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Changes and Evolution of Flora and Vegetation under Human Impacts

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A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Diversity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2024 | Viewed by 16635

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Prof. Dr. Bogdan Jackowiak

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Department of Systematic and Environmental Botany, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, 61-614 Poznan, Poland
Interests: anthropogenic changes in flora and vegetation; urban flora; invasive plant biology; biology of endangered and vulnerable plants; distribution and ecology of field weeds; environmental impact assessment; phenology and aeropalynology of allergenic plants; digitization and biodiversity database
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Dear Colleagues,

With the progress of civilization, human impact on the environment and its ecosystems intensifies. Agriculture, transport, industrialization and urbanization lead directly or indirectly, e.g., through global climate change, to the transformation of flora and vegetation.

In human-influenced ecosystems, microevolutionary processes occur that have a weighty impact on plant diversity. Following 150 years of regular research, our understanding of anthropogenic changes in flora and vegetation, is already extensive. Increasingly more is known about both the extinction and decline of native flora components and the naturalization of alien plant species. On the other hand, serious gaps in information, theory and methodology in this field can be identified. This Special Issue will serve as a platform for the publication of papers reviewing the latest knowledge in this field, as well as discussion and theoretical articles on the relationship between humans and flora/vegetation, highlighting new research on (1) anthropogenic changes in flora and vegetation in different regions and ecosystems, including the microevolution of plants under human influence; (2) methods of analysis and the evaluation of contemporary changes in flora and vegetation.

Prof. Dr. Bogdan Jackowiak
Guest Editor

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Keywords

plant diversity
human pressure
hemeroby
synanthropisation
flora extinction
endangered species
plant invasion
alien species
microevolution

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

32 pages, 4021 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Man-Made Changes in the Flora and Vegetation of Poland: Current Review

by Bogdan Jackowiak

Diversity 2023, 15(5), 618; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d15050618 - 02 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1449

Abstract

This paper presents the main directions and range of man-made changes to the vascular flora and their effects at the vegetation level. The native flora of Poland, located in the temperate zone of Central Europe, comprises approximately 2639 species. The effect of human pressure, which began in the Neolithic and has intensified in the last 200 years, has caused changes in the native flora and has included an inflow of 975 alien species, 560 of which have become permanently established. Currently, at least 704 native species are recognized as endangered, and only 623 are recognized as being able to occupy habitats that were created or strongly transformed by humans. Native species (apophytes) and aliens (anthropophytes) have co-created completely new plant communities in these habitats. Among the alien plants, neophytes (399 species) outnumber archaeophytes (161 species). Additionally, many neophytes (123 species) can penetrate seminatural and natural communities. Research has shown that the proportions of apophytes, alien plants, and declining species can be used to clearly differentiate plant communities and be used as an indicator of anthropogenic changes. A comparison of the man-made changes in Polish flora and vegetation in other countries showed that the changes in Poland are part of the global process of environmental degradation and are aggravated by the country’s economic development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Changes and Evolution of Flora and Vegetation under Human Impacts)

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42 pages, 5830 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cultural Landscape as Both a Threat and an Opportunity to Preserve a High Conservation Value of Vascular Flora: A Case Study

by Julian Chmiel

Diversity 2023, 15(2), 211; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d15020211 - 02 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1666

Abstract

This study aimed to show the influence of cultural landscape structure on species richnessand the conservation value of vascular flora.The analyses are based on 3201 original floristic lists (relevés) and 83,875 floristic data collected since 1994 within Gopło Millennium Park (Nadgoplański Park Tysiąclecia) in a rural area in central Poland. Descriptions of landscape composition in grid cells (0.5 km × 0.5 km) include land use structure, mean deviation of uneven proportions of various land use types, and Shannon index of diversity (H’). Vascular plant diversity was described using total species richness and contributions of groups of native and alien species. Assessment of floristic conservation value was based on qualitative and quantitative floristic index (Wfj and Wfi), mean coefficient of conservatism (C), and floristic quality index (FQI). Floristic analyses were conducted in relation to the whole study area and within grid cells, basing on numbers of species and number of floristic data. The results suggest that species richness in grid cells depends more strongly on diversity and evenness of contributions of land use types, irrespective of which land use types were present. Species richness is strongly dependent on land use structure. Larger contributions of arable fields and built-up areas are linked with a decrease in species richness of nonsynanthropic native plants and species of floristic conservation value. Regularity in this respect is very well illustrated by indices excluding the influence of species richness on floristic value (quantitative floristic index Wfi and mean coefficient of conservatism C). According to the algorithm of FQI, the most valuable floras are characterized by a large number of species with a high contribution of conservative ones. In the study area, this condition was met by floras of surface waters and wetlands. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Changes and Evolution of Flora and Vegetation under Human Impacts)

