Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1111/j.1654-1103.2011.01284.x
Title (Primary) Vegetation databases as a tool to analyse factors affecting the range expansion of the forest understory herb Ceratocapnos claviculata
Author Voss, N.; Simmering, D.; Peppler-Lisbach, C.; Durka, W. ORCID logo ; Eckstein, R.L.
Source Titel Journal of Vegetation Science
Year 2011
Department BZF
Volume 22
Issue 4
Page From 726
Page To 740
Language englisch
Keywords Acidophytic oak-birch forest; Clearing; Climatic environmental zone; Disturbance; Ellenberg indicator value; Forest management; Global change; Habitat requirement;Invasibility; Therophyte
Abstract

Question: The eu-atlantic forest herb Ceratocapnos claviculata showed a recent increase in frequency within its native range and an eastward and northward range expansion in Central Europe. To gain deeper understanding of factors affecting the range expansion of the species, we analyzed vegetation relevés at three different scales and asked the following questions: As the species occurs in a wide range of vegetation types, is variation in community composition across the entire range related to climatic environmental zones and tree cover? Are there differences in species composition and habitat characteristics between the native range and the two invaded regions (S Sweden and NE Germany)? Did community composition and habitat characteristics within the native range (The Netherlands) change between ‘before 1970’ and ‘1990 to 2006’?

Location: W, C and N Europe.

Methods: We analysed vegetation-plot data with C. claviculata from various databases and own surveys using partial CCA, partial DCA, Indicator Species Analysis, MANCOVA and multiple regression.

Results: Using vegetation plots from the entire distribution range, climatic environmental zones explained 68.9% of the total canonical Eigenvalue. Differences in floristic composition and habitat characteristics between the two invaded regions were as large as between native and invaded range sites. However, relevés from the invaded range were generally characterized by anthropogenic disturbance. Accordingly, abundance of C. claviculata was positively linked to silvicultural intensity. New relevés from 1990 to 2006 were characterized by higher Ellenberg nutrient indicator values, lower species diversity, higher proportions of neophytic and hemerobic species and showed a lower cover of the study species than old relevés from before 1970.

Conclusions: Across the range of C. claviculata, climatic environmental zones determine vegetation composition. Accordingly, the species is characterized by a broad macroclimatic amplitude. Vegetation composition and structure differ significantly between the two regions of the new range. Thus, the species has successfully established under various biotic and abiotic environmental conditions. Beyond potential positive effects of soil eutrophication and mild winters, anthropogenic impact may directly facilitate seed dispersal and provide sites and resource conditions suitable for germination and establishment of C. claviculata, whereas a decrease of forest management may constrain the species.

Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=11368
Voss, N., Simmering, D., Peppler-Lisbach, C., Durka, W., Eckstein, R.L. (2011):
Vegetation databases as a tool to analyse factors affecting the range expansion of the forest understory herb Ceratocapnos claviculata
J. Veg. Sci. 22 (4), 726 - 740 10.1111/j.1654-1103.2011.01284.x