Pavol Eliáš

Distribution and Communities of Crypsis Aculeata and Heleochloa Schoenoides in Slovakia

Distribution and Communities of Crypsis Aculeata and Heleochloa Schoenoides in Slovakia The distribution and communities of two annual grasses Crypsis aculeata and Heleochloa schoenoides were studied in Slovakia during 2003-2007. Herbarium and field data were used to reconstruct the occurrence of both taxa. A strong decline in C. aculeata localities was observed. This was mainly due to the destruction of periodically flooded saline habitats. By contrast, the occurrence of H. schenoides was changed only slightly. This species survives in secondary habitats (rural roads, field margins, field depressions). Point maps of historical and recent distribution are presented. Halophile vegetation of Crypsis aculeata and Heleochloa schoenoides has been sampled with the adapted Braun-Blanquet method. All collected relevés have been classified using the JUICE software. The results showed that the Crypsidetum aculeate Wenzl 1934 community is missing now in Slovakia, but Heleochloetum schoenoidis (Soó 1933) Topa 1939 was still recorded at a few sites. However, the community contained many ruderal plant species. Raziskave razširjenosti dveh enoletnih trav Crypsis aculeata in Heleochloa schoenoides smo raziskovali na Slovaškem med letoma 2003 in 2007. Za rekonstrukcijo pojavljanja obeh vrst smo uporabili herbarrijske in terenske podatke. Opazili smo močno upadanje števila nahajališč, kjer se pojavlja C. aculeata. Razlog je predvsem uničenje periodično poplavljenih slanih rastišč. Nasprotno pa se je pojavljanje vrste H. schenoides le malo spremenilo. Vrsta lahko uspeva tudi na sekundarnih rastiščih (kolovozi, robovi njiv, uleknine na njivah). Historično in recentno razširjenost smo prikazali na točkovnih kartah. Halofilno vegetacijo vrst Crypsis aculeata in Heleochloa schoenoides smo vzorčili s prilagojeno Braun-Blanquetovo metodo. Vse popisno gradivo smo klasificirali s programom JUICE. Rezultati so pokazali, da asociacije Crypsidetum aculeate Wenzl 1934 na Slovaškem ne najdemo več, medtem ko je bila asociacija Heleochloetum schoenoidis (Soó 1933) Topa 1939 najdena na nekaj rastiščih, vendar se v njej pojavljajo številne ruderalne rastlinske vrste.

Red list of ferns and flowering plants of Slovakia, 5th edition (October 2014)

Abstract The last version of Red List was published already more than 10 years ago but the knowledge of the flora of Slovakia has substantially improved due to large-scale mapping projects and taxonomical research. Therefore an updated fifth edition of the Red List is presented in this paper. For evaluation, we accepted IUCN categories (ER, CR, EN, VU, NT, LC, DD, NA, NE) and criteria (A-D), which were used first time in the history of Slovak Red Lists of ferns and flowering plants. In total 1 218 taxa are listed (the complete list of taxa is given in Electronic Appendix 1), which is nearly 34 % of the total number of 3 619 native taxa and archaeophytes of the flora of Slovakia. More than 80 taxa (7 %) were not confirmed in the flora (66 Regionally Extinct, 17 Probably Regionally Extinct), 155 taxa are evaluated as Critically Endangered (13 %), 171 Endangered (14 %) and 201 taxa are regarded Vulnerable (17 %). The largest group represent 347 taxa evaluated as Near Threatened (29 %), 162 taxa are assessed as Least Concern (13 %), 91 taxa are in category Data Deficient (7 %), and 8 taxa belong to categories of Not Evaluated and Not Applicable (1 %). In this Red List, 27 taxa are included as new for the flora of Slovakia and 14 taxa were rediscovered. Short history of Slovak Red lists of rare and threatened plants is also briefly mentioned.

Revision of historical and current distribution of Pholiurus pannonicus (Host.) Trin. in Slovakia.

Revision of Historical and Current Distribution of Pholiurus Pannonicus (Host.) Trin. in Slovakia Historical and current occurrence of the obligate halophyte Pholiurus pannonicus was studied in Slovakia during the period 2003-2009. The species had been occurring in the Podunajská nížina Lowland and the Východoslovenská nížina Lowland; 30 localities were found in total. Recently the number of localities has decreased markedly and the species was confirmed only in the Podunajská nížina Lowland. We documented only seven localities during the study. Therefore, we confirmed that Pholiurus pannonicus belongs to the critically endangered plants of Slovak flora. Preučili smo pojavljanje obligatne halofitske vrste Pholiurus pannonicus v Podunajski nížini in Východoslovenski nížini v letih od 2003 do 2009. Vrsta se je pojavljala. Našli smo 30 rastišč. V zadnjem času se je število rastišč močno zmanjšalo in jih najdemo samo še v Podunajski nížini. Med raziskavo smo dokumentirali le sedem nahajališč. Vrsta Pholiurus pannonicus zato sodi med kritično ogorožene vrste flore Slovaške.

