In recent decades, global change and local anthropogenic pressures have severely affected natural ecosystems and their biodiversity. Although disentangling the effects of these factors is difficult, they are reflected in changes in the functional composition of plant communities. We present a comprehensive, large-scale analysis of long-term changes in plant communities of various non-forest habitat types in the Czech Republic based on 1154 vegetation-plot time series from 53 resurvey studies comprising 3909 vegetation-plot records. We focused not only on taxonomic diversity but also on the functional characteristics of communities. Species richness of most habitat types increased over time, and taxonomic and functional community composition shifted significantly. Habitat specialists and threatened species became less represented in plant communities, indicating a decline in habitat quality. The spread of trees, shrubs, tall herbaceous plants, strong competitors, and nutrient-demanding species in all non-forest habitats, coupled with the decline of light-demanding species, suggests an effect of eutrophication and natural succession following the abandonment of traditional management. Moreover, we identified specific trends in certain habitats. In wetlands, springs, and mires, moisture-demanding species decreased, probably due to drainage, river regulations, and increasing drought resulting from climate change. Dry grasslands, ruderal, weed, sand, and shallow-soil vegetation became more mesic, and successional processes were most pronounced in these communities, suggesting a stronger effect of abandonment of traditional management and eutrophication. In alpine and subalpine vegetation, meadows and mesic pastures, and heathlands, insect-pollinated species declined, and the proportion of grasses increased. Overall, these functional changes provide deep insights into the underlying drivers and help conservationists take appropriate countermeasures.

Differences between peak-season and off-season dry mass, organic matter mass, and both concentrations and pools (standing stocks) of ash, N, P, K, Ca, Mg and Na were investigated in the rhizosphere soil, and live and dead aboveground plant biomass at 14 sites hosting 4 plant community types in the littoral zone of a eutrophic ancient shallow reservoir of about 5 km2 area, the Rožmberk fishpond (S. Bohemia, CZ). Comparisons between the peak-season and off-season data and several stoichiometric relations calculated from them provided an insight into the mineral nutrient economy of the examined types of the fishpond littoral vegetation. It is rooted in relatively nutrient-poor sandy soil, but differently enriched with nutrients contained in either the percolating fishpond water, or that of springs located at the landward edge of the littoral zone. The degree of eutrophication of our sampling sites and their vegetation thus seem to be positively correlated with the degree of contact of the plants´ rhizosphere with the nutrient-richer fishpond or spring water.

Great progress in cytotaxonomic research during the last decades indicated an importance of relationships between morphological features, geographical distribution of plants, and chromosome counts. This study is aimed to fill the gaps in our knowledge on Bolboschoenus chromosome numbers related to morphological differentiation of plants and their distribution worldwide. We counted gametophytic chromosome numbers in meiotic phase of plants, collected from localities worldwide during the period 1980–2013, and cultivated in an experimental garden in Průhonice. The chromosome numbers of seven species (Bolboschoenus affinis, B. caldwellii, B. grandispicus, B. medianus, B. novae-angliae, B. robustus and B. schmidii) were counted for the first time. All the studied Bolboschoenus taxa were divided into groups according to chromosome numbers, which were found to correspond to morphotypes formerly described. We have improved the taxonomic classification of some species. The relationship between chromosome counts and morphotypes appeared to be identical within some continents, and may indicate parallel evolution within the genus.

Polyploidisation is an important evolutionary force in land plants. Due to its recurrent incidence, many plant species retain individuals of two or more different ploidy levels. However, particular ecological and evolutionary mechanisms facilitating intraspecific cytotype coexistence have been identified for just a handful of species and cannot yet be generalised. Our pilot data have revealed a unique complex of mixed diploid-triploid populations of the marshland perennial Butomus umbellatus in the Eastern Slovak Lowland (eastern Central Europe). Intensive flow-cytometric ploidy screening of 1,230 individuals sampled from 72 populations was conducted at both regional and local (within-population) scales to assess cytotype distribution patterns. Vegetation assessments along with phenotypic comparisons of cytotypes directly in the field and later under common garden cultivation served to provide insight into mechanisms of cytotype coexistence. Altogether 42 % of the sampled populations were mixed-ploidy, pointing to unexpectedly high rates of diploid-triploid coexistence. While the cytotype distribution was random at the regional scale, significant spatial clustering occurred at the local scale. No ecological niche differences between the cytotypes were detected. Triploids attained greater values of several morphological characters both in the field and under cultivation, differences in the shape of inner tepals even show potential for cytotype discrimination. Both cytotypes exhibited high and comparable investments into clonal traits, reproductive assurance provided by asexual reproduction likely plays a key role in cytotype coexistence and triploid predominance. The common cytotype coexistence in this region seems to be also facilitated by periodical seasonal floods promoting transport of vegetative propagules among populations (i.e. metapopulation dynamics) and providing long-term continuity of favourable sites by recurrent disturbances.

