水坝工程对澜沧江中游陆生植物的生态风险评估

以澜沧江中游小湾水库库周为研究区,在1997年(小湾水库建设前)澜沧江中游小湾水库下游3个样地[输电区(1号样地)、变电站和进站公路区(2号样地)和水库移民区(3号样地)]植被调查基础上,2010年(小湾水库建设后)分别对3个样地进行植被组成、盖度和优势种观测,评估了水坝工程对澜沧江中游陆地植物的生态风险.结果表明:3个样地上优势种的总和优势度在水坝建设前后均发生了明显变化.本研究根据物种类型(优势种和非优势种)及物种总和优势度变率将生态风险划分为无风险/极低风险(0)、低风险(Ⅰ)、中风险(Ⅱ)、高风险(Ⅲ)、极高风险(Ⅳ)5个等级.研究区处于Ⅲ级生态风险(高风险)的物种数量最多,部分物种处于Ⅳ级生态风险(极高风险);3号样地处于Ⅲ级(高风险)和Ⅳ级(极高风险)生态风险的物种比例明显高于l、2号样地.水坝建设导致的物种水平生态风险主要表现为原生物种减少、外来物种大量入侵等.应采取有效的保护措施降低陆生植物物种水平水坝生态风险.     

西双版纳不同经济作物环境泥蜂物种多样性研究

泥蜂是一类重要的捕猎性天敌昆虫和传粉昆虫。本研究于2018年6月-2019年11月对西双版纳地区观赏经作区、柚林区、古茶林区和农田区（样地Ⅰ-Ⅳ）4个调查区采用马氏网诱捕方法定期定点调查,每月调查一次。结果如下：西双版纳调查区域分布有泥蜂类群3科15族27属110种;其中,泥蜂科包括3族5属7种;蠊泥蜂科包括2族3属8种;方头泥蜂科包括10族19属95种,为该地区的优势科。脊短柄泥蜂属Psenulus、小唇泥蜂属Larra和短翅泥蜂属Trypoxylon为优势属,刻臀小唇泥蜂Larra fenchihuensis、磨光小唇泥蜂红腿亚种Larra polita luzonensis为优势种。4个作物区的优势科均为方头泥蜂科,但不同作物区泥蜂的优势属种存在差异,观赏经作区（样地Ⅰ）优势属为脊短柄泥蜂属和短翅泥蜂属,优势种为普氏脊短柄泥蜂指名亚种Psenulus pulcherrimus pulcherrimus（17.4%）和岩田隆痣短柄泥蜂Carinostigmus iwatai（15.6%）;柚木林区（样地Ⅱ）优势属为脊短柄泥蜂属和短翅泥蜂属,优势种为普氏脊短柄泥蜂指名亚种（17.7%）和锡兰脊短柄泥蜂Psenulus ceylonicus（11.3%）;古茶林区（样地Ⅲ）优势属为短翅泥蜂属和小唇泥蜂属,优势种为刻臀小唇泥蜂（15.6%）和吉打州短翅泥蜂Trypoxylon kedah（12.5%）;农田区（样地Ⅳ）优势属为小唇泥蜂属和短翅泥蜂属,优势种为刻臀小唇泥蜂（21.7%）和磨光小唇泥蜂红腿亚种（21.7%）。15属多区分布,12属单区分布。植被差异是影响泥蜂物种多样性的重要因子,植被群落复杂程度影响泥蜂群落特征指数,植被群落越复杂的环境,泥蜂群落种类越丰富,物种多样性越高。泥蜂物种多样性随季节的变化而明显变化,降雨量和温度等气候因素是影响泥蜂多样性变化的重要因子。4个样地之间泥蜂群落相似性系数表示为中等不相似或极度不相似水平,表明不同样地中泥蜂群落组成差异很大。本研究明确了西双版纳4个不同经济作物环境中的泥蜂物种多样性,可为天敌昆虫资源的保护和利用以及害虫生物防治等研究提供依据。     

云南紫胶虫栖境蝽类昆虫多样性

在云南绿春县,采用网扫法调查了培育云南紫胶虫5年的天然次生林（样地Ⅰ）和培育3年（样地Ⅱ）、1年（样地Ⅲ）及未培育紫胶虫（样地Ⅳ）的人工林中的蝽类昆虫群落。共采集蝽类昆虫423头,隶属于7科,47种。4个样地蝽类昆虫群落的物种组成和多样性各不相同。天然次生林蝽类物种组成丰富,条棘缘蝽占有较突出优势而导致多样性不高;人工林中,样地IV蝽类物种最丰富,优势度最低,均匀度和多样性最高;样地III次之;样地II物种最贫乏,优势度最高,均匀度和多样性最低。可见,紫胶虫与其栖境内蝽类的竞争将导致蝽类昆虫群落物种丰富度及多样性下降。     