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19 pages, 2301 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Drivers and Effects of Cryptic Invasion of Cornus sanguinea subsp. australis in Lithuania

by Lukas Petrulaitis and Zigmantas Gudžinskas

Diversity 2023, 15(1), 107; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d15010107 - 12 Jan 2023

Viewed by 1353

Abstract

Most alien plant species are usually discovered in new areas either immediately or within a relatively short period of time after their introduction. However, the introduction, spread, and invasion of some species go unnoticed for a long time. In Lithuania, such an alien plant is Cornus sanguinea subsp. australis, whose cryptic invasion has gone unnoticed due to its similarity to the native subsp. sanguinea. Cornus sanguinea subsp. australis is native to southeastern Europe and western Asia and is considered alien in other parts of Europe. This study, which was carried out between 2018 and 2022 in the territory of Lithuania, aimed to identify the distribution of the subsp. australis, as well as assess certain reproductive traits and its impact on the species diversity of the invaded communities. The results showed that the cryptic invasion of subsp. australis in Lithuania has been going on for several decades and is now well advanced. We found that the alien subspecies grows faster and that individuals in analogous habitats mature earlier than the native subsp. sanguinea. Furthermore, subsp. australis, compared to subsp. sanguinea, produces more flowers per inflorescence (84.0 ± 25.0 and 49.7 ± 20.9, respectively) and sets and ripens more fruits (25.6 ± 9.7 and 18.2 ± 7.6, respectively), which are among the most important factors for its further fast spread and invasion. The results of the vegetation analysis showed that the increase in abundance of both subspecies has a negative effect on species diversity in the community. However, the effect of the native subspecies on plant species diversity was negligible, while the effect of the alien subspecies was moderately negative and significant (r = −0.47; p < 0.05). Based on the results of the study, we can conclude that the alien subsp. australis performs better than the native subsp. sanguinea. Considering the current distribution and the drivers of dispersal, we suppose that subsp. australis will continue to spread rapidly in Lithuania and may pose a threat to the native subsp. sanguinea populations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Changes and Evolution of Flora and Vegetation under Human Impacts)

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18 pages, 2271 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Transformations of Vascular Flora of a Medieval Settlement Site: A Case Study of a Fortified Settlement in Giecz (Wielkopolska Region, Western Poland)

by Zbigniew Celka, Andrzej Brzeg and Adam Sobczyński

Diversity 2023, 15(1), 35; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d15010035 - 28 Dec 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1349

Abstract

Exceptional components of the cultural landscape of Central Europe include archaeological sites, e.g., castle ruins, prehistoric or medieval fortified settlements, other settlements and burial mounds. The plants associated with them help us explain the processes of species persistence on habitat islands as well as the process of naturalization of crop species, which escape from fields or are abandoned. This study describes the flora of a medieval fortified settlement in Giecz (Wielkopolska region, western Poland), presents plant indicators of former settlements (relics of cultivation), species of high conservation value, and transformations of the vascular flora of this settlement over a few decades. Field research was conducted in 1993–1994, 1998–1999, and 2019. At the study site, 298 species of vascular plant species were recorded, and nearly 70% of them (201 species) have persisted there over the last 20 years. The flora includes seven relics of cultivation (Artemisia absinthium, Leonurus cardiaca, Lycium barbarum, Malva alcea, Pastinaca sativa, Saponaria officinalis, and Viola odorata), 5 species threatened with extinction in Poland and/or Wielkopolska, and 53 species of least concern (LC) according to the European red list. We have attempted to explain the floristic changes. The archaeological site in Giecz is of high conservation value, very distinct from the surrounding cultural landscape because of its specific flora, and composed of species from various habitats (e.g., dry grasslands, wooded patches, meadows, aquatic and ruderal habitats), including threatened, protected, and relic species. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Changes and Evolution of Flora and Vegetation under Human Impacts)