In Europe, the genus Bolboschoenus has recently undergone many taxonomic revision studies, but in Italy a review of the materials conserved in herbaria, in accordance with the most recent taxonomic literature, was still missing. The aim of this study was therefore to review Bolboschoenus species from Italy, based on herbarium data. The specimens deposited in the main Italian herbaria were analyzed by a morphometric study, based on measurements and statistical analyses of the characters most commonly used in the updated taxonomic literature. Moreover, an analysis of the national distribution of the resulting species was carried on, also taking into account Italian data from international herbaria, previously used in specialist works. The study confirmed the diagnostic importance of some traits related to the achene morphology and anatomy, in particular the ratio between mesocarp and exocarp. On the other hand, some inflorescence-related characters, which were commonly used in the past, proved to have less discriminant power. The study revealed various distribution novelties, also with respect to the most recent national botanical literature. Finally, B. yagara was reported for the first time in Italy.

center dot Background and Aims While variation in genome size and chromosome numbers and their consequences are often investigated in plants, the biological relevance of variation in chromosome size remains poorly known. Here, we examine genome and mean chromosome size in the cyperid clade (families Cyperaceae, Juncaceae and Thurniaceae), which is the largest vascular plant lineage with predominantly holocentric chromosomes. center dot Methods We measured genome size in 436 species of cyperids using flow cytometry, and augment these data with previously published datasets. We then separately compared genome and mean chromosome sizes (2C/2n) amongst the major lineages of cyperids and analysed how these two genomic traits are associated with various environmental factors using phylogenetically informed methods. center dot Key Results We show that cyperids have the smallest mean chromosome sizes recorded in seed plants, with a large divergence between the smallest and largest values. We found that cyperid species with smaller chromosomes have larger geographical distributions and that there is a strong inverse association between mean chromosome size and number across this lineage. center dot Conclusions The distinct patterns in genome size and mean chromosome size across the cyperids might be explained by holokinetic drive. The numerous small chromosomes might function to increase genetic diversity in this lineage where crossovers are limited during meiosis.

The ecology and species diversity of ephemeral wetland vegetation have been fairly well studied, but the biology of its characteristic species has rarely been investigated holistically. Here we combine previous results on the genetic diversity of a suitable model species (the diploid Cyperus fuscus) with new data on its historical and recent occurrence, its ecological and climatic niche, and the associated vegetation. Analysis of phytosociological relevés from Central Europe revealed a broad ecological niche of C. fuscus with an optimum in the Isoëto-Nanojuncetea class, extending to several other vegetation types. Overall species composition in the relevés highlight C. fuscus as a potential indicator of habitat conditions suitable for a range of other threatened taxa. Analysis of historical records of C. fuscus from the Czech Republic showed an increasing trend in the number of localities since the 1990s. It seems that recent climate warming allows the thermophilous C. fuscus to expand its range into colder regions. Isoëto-Nanojuncetea and Bidentetea species are well represented in the soil seed bank in both riverine and anthropogenic habitats of C. fuscus. Vegetation diversity has a weak negative effect and anthropogenic (compared to riverine) habitats have a strong negative effect on genetic diversity in this species.

