Diversity of weed vegetation in the Czech Republic and Slovakia
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2006 |
| Type | Article in Proceedings |
| Conference | Abstracts 15th European vegetation survey workshop Vegetation in agricultural landscapes and "Natura 2000" |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Botany |
| Keywords | arable field; gradient analysis; classification; Stellarietea mediae |
| Description | Major broad-scale gradients in species composition and their underlying factors were studied for weed vegetation of arable land in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. A selection of 2653 geographically stratified relevés sampled between 19542003 was used for gradient analysis and numerical classification. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed that species composition of weed vegetation mainly varied with altitude, which was associated with decreasing temperature, increasing precipitation and lower base status of the soils. Proportion of hemicryptophytes to therophytes increased at higher altitudes. Species richness increased and beta diversity decreased with increasing altitude. The second most important gradient of weed species composition was associated with seasonal changes, resulting in striking differences between weed communities developed in spring and summer. The third gradient reflected long term changes in weed vegetation over past decades. Proportion of hemicryptophytes to therophytes, and species richness decreased with time. Crop plants and associated agricultural management had a less pronounced but still significant effect on weed species composition than the broad-scale environmental gradients and temporal changes. Relevés were classified into seven main groups using cluster analysis. For each group diagnostic species were determined using statistical calculation of fidelity. The classification reflected the major gradients as detected by canonical correspondence analysis, with a clear distinction between lowland and highland communities and with additional emphasis on the dichotomy between cereal and root-crop cultures. A separate group for vernal communities was also distinguished. The groups resulting from numerical analysis were compared with traditional phytosociological units. |
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