The endemic flora in the south of the Iberian Peninsula: taxonomic composition, biological spectrum, pollination, reproductive mode and dispersal

Melendo, Manuel Jiménez; Giménez, Esther; Cano, Eusébio; Mercado, Francisco Gómez; Valle, Francisco

doi:10.1078/0367-2530-00099

Cited by 65 publications

(51 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…This percentage is quite similar to that of other surrounding areas and even lower than that of the Iberian Peninsula (Davis et al 1994;Médail and Quézel 1997). However, the total number of exclusive endemisms is in fact relatively high in comparison with nearby areas (Melendo et al 2003), since the south of the Iberian Peninsula has a high species richness. Another feature even more distinguishable is the endemism density, higher than that of other countries of the Mediterranean Basin ( Figure 2).…”

Section: Altitudinal Distributionsupporting

confidence: 75%

Endemic flora biodiversity in the south of the Iberian Peninsula: altitudinal distribution, life forms and dispersal modes

Giménez

Melendo

Valle

et al. 2004

Biodiversity and Conservation

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The south of the Iberian Peninsula, with an altitudinal range varying from sea level to 3482 m and annual average rainfall ranging from 206 to 2223 mm, has 516 vascular endemic species or subspecies, that is, an endemicity rate of 13%. This survey deals with parameters such as species richness, originality, life forms and dispersal modes of these plants, in relation to altitudinal and rainfall gradients. Although most of the endemic plants occur between 600 and 1400 m a.s.l. and in the range of 600-1000 mm annual average rainfall, floristic originality (rate of endemic taxa per area unit) increases exponentially with altitude. The biological spectrum of this endemic flora does not follow the usual patterns observed either in local floras in the south of the Iberian Peninsula or in other regions of the Mediterranean Basin. Chamaephytes (46.08%) and hemicryptophytes (31.37%) are very abundant, whereas therophytes (11.96%) and phanerophytes (0.98%) are comparatively rare. There is a statistically significant correlation between life form and both altitudinal and rainfall gradients. Chamaephytes reach their highest density rates within 1400-2000 m a.s.l., but these records tend to decrease as rainfall rates increase. Abundance of hemicryptophytes is directly dependent on rainfall rates and inversely dependent on temperature. The altitudinal distribution pattern of therophytes is opposite to that of hemicryptophytes, but there is no clear correlation as far as rainfall gradient is concerned. Considering both the endemic plants as a whole and each of the life form groups, the relationships between the dispersal modes used and the altitudinal and rainfall gradients are analysed. Up to 44.51% of the endemic plants do not present evident adaptations to promote the dispersion of their diaspores. However, only in the group of therophytes, whose occurrence is positively related to areas of minor altitude, does this difficulty of dispersion play a significant role in the maintenance of stenochory.

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Section: Altitudinal Distributionsupporting

confidence: 75%

Endemic flora biodiversity in the south of the Iberian Peninsula: altitudinal distribution, life forms and dispersal modes

Giménez

Melendo

Valle

et al. 2004

Biodiversity and Conservation

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“…In particular most of the endemic species are geophytes, chamaephytes and hemicryptophytes which together constitute the 80% of the flora. Otherwise the Sicilian flora has a very high percentage of therophytes (36.2%), but this pattern is similar to other mediterranean regions (Melendo et al, 2003); also phanerophytes show a higher percentage (10.2%) than the endemic flora. Accordingly, geophytes and chamaephytes have much lower rate (15.8% and 8.9% respectively) than the endemic flora.…”

Section: B Life Formsupporting

confidence: 55%

“…During the last decade, numerous authors have examined the endemic vascular flora of different Mediterranean countries, in relation to their conservation and threats (Blanca et al, 1998;Melendo et al, 2003;Gimenez et al, 2004;Penas et al, 2005;Bacchetta & Pontecorvo, 2005;Bacchetta et al, 2005;Lorite et al, 2007;Stancic et al, 2008;Randelović et al, 2008;Yildiztugay et al, 2009;Fenu et al, 2010). This work provides a further contribution focused to increase the knowledge on this important but still little known Sicilian area.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 88%

Phytogeographic survey on the endemic vascular flora of the Hyblaean territory (SE Sicily, Italy)

