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Biogeographic patterns of base‐rich fen vegetation across E urope
Author(s) -
JiménezAlfaro Borja,
Hájek Michal,
Ejrnaes Rasmus,
Rodwell John,
Pawlikowski Paweł,
Weeda Eddy J.,
Laitinen Jarmo,
Moen Absjørn,
Bergamini Ariel,
Aunina Liene,
Sekulová Lucia,
Tahvanainen Teemu,
Gillet François,
Jandt Ute,
Dítě Daniel,
Hájková Petra,
Corriol Gilles,
Kondelin Hanna,
Díaz Tomás E.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
applied vegetation science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.096
H-Index - 64
eISSN - 1654-109X
pISSN - 1402-2001
DOI - 10.1111/avsc.12065
Subject(s) - vegetation (pathology) , ecology , temperate climate , habitat , physical geography , geography , mire , species richness , ordination , canonical correspondence analysis , vegetation classification , biology , peat , medicine , pathology
Questions What is the distribution of base‐rich fen vegetation and the specialist species along E uropean biogeographic regions? How do the gradients in species composition correlate to geography and climate at continental scale? What are the implications of such patterns for the classification of these habitats? Location Fifteen countries of C entral, W estern and N orthern E urope. Methods We compiled a vegetation plot database of base‐rich fens and related communities including vascular plants and bryophytes. The initial data set with 6943 plots was filtered according to the presence of specialists using discriminant analysis. We used DCA to analyse the correlation of species composition with geography and climate, and kriging interpolation for mapping gradients in the study area. Modified TWINSPAN was used to detect major vegetation groups. The results of the whole data set (plot size 1–100 m 2 ) were compared with those obtained from two subsets with plots of 1–5 m 2 and 6–30 m 2 . Results Most of the specialists were distributed among all the biogeographic regions, but many were more represented in the A lpine than in the A tlantic, B oreal and C ontinental regions. Variation in species composition was mainly correlated to temperature, precipitation and latitude in the three data sets, showing a major gradient from (1) alpine belt fens characterized by spring species to (2) small sedge fens mainly distributed in mountain regions and (3) boreo‐temperate fens reflecting waterlogged conditions. Conclusions Base‐rich fen communities are widely distributed across E uropean biogeographic regions, but the A lpine region can be considered as the compositional centre of this vegetation type. Large‐scale gradients of species composition are mainly explained by climate, while the influence of latitude is probably correlated to increasing water table in the boreo‐temperate regions. These gradients can be better understood by differentiating three major vegetation types, which should be considered when establishing classification systems of base‐rich fens in E urope.