<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Plant interactions in wet tall-herb meadow plant communities were described through dominant and edificator species identification. Five dominant species were identified: <italic>Alopecurus pratensis, Filipendula ulmaria, Deschampsia cespitosa, Anthriscus sylvestris</italic>, and <italic>Angelica sylvestris</italic>. The effects of species were studied using ANOVA and correlation analyses. Not all dominants were recognised as edificators. Edificators (<italic>Alopecurus pratensis, Filipendula ulmaria, Deschampsia cespitosa, Angelica sylvestris</italic>) had a negative effect on the various abundance indicators of associated species: percent cover, number, phytomass, and height. The edificator effects differed significantly in their level and duration and depended on the biomorphs of dominants. The perennial species <italic>Alopecurus pratensis, Filipendula ulmaria</italic>, and <italic>Deschampsia cespitosa</italic> were strong constant edificators. <italic>Angelica sylvestris</italic>, a short-lived monocarpic from the <italic>Apiaceae</italic>, is a weak seasonal edificator, while <italic>Anthriscus sylvestris</italic> is not an edificator. Analysis of the life strategies of species showed that competitors are not always edificators (<italic>Anthriscus sylvestris</italic>), whereas stress-tolerant may show edificator properties (<italic>Deschampsia cespitosa</italic>). The associated plant species often show positive interactions. Most of the associated species are stress-tolerant and have not an edificator effect.</p></abstract>

Plant interactions in wet tall-herb meadow plant communities were described through dominant and edificator species identification. Five dominant species were identified: Alopecurus pratensis, Filipendula ulmaria, Deschampsia cespitosa, Anthriscus sylvestris, and Angelica sylvestris. The effects of species were studied using ANOVA and correlation analyses. Not all dominants were recognised as edificators. Edificators (Alopecurus pratensis, Filipendula ulmaria, Deschampsia cespitosa, Angelica sylvestris) had a negative effect on the various abundance indicators of associated species: percent cover, number, phytomass, and height. The edificator effects differed significantly in their level and duration and depended on the biomorphs of dominants. The perennial species Alopecurus pratensis, Filipendula ulmaria, and Deschampsia cespitosa were strong constant edificators. Angelica sylvestris, a short-lived monocarpic from the Apiaceae, is a weak seasonal edificator, while Anthriscus sylvestris is not an edificator. Analysis of the life strategies of species showed that competitors are not always edificators (Anthriscus sylvestris), whereas stress-tolerant may show edificator properties (Deschampsia cespitosa). The associated plant species often show positive interactions. Most of the associated species are stress-tolerant and have not an edificator effect.

The Influence of Plant Dominants on the Associated Species Abundance in Wet Tall-Herb Meadow Plant Communities

Proceedings of the Latvian Academy of Sciences. Section B. Natural, Exact, and Applied Sciences.

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

Plant interactions in wet tall-herb meadow plant communities were described through dominant and edificator species identification. Five dominant species were...

The Influence of Plant Dominants on the Associated Species Abundance in Wet Tall-Herb Meadow Plant Communities

Published Online: Aug 22, 2018

Page range: 244 - 251

Received: Dec 12, 2017

Accepted: Feb 28, 2018

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/prolas-2018-0023

Keywords
plant interactions, dominants, edificators, competitors, stress-tolerants

© 2018 Vera Lebedeva et al., published by Sciendo

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

The Influence of Plant Dominants on the Associated Species Abundance in Wet Tall-Herb Meadow Plant Communities

Published Online: Aug 22, 2018

Page range: 244 - 251

Received: Dec 12, 2017

Accepted: Feb 28, 2018

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/prolas-2018-0023

Keywordsplant interactions, dominants, edificators, competitors, stress-tolerants

© 2018 Vera Lebedeva et al., published by Sciendo

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

Keywords
plant interactions, dominants, edificators, competitors, stress-tolerants