基于ESHIPPO模型的澜沧江中游大坝水生生物生态风险评价

通过小湾大坝蓄水前后8个采样断面的浮游植物、浮游动物和鱼类的对比调查,筛选出适于ESHIPPO模型生态风险评价的广域属种、特有属种（稀有种、特有种、资源种和土著鱼）,并对其进行生态风险分析.结果表明： 大坝建设对水生物种产生一定程度的生态风险,尤其是对于澜沧江土著鱼类,水文形势改变增加了其生态风险;特有属种如浮游植物红毛藻、中华鱼子菜、溪菜,浮游动物云南棘猛水溞和西南荡镖水蚤等处于高风险状态,必须对其加强监测并采取相应的保护措施;浮游植物和浮游动物的广域属种均处于中度风险状态,对其除监测外应做好保护准备;小湾大坝蓄水后,12种土著鱼（光唇裂腹鱼、澜沧裂腹鱼、云南平鳅、黑线沙鳅、横斑原缨口鳅、拟鳗副鳅、云南四须鲃、宽头华鲮、长臀刀鲇、扎那纹胸鮡、无斑褶鮡、宽纹南鳅）处于高度风险状态,应立即对其采取必要的保护措施,防止其消失或灭绝.     

梯级水坝运行对漫湾库区底栖动物群落结构及分布格局的影响

底栖动物是对水生态系统退化和生境条件改变最为敏感的生物类群之一,同时也是开展梯级水坝水生态系统变化和演替研究的指示生物.本研究以国际生物多样性保护及水电梯级开发生态影响研究的热点地区澜沧江中下游为例,以澜沧江干流兴建的第一座水坝漫湾库区为研究区域,分别于2011和2016年开展底栖动物定点采样,并结合其蓄水前(自然河段,1996年)和单级水坝蓄水初期(1997年)的历史调研数据,全面分析了梯级水坝运行前后漫湾库区底栖动物群落的结构、分布格局及演变趋势.结果表明: 漫湾库区底栖动物群落的优势种组成逐渐由寡毛纲和昆虫纲种类演变为软体动物门类占绝对优势;沿库区生境的纵向梯度变化,底栖动物密度和生物量均表现为升高的趋势,而静水区增加更为显著;对底栖动物功能摄食群的分析表明,静水区由掠食者和收集者占优势演变为滤食者类占绝对优势;梯级水坝运行后,采用生物指数评价结果表明,2016年库区综合水质指标明显优于2011年.漫湾库区底栖动物群落的演变与上游梯级小湾水坝的调度运行及库区的水文状况和泥沙淤积情况密切相关,并随着梯级水坝的运行处于动态变化之中.     

塔里木河中游荒漠河岸林物种多样性对地下水埋深变化的响应

于塔里木河中游地区选取30个样地,并采集相应地区30眼地下水位监测井的数据。根据监测井的地下水位检测数据,将地下水位按不同埋藏深度划分为0~2 m、2~4 m、4~6 m、6~8 m、8~10 m、>10 m共6个梯度,对不同地下水埋深下的样地群落盖度、物种多样性进行分析,以探讨主要植物分布频率与地下水埋深的关系,明确塔里木河中游地区荒漠河岸林植被的合理生态水位,为塔里木河中游地区乃至全流域的生态系统恢复提供依据。结果显示:（1）塔里木河中游地区共出现植物15种,其优势种植物为胡杨。（2）随着地下水位的降低,植被的盖度逐渐减小;当地下水位介于2~4 m时,植被的盖度平均为39.14%,当地下水埋深介于6~8 m时,植被的覆盖度小于20%;当地下水位低于10 m时,植被的平均覆盖度仅为7.65%。（3）随着地下水位的降低,研究区内的各类物种多样性指数均呈先增加后降低的趋势,一般在地下水埋深2~4 m时物种的多样性最高,其次为4~6 m和0~2 m;当地下水位在6 m以下时,物种的多样性锐减,地下水位低于10 m时,物种仅存柽柳和胡杨,多样性降至很小。（4） 塔里木河中游地区植物所要求的地下水平均深度为:胡杨4.58 m、柽柳3.53 m、芦苇2.34 m、骆驼刺4.10 m、花花柴3.18 m、黑刺2.98 m,只有芦苇适宜较浅的地下水埋深（≤2.5 m）,其余的均宜在3~4 m左右。研究表明,在塔里木河中游地区,最适宜植物生长的地下水位为2~4 m,能够保证植物正常生长的合理地下水埋深区间为2~6 m。因此,要使塔里木河中游地区的植被得到恢复并确保其正常生长,区域内的地下水位应确保在6 m以上。     

