Abstract
Solidago minuta L., a high-mountain species of the Solidago virgaurea group, occurs on some European mountain chains but it has been suggested that morphological differentiation of S. minuta is controversial due to the existence a wide range of morphologically intermediate plants between lowland S. virgaurea s.s. and high-mountain S. minuta. However, the recent study of this group revealed that both S. minuta and S. virgaurea are morphologically distinct taxa and that their most important taxonomical characters are those relating to the capitulum and florets. The aim of the present study is to verify the distribution of S. minuta in the Polish Carpathians and Sudetes and to identify the ecological characteristics of the species in relation to soil and vegetation. Solidago minuta was found most commonly in the Tatra Mts, but was also frequently encountered on Babia Góra Mt. and on the Karkonosze Mts. In the Tatra Mts, this species occurs most frequently in the subalpine belt, ascending in places to the alpine belt and descending in open areas to the upper montane belt. The preferred soils were acid, the pH mainly being between 3.5 and 5.0, and with relatively low nutrient content. Direct gradient analysis (CCA) revealed that the most important environmental variables explaining the general variability in species composition were altitude, as well as soil calcium content and soil acidity. S. minuta was found to occur mainly in communities of the Calamagrostietalia villosae order, growing amongst tall grass on lime-deficient substrata and grazed semi-natural vegetation, which here, in the subalpine belt, is widespread.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aeschimann D., Lauber K., Moser D.M. & Theurillat J.-P. 2004. Flora Alpina, 2. Gentianaceae-Orchidaceae. Haupt, Berrn, 1188 pp.
Balcerkiewicz S. 1984. High-mountain vegetation of the Five Polish Lakes Valley in the Tatra Mountains and its anthropogenic changes. Wydawnictwo Naukowe Uniwersytetu im. Adama Mickiewicza w Poznaniu, Poznań, 191 pp.
Borcard D., Gillet F. & Legendre P. 2011. Numerical ecology with R. Springer, New York, 306 pp.
Dostál J. 1989. Nová Květena ČSSR. 2. Academia, Praha, 1548 pp.
Dúbravcová Z., Jarolímek I., Kliment J., Petrík A., Šibík J. & Valachovič M. 2005. Alpine heaths in the Western Carpathians–a new approach to their classification. Ann. Bot. S. N. 5: 153–160.
Hess H.E., Landolt E. & Hirzel R. 1980. Flora der Schweiz und angrenzender Gebiete, 3. Plumbaginaceae bis Compositae. 2nd edition. Birkhäuser, Basel 876 pp.
Hultén E. & Fries M. 1986. Atlas of North European vascular plants north of the Tropic of Cancer, 2. Koeltz Scientific Books, Königstein, 469 pp.
Jäger E.J. 2011. Rothmaler Exkursionflora von Deutschland. Gefässpflanzen: Grundband. 20th edition. Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, Heidelberg, 930 pp.
Jeník J. & Štursa J. 2003. Vegetation of the Giant Mountains, Central Europe, pp. 47–51. In: Nagy L., Grabherr G., Körner Ch. & Thompson D.B.A. (eds), Alpine Biodiversity in Europe. Ecological Studie. 67. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 477 pp.
Kent M. 2012. Vegetation Description and Data Analysis. A Practical Approach. John Wiley & Sons. Ltd., Wiley-Blackwell, West Sussex, 414 pp.
Kiełtyk P. & Mirek Z. 2014. Taxonomy of the Solidago virgaurea group (Asteraceae) in Poland, with special reference to variability along an altitudinal gradient. Folia Geobot. 49: 259–282.
Kliment J., Jarolímek I., Šibík J. & Valachovič M. 2004. Syntaxonomy and nomenclature of the communities of the orders Calamagrostietalia villosae and Adenostyletalia in Slovakia. Thaiszia–J. Bot. Košice 14: 93–157.
