Taxonomy and Plant Conservation

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 March 2021) | Viewed by 47800

Special Issue Editor

Section of Ecology and Systematics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15784 Athens, Greece
Interests: plant biodiversity; phytogeography; plant conservation; biodiversity monitoring and assessment; vegetation ecology; protected areas; alien plants
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plant Systematics is a fundamental field of Biological Sciences, and its knowledge is essential not only for scientists involved in various disciplines of Botany but also for other scientists. In recent decades, the use of new methods and techniques in taxonomy, phylogeny, and biogeography has led to important scientific discoveries and large-scale revisions of classical views. Additionally, many new plant species are described on an annual basis, proving that continuous and thorough scientific research has much more to offer in this area. Finally, there is an increased scientific interest in conservation biology, as many plant species and their habitats are in immediate threat leading to population loss or even extinction.

This Special Issue is open to articles on taxonomy and phylogeny of vascular plants, phytogeography, plant distribution, and plant conservation.

Dr. Ioannis Bazos
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Plant taxonomy
  • Phytogeography
  • Plylogeny
  • Vascular plants
  • Plant diversity
  • Plant conservation
  • Phylogeography
  • Species distribution

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 6513 KiB  
Article
Linking Taxonomic, Phylogenetic and Functional Plant Diversity with Ecosystem Services of Cliffs and Screes in Greece
by Maria Panitsa, Ioannis P. Kokkoris, Konstantinos Kougioumoutzis, Anna Kontopanou, Ioannis Bazos, Arne Strid and Panayotis Dimopoulos
Plants 2021, 10(5), 992; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants10050992 - 17 May 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2801
Abstract
Sparsely vegetated habitats of cliffs and screes act as refugia for many regional and local endemic specialized plant taxa most of which have evolved precisely for that type of habitat. The interplay between taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional plant diversity on rock and scree [...] Read more.
Sparsely vegetated habitats of cliffs and screes act as refugia for many regional and local endemic specialized plant taxa most of which have evolved precisely for that type of habitat. The interplay between taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional plant diversity on rock and scree habitats of extreme environmental conditions, enlightens the relations of plant communities and ecosystems and facilitates management planning for the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services. The identification of biodiversity patterns and hotspots (taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional) contributes to the integration of the ecosystem services (ES) approach for the mapping and assessment of ecosystems and their services (MAES) implementation in Greece and the creation of thematic maps based on the MAES reporting format. The overlap among the protected areas’ network revealed that almost all areas of cliffs and screes of medium, high, and very high taxonomic and phylogenetic plant endemism are included in the Natura 2000 area network. The results of this study provide the baseline information for ES assessments at sparsely vegetated land of cliffs and screes. Our results contribute to the implementation of certain indicators of the national set of MAES indicators in Greece such as (a) floristic diversity and (b) microrefugia of endemic diversity and support of decision-making. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Taxonomy and Plant Conservation)
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16 pages, 1992 KiB  
Article
Conservation of Micromeria browiczii (Lamiaceae), Endemic to Zakynthos Island (Ionian Islands, Greece)
by Anna-Thalassini Valli, Christos Chondrogiannis, George Grammatikopoulos, Gregoris Iatrou and Panayiotis Trigas
Plants 2021, 10(4), 778; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants10040778 - 15 Apr 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1761
Abstract
The massive decline in biodiversity due to anthropogenic threats has led to the emergence of conservation as one of the central goals in modern biology. Conservation strategies are urgently needed for addressing the ongoing loss of plant diversity. The Mediterranean basin, and especially [...] Read more.
The massive decline in biodiversity due to anthropogenic threats has led to the emergence of conservation as one of the central goals in modern biology. Conservation strategies are urgently needed for addressing the ongoing loss of plant diversity. The Mediterranean basin, and especially the Mediterranean islands, host numerous rare and threatened plants in need of urgent conservation actions. In this study, we assess the current conservation status of Micromeria browiczii, a local endemic to Zakynthos Island (Ionian Islands, Greece), and estimate its future risk of extinction by compiling and assessing scientific information on geographical distribution, population dynamics and reproductive biology. The population size and the geographical distribution of the species were monitored for five years. The current population of the species consists of 15 subpopulations. Considerable annual fluctuation of population size was detected. The species is assessed as Endangered according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature threat categories. According to population viability analysis results, its extinction risk was estimated to be 5.6% over the next 50 years, when six of the fifteen subpopulations (40%) might become extinct. The investigation of certain aspects of the species’ biology yielded important data necessary to identify critical aspects for its survival and to propose conservation measures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Taxonomy and Plant Conservation)
