Im Schweizer Mittelland und Jura zeugen grosse Felsblöcke von den eiszeitlichen Gletschern, mit denen diese Findlinge vor Jahrtausenden aus den Alpen hierher verfrachtet wurden. Im von Kalkgestein geprägten Mittelland und Jura sind Findlinge aus Silikatgestein wertvolle Lebensrauminseln für zahlreiche felsbewohnende Flechten und Moose sowie einen Farn, die nicht auf Kalkgestein wachsen können. Diese spezielle Flora ist selten, weil viele Findlinge bei Flurbereinigungen zerstört worden sind. Weitere Gefährdungsursachen der Findlingsflora sind Landnutzungsänderungen und unbeabsichtigte Schädigungen - etwa beim Klettern. Einfache Massnahmen tragen dazu bei, dass die spezielle Flora von silikatischen Findlingen erhalten bleibt.

Sur le Plateau suisse et dans le Jura, de gros blocs rocheux attestent du passage des glaciers qui les ont transportés depuis les Alpes il y a des millénaires. Dans ces régions caractérisées par des roches calcaires, ces blocs erratiques siliceux sont des habitats essentiels pour de nombreux lichens et bryophytes et une pour espèce de fougère qui ne peuvent pas vivre sur un substrat calcaire. Cette flore spécifique est rare, soit parce que de nombreux blocs ont été détruits lors de remaniements parcellaires. Les changements d’utilisation des terres et les dommages involontaires par exemple lors de la pratique de l’escalade, sont d'autres menaces qui pèsent sur la flore des blocs erratiques. Des mesures simples peuvent contribuer à conserver cette flore si particulière.

Research in global change ecology relies heavily on global climatic grids derived from estimates of air temperature in open areas at around 2 m above the ground. These climatic grids do not reflect conditions below vegetation canopies and near the ground surface, where critical ecosystem functions occur and most terrestrial species reside. Here, we provide global maps of soil temperature and bioclimatic variables at a 1‐km 2 resolution for 0–5 and 5–15 cm soil depth. These maps were created by calculating the difference (i.e. offset) between in situ soil temperature measurements, based on time series from over 1200 1‐km 2 pixels (summarized from 8519 unique temperature sensors) across all the world's major terrestrial biomes, and coarse‐grained air temperature estimates from ERA5‐Land (an atmospheric reanalysis by the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts). We show that mean annual soil temperature differs markedly from the corresponding gridded air temperature, by up to 10°C (mean = 3.0 ± 2.1°C), with substantial variation across biomes and seasons. Over the year, soils in cold and/or dry biomes are substantially warmer (+3.6 ± 2.3°C) than gridded air temperature, whereas soils in warm and humid environments are on average slightly cooler (−0.7 ± 2.3°C). The observed substantial and biome‐specific offsets emphasize that the projected impacts of climate and climate change on near‐surface biodiversity and ecosystem functioning are inaccurately assessed when air rather than soil temperature is used, especially in cold environments. The global soil‐related bioclimatic variables provided here are an important step forward for any application in ecology and related disciplines. Nevertheless, we highlight the need to fill remaining geographic gaps by collecting more in situ measurements of microclimate conditions to further enhance the spatiotemporal resolution of global soil temperature products for ecological applications.

Aim Pleistocene erratic boulders are rocks that were relocated by glaciers during the Ice Ages. When their geology differs from the geology of the landscape that surrounds them, erratic boulders form habitat islands for regionally rare, edaphically specialised, rock-dwelling cryptogams (bryophytes, ferns and lichens). Such boulders constitute terrestrial model systems for exploring island biogeographic predictions and the effect of environmental variables on species diversity and community composition, which we studied in order to provide basic knowledge of the ecology, with relevance for the conservation, of these unusual island systems. Location Siliceous erratic boulders in the calcareous Swiss Plateau and Jura Mountains. Methods For 160 erratic boulders we recorded all bryophyte species and a diverse set of environmental variables. For all species and for specialist species (acidophile rock-dwellers) separately, we analysed species-area relationships and nestedness, and explored relationships between environmental variables, species diversity and community composition. Results We found 138 bryophyte species, 19 of which were specialists of erratic boulders. A steeper species-area curve for boulder specialists than for total species richness underlined the island properties of boulders for specialist species. Large boulders were more likely to harbour numerous boulder specialists and communities on small boulders were nested within the communities present on large boulders. However, at the landscape level small boulders contributed more specialist species than a few large boulders of the same surface area. Erratic boulders near settlements were less likely to harbour boulder specialists. Boulders in open land harboured different and more specialist species than boulders in forests. Conclusions Large undisturbed erratic boulders in open land harbour rare bryophyte communities with a large number of specialist species. Conservation should thus prioritise this type of boulders. Furthermore, conserving large boulders is logistically easier, and they may function as flagships for small boulders that also contribute to the biodiversity within landscapes.