A European warm waters neophyte Shinnersia rivularis — new alien species to the Slovak flora

Shinnersia rivularis is reported as a new alien species of the Slovak flora. The species was found in the catchment water of a thermal spring at a site in Partizánske, part Veľké Bielice (West Slovakia) in 2002. In the year of discovery, plants formed single population of about 30 square metres of water surface of the canal discharging warm water from the spa. Two populations covering the area ca 90 square meters were found in 2007. A brief description of the species is given and its distribution in Central Europe is reviewed. So far, the species has been reported from only three localities in Central Europe, which are distributed in three countries: Austria, Hungary and Germany.

Reciprocal contamination by invasive plants: analysis of trade exchange between Slovakia and Romania

Abstract In this work, potential contamination by invasive plant propagules as a result of trade exchange between Slovakia and Romania, was assessed. National lists, describing biology and ecology of 30 worst invasive plant taxa, were formulated, and trading in period 2006-2010 between countries analysed. Using norms for commodity impurity level, information on species habitat occupancy and literature data dealing with seed/fruit attachment on roads we calculated then potential invasive plant propagule export (PE) for each taxon. We found three fold higher total good export from Slovakia than in opposite direction, increasing export of commodities potentially containing invasive plant propagules exported from Romania to Slovakia and rise of road compared to railway transport. PEs for Slovak invasive plant taxa were one-two orders higher than those for Romanian ones. Potentially most exported taxa for Slovakia were: Amaranthus sp., Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Galinsoga sp., Kochia scoparia and Sorghum halepense (tens to hundreds tonnes each). And these could mostly be exported from Romania: Amaranthus sp., Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Artemisia annua, Conyza canadensis, Cuscuta campestris, Datura stramonium, Erigeron annus, Galinsoga sp., Iva xanthiifolia, Kochia scoparia, Lycium barbarum, Sorghum halepense, Veronica persica and Xanthium orientale subsp. italicum (units to tens tonnes each). High PE was significantly associated with cereals export. Our formula for PE is applicable for any inter- and intra-continental trade exchange.

Effect of experimental top soil removal on vegetation of Pannonian salt steppes

Inland saline habitats of the Pannonian Lowland exhibit a specific variety of grasslands determined by a soil salinity gradient. Changes in the hydrological regime and absence of management have resulted in heavy degradation of the vegetation. The impact of topsoil removal on salt steppes was tested by a 3-year small-scale manipulated experiment in SW Slovakia (Kamenínske Slanisko Nature Reserve). Topsoil was removed in three contrasting types of vegetation with different soil salinities, i.e. in different stages of habitat degradation. Data were analysed by multi-way ANOVA and by multivariate methods. Species richness decreased and the proportion of halophytes increased significantly in the two types with the highest soil salinity; however, the total number of halophytes was not influenced by soil removal. The treatment caused inhibition of secondary succession on the plots with the highest salinity. The effect of the soil removal was only short-term in the vegetation with moderate salinity and on heavily degraded and desalinized types it even stimulated further recruitment of ruderal species. Topsoil removal has only limited potential for the restoration of Pannonian salt steppes. It should be applied only in slightly degraded vegetation, where salt accumulation is still present and target species propagules are available.

Genome size and ploidy level among wild and cultivated Prunus taxa in Slovakia

Abstract2C DNA content and ploidy level variation of Prunus spinosa and closely related taxa together with Prunus domestica L. and Prunus insititia L. was studied in Slovakia. The aim of the study was to define genome sizes and find differences between closely related taxa within Prunus spinosa sensu lato mentioned in previous works. According to our results, investigated taxa can be divided into three groups according to ploidy level: Prunus spinosa, Prunus dasyphylla, Prunus ×fruticans, Prunus ×dominii and Prunus ×schurii are tetraploids, Prunus ×fechtneri is pentaploid, and P. domestica and P. insititia are hexaploids. Genome size differences within tetraploid taxa were relatively small (Prunus spinosa: 1.40 ± 0.02, P. ×domini: 1.44 ± 0.01, P. ×fruticans: 1.48 ± 0.02, P. ×schurii: 1.44 ± 0.02), but statistically significant. Although further research is needed, it seems that the concept of several taxa as product of hybridization between P. spinosa and cultivated plum species has been supported by our study.

