PLANTin – Aliens among us: Spatio-temporal dynamics of plant invasions and their adverse impact on ecosystem (APVV-19-0134, 2020-2024)
Annotation: Plant invasions are an ongoing process threatening biodiversity at the species, habitat and landscape levels. The unique composition of alien flora at a regional level is mainly influenced by climate and cultural factors. The proposed project focuses on the environmental background of plant invasions in Slovakia (covers a substantial part of the Western Carpathians and an adjacent part of the Pannonia), which has been studied in this region only marginally so far. Dynamics of plant invasions will be studied in riparian vegetation along rivers that play a dominant role in the natural spreading of invasive plants. Using a time series of vegetation, seed bank, and soil properties, we will reveal spatio-temporal changes in riparian ecosystems, further linked with environmental and human factors. Based on field and revised herbarium data, we will reveal the ecological demands of model invasive plant groups (Fallopia japonica agg. and Solidago canadensis agg.) and estimate their potential distribution under current and future climate conditions. An integrative approach will be used to study the impact of plant invasions on semi-natural grasslands representing Slovakia’s most invaded non-anthropogenic habitats. We will compare multiple-taxa diversity (plants, bryophytes, fungi – by environmental DNA sequencing, molluscs and soil invertebrates) in non-invaded plots and in plots invaded by F. japonica agg. or S. canadensis agg. Further analyses of soil properties, seed bank, microbial activity, and fungal trophic structure will illuminate changes in belowground ecosystem processes at studied plots. We will also conduct a field experiment to study the impact of invasive plants on the decomposition of leaf litter. Such a study with exceptionally broad coverage of taxonomic and methodological approaches will provide a unique look at the plant invasion process and enable us to reveal, besides general trends, species or group-specific patterns.
Biodiversity changes in an urban fragmented landscape (VEGA 2/0079/18, 2018-2021)
Annotation: The project is concerned with changes in biodiversity in the urban environment, both in space (ecological gradients, fragmentation) and in time (historical data). We have chosen two ecologically significantly related model groups for the study: vascular plants and molluscs. Based on the research on these model organisms, we will address five main problem areas: (1) To what extent do the principles of island ecology apply in the model area, and What are the effects of fragmentation and individual environmental factors on the structure and variability of the biota? (2) Whether and to what extent the genetic diversity of populations of selected model species differs in long-term contiguous forest areas and neorefugia; (3) How the urban environment influences the diversity of native species and the invasion of non-native species into fragmented woodland over time and space; (4) Based on the theory of refugia, what is the ecological and ecosozological structure of biota in forest remnants? (5) Whether biotic homogenisation occurs and which groups of biota are most affected by homogenisation.
Determination, spreading pattern and impact of invasive plants on native ecosystems: case studies on Centaurea, Fallopia and Solidago (VEGA 2/0024/19, 2019-2022)
Annotation: The project aims to study taxonomically problematic and hardly distinguishable invasive taxa and cytotypes of Centaurea stoebe agg., Fallopia japonica agg. and Solidago canadensis agg. occurring in central Europe. We will determine particular taxa and cytotypes by combining biosystematic approaches (morphometrics, flow cytometry, and chromosome counting). Thanks to extensive field survey and revision of herbarium specimens, we will contribute to the knowledge on the current and past distribution of F. japonica agg. and S. canadensis agg. in central Europe and cytotypes of C. stoebe agg. in mixed-ploidy populations. Further, we will analyse the ecological demands of particular taxa and cytotypes and model their future potential spreading within the studied area. To reveal and compare the impact of invasive taxa of F. japonica agg. and S. canadensis agg. we will use a combined approach to natural biotopes, including analyses of soil properties, seed bank, diversity of plants, fungi and molluscs in invaded biotopes.