Kliment J., Šibík J., Šibíková I., Jarolímek I., Dúbravcová Z. & Uhlířová J. 2010. High-altitude vegetation of the Western Carpathians–a syntaxonomical review. Biologia 65: 965–989.
Kliment J., Bělohlávková R., Bernátová D., Jarolímek I., Petrík A., Šibík J., Uhlířová J. & Valachovič M. 2005. Syntaxonomy and nomenclature of the communities of the alliances Astero alpini-Seslerion calcariae and Seslerion tatrae in Slovakia. Hacquetia 4: 121–149.
Kočí M. 2007. Calamagrostion villosae Pawłowski et al. 1928., pp. 93–94. In: Chytrý M. (ed.), Vegetace České republiky, 1. Travinná a keříčková vegetace. Academia, Praha, 526 pp.
Kosiński M. 1999. Scree communities of the Tatra National Park. Institute of Botany, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Botanical Papers 32: 1–75.
ai]Lauber K., Wagner G. & Gygax A. 2012. Flora Helvetica. 5th edition. Haupt, Bern 1656 pp.
Legendre P. & Legendre L. 2012. Numerical ecology. Third edition. Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, 990 pp.
Marhold K., Mártonfi P., Mereďa P. Jr, Mráz P., Hodálová I., Kolnik M., Kučera J., Lihová J., Mrázová V., Perený M. & Valko I. 2012. Karyological database of the ferns and flowering plants of Slovakia. (version 1.0). https://doi.org/www.chromosomes.sav.sk (accessed 15.03.2016)
Matuszkiewicz W. 2014. Przewodnik do oznaczania zbiorowisk roślinnych Polski. Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN, Warszawa, 537 pp.
McNeill J. 1976. Solidago L., pp. 110–111. In: Tutin T.G., Heywood V.H., Burges N.A., Moore D.M., Valentine D.H., Walters S.M. & Webb D.A. (eds), Flora Europaea, 4. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 505.
Meusel H. & Jäger E.J. (eds) 1992. Vergleichende Chorologie der zentraleuropäischen Flora, 3. Karten, Literatur, Register, Fischer Verlag, Jena 688 pp.
Mirek Z. & Piękoś-Mirkowa H. 1992. Plant cover of the Western Carpathians (S. Poland). Veröff. Geobot. Inst. Eidg. Tech. Hochsch. Stift. Rübel 107: 116–150.
Mirek Z. 1989. Altitudinal ranges of vascular plants in the Carpathians and their classification. Wiadom. Bot. 33: 57–64.
Mirek Z., Piękoś-Mirkowa H., Zając A., Zając M., Bernacki L., Cieślak E., Głowacki Z., Leda M., Mitka J., Paśnik A., Paul W., Ronikier M., Rostański K., Szeląg Z., Wójcicki J.J., Zalewska-Gałosz J., Zielinśki J. & Żukowski W. 2002. Flowering plants and pteridophytes of Poland. A checklist. W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Biodiversity of Poland 1: 1–442.
Oksanen J., Blanchet F.G., Kindt R., Legendre P., Minchin P.R, O’Hara R.B., Simpson G.L., Solymos P., Stevens M.H.H. & Wagner H. 2016. vegan: Community Ecology Package. R package (version 2.3-3). https://doi.org/CRAN.R-project.org/package=vegan
Pawłowski B. 1931. Maksima wysokościowe kilkudziesięciu roślin tatrzańskich. Straw. Komis. Fizjogr. 65: 153–158.
Pawłowski B. 1972. Szata roślinna gór polskich, pp. 189–240. In: Szafer W. & Zarzycki K. (eds), Szata roślinna Polski, 2. Państwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe, Warszawa, 347 pp.
Pawłowski B. & Stecki K. 1927. Die Pflanzenassoziatioen des Tatra-Gebirges. IV Teil: Die Pflanzenassoziatioen des Miętusia-Tales und des Hauptmassivs der Czerwone Wierchy. Bull. Acad. Pol. Sc. L., Cl. Math.-Nat., Ser. B, (1925), Suppl. 2: 79–121.
