Current paradigm suggests that spatial and temporal competition for resources limit an exotic invader, cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.), which once established, alters fire regimes and can result in annual grass dominance in sagebrush steppe. Prescribed fire and fire surrogate treatments (mowing, tebuthiuron, and imazapic) are used to reduce woody fuels and increase resistance to exotic annuals,...

A common study design has been used at 13 locat ions across the South to examine loblol ly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations established using four vegetation control treatments after mechanical site preparat ion: (a) No Control , (b) Woody Control , (c) Herbaceous Control for 4 yr , and (d) Total Control . This research, the Compet i t ion Omission Moni toring Project (COMP), is moni toring bo...

Some 200 species of plants are currently recognised as being native to both Tasmania and New Zealand. It is argued that dispersal across the 1500-2000 km Tasman Sea has occurred in all of these species. Almost all (187) are herbs, and constitute over 20% of the herbaceous flora of Tasmania. Common species, non-dioecious species, species with very small seeds, species from aquatic, coastal or we...

This study was aimed at finding the impacts of different tree species and individual trees of different sizes on species richness, diversity, and composition of the herbaceous layer. All the three tree species have greatly increased species richness and diversity both within and outside their crown zones compared with the open grassland. Both species richness and diversity were found to be high...

Pine plantation management did not initially convert natural forests to monocultures; rather it increased plant species richness and diversity. During a 5-year study of two natural watersheds in Florida that were converted to plantations, woody species diminished, but herbaceous species increased. Number of plant species on permanent transects and plots increased. Diversity of cover, frequency,...

Seasonally dry tropical plant formations (SDTF) are likely to exhibit phylogenetic clustering owing to niche conservatism driven by a strong environmental filter (water stress), but heterogeneous edaphic environments and life histories may result in heterogeneity in degree of phylogenetic clustering. We investigated phylogenetic patterns across ecological gradients related to water availability...

We provide and discuss a floristic survey of herbaceous and subshrubby aquatic and palustrine angiosperms of Viruá National Park (VNP). The VNP is located in the northern Amazon basin and displays phytophysiognomies distributed in a mosaic where these plants occur, as flooded forests, hydromorphic white-sand savannas, "buritizais" and waterbodies. After expeditions between February/2010 and Jan...

Species respond to changes in their environments. A core goal in ecology is to understand the process of plant community assembly in response to a changing climate. Examining the performance of functional traits and trait-based assembly patterns across species among different growth forms is a useful way to explore the assembly process. In this study, we constructed a habitat severity gradient ...

Moist and temperate Caspian forests are associated with a diversity of soil types and topography.  Although, natural history and ecological attributes of the Caspian vegetation is well-documented, little is known about mycorrhizae of the Caspian (Hyrcanian) flora. Samples of herbaceous plant species were collected from 4 pre-determined altitudes (-13 upto about 1500m above sea level, appro...

Moist and temperate Caspian forests are associated with a diversity of soil types and topography.  Although, natural history and ecological attributes of the Caspian vegetation is well-documented, little is known about mycorrhizae of the Caspian (Hyrcanian) flora. Samples of herbaceous plant species were collected from 4 pre-determined altitudes (-13 upto about 1500m above sea level, appro...