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17 pages, 4654 KiB  
Article
Phytogeographical Analysis and Ecological Factors of the Distribution of Orchidaceae Taxa in the Western Carpathians (Local study)
by Lukáš Wittlinger and Lucia Petrikovičová
Plants 2021, 10(3), 588; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants10030588 - 20 Mar 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2661
Abstract
In the years 2018–2020, we carried out large-scale mapping in the Western Carpathians with a focus on determining the biodiversity of taxa of the family Orchidaceae using field biogeographical research. We evaluated the research using phytogeographic analysis with an emphasis on selected ecological [...] Read more.
In the years 2018–2020, we carried out large-scale mapping in the Western Carpathians with a focus on determining the biodiversity of taxa of the family Orchidaceae using field biogeographical research. We evaluated the research using phytogeographic analysis with an emphasis on selected ecological environmental factors (substrate: ecological land unit value, soil reaction (pH), terrain: slope (°), flow and hydrogeological productivity (m2.s−1) and average annual amounts of global radiation (kWh.m–2). A total of 19 species were found in the area, of which the majority were Cephalenthera longifolia, Cephalenthera damasonium and Anacamptis morio. Rare findings included Epipactis muelleri, Epipactis leptochila and Limodorum abortivum. We determined the ecological demands of the abiotic environment of individual species by means of a functional analysis of communities. The research confirmed that most of the orchids that were studied occurred in acidified, calcified and basophil locations. From the location of the distribution of individual populations, it is clear that they are generally arranged compactly and occasionally scattered, which results in ecological and environmental diversity. During the research, we identified 129 localities with the occurrence of 19 species and subspecies of orchids. We identify the main factors that threaten them and propose specific measures to protect vulnerable populations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Taxonomy and Plant Conservation)
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18 pages, 4705 KiB  
Article
An Orchid in Retrograde: Climate-Driven Range Shift Patterns of Ophrys helenae in Greece
by Martha Charitonidou, Konstantinos Kougioumoutzis and John M. Halley
Plants 2021, 10(3), 470; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants10030470 - 02 Mar 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3800
Abstract
Climate change is regarded as one of the most important threats to plants. Already species around the globe are showing considerable latitudinal and altitudinal shifts. Helen’s bee orchid (Ophrys helenae), a Balkan endemic with a distribution center in northwestern Greece, is [...] Read more.
Climate change is regarded as one of the most important threats to plants. Already species around the globe are showing considerable latitudinal and altitudinal shifts. Helen’s bee orchid (Ophrys helenae), a Balkan endemic with a distribution center in northwestern Greece, is reported to be expanding east and southwards. Since this southeastern movement goes against the usual expectations, we investigated via Species Distribution Modelling, whether this pattern is consistent with projections based on the species’ response to climate change. We predicted the species’ future distribution based on three different climate models in two climate scenarios. We also explored the species’ potential distribution during the Last Interglacial and the Last Glacial Maximum. O. helenae is projected to shift mainly southeast and experience considerable area changes. The species is expected to become extinct in the core of its current distribution, but to establish a strong presence in the mid- and high-altitude areas of the Central Peloponnese, a region that could have provided shelter in previous climatic extremes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Taxonomy and Plant Conservation)
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24 pages, 10690 KiB  
Article
Next Chapter in the Legend of Silphion: Preliminary Morphological, Chemical, Biological and Pharmacological Evaluations, Initial Conservation Studies, and Reassessment of the Regional Extinction Event
by Mahmut Miski
Plants 2021, 10(1), 102; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants10010102 - 06 Jan 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 28020
Abstract
Silphion was an ancient medicinal gum-resin; most likely obtained from a Ferula species growing in the Cyrene region of Libya ca. 2500 years ago. Due to its therapeutic properties and culinary value, silphion became the main economic commodity of the Cyrene region. It [...] Read more.