AbstractRock climbing is popular, and the number of climbers rises worldwide. Numerous studies on the impact of climbing on rock‐dwelling plants have reported negative effects, which were mainly attributed to mechanical disturbances such as trampling and removal of soil and vegetation. However, climbers also use climbing chalk (magnesium carbonate hydroxide) whose potential chemical effects on rock‐dwelling species have not been assessed so far. Climbing chalk is expected to alter the pH and nutrient conditions on rocks, which may affect rock‐dwelling organisms. We elucidated two fundamental aspects of climbing chalk. (a) Its distribution along nonoverhanging climbing routes was measured on regularly spaced raster points on gneiss boulders used for bouldering (ropeless climbing at low height). These measurements revealed elevated climbing chalk levels even on 65% of sampling points without any visual traces of climbing chalk. (b) The impact of climbing chalk on rock‐dwelling plants was assessed with four fern and four moss species in an experimental setup in a climate chamber. The experiment showed significant negative, though varied effects of elevated climbing chalk concentrations on the germination and survival of both ferns and mosses. The study thus suggests that along climbing routes, elevated climbing chalk concentration can occur even were no chalk traces are visible and that climbing chalk can have negative impacts on rock‐dwelling organisms.

The upper Rhone valley in the Swiss canton of Valais is one of the driest and most continental of the inner-alpine valleys and harbours a rich xerothermic flora. We studied syntaxonomy and ecology of dry grasslands and their species richness patterns. In 2018 we recorded 28 vegetation plots (10 m(2)) and three nested-plot series of 0.0001 to 100 m(2) on the south-facing slopes above the village of Ausserberg. Mean richness of all species ranged from 1.7 on 1 cm(2) to 47.3 on 100 m(2), with little contribution of bryophytes and lichens. The species-area relationship for total richness closely followed a power function. Modified TWINSPAN yielded a three-cluster solution, which could easily be matched with three orders of the class Festuco-Brometea: Stipo pulcherrimae-Festucetalia pallentis (xeric, rocky), Festucetalia valesiacae (xeric, non-rocky) and Brachypodietalia pinnati (meso-xeric). The subdivision of the xeric types into two orders is new for Swiss dry grasslands, where these types up to now had been joined in a single alliance Stipo-Poion within the Festucetalia valesiacae.

GrassPlot is a collaborative vegetation-plot database organised by the Eurasian Dry Grassland Group (EDGG) and listed in the Global Index of Vegetation-Plot Databases (GIVD ID EU-00-003). Following a previous Long Database Report (Dengler et al. 2018, Phytocoenologia 48, 331–347), we provide here the first update on content and functionality of GrassPlot. The current version (GrassPlot v. 2.00) contains a total of 190,673 plots of different grain sizes across 28,171 independent plots, with 4,654 nested-plot series including at least four grain sizes. The database has improved its content as well as its functionality, including addition and harmonization of header data (land use, information on nestedness, structure and ecology) and preparation of species composition data. Currently, GrassPlot data are intensively used for broad-scale analyses of different aspects of alpha and beta diversity in grassland ecosystems.

