Vegetation Classification and Survey (VCS) in the fourth quarter of 2021

Posted on by

The post provided by Jürgen Dengler (on behalf of all VCS Chief Editors)

Mediterranean grassland on the island of Sicily, Italy. Among all types of non-forest vegetation, Mediterranean grasslands according to Dembicz et al. (2021) have among the highest small-scale beta diversity. Photo credit: J. Dengler.

Vegetation Classification and Survey (VCS) has published 11 contributions in the fourth quarter of 2021.

Our Editors’ Choice Paper of the quarter is by Dembicz et al. (2021). The authors took advantage of the extensive GrassPlot database (https://edgg.org/databases/GrassPlot) to analyse how small-scale beta diversity varies between biomes and vegetation types. They used the exponent z of power-law species-area relationships from nested-plot series as a standardised measure of multiplicative beta diversity (see the VegSciBlog post New insights into small-scale species-area relationships and beta diversity due to the GrassPlot database). They found that the explained variance increased from biomes via ecological-physiognomic vegetation types to phytosociological classes. Particularly high z-values occurred in Mediterranean and alpine grasslands, particularly low ones in mesic and saline grasslands. The authors provide the descriptive statistics (means, minima, maxima) for any typological unit in an open-access database to serve as “benchmarks” in future studies.

All contributions of the quarter:

  • Navarro, G. & Molina, J.A. 2021. A novel biome concept and classification system based on bioclimate and vegetation – a Neotropical assay. Vegetation Classification and Survey 2: 159–175. https://doi.org/10.3897/VCS/2021/64759
  • Hájek, M., Hájková, P., Apostolova, I., Sopotlieva, D., Goia, I. & Dítě, D. 2021. The vegetation of rich fens (Sphagno warnstorfii-Tomentypnion nitentis) at the southeatern margins of their European range. Vegetation Classification and Survey 2: 177–190. https://doi.org/10.3897/VCS/2021/69118
  • Nowak, A., Świerszcz, S., Nowak, S. & Nobis, M. 2021. New syntaxa of tall-forb vegetation in the Pamir-Alai and western Tian Shan Mts. (Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, Middle Asia) – an addendum to Nowak et al. 2020. Vegetation Classification and Survey 2: 191–194. https://doi.org/10.3897/VCS/2021/73498
  • García-Mijangos, I., Berastegi, A., Biurrun, I., Dembicz, I., Janišová, M., Kuzemko, A., et al. 2021. Grasslands of Navarre (Spain), focusing on the Festuco-Brometea: classification, hierarchical expert system and characterisation. Vegetation Classification and Survey 2: 195–231. https://doi.org/10.3897/VCS/2021/69614
  • Terzi, M., Di Pietro, R. & Theurillat, J.-P. 2021. Request (3) for a binding decision on the valid publication of the names Xerobromion and Mesobromion in Zoller 1954. Vegetation Classification and Survey 2: 233–235. https://doi.org/10.3897/VCS/2021/74046
  • Slezák, M., Kliment, J. & Valachovič, M. 2021. Request (4) and Proposal (28): to conserve the name Molinio arundinaceae-Quercetum roboris Neuhäusl et Neuhäuslová-Novotná 1967. Vegetation Classification and Survey 2: 237–239. https://doi.org/10.3897/VCS/2021/71490
  • Hunter, J.T. & Addicott, E. 2021. Poplar box woodlands of Eastern Australia: an assessment of a threatened ecological community within the IVC framework. Vegetation Classification and Survey 2: 241–255. https://doi.org/10.3897/VCS/2021/71216
  • Seiler, H., Küry, D., Billeter, R. & Dengler, J. 2021. Regional typology of spring vegetation in Parc Ela (Grisons, Switzerland). Vegetation Classification and Survey 2: 257–274. https://doi.org/10.3897/VCS/2021/69101
  • Willner, W. & Faber-Langendoen, D. 2021. Braun-Blanquet meets EcoVeg: a formation and division level classification of European phytosociological units. Vegetation Classification and Survey 2: 275–291. https://doi.org/10.3897/VCS/2021/71299
  • Dembicz, I., Dengler, J., Gillet, F., Matthews, T.J., Steinbauer, M.J., Bartha, S., et al. 2021. Fine-grain beta diversity in Palaearctic open vegetation: variability within and between biomes and vegetation types. Vegetation Classification and Survey 2: 293–304. https://doi.org/10.3897/VCS/2021/77193
  • Willner, W., Carni, A., Fernández-González, F., Pallas, J. & Theurillat, J.P. 2021. Report 2 of the Committee for Change and Conservation of Names (CCCN). Vegetation Classification and Survey 2: 305–309. https://doi.org/10.3897/VCS/2021/78172