Silphion was an ancient medicinal gum-resin; most likely obtained from a Ferula species growing in the Cyrene region of Libya ca. 2500 years ago. Due to its therapeutic properties and culinary value, silphion became the main economic commodity of the Cyrene region. It is generally believed that the source of silphion became extinct in the first century AD. However, there are a few references in the literature about the cultivated silphion plant and its existence up to the fifth century. Recently, a rare and endemic Ferula species that produces a pleasant-smelling gum-resin was found in three locations near formerly Greek villages in Anatolia. Morphologic features of this species closely resemble silphion, as it appears in the numismatic figures of antique Cyrenaic coins, and conform to descriptions by ancient authors. Initial chemical and pharmacological investigations of this species have confirmed the medicinal and spice-like quality of its gum-resin supporting a connection with the long-lost silphion. A preliminary conservation study has been initiated at the growth site of this rare endemic Ferula species. The results of this study and their implications on the regional extinction event, and future development of this species will be discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Taxonomy and Plant Conservation)
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17 pages, 1659 KiB  
Article
GIS-Facilitated Effective Propagation Protocols of the Endangered Local Endemic of Crete Carlina diae (Rech. f.) Meusel and A. Kástner (Asteraceae): Serving Ex Situ Conservation Needs and Its Future Sustainable Utilization as an Ornamental
by Katerina Grigoriadou, Virginia Sarropoulou, Nikos Krigas, Eleni Maloupa and Georgios Tsoktouridis
Plants 2020, 9(11), 1465; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants9111465 - 29 Oct 2020
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 2921
Abstract
Conservation and sustainable exploitation of threatened endemic plants with medicinal and/or horticultural/ornamental value can be achieved through the development of effective propagation protocols. After unveiling the bioclimatic preferences of Carlina diae (Asteraceae) with geographic information systems (GIS), four propagation trials were conducted using [...] Read more.
Conservation and sustainable exploitation of threatened endemic plants with medicinal and/or horticultural/ornamental value can be achieved through the development of effective propagation protocols. After unveiling the bioclimatic preferences of Carlina diae (Asteraceae) with geographic information systems (GIS), four propagation trials were conducted using seeds of this endangered local Cretan endemic for in vivo and in vitro germination, as well as seasonal vegetative propagation trials (softwood cuttings) and micropropagation (nodal explants). Seed germination was accomplished at a level of 77–90% in vivo (30 days) and 96% in vitro (10 days) using an MS medium with 2.9 μM gibberellic acid (GA3). The optimum treatments for cuttings’ rooting were 1000 and 2000 ppm indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) (11–16 roots, 2–3 cm long, 100% rooting) within 40 days in mist. In vitro shoot propagation exhibited a 2.8 proliferation rate after six successive subcultures on an MS medium with 2.9 μM GA3. Both ex vitro rooting and acclimatization were successful in 40 days, with 96% microshoot rooting and an equal survival rate. The GIS-facilitated effective species-specific propagation protocols developed in this study can consolidate the perspective of successful re-introduction of ex situ-raised material of C. diae into wild habitats and may serve its sustainable exploitation for high-added value ornamental products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Taxonomy and Plant Conservation)
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16 pages, 2382 KiB  
Article
In Vitro Propagation of Isoëtes sabatina (Isoetaceae): A Key Conservation Challenge for a Critically Endangered Quillwort
by Sara Magrini, Mattia M. Azzella, Rossano Bolpagni and Laura Zucconi
Plants 2020, 9(7), 887; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants9070887 - 14 Jul 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4125
Abstract
Isoëtes sabatina is an aquatic quillwort endemic to Italy. It is one of the rarest quillworts in Europe, and is critically endangered due to restricted range and to the continuous decline of both population and habitat quality. This study aims to develop an [...] Read more.
Isoëtes sabatina is an aquatic quillwort endemic to Italy. It is one of the rarest quillworts in Europe, and is critically endangered due to restricted range and to the continuous decline of both population and habitat quality. This study aims to develop an optimized protocol to reproduce and grow I. sabatina sporelings. Mature and immature megaspores were mixed with mature microspores to evaluate the influence of the developmental stage on germination and sporeling development. Two substrates, distilled water and water-agar medium, were tested for germination and sporeling emergence, and three substrates, sand, lake sediment and water-agar, were tested for transplants. A high percentage of megaspore germination (a total of 79.1%) was obtained in both substrates, higher for mature than immature spores. A total of 351 sporelings were produced in distilled water and water-agar cultures, with similar percentages (64.5% and 69.6%, respectively). The development stage of the megaspores affected both germination and sporeling development. Sporeling emergence showed significantly higher percentages in mature megaspores than immature ones (69.6% vs. 11.6%, respectively), with 85% of germinated spores developing sporelings. Only transplants over water-agar medium were successful. This protocol could be useful for the propagation of sporelings as the key step towards the planning of in situ actions to save this Mediterranean quillwort from extinction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Taxonomy and Plant Conservation)
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