The calcifuge rock-dwelling fern Asplenium septentrionale is rare on the Swiss Plateau and in the Jura region, where it exclusively inhabits siliceous erratic boulders. A historical scientific debate on the origin of A. septentrionale on erratic boulders – transportation during the ice ages by glaciers on erratic boulders vs. post-glacial long-distance colonization – underlines the importance of those populations for science history. In the present study, a census of A. septentrionale on erratic boulders on the Swiss Plateau and in the Jura region was conducted, since only little is known about the current distribution of these biogeographically remarkable populations. We reviewed herbaria and literature and revisited locations. In total, historical records from 17 populations were found. Of these, five were confirmed, four were extinct, and the status of eight further populations remained uncertain, because the records were not accurate enough to allow the exact erratic boulders to be found. Two well-documented recent populations in the canton of Zurich showed a decline in population size over the last 100 years. Only 72 individuals were found in total. Destruction of erratic boulders for construction and collection for herbaria were significant historical threats, while shading by vegetation and sport climbing (bouldering) are contemporary threats today. On the Swiss Plateau and in the Jura region, regionally rare lichen and bryophyte species unique to siliceous erratic boulders would also profit from conservation measures for A. septentrionale.

Linear landscape elements may act as barriers to the movement of wildlife, inducing genetic sub-structure because barriers impair gene flow. This effect often occurs in response to transportation infrastructure such as freeways, requiring expensive measures, such as overpasses, to re-establish connectivity among separated populations. Here, we present a landscape genetic study using a spatial overlay of landscape elements and genetic clustering based on nuclear microsatellites in roe deer. Our results show that fenced freeways appeared as the main obstacles to gene flow in roe deer within a nationally important wildlife corridor in Switzerland. On the other hand, a wide river only showed a weak barrier effect, whereas a highly frequented but unfenced railway track had no detectable effect on gene flow. Landscape genetic overlays proved helpful in the communication with practical environmental management, as they are intuitively appealing. Furthermore, the chosen approach pointed to the need for setting priorities for building wildlife passages as a connectivity measure in the study landscape and sets the reference line for testing the effectiveness of the measures taken.