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16 pages, 2826 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Factors Affecting Plant Composition in Abandoned Railway Areas with Particular Emphasis on Forest Proximity

by Agnieszka Hutniczak, Alina Urbisz, Andrzej Urbisz and Łukasz Strzeleczek

Diversity 2022, 14(12), 1141; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d14121141 - 19 Dec 2022

Viewed by 1441

Abstract

Abandoned railway areas are places for the spontaneous spread of plants and the formation of specific plant communities. However, only limited information on this subject is available in the literature. The study aimed to determine the direction and the rate of forest formation, taking into account selected environmental factors. A floristic, phytosociological, and soil survey was carried out on a set of abandoned railway lines in the Silesia Province (southern Poland). For this purpose, 30 plots of vegetation were selected: 15 located in the vicinity of forests (F) and 15 surrounded by ruderal or segetal communities (NF). As a result, a total of 132 species (121 vascular plants and 11 mosses) were recorded, including 83 species at F plots and 78 species at NF plots. During the research, 13 syntaxa were distinguished. It was found that silt content, nitrate nitrogen (N-NO₃), pH, and phosphorous have a significant impact upon which species dominated in the surveyed areas. It was found that the proximity of the forest was a crucial factor in determining the development of forest communities on abandoned railway areas. These results can be helpful for understanding how environmental conditions shape the forest structure on these types of habitats. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Changes and Evolution of Flora and Vegetation under Human Impacts)

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32 pages, 20140 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Anthropogenic Transformations of Vegetation in the Kuyalnik Estuary Valley (Ukraine, Odesa District)

by Dmytro V. Dubyna, Alim A.-A. Ennan, Tetiana P. Dziuba, Lyudmyla P. Vakarenko, Galyna M. Shykhaleyeva and Hanna M. Kiryushkina

Diversity 2022, 14(12), 1115; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d14121115 - 15 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1586

Abstract

Human influence on the steppe ecosystems of Ukraine caused irreversible loss of biodiversity in the natural zone. Currently, this problem is aggravated by military operations which cover almost half of the steppe zone and are unprecedented in the entire history of their existence. This actualizes the study of vegetation dynamic processes under the influence of the novel anthropogenic factors, and serves as the scientific basis for restoring and preserving steppe vegetation and maintaining its functional stability. The paper highlights anthropogenic changes in vegetation of the Kuyalnik Estuary valley based on long-term comparative phytocenotic surveys and uses of the method of succession series for reconstruction. These changes are representative of the river valleys of the estuaries in the Northern Black Sea region. This work examines vegetation changes induced by runoff overregulation of estuary rivers within the basin, quarrying of sand and limestone, ploughing, grazing, burning, terracing of slopes and their afforestation, excessive mowing of grass stands, and uncontrolled recreation. Subject to the existing anthropogenic impact combined with global climate changes, further vegetation degradation was predicted to occur in the direction of xerophitization and halophitization, reduction in shrubby vegetation areas, degradation of steppe vegetation, and intensification of desertification processes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Changes and Evolution of Flora and Vegetation under Human Impacts)

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31 pages, 9607 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Alien Species in the Pioneer and Ruderal Vegetation of Ukraine

by Dmytro V. Dubyna, Tetiana P. Dziuba, Svitlana M. Iemelianova, Vira V. Protopopova and Myroslav V. Shevera

Diversity 2022, 14(12), 1085; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d14121085 - 08 Dec 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1636

Abstract

Invasions of nonnative plants are widely recognized as one of the major threats to the biodiversity of natural ecosystems on a global scale. Pioneer and ruderal habitats are the primary locations for the penetration of alien plants. Both pioneer and ruderal vegetation are very close in their genesis and beginning of development; therefore, a comparative analysis of their alien components and historical trends would contribute to clarifying the direction of successional changes and the possible management of destructive processes caused by anthropogenic influences in different types of habitats. The results of a structural and comparative analysis of the alien fractions of the coenofloras of the pioneer and ruderal vegetation of Ukraine indicated that the systematic, biomorphological, ecological, and geographical structures of these species show a high similarity, according to many of the main indicators, which allows them to successfully implement a strategy of invasion, particularly in communities characterized by instability and weak coenotic connections. It was established that the ecotopes of both types of vegetation are very favorable to the penetration and establishment of alien species; however, disturbed habitats of the ruderal type are more prone to invasions. In the communities of both pioneer and ruderal vegetation, alien species can become successfully established at the coenotic level, forming phytocoenoses of different hierarchical ranks. The results of this study will contribute to the identification of general patterns of invasions and the optimization (management) of disturbed and unstable natural ecosystems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Changes and Evolution of Flora and Vegetation under Human Impacts)