Divergent natural selection is known to facilitate speciation in many taxa. The genus Bolboschoenus (Cyperaceae) is a model group for investigating ecological and homoploid hybrid speciation. Four taxa of Bolboschoenus occur in central Europe: the halophyte B. maritimus and glycophytes B. laticarpus, B. planiculmis and B. yagara. These species differ in their ecological niches. Such ecological and/or geographical isolation is critical for homoploid hybrid speciation. The determination of species of Bolboschoenus is based on morphological characters of the inflorescence and on achene shape and anatomy. On the basis of its intermediate morphology, chromosome number and ecological amplitude B. laticarpus is thought to be a hybrid. In order to determine the validity of morphological species and the possible hybrid origin of B. laticarpus we used amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs) as molecular markers and compared different genetic groups defined using STRUCTURE analysis with morphological data. The morphological classification of central-European species of Bolboschoenus was confirmed. Plants of heterogeneous genotypes were also found to be intermediate individuals resulting from spontaneous hybridization. Hybrid origin of B. laticarpus, which is genetically and morphologically intermediate between B. yagara and B. planiculmis, was elucidated. Inflorescence characters were less important for determining species than anatomical characters of achenes (widths of the exocarp and mesocarp).

Three entities of taxonomically difficult genus Bolboschoenus collected from India were subjected to micromorphological and phytolith studies. For micromorphological study, silica bodies in the outer cells of the achene epidermis were revealed by acetolysis and sonication and examined by scanning electron microscopy. A silica body consists of a basal platform, one or more large elevated protuberances, and sometimes smaller satellite protuberances. Significant differences have been found in the number of protuberances, the presence/absence of satellites, the texture of the platform, and the occurrence of nodules on the larger protuberances at individual species level. These features, combined with achene shape and characteristics of the anticlinal walls of the epidermal cells (undulate vs. straight, thick vs. thin, buttressed or not), are expressed in a unique combination for each entity. It is clearly evident from the study that micromorphological characters of the achene epidermis vary significantly between different species. Therefore, the micromorphology of the achene epidermis of Bolboschoenus is valuable in understanding the taxonomy at infraspecific, specific and supraspecific levels in the genus. Results provided by phytolith analysis are useful not only in taxonomic demarcation of Bolboschoenus, but they will be useful in future archaeobotanical and paleoecological investigations also. In conclusion, present study confirms the presence of B. affinis and B. glaucus in India, while suggests more investigation on presence of B. maritimus in India.

Open and species-poor stands with a dominance of Alisma lanceolatum were recorded in periodically flooded habitats of the southern part of central Slovakia (Ipeľ River catchment area) during the summer of 2013. Phytosociological relevés correspond to the association Eleocharito palustris-Alismatetum lanceolati (alliance Eleocharito palustris-Sagittarion sagittifoliae), which is reported and documented here for the first time from the territory of Slovakia. It inhabits predominantly temporarily flooded depressions on agricultural land – wet arable fields and extensively used pastures. Detrended correspondence analysis showed that the variability in species composition was most significantly influenced by water depth, the presence of arable fields in the contact area and water conductivity. Special attention was paid to a detailed description of the floristic composition, habitat requirements, distribution patterns and nomenclature of the community.

Anatomical features of Iranian species, Bolboschoenus affinis, B. glaucus, B. maritimus, B. planiculmis and B. schmidii, were compared in an attempt to identify diagnostic characters that support morphological differentiation and to discover possible relationships between the anatomical and ecological differentiation of species. The leaf and stem anatomy visible on cross sections was studied to complement formerly used diagnostic characters in fruit anatomy. The presence and arrangement of bulliform cells in the leaf epidermis and subepidermal layers appeared to vary between some species, as did the presence of air cavities between the vascular bundles. We found that stem anatomy characters were not that much decisive in the differentiation of species. Although most of the anatomical characters supported the taxonomical differentiation based on morphology and fruit anatomy, they would not be decisive when used alone. In contrast, anatomical adaptations to habitat conditions seem to be clear in certain species and correspond to their ecology, i.e., the adaptation to drought and salinity or flooding conditions.