海南昌江石碌铁矿尾矿库区植被调查

实验开展了3个不同年代的海南石碌铁尾矿库区植被调查研究,根据记录数据计算了各样地物种的重要值、物种多样性指数和均匀度等。结果表明,铁尾矿库区内植物种类总体上来看较为稀少,不同尾矿库区内植物群落组成成分差异比较大。已经停止使用20a的尾矿区（样地1）内,自然定居的植物仅有44种,其中禾本科植物种类较多,其次为豆科植物和莎草科植物,表明这3个科的植物种类较其它科植物更容易适应这种环境,特别是禾本科的水竹（Phragmites karka）、雀稗（Paspalum commersonii）和豆科的田菁（Sesbaniacannabina）表现出较强的适应能力;刚停止使用2a的尾矿库区（样地2）内,自然定居的植物有21种,其中硬骨草（Panicum repens）、斑茅（Saccharum arundinaceum）和芒（Miscanthussinensis）等禾本科植物为该样地的优势种群;正在使用的尾矿库区（样地3）内物种单一,只有水竹（Pyllosacys karka）、芒（Miscanthus sinensis）和田菁（Sesbaniacannabina）三种植物能在该恶劣的生境中顽强地生长和发育,表现出极强的适应能力。结果还表明了3个不同年代库区的植物群落的组成与结构存在明显的演替顺序差异,样地3单种优势明显,从样地3到样地1,这种优势依次减弱,物种多样性指数也依次增加,这表现出由较少先锋物种种类组成的简单群落向稳定复杂群落方向演替的趋势,反映了植物群落结构随演替时间的延长越来越趋向复杂化。在同一个尾矿库区内土壤的不同水分含量和理化性质会对植物的定居与群落的组成关系密切。     

河水漫溢对荒漠河岸林植物群落生态特征的影响

从河水漫溢干扰对塔里木河下游植物群落物种多样性的影响以及对天然植被恢复作用上开展了分析和研究,结果表明：（1）输水前塔里木河下游仅见9科13属17种植物,但输水后漫溢区出现了12科26属34种植物,其中的18种植物是非漫溢区未曾发现的;（2）从样地植被调查计算的多样性指数看,漫溢区物种的多样性和丰富度比非漫溢区有明显增加;（3）从漫溢后一定时间内植物群落中不同物种的重要值看,漫溢后1年生草本植物迅速萌发,而多年生草本由于根系和繁殖上的优势逐渐在群落中占据优势;（4）由于胡杨、柽柳等植物在多次漫溢条件下易于萌发,因此多次漫溢后这些乔、灌木植物逐渐占据群落中的优势地位;（5）在漫溢过程中由于微地形改变了漫溢干扰的强度因此漫溢后微地形差异造成地表生态特征出现明显的差异;（6）通过讨论,漫溢干扰对塔里木河下游这样一个严重受损生态系统恢复的作用十分明显,但是这一作用的体现是与输水后下游生态水文过程完整性的恢复相联系的。     

陇东董志塬植被生态现状及评价

调查了甘肃省庆阳市董志塬的自然植被,结果表明:董志塬主要自然群落类型包括3个植被型,4个植被亚型,14个群。共记录植物33科65属165种,以菊科(Compositae)、禾本科(Gramineae)、豆科(Leguminosae)、蔷薇科(Rosaceae)居多。塬内各植物群落生物量处于"Va～Ⅱ"水平,其中森林群落"Ⅲ～Ⅱ"、灌丛、草原群落"Va～Ⅳ";生长量处于"Vb～Ⅱ",其中森林"Ⅲ～Ⅱ"、灌丛群落"Ⅳ～Ⅲ"、草原"Vb～Ⅲ";物种量处于"Va～Ⅲ"水平,其中森林和灌丛群落"Va～Ⅳ"、草原"Ⅳ～Ⅲ";群落郁闭度处于"Ⅳ～Ⅱ"水平,其中森林和灌丛为"Ⅳ～Ⅱ"、草原"Ⅳ～Ⅲ";群落结构度处于"Ⅳ～Ⅰ"水平,其中森林植被"Ⅱ～Ⅰ"、灌丛群落"Ⅳ～Ⅱ"、草丛群落"Ⅳ～Ⅲ"。综合各群落盖度、物种量、生物量、生长量、群落结构等5项指标进行评价,董志塬内各天然植被群落类型综合评价等级为"Ⅳ～Ⅱ"的水平,其中森林群落综合水平均为"Ⅲ～Ⅱ",灌丛群落和草原群落处于"Ⅳ～Ⅲ"水平。     

