Topographic and altitudinal patterns in plant communities on European arctic islands |
| |
Authors: | R. J. Virtanen P. A. Lundberg J. Moen L. Oksanen |
| |
Affiliation: | Department of Biology, University of Oulu, FIN-90570 Oulu, Finland fax+358 81 553 1500 e-mail Risto.Virtanen@oulu.fi, FI Department of Ecological Botany, University of Ume?, S-90187 Ume?, Sweden, SE Department of Ecological Botany, University of Ume?, S-90187 Ume?, Sweden and Department of Biology, University of Oulu, FIN-90570 Oulu, Finland, FI
|
| |
Abstract: | Vegetation on Bear Island, Jan Mayen and Spitsbergen was investigated along altitudinal and topographic gradients in order to describe the main patterns in plant community distributions and compare them with those on the mainland. In a numerical classification the communities were distinctly differentiated; however, physiognomically similar Racomitrium and Sanionia communities dominated in most habitats on Bear Island and Jan Mayen. On Spitsbergen, moss-dominated communities prevailed in depression sites. High-altitude sites were occupied either by moss-dominated communities or by variable assemblages of fragmented moss cover and scattered vascular plants. Dwarf shrub and grass heaths that were common on the mainland did not occur on grazer-free Bear Island and Jan Mayen, and were confined to the lowest altitudes on Spitsbergen. The lack of grazers on Bear Island and Jan Mayen accounts in part for the differences in vegetation between the mainland and the islands. Received: 13 December, 1995/Accepted: 13 March, 1996 |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|