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13 pages, 1886 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Land Use Changes on the Plant Community Characteristics in the Wetlands of the Semi-Arid Regions

by Le Wang, Xiaodong Wang, Yu An, Tiejun Song, Shouzheng Tong and Xuan Wang

Diversity 2022, 14(12), 1049; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d14121049 - 30 Nov 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1628

Abstract

Human disturbance is the main driving factor of wetland vegetation degradation, and plant community changes can directly characterize the process of wetland degradation. The wetlands in semi-arid region of Songnen Plain perform the important ecological functions, especially the habitat of waterbirds. Recently, the succession of wetland plant community has been accelerated by land use changes. In this study, we investigated the variations of plant community in wetlands undergoing land use changes (natural, mowing, light grazing + mowing, moderate grazing and heavy grazing wetlands) in the western Songnen Plain. The results showed that the plant communities were significantly affected by land use changes. The typical wetland plant Calamagrostis angustifolia was the dominant species in natural wetlands, and its dominance was gradually decreased in mowing or grazing wetlands in where Carex spp. or Artemisia selengensis acting as the dominant species. The height, density, and biomass in natural wetlands were significantly higher than those in other wetlands, whereas the species diversity and richness in natural wetlands were significantly lower. The similarity index of plant community in wetlands undergoing land use changes to natural wetlands ranged from 17.7–45.1%, being the highest in mowed wetlands and the lowest in heavily grazed wetlands. The linear regression further indicated that the plant diversity index was negatively correlated with the aboveground biomass of grasses and positively correlated with the aboveground biomass of forbs. Therefore, the land use changes in wetlands drove the replacement of dominant species of wetland vegetation and changed plant community characteristics and the species diversity, and the maintenance of species diversity is linked with the variability in plant functional strategies. The results of community variations and their relationships with functional changes can be used for assessing the effects of degradation and ecological function in response of land use changes in wetlands. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Changes and Evolution of Flora and Vegetation under Human Impacts)

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15 pages, 5671 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A New Combined Index to Assess the Fragmentation Status of a Forest Patch Based on Its Size, Shape Complexity, and Isolation

by Carlos A. Rivas, José Guerrero-Casado and Rafael M. Navarro-Cerrillo

Diversity 2022, 14(11), 896; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d14110896 - 22 Oct 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3023

Abstract

There are many local fragmentation metrics, but most can be grouped into four types (composition/area, isolation, edge, and shape), and none of them alone determines the degree of fragmentation of a patch. Here, we grouped together the main fragmentation metrics (area, edge, shape, and isolation) in order to propose a new metric/index, the Patch Fragmentation Index (PFI), with which to determine fragmentation at patch scale. The index was subsequently verified with the Ecuadorian seasonal dry forest by employing geographic information layers and temporal land uses changes in 1990, 2000, 2008, and 2018. The PFI was applied to calculate the fragmentation per patch, spatial and temporal changes of fragmentation based on PFI were assessed, and the spatial patterns (Getis-Ord Gi * analysis) were calculated. The Ecuadorian seasonal dry forest obtained a mean PFI value of 0.88 (median = 0.99) in 2018. This value has increased by 8.6% since 1990, and 3451 patches of forest disappeared between 1990 and 2018. The Getis-Ord Gi * analysis was effective with regard to describing the spatial patterns, and 62% of the patches that were classified as hot patches in 1990 had disappeared by 2018. The PFI has proven to be a useful tool with which to describe fragmentation patterns at patch scale (regardless of its size) and can be extrapolated to other landscapes. The PFI will provide a new vision and can help in the decision-making related to the conservation and management of fragmented ecosystems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Changes and Evolution of Flora and Vegetation under Human Impacts)

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