基于GIS的三峡库区生态风险评估及生态分区构建

快速城市化与土地利用变化导致的一系列问题不断影响着生态系统健康。开展生态系统服务供给和生态风险的空间量化研究，有助于科学管控区域生态用地，促进生态文明建设。采用GIS技术，利用生态系统服务价值核算模型、生态风险指数模型，研究了2000年以来三峡库区生态系统服务供给值和生态风险指数的时空演化特征，并利用Z-score标准化法进行生态功能分区构建。结果表明：(1)2000—2015年，三峡库区生态系统服务供给值总体变化较小，生态系统服务以调节服务为主且林地供给值最高。高供给值区主要分布于湖北省夷陵区、秭归县和兴山县等植被覆盖度高的区域，低供给值区分布在库区西南部的渝中区、渝北区和沙坪坝区等人口密集区。(2)三峡库区生态风险值总体呈小幅上升趋势，“西高东低”的分布特征明显，生态安全逐步向中等风险类型转移，其中低、较低生态风险区占区域总面积的55%以上，高风险区主要集中在重庆市主城区。(3)研究期间4种生态分区变化程度较小，表明生态分区处于较为稳定的状态。高供给值-高风险区(Ⅰ)的分布连续性最差，低供给值-高风险区(Ⅱ)和高供给值-低风险区(Ⅳ)分布较为集中。对三峡库区生态系统服务供给、生态风...     

Ecological Risk Characterization in a Military Heavy Metals– and Explosives-Contaminated Site

Potential ecological risks of two heavy metals (Cu, Pb) and three explosives (TNT, RDX, HMX) were determined for a military gunnery range. Since a portion of the site will be submerged after the construction of a flood control reservoir, risk assessment of the site was conducted over two time points: at the current state and after the construction of the flood control reservoir. Terrestrial plants, terrestrial invertebrates, birds, mammals, and aquatic invertebrates were selected as affected ecological receptors at the study site. Potential noncarcinogenic risk was found only in one terrestrial site for Cu and RDX at both time points: For terrestrial plants, ecological hazard quotient (EHQ) by Cu was 1.22. For terrestrial invertebrates, EHQs for Cu and RDX were 1.38 and 6.47, respectively. EHQs in the aquatic environment increased to some extents after the reservoir construction, but the values were less than 1.0. A comparison between EHQs before and after the construction for the same site shows that the reservoir construction would not significantly increase the overall ecological risk, suggesting that the reservoir construction influenced the potential ecological risks at the study site, but the changes were acceptable. Uncertainties involved in the assessment process were identified and discussed.     

广州地区荷木夜间树干液流补水的影响因子及其对蒸腾的贡献

明确树木夜间水分补充现象有助于提高总蒸腾量和冠层气孔导度估算的精确度,进一步认识冠层蒸腾与树干液流之间存在的时滞关系.本研究采用热消散探针法测定了广州地区的荷木树干液流密度,同步监测了主要的环境因子,从不同时间尺度分析了树干夜间液流的水分补充现象.结果表明：与白天相比,荷木夜间液流密度较小,旱季变化幅度比湿季大;夜间水分补充的时间段主要在前半夜(18:00-22:00);年内各季节夜间水分补充量之间没有显著差异,与环境因子之间的偏相关关系不显著,但与胸径、树高、冠幅、树干生物量、冠层生物量的回归曲线拟合很好,表明树形特征和生物量能更好地解释夜间补水的变化;各季节夜间水分补充量对总蒸腾量的贡献有显著差异,旱季明显高于湿季.     