On the siliceous erratic boulder „Alexanderstein“ in Küsnacht (Canton of Zürich, Switzerland) 48 bryophyte taxa were identified. Their ecological indicator values and other ecological traits were analysed. The mosses Dicranum fulvum, Hedwigia ciliata, Grimmia decipiens, G. elatior and G. hartmanii as well as the fern species Asplenium septentrionale are remarkable, because on the Swiss Plateau and in the Jura region these calcifuge rock-dwelling species exclusively inhabit siliceous erratic boulders. The populations of these species are, however, very small and they are potentially threatened by recreational use of the boulder. Conservation measures are discussed. Zusammenfassung Auf dem silikatischen Findling Alexanderstein in Küsnacht (ZH) wurden 48 Moostaxa festgestellt. Die ökologischen Zeigerwerte und weitere ökologische Merkmale wurden analysiert. Bemerkenswert sind die Moose Dicranum fulvum, Hedwigia ciliata, Grimmia decipiens, G. elatior und G. hartmanii sowie der Farn Asplenium septentrionale, weil diese felsbewohnenden und kalkfliehenden Arten im Mittelland und im Jura ausschliesslich auf silikatischen Findlingen vorkommen. Die Populationen sind sehr klein und durch die Freizeitnutzung des Findlings potenziell bedroht. Schutzund Förderungsmassnahmen werden diskutiert. Einleitung Nach der letzten Eiszeit hinterliess der Linthgletscher einen mächtigen Findling auf dem Gebiet der heutigen Gemeinde Küsnacht (ZH). Der ursprünglich – aufgrund seiner Form und Grösse – „Wöschhüüslistei“ genannte Stein (Abb. 1) liegt auf 460 m ü. M. im Küsnachter Tobel, wenige Meter vom Dorfbach entfernt. Er besteht aus Taveyannaz-Sandstein aus dem Hausstockgebiet im Glarnerland, einem feinkörnigen, silikatreichen Sandstein der auch grössere eckige Gesteinstrümmer enthält (de Quervain 1928; Gattiker 1966). Auf Bryologen und Botaniker hatte der Alexanderstein schon früh eine besondere Anziehungskraft. Dies bezeugen z.B. neun bis 1882 zurückreichende Moosfunde, die in der NISM-Datenbank vom Alexanderstein dokumentiert sind, sowie zahlreiche bis 1822 zurückreichende Herbarbelege des noch heute dort wachsenden kalkfliehenden Farns Asplenium septentrionale in den vereinigten Herbarien der Universität und ETH Zürich (Holderegger & Schneller 1994; Mazenauer et al. 2014). Auch in der bryologischen und botanischen Literatur wurde der Alexanderstein oft erwähnt, als Wuchsort verschiedener Moosarten (z.B. Culmann 1902; Albrecht-Rohner 1962) und wegen dem Vorkommen von Asplenium septentrionale (z.B. Christ 1900; Rikli 1912; Weber 1912). Meylania 16 Weil Asplenium septentrionale im Mittelland und im Jura exklusiv auf Findlingen wächst, vermuteten einige Wissenschaftler des vorletzten Jahrhunderts, dass diese und andere Pflanzen während den Eiszeiten auf Findlingen aus den Alpen ins Flachland transportiert wurden (Christ 1882; Hegi 1902). Insbesondere Bryologen zweifelten jedoch an dieser Theorie und plädierten für eine nacheiszeitliche Besiedelung der Findlinge via Sporenflug. Sie argumentierten, dass die Mehrheit der ca. 27 Moosarten, die im Jura und Mittelland ausschliesslich auf Findlingen wachsen, zum grössten Teil Flachlandarten sind, die unmöglich die Eiszeiten in den Alpen überdauert haben können (Amann 1894; Meylan 1912). Auch ungeachtet ihrer Herkunft ist die Flora silikatischer Findlinge im Schweizer Mittelland ein einzigartiges Naturphänomen, das nicht zuletzt durch seine speziellen Arten zur Biodiversität der Landschaften beiträgt. Mit dem vorliegenden Artikel soll die aktuelle Zusammensetzung der Moosflora des Alexandersteins dokumentiert werden. Zudem sollen die am Stein herrschenden ökologischen Standortbedingungen aus Zeigerwerten hergeleitet und die für silikatische Findlinge typischen Arten identifiziert werden, woraus schliesslich Empfehlungen für Massnahmen zur Erhaltung der Findlingsflora des Alexandersteins abgeleitet werden. Methode Auf zwei Begehungen wurde der Alexanderstein zu zweit, unter Zuhilfenahme einer Leiter, während je ca. drei Stunden nach Laubund Lebermoosarten abgesucht (14.8.2014: D. Hepenstrick & A. Bergamini; 10.6.2015 D. Hepenstrick & M.K. MeiAbb. 1 Der Alexanderstein im Küsnachtertobel (Kt. Zürich) am 23.10.2015: Nord(N), Ost(O), Süd(S) und Westseite (W). Der Findling hat eine Höhe von ca. 5 m.

Research in environmental science relies heavily on global climatic grids derived from estimates of air temperature at around 2 meter above ground1-3. These climatic grids however fail to reflect conditions near and below the soil surface, where critical ecosystem functions such as soil carbon storage are controlled and most biodiversity resides4-8. By using soil temperature time series from over 8500 locations across all of the world’s terrestrial biomes4, we derived global maps of soil temperature-related variables at 1 km resolution for the 0–5 and 5–15 cm depth horizons. Based on these maps, we show that mean annual soil temperature differs markedly from the corresponding 2 m gridded air temperature, by up to 10°C, with substantial variation across biomes and seasons. Soils in cold and/or dry biomes are annually substantially warmer (3.6°C ± 2.3°C) than gridded air temperature, whereas soils in warm and humid environments are slightly cooler (0.7 ± 2.3°C). As a result, annual soil temperature varies less (by 17%) across the globe than air temperature. The effect of macroclimatic conditions on the difference between soil and air temperature highlights the importance of considering that macroclimate warming may not result in the same level of soil temperature warming. Similarly, changes in precipitation could alter the relationship between soil and air temperature, with implications for soil-atmosphere feedbacks9. Our results underpin that the impacts of climate and climate change on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning are inaccurately assessed when air rather than soil temperature is used, especially in cold environments.