Brullo

Minissale

Sciandrello

et al. 2011

Acta Botanica Gallica

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Abstract.-A survey of the endemic flora of the Hyblaean territory, important centre of biodiversity and speciation in Sicily, is presented. The endemic flora of this area consists of 105 taxa. Among them, 39 are included in the IUCN Regional Red List and 32 in the National Red List, 17 Orchidaceae are protected by the CITES and 3 in the EU 92/43 Habitat Directive. The most represented families are Asteraceae and Orchidaceae (17%), Lamiaceae (10%). A large number of species are endemic to Sicily or central-southern Italy and Sicily. The endemic taxa exclusive to the Hyblaean territory are 20. Life form spectrum of the endemic flora indicates the predominance of geophytes (28.6%), chamaephytes (26.7%), hemicryptophytes (24.8%). The analysis of the habitat put in evidence that the endemics are widespread in garrigues, rocky walls and rocky coasts, dry grassland, woods and synantropic places. In this work, it's also provided an assessment of the conservation status of Hyblaean endemics and proposition for their protection.Key words : endemic flora -life forms -habitat -conservation status -Hyblaean territory -Sicily.Résumé.-Le territoire ibléen est un centre important pour la biodiversité et la spéciation en Sicile. Sa flore endémique représente 105 taxons. Beaucoup sont menacés par différentes activités humaines (agriculture intensive, urbanisation, pâturage, industrialisation). Parmi les taxons endémiques, 39 sont inclus dans la Liste rouge de l'UICN régionale et 32 dans la Liste rouge nationale, 17 Orchidaceae sont protégées par la CITES et 3 par la directive Habitat 92/43. Les familles les plus représentées sont: Asteraceae and Orchidaceae (17%), Lamiaceae (10%). Le spectre biologique de cette flore montre la dominance des géophytes (28,6%), chaméphytes (26,7%), hémicryptophytes (24,8%). L'analyse des habitats montre que les endémiques sont répandues dans les garrigues, parois rocheuses et côtes rocheuses, les prairies sèches, les bois et lieux anthropisés. Nous donnons une évaluation sur l'état de conservation des endé-miques de ce territoire et des propositions pour leur protection.Mots clés : flore endémique -formes de vie -habitat -état de conservationterritoire ibléen -Sicile.

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“…Therefore, an understanding of species' life-histories can help in determining which species are most susceptible to ecosystem fragmentation. In Cabo de Gata Natural Park, forest-gap species that have restricted dispersal, e.g., Phlomis purpurea, Cistus albidus, Teucrium pseudochamaepytis, Genista spartioides, and Brachypodium retusum (the only grass species, along with Bromus rubens, sensitive to patch size, and species that actively restrict and hamper dispersal (antitelechory) by myxospermy, which are predominant in arid regions (Ehrman and Cocks, 1996), e.g., Helianthemum almeriensis (Melendo et al, 2003) and Linum strictum (Hensen, 1999), are very sensitive to the effects of fragmentation and exhibited a significant positive correlation between patch size and the long-range spatial autocorrelation. Those species recolonize more slowly than do wind-dispersed species, e.g., the flying, anemochorous Launaea lanifera, which tend to dominate the early stages of succession (Dzwonko and Loster, 1992), and vertebrate dispersers, e.g., Olea europaea var.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do vegetation patch spatial patterns disrupt the spatial organization of plant species?

Alados¹,

Navarro

Komac³

et al. 2009

Ecological Complexity

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Keywords: Beta diversity Detrended Fluctuation Analyses Fractals Fragmentation Spatial patternsThe mechanisms that structure plant diversity and generate long-range correlated spatial patterns have important implications for the conservation of fragmented landscapes. The ability to disperse and persist influences a plant species' capacity for spatial organization, which can play a critical role in structuring plant diversity in metacommunities. This study examined the spatial patterns of species diversity within a network of patches in Cabo de Gata Natural Park, southeastern Spain. The objectives were to understand how the spatial heterogeneity of species composition (beta diversity) varies in a structured landscape, and how the long-range spatial autocorrelation of plant species is affected by the spatial configuration of patches.The mechanisms underlying the spatial distribution of plants acted at two scales. Between patches, spatial variation in species distributions was greater than that expected based on spatial randomization, which indicated that movement among patches was restricted. Within patches, diffusion processes reduced spatial variability in species distributions, and the effect was more prominent in large patches. Small patch size negatively influenced the long-range spatial autocorrelation of characteristic species, whereas interpatch distance had a stronger effect on species frequency than it had on the disruption of spatial organized patterns.The long-range spatial autocorrelation was evaluated based on the dispersal abilities of the species. Among the 106 species evaluated, 39% of the woody species, 17% of the forbs, and 12% of the grasses exhibited disrupted long-range spatial autocorrelation where patches were small. The species that are more vulnerable to the effects of fragmentation tended to be those that have restricted dispersal, such as those that have short-range dispersal (atelechoric), e.g., Phlomis purpurea, Cistus albidus, Teucrium pseudochamciepytis, Brachypodium retusum, and the ballistic species, Genista spartioides. Helicmthemum almeriense is another vulnerable species that has actively restricted dispersal (antitelechory), which is common in arid regions. Wind dispersers such as Launaea \anifera were less vulnerable to the effects of fragmentation. Long-distance dispersers whose persistence depends on facilitative interactions with other individuals, e.g., allogamous species such as Thymus hyemalis, Ballota hirsuta, and Anthyllis cytisoides, exhibit disrupted long-range spatial autocorrelation when patch size is reduced.

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The endemic flora in the south of the Iberian Peninsula: taxonomic composition, biological spectrum, pollination, reproductive mode and dispersal

Cited by 65 publications

References 40 publications

Endemic flora biodiversity in the south of the Iberian Peninsula: altitudinal distribution, life forms and dispersal modes

Endemic flora biodiversity in the south of the Iberian Peninsula: altitudinal distribution, life forms and dispersal modes

Phytogeographic survey on the endemic vascular flora of the Hyblaean territory (SE Sicily, Italy)

Do vegetation patch spatial patterns disrupt the spatial organization of plant species?

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