Formalized classification of ephemeral wetland vegetation (Isoëto-Nanojuncetea class) in Poland (Central Europe)

PeerJ. 2021 Aug 10:9:e11703. doi: 10.7717/peerj.11703. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Formalized classification of the class Isoëto-Nanojuncetea has not been performed in Poland. We used 69,562 relevés stored in Polish Vegetation Database. Based on the literature and expert knowledge we selected 63 diagnostic species for the Isoëto-Nanojuncetea class. Unequivocal classification was applied in this work according to Cocktail method. A set of formal definitions was established using a combination of logical operators of total cover of species in case of high-rank syntaxa while sociological species groups and cover of particular species were used for logical formulas describing class, alliances and associations. An Expert System was prepared and applied to classify the whole data set of PVD and 1,340 relevés were organized at the class level. We stratifies the data and finally we used data set of 903 relevés to prepare synoptic tables, distribution maps and descriptions of the syntaxa. Twelve associations and two plant communities were identified. Vegetation of the Isoëto-Nanojuncetea class occur in Poland's central and southern part, with scattered stands in northern region. We described two new plant communities within Eleocharition and Radiolion alliance. The first formal classification of the Isoëto-Nanojuncetea class revealed a high diversity of ephemeral vegetation wetland found in Poland in the eastern boundary of their geographical distribution in Europe.

Keywords: Distribution; Eleocharition; Radiolion; Syntaxonomical revision; Verbenion.

Grants and funding

The research has been financially supported by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education through grants no. NN3 04292840 (Stanisław Rosadziński) and 3 PO4C0352 (Agnieszka Anna Popiela). There was no additional external funding received for this study. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.