pittet, Benoît Clément, Sébastien Bétrisey, Emanuel Gerber, Michał Ronikier, Christian Parisod and Gregor Kozlowski
Diversity 2020, 12(9), 346; https://doi.org/10.3390/d12090346 - 7 Sep 2020
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4211
Abstract
Glacial relicts, especially those with very narrow habitat requirements, are particularly affected by global warming. We considered Papaver occidentale, a glacial relict endemic to the Western Prealps, belonging to the alpine poppy complex (P. alpinum aggr.), as a model taxon to [...] Read more.
Glacial relicts, especially those with very narrow habitat requirements, are particularly affected by global warming. We considered Papaver occidentale, a glacial relict endemic to the Western Prealps, belonging to the alpine poppy complex (P. alpinum aggr.), as a model taxon to study the actual status and potential future distribution of species restricted to particular microrefugia. For this study, all known localities were visited, each population was georeferenced and the number of individuals was estimated. Species Distribution Modelling (SDM) was used to evaluate the present and future potential distribution range and habitat suitability, taking into account the specificity of its habitat (calcareous screes). According to our study, there are globally 19 natural populations of P. occidentale, and a total of about 30,000 individuals. The taxon is a highly specialized alpine plant growing in the majority of natural sites between 1900 and 2100 m a.s.l. on north-facing screes. Predictions for the end of the 21st century indicate that a suitable area will significantly decrease (0–30% remaining). Under the most severe climatic scenarios (RCP 8.5), the species risks complete extinction. The long-term in situ conservation of P. occidentale, and all other taxa of the P. alpinum complex, is unlikely to be achieved without slowing global climate change. More generally, our fine-scale study shows that local environmental buffering of large-scale climate change in high-mountain flora may be very limited in specialised taxa of patchy environments such as screes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Biodiversity Conservation)
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17 pages, 1077 KiB  
Article
Distribution of Plant Species and Dispersal Traits along Environmental Gradients in Central Mediterranean Summits
by Michele Di Musciano, Maria Laura Carranza, Ludovico Frate, Valter Di Cecco, Luciano Di Martino, Anna Rita Frattaroli and Angela Stanisci
Diversity 2018, 10(3), 58; https://doi.org/10.3390/d10030058 - 7 Jul 2018
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 6310
Abstract
High-mountain ecosystems are spots of plant diversity in which species composition and traits depict a long evolutionary history of species adaptation to steep environmental gradients. We investigated the main trends in plant species composition and reproductive and dispersal traits (pollen vector, diaspore appendages, [...] Read more.
High-mountain ecosystems are spots of plant diversity in which species composition and traits depict a long evolutionary history of species adaptation to steep environmental gradients. We investigated the main trends in plant species composition and reproductive and dispersal traits (pollen vector, diaspore appendages, dispersal of diaspores and fruit type) in central Mediterranean summits in relation to environmental factors (altitude, aspect, debris cover and slope). Based on 114 plots, with floristic and environmental data collected in the year 2016 on alpine calcareous grasslands in the central Apennines, we explored how species composition varies in relation to environmental factors using CCA (canonical correspondence analysis). Then, we analyzed the relationships among species presence, the occurrence of reproductive and dispersal traits and environmental variables. We used for this analysis the fourth-corner model approach. Our results highlight a consistent response of floristic composition and of structural and ecological characteristics to environmental gradients, with elevation and debris cover being the most important ones. The environmental characteristics of the analyzed ecosystems (e.g., steep slopes and harsh environments) combined with the persistence of perennial plant species already present in each stand, the high precision of pollination and the prevalence of short-distance dissemination strategies should allow the calcareous endemic plant communities of the analyzed Mediterranean summits to be conserved at least for a mid-term period slowing down the expansion of the warm-adapted species, less adapted to the local environmental constrains. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Climate Change Impacts on Alpine and Polar Plants)
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