Terrestrial Contributions to the Aquatic Food Web in the Middle Yangtze River

Understanding the carbon sources supporting aquatic consumers in large rivers is essential for the protection of ecological integrity and for wildlife management. The relative importance of terrestrial and algal carbon to the aquatic food webs is still under intensive debate. The Yangtze River is the largest river in China and the third longest river in the world. The completion of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) in 2003 has significantly altered the hydrological regime of the middle Yangtze River, but its immediate impact on carbon sources supporting the river food web is unknown. In this study, potential production sources from riparian and the main river channel, and selected aquatic consumers (invertebrates and fish) at an upstream constricted-channel site (Luoqi), a midstream estuarine site (Huanghua) and a near dam limnetic site (Maoping) of the TGD were collected for stable isotope (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) and IsoSource analyses. Model estimates indicated that terrestrial plants were the dominant carbon sources supporting the consumer taxa at the three study sites. Algal production appeared to play a supplemental role in supporting consumer production. The contribution from C₄ plants was more important than that of C₃ plants at the upstream site while C₃ plants were the more important carbon source to the consumers at the two impacted sites (Huanghua and Maoping), particularly at the midstream site. There was no trend of increase in the contribution of autochthonous production from the upstream to the downstream sites as the flow rate decreased dramatically along the main river channel due to the construction of TGD. Our findings, along with recent studies in rivers and lakes, are contradictory to studies that demonstrate the importance of algal carbon in the aquatic food web. Differences in system geomorphology, hydrology, habitat heterogeneity, and land use may account for these contradictory findings reported in various studies.     

The remarkable Middle Pliocene non-marine mollusc record from Ceresole d’Alba, Piedmont, north-west Italy: Biochronology, palaeobiogeography and palaeoecology supported by fossil plants

A noteworthy, well-preserved non-marine mollusc fauna has been recorded from Middle Pliocene silty sediments at Ceresole d’Alba (Piedmont, NW Italy), a site described by F. Sacco in the 19th century. The fauna is characterised by rich assemblages of terrestrial and aquatic taxa showing a high degree of species diversity and the dominance of archaic land prosobranchs and pulmonates. A high rate of extinct taxa (at least 50%) and a good percentage of endemics are recognised. Many species are restricted to the Middle Pliocene and for some species, a Mio-Pliocene central-western European origin is noticed. The palaeoecological features of two distinct assemblages show dominant hygrophilous and thermophilous forest elements in the first one and prevailing freshwater taxa, testifying an environment of swamps or small water bodies, in the latter. A direct record of ancient vegetation has been provided by fruit and seed assemblages recovered from an organic layer and from two leaf assemblages sampled in the overlaying laminated muds. The fruit and seed assemblages clearly represent the record of a few azonal plant communities growing very close to the deposition site. On the ground of the ecological preferences of the modern plant analogues, both leaf and fruit assemblages indicate swamp communities poor in arboreal species. The percentage of extinct plant species is surely higher than 29% (nine species out of 31), and most probably close to 48% (15 species out of 31). The plant assemblages provide limited climatic indications, whereas warm-temperate and humid climate conditions are pointed out on the basis of modern preferences of several mollusc taxa. These climatic indications agree with those obtained from rich plant assemblages of neighbouring Pliocene sites. A correlation of the recorded palaeofauna and palaeoflora with the faunistic and floristic assemblages from the Middle Pliocene sediments of one of the most important non-marine palaeontological sites in the Piedmont Basin, the Villafranchian type-succession at Villafranca d’Asti (RDB quarry), is inferred.     

浙江金华北山木本植物种群生态位研究

按生态位宽度,浙江金华北山38种主要木本植物可分成三类,生态位宽度大于0.2的有马尾松、格药柃、短柄抱等10种,在0.20~0.10间有黄山松、苦槠、锥栗等12种,小于0.1的有化香、马银花、樟等16种;按生态位重叠值, 38种木本植物可以区分出四群植物:类群Ⅰ为黄山松、杜鹃、白马骨等,类群Ⅱ为马尾松、短柄抱、继木等,类群Ⅲ包括樟、白栎、枫香等,类群Ⅳ包括黄檀、木半夏、乌饭树等。本文提出,计算生态位重叠值时,可首先计算调查样点的群落相似系数,以具有最小相似系数总值的样点作为始端样点,以始端样点为参照,根据与其群落相似系数的大小,再对其它样点进行排列,使排列后样点的生态条件具梯度变化,在这基础上,再计算样点间的生态距离间隔;并提出以生态位重叠值为指标,应用聚类分析中的最小生成树法,对植物进行生态学相似性比较。本文研究证实了这种方法的可行性。     