Pawłowski B., Sokołowski M. & Wallisch K. 1928. Zespoły roślin w Tatrach. Część V.I. Zespoły roślinne i flora Doliny Morskiego Oka. Rozpr.Wydz. Mat.-Przyr. Pol. Akad. Umiej., DziałA/B 1927 67: 171–311.
R Core Team 2016. R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R version 3.3.1. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria. https://doi.org/www.R-project.org/
Rostański K. 1971. Solidago L., pp. 116–122. In: Pawłowski B. & Jasiewicz A. (eds), Flora Polska. Rośliny naczyniowe Polski i ziem ościennych, 12. Państwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe, Warszawa, 416 pp.
Semple J.C. & Cook R.E. 2006. Solidago, pp. 107–166. In: Flora of North America Editorial Committee (eds), Flora of North America North of Mexico, 20. Magnoliophyta: Asteridae, part 7: Asteraceae, part 2. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 666 pp.
Šibík J., Valachovič M. & Kliment J. 2005. Plant communities with Pinus mugo (alliance Pinion mugo) in the subalpine belt of theWestern Carpathians–a numerical approach. Acta Soc. Bot. Pol. 74: 329–343.
Šibík J., Šibíková I. & Kliment J. 2010. The subalpine Pinus mugo-communities of the Carpathians with a European perspective. Phytocoenologia 40: 155–188.
Šibík J., Kliment J., Jarolímek I., Dúbravcová Z., Bělohlávková R. & Paclová L. 2006. Syntaxonomy and nomenclature of the alpine heaths (the class Loiseleurio-Vaccinietea) in the Western Carpathians. Hacquetia 5: 37–71.
Skalińska M., Pogan E. & Czapik R. 1978. Further studies in chromosome numbers of Polish Angiosperms. Twelfth contribution. Acta Biol. Cracov., Ser. Bot. 21: 31–63.
Skawińska K. 1981. Biometrical analysis of some morphological characters of Solidago virgaurea L. Fragm. Florist. Geobot. 27: 331–341.
Slavík B. 2004. Solidago L.–zlatobýl, pp. 114–123. In: Slavík B. & Štěpánkowá J. (eds), Květena České Republiky, 7. Academia, Praha. 768 pp.
Szafer W., Kulczyński S. & Pawłowski B. 1976. Rośliny polskie. Państwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe, Warszawa 1020 pp.
Szymkiewicz D. 1929. Études biométriques sur Solidago Virga aurea. Acta Soc. Bot. Pol. 6: 341–343.
Thiers B. 2016. Index Herbariorum: A global directory of public herbaria and associated staff. New York Botanical Garden’s Virtual Herbarium. https://doi.org/sweetgum.nybg.org/ih/ (accessed 23.03.2016)
Venables W.N. & Ripley B.D. 2002. Modern applied statistics with S. Fourth edition. Statistics and Computing series. Springer, New York, 495 pp.
Wagenitz G. 1979. Compositae I: Allgemeine Teil, Eupatorium–Achillea, pp. 16–32. In: Conert H.J., Hamann W., Schultze-Motel W. & Wagenitz G. (eds), Hegi Illustierte Flora von Mitteleuropa, 6/3. Parey Bucherverlag, Berlin, 366 pp.
Zając A. & Zając M. (eds) 2001. Distribution atlas of vascular plants in Poland. Laboratory of Computer Chorology, Institute of Botany, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, 715 pp.
Zemanek B. & Winnicki T. 1999. Rośliny naczyniowe Bieszczadzkiego Parku Narodowego. Ośrodek Naukowo-Dydaktyczny Bieszczadzkiego Parku Narodowego, Ustrzyki Dolne, Monografie Bieszczadzkie 3: 1–249.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kiełtyk, P., Mirek, Z. Distribution and ecology of high-mountain Solidago minuta (Asteraceae) in Poland. Biologia 72, 161–174 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1515/biolog-2017-0017
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/biolog-2017-0017