The effects of increasing salinity and nutrient levels on the fitness of four European Bolboschoenus species (Bolboschoenus maritimus, B. laticarpus, B. planiculmis and B. yagara) were studied in cultivation experiments. The study aimed to find whether increases in the salinity or nutrient supply act as key factors in ecological differentiation among the species and whether the responses of species to experimental conditions correspond to their habitat preferences in nature. The plants were cultivated in a salinity gradient with a maximum concentration of 1.5% NaCl and in a nutrient gradient with the following maximum concentrations of nutrients: N 1249.8 mg/l, P 466.8 mg/l, K 585 mg/l, Ca 586.2 mg/l and Mg 585 mg/l. Performance traits indicating plant fitness and proportional traits indicating the characteristics of biomass allocation were compared among species; a general linear model, planned comparisons and plasticity indices were used for data evaluation. The crucial role of salinity tolerance in ecological differentiation among the species was confirmed: the halophyte B. maritimus differed from other species in its salinity tolerance (the lowest plasticity index) in accordance with its habitat specialisation. An important role of nutrient availability in ecological differentiation was also demonstrated: B. laticarpus differed significantly from other species in that it was the most tolerant to high nutrient levels. This species was best able to utilise available nutrients along the entire factor gradient, in accordance with its broad habitat range. In contrast, B. maritimus was least able to utilise available nutrients. This result may be attributed to evolutionary adaptation to a stressed environment - stress resistance syndrome. A broader extent of phenotypic plasticity was found in the other two species. This characteristic enabled B. planiculmis to inhabit various secondary habitats and also to extend its range to saline habitats. B. yagara was highly plastic relative to salinity and nutrient levels, indicating its sensitivity to both factors. B. maritimus and B. yagara may be considered threatened in natural conditions, whereas the expansion of B. laticarpus is possible. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Kniha shrnuje udaje o ekologii, biologii, ohroženi a možnostech ochrany 830 druhů a poddruhů cevnatých rostlin, ktere jsou v jižni casti Cech ohrožene, vyhynule, nezvěstne ci potencialně ohrožene (nedostatecně dokumentovane). Dale obsahuje detailni rozbor historickeho i recentniho rozsiřeni každeho druhu. Rozsiřeni větsiny taxonů je znazorněno v mapkach. U vybraných druhů jsou texty doplněny fotografiemi.

Taxonomic advancement in the genus Bolboschoenus (Cyperaceae, formerly included in the genus Scirpus ) have resulted in the re-classification of the plant previously known as Bolboschoenus maritimus (synonym Scirpus maritimus ) into several closely-related but distinct Bolboschoenus species This improved taxonomy is of importance for archaeobotanical investigations of ancient sites within the temperate zones, where this genus frequently occurs, because it allows more precise definitions of the ecological requirements and growing habits of each species. Moreover, it details the distinct morphological and anatomical characteristics of the fruit (nutlets) of each species. Using these new nutlet classification criteria, we re-examined charred archaeological specimens which had previously been identified as B. maritimus (or S. maritimus ), from five Near Eastern late Pleistocene and early Holocene village sites: Abu Hureyra, Hallan Çemi, Demirköy, Çatalhöyük and Aswad. Because three of these sites are located in Anatolia, data on the recent occurrence of Bolboschoenus in Turkey were also investigated. All archaeobotanical specimens were found to be B. glaucus . This species was also found to be the most common Bolboschoenus in present-day Turkey, indicating that it has a long history of occurrence in this region. The environmental, ecological and economic implications of this new information suggest that it is entirely feasible that this plant provided late Pleistocene and Holocene Near Eastern people with a dependable and possibly a staple food source.

A revision of the Iranian Bolboschoenus was made based on studies of herbarium material and cultivated plants. Fruit features (fruit shape and pericarp anatomy) were used as the main distinguishing characters; style branching, inflorescence structure and the colour of floral scales were considered as accompanying distinguishing characters. The following taxa were recognized: Bolboschoenus glaucus (Lam.) S. G. Sm., B. affinis (Roth) Drobov, B. schmidii (Raymond) Holub, B. planiculmis (F. Schmidt) T. V. Egorova and B. maritimus (L.) Palla. Taxonomical difficulties, especially in the B. affinis group and B. maritimus are discussed. Bolboschoenus glaucus was found in all of the phytogeographical regions of Iran, and it is more frequent than any other Bolboschoenus species. Bolboschoenus planiculmis is very rare in the Irano–Turanian and Hyrcanian regions and grows only in human‐influenced habitats; it might be introduced as a weed in rice fields. Bolboschoenus maritimus, B. affinis and B. schmidii occur in the Irano–Turanian region only rarely. Bolboschoenus maritimus reaches the southeastern border of its distribution area in this region. All these species typically grow at higher altitudes. Great morphological variability in inflorescence structure was found in some species (especially in B. glaucus), which may be partly explained as a response to habitat conditions and partly by genotypic diversity.