亚热带季风常绿阔叶林原始林和次生林植物虫食的研究

亚热带季风常绿阔叶林原始林的日间最高气温、昼夜温差和林间光强较次生林低。原始林叶片受虫食的Ⅱ、Ⅲ和Ⅳ级的比例分别为16.3％、15.4％和12.2％;次生林相应等级比例分别为21.4％,24.3％。和17.7％。两林地植物老叶和成热叶受虫食的频度较幼叶的高。叶片受虫食与光强有关,与叶片含氮量没有直接关系。     

2008-2016年间广州市外来入侵植物的变化分析

为了解2008-2016年广州市外来入侵植物的变化,采用文献查阅和实地考察相结合的方式,近期对广州市外来入侵植物进行了调查。结果表明,2016年广州市外来入侵植物共有38科112属144种,比2008年分别增加了40.7%、89.8%和97.3%。新增加的71种植物主要有豆科（Fabaceae） 14种、菊科（Asteraceae） 13种、旋花科（Convolvulaceae） 6种、禾本科（Poaceae） 6种和茜草科（Rubiaceae） 5种。外来入侵植物主要来源于美洲（共104种）,多为陆生草本植物。广州约一半以上的外来植物是通过人为有意引进,进而形成入侵的。恶意和严重入侵的植物种类约占入侵物种总数的40%,表明广州的城市森林生态系统已经面临着严重威胁。因此,需加强对广州市外来植物入侵动态的监测,提高对外来陆生草本植物引入危害风险的评估,并开展对外来入侵植物资源开发和利用的研究,以构建稳定的生态安全格局,保障绿色生态城市建设。     

Rehabilitation of a tailing dam at Shimen County, Hunan Province: Effectiveness assessment

This study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of phytoremediation on a tailing dam located in Shimen County, Hunan Province. Quadrat survey method was employed to investigate and sample the dominant plant species growing on the rehabilitated tailing dam. The fertilities of the soils were assessed, and concentrations of arsenic and other heavy metals in the plant and soil samples were measured. The results showed that no difference was found on the effect of soil capping with top and non-topsoils for rehabilitation of plants on the tailing dam. After rehabilitation, stable vegetation coverage types were established, 39 plant species were found to grow on the tailing dam, and the minimal area for plant communities was 30 m². The dominant plant species were planted Pteris vittata and natural colonizing Miscanthus sinensis. The contents of organic matter, nitrogen and phosphorus in the soils were low, while the potassium content was at a middle level; however, plots where Legumina plants grew were found to have higher level of nitrogen and phosphorus in the growing soils. Arsenic (As) and Cadmium (Cd) concentrations in the soils were 8 and 7 times of the grade III value of the National Standard for Soil Quality (GB15618-1995), respectively; while in tailings these were 81 and 68 times. The available As concentration in the soils ranged as 3.7–29.5 mg kg^?1, whereas the available As concentration in tailings was as high as 61.1 mg kg^?1. Concentrations for most of the heavy metals were in the normal range of terrestrial higher plants, except As and Cd in P. vittata and M. sinensis, and As in the roots of M. sinensis. It is concluded that phytoremediation project has reduced the ecological and health risks caused by the tailing dam to the ambient environment. However, the plants growing on the tailing dam which contained high As and Cd should be kept from entering into food chain in order to protect the health of local residents.     

How do species dominating in succession differ from others?

Abstract. Data on succession were collected from 15 seres starting on bare ground in man-made habitats (i.e. sites disturbed by various mining activities, bulldozed sites, ruderal urban sites, the exposed bottom of a destroyed water reservoir, and abandoned fields), all in the western part of the Czech Republic, Central Europe. The period for which the data on succession were available ranged from 12 to 60 yr. 56 species reaching dominance in some period of succession were selected (the criterion being: at least 25 % cover in at least one year in any sere); they were compared for biological and ecological traits with other species participating in the seres (167 species with at least 1 % cover in at least one year in any sere), and with the Central European flora as a whole. Significant differences between the species dominating in succession and others were found for the following traits: life form, life strategy, pollination mode, and ability of lateral spread. Dominant species differed from the regional flora in distribution of life strategies, pollination mode and immigration status. The results suggest that an ‘ideal successional dominant’ is a tall, wind-pollinated plant, often a geophyte capable of intensive lateral spread, requiring high nutrient supply and sufficient site moisture. The set of traits contributing to achieving dominance by a species in human-made habitats includes both features occurring independently of phylogenies (life strategy, pollination mode, plant height, moisture demands) and those which dominant species probably share due to their common ancestors (nutrient demands, capability of extensive lateral spread).