<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p><italic>Iris brandzae</italic> is one of the most threatened plant species in Romania. The current distribution of this species is very fragmented, and the population size has been reduced in the last 30 years. Information on the habitat preferences of the species has not been summarized yet. In this context, this study aimed to identify the habitat preferences of the species <italic>I. brandzae</italic> in Romania. The study was carried out in the NE (Moldova) and SE (Muntenia) regions of Romania. For the vegetation analysis, a total of 46 relevés were used. To classify the vegetation, we applied the hierarchical agglomerative clustering method, using the ß-flexible algorithm with ß = -0.25 and the Bray-Curtis dissimilarity. The data were represented as mean percentage values, according to the the Braun-Blanquet scale . Relationships between floristic composition and environmental variables were analyzed with Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) and Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA). The vegetation analysis showed that <italic>I. brandzae</italic> grows in xerophilous, mesophilous and halophilous grasslands and ash-alpine alluvial forests. The species occurs in the communities of the <italic>Stipion lessingianae</italic> alliance, of the <italic>Festucetalia valesiacae</italic> order, mainly. The results of the CCA analysis indicate that the variation of the floristic composition of <italic>I. brandzae</italic> is influenced by the annual mean temperature (BIO1).</p>
</abstract>

Iris brandzae is one of the most threatened plant species in Romania. The current distribution of this species is very fragmented, and the population size has been reduced in the last 30 years. Information on the habitat preferences of the species has not been summarized yet. In this context, this study aimed to identify the habitat preferences of the species I. brandzae in Romania. The study was carried out in the NE (Moldova) and SE (Muntenia) regions of Romania. For the vegetation analysis, a total of 46 relevés were used. To classify the vegetation, we applied the hierarchical agglomerative clustering method, using the ß-flexible algorithm with ß = -0.25 and the Bray-Curtis dissimilarity. The data were represented as mean percentage values, according to the the Braun-Blanquet scale . Relationships between floristic composition and environmental variables were analyzed with Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) and Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA). The vegetation analysis showed that I. brandzae grows in xerophilous, mesophilous and halophilous grasslands and ash-alpine alluvial forests. The species occurs in the communities of the Stipion lessingianae alliance, of the Festucetalia valesiacae order, mainly. The results of the CCA analysis indicate that the variation of the floristic composition of I. brandzae is influenced by the annual mean temperature (BIO1).

Wide habitat preference found in a rare, regional endemic species: <italic>Iris brandzae</italic> Prodán (Iridaceae Juss., subgenus Limniris, series Spuriae) in Romania

Danube Delta National Institute for Research and Development

Hacquetia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Wide habitat preference found in a rare, regional endemic species:  Prodán (Iridaceae Juss., subgenus Limniris, series Spuriae) in Romania

Iris brandzae is one of the most threatened plant species in Romania. The current distribution of this species is very fragmented, and the population size has...

Wide habitat preference found in a rare, regional endemic species: Iris brandzae Prodán (Iridaceae Juss., subgenus Limniris, series Spuriae) in Romania

Published Online: Jul 10, 2024

Page range: 203 - 212

Received: Oct 24, 2023

Accepted: Feb 08, 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/hacq-2023-0009

Keywords
subgenus, series, phytosociology of endangered species, ecology of rare plants, floristic composition, phytocoenological relevés

© 2024 Simona Dumitrița Chirilă et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Wide habitat preference found in a rare, regional endemic species: Iris brandzae Prodán (Iridaceae Juss., subgenus Limniris, series Spuriae) in Romania

Published Online: Jul 10, 2024

Page range: 203 - 212

Received: Oct 24, 2023

Accepted: Feb 08, 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/hacq-2023-0009

Keywordssubgenus, series, phytosociology of endangered species, ecology of rare plants, floristic composition, phytocoenological relevés

© 2024 Simona Dumitrița Chirilă et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
subgenus, series, phytosociology of endangered species, ecology of rare plants, floristic composition, phytocoenological relevés