Central European inland vegetation dominated by Bolboschoenus species was newly classified, based on current knowledge of taxonomic differentiation within the Bolboschoenus maritimus-complex. Altogether 225 phytosociological releves from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Germany and Austria were analysed. Bolboschoenus-dominated vegetation is found in a broad range of both freshwater and saline habitats. Individual Bolboschoenus species grow in different habitats with different species composition. The freshwater vegetation, dominated by B. yagara, B. laticarpus and B. planiculmis, reflects ecological differentiation of these species from base-poor to alkaline Substrates, and from littoral habitats to ternporarily flooded depressions. The following freshwater associations were distinguished: Phalarido arundinaceae-Bolboschoenetum laticarpi Passarge 1999 corr. Krumbiegel 2006, concentrated in large river floodplains, Bolboschoenetum yagarae Eggler 1933 corr. Hroudova et al. 2009, typical of the littoral zone of fishponds on base-poor bedrocks, and Tripleurospermo inodori-Bolboschoenetum planiculmis Hroudova et al. 2009, occurring mainly in temporarily flooded depressions on arable land. Saline vegetation is dominated by Bolboschoenus maritimus s. str. The alliance Cirsio brachycephali-Bolboschoenion compacti (Passarge 1978) Mucina in Balatova-Tulackova et al. 1993, previously interpreted as vegetation of inland saline marshes, actually relates to freshwater Bolboschoenus vegetation. Therefore a new alliance, Meliloto dentati-Bolboschoenion maritimi Hroudova et al. 2009, is proposed here to include saline reed vegetation of continental areas.

Es wird eine Übersicht über die in Deutschland vorkommenden Bolboschoenus-Arten gegeben, die Bestimmungsschlüssel und Verbreitungsübersichten mit Listen geprüfter Belege enthält. Herbarrevisionen und Exkursionen sind Grundlagen der Arbeit. In Deutschland sind vier Bolboschoenus-Arten indigen: B. maritimus s. str. ist eine halophile Art der Küsten und Binnensalzstellen; B. laticarpus ist weit verbreitet in Süßwasserhabitaten, besonders in Flussauen; B. planiculmis ist eine seltene Art von Sekundärhabitaten, insbesondere Nassstellen in Feldern, von der aktuelle Funde nur aus Bayern und Sachsen-Anhalt bekannt sind; B. yagara ist ebenfalls eine seltene Art, deren Vorkommen in Fischteichen der sächsischen Lausitz, in Thüringen, Bayern und Baden-Württemberg liegen. Häufigkeiten, mögliche Ausbreitungstendenzen und Schutzbedürftigkeit werden diskutiert.

Even though the reed, Phragmites australis, is an extensively studied wetland species, little is known about reproduction and dispersal modes within and among reed populations at the scale of small river systems. Using microsatellite analysis of 189 individuals from three adjacent river catchments in the Czech Republic, we elucidated the role of the river corridors in the dispersal of P. australis. Using Bayesian clustering of individuals, we found that 19% of clusters were distributed only along one river, which implied dispersal by water (or by wind) along river corridors, whereas 38% of clusters were widely distributed and were likely the product of wind long-distance dispersal among rivers. Intensive exchange of propagules among river systems is further demonstrated by only 6% of total variance being attributed to the variance among rivers in the AMOVA-analysis. Spatial autocorrelation analysis revealed a decreasing pattern up to 5–10km and no clear pattern over longer distances. This gives an evidence for pollen and seed dispersal at short distances (up to 1km), whereas most likely only seed dispersal at longer distances up to 10km. We found five multilocus genotypes distributed in two different populations. The distances between populations with the same genotype ranged from 0.5 to 10.8km. This can be interpreted as long-distance vegetative dispersal.