ARTEMISIA SANTONICUM SUBSP. PATENS IN SLOVAKIA: THE SAD STORY OF OBLIGATE HALOPHYTE ON THE NORTHERN EDGE OF ITS DISTRIBUTION RANGE

Abstract Historical and current occurrence of obligate halophyte Artemisia santonicum subsp. patens was studied in Slovakia during 2001-2012. The species has been occurred in the Podunajska nižina Lowland and the Vychodoslovenska nižina Lowland; 35 localities were found in total. The data from the Zahorska nižina Lowland is erroneous. Recently the number of localities decreased markedly and the species was confirmed only in 17 sites. Most of them (16) is situated in the Podunajska nižina Lowland and a single one has been confirmed in the Vychodoslovenska nižina Lowland. Based on our data, Artemisia santonicum subsp. patens belongs to the endangered (EN A2ac+4c) plants of the Slovak flora according to IUCN categories and criteria, because 50 % of locations were destroyed and survival prognosis is unfavorable for the most recent populations. Izvleček V članku smo obravnavali historično in trenutno razširjenost obligatne halofitske vrste Artemisia santonicum subsp. patens na Slovaškem med leti 2001 in 2012. Vrsta se pojavlja v nižinah Podunajska nižina in Vychodoslovenska nižina; skupno smo našli 35 rastišč. Podatki o pojavljanju v nižini Zahorska nižina so napačni. Število rastišč se je v zadnjem času občutno zmanjšalo in pojavljanje vrste smo potrdili samo na 17 lokalitetah. Večina (16) je iz Podunajska nižina in samo ena iz Vychodoslovenska nižina. Na podlagi naših podatkov takson Artemisia santonicum subsp. patens uvrščamo med ogrožene (EN A2ac+4c) vrste slovaške flore na podlagi IUCN kategorij in kriterijev, saj je bilo uničenih 50% rastišč in tudi napovedi za preživetje trenutnih populacij so neugodne.

Gagea Bohemica in Slovakia: 1. Taxonomy and Distribution

Abstract Distribution, morphological types and coenotic affinity of Gagea bohemica in Slovakia was studied during 2008-2011. Revision of herbarium material showed presence of three taxa in the flora: 1) subsp. bohemica, 2) subsp. bohemica var. stenochlamydea and 3) subsp. saxatilis. Taxonomic status of var. stenochlamydea is uncertain and requires further research. In total, 42 localities of G. bohemica sensu lato were documented. Nominate subsp. bohemica (including var. stenochlamydea) predominated and it was recently confirmed at 21 localities. These current sites represent about 50% of all known sites, therefore we re-assessed the status of G. bohemica in the Slovak Red List and we proposed the IUCN category EN (endangered) for this taxon. Subsp. saxatilis was found as new to Slovakia. The taxon occurred only at single locality (Vinosady) and it was not confirmed recently. We assessed it as data deficient (DD). Izvleček Proučevali smo razširjenost, morfološke tipe in fitocenološko navezanost vrste Gagea bohemica na Slovaškem v obdobju 2008-2011. Z revizijo herbarijskega materiala smo dokazali prisotnost treh taksonov: 1) subsp. bohemica, 2) subsp. bohemica var. stenochlamydea in 3) subsp. saxatilis. Taksonomski status var. stenochlamydea je negotov in potrebne so dodatne raziskave. Skupno smo zabeležili 42 lokalitet vrste G. bohemica sensu lato. Podvrsta subsp. bohemica (ki vključuje tudi var. stenochlamydea) prevladuje in je bila potrjena na 21 lokalitetah. Ta rastišča predstavljajo približno polovico vseh znanih, zato smo ponovno ocenili status vrste G. bohemica v Rdečem seznamu Slovaške in za ta takson predlagamo IUCN kategorijo EN (prizadeta vrsta). Pojavljenje podvrste subsp. saxatilis je novo na Slovaškem. Našli smo jo samo na eni lokaliteti (Vinosady) in uspevanje v zadnjem času ni bilo potrejno. Ocenjujemo jo s kategorijo DD (premalo podatkov).

Remote locality of the littoral Carex extensa (Cyperaceae) in Hungary — long distance dispersal from coastal to inland salt marshes

A remarkable population of Carex extensa (Cyperaceae) was found south of Lake Fertő (Neusiedler See) in Hungary in 2012. This species typically occurs in coastal salt marshes in Europe and was hitherto unknown from the Pannonian Basin. The locality is situated in a territory which has been embanked in 1911. Keeping also in mind that the vegetation developed here from reed beds to saline habitats, we conclude that C. extensa reached the salt marshes of the area through long distance dispersal by water birds from the European coast in the last century. Nevertheless, several other maritime littoral species grow in the region, and the possibility that there is a hidden population of C. extensa at another site(s) nearby cannot be excluded. Lake Fertő is often described as the “westernmost steppe lake” and supports one of the richest European inland littoral floras. Although it appears likely that C. extensa has only recently colonised the site, we consider this discovery to be of significant biogeographical importance.