Variation in life-cycle between three rare and endangered floodplain violets in two regions: implications for population viability and conservation
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2009 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Biologia |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Botany |
| Keywords | Viola elatior; Viola pumila; Viola stagninaI; conservation; demography; life table response experiment; matrix models |
| Description | We studied the demography of Viola elatior, V. pumila, and V. stagnina, three rare and endangered Central European floodplain species, to (i) analyse variation in life-cycles among congeners and between regions (Dyje-Morava floodplains, Czech Republic; Upper Rhine, Germany), (ii) to define sensitive stages in the life-cycles, and (iii) to identify possible threats for population viability and species conservation. Matrix models were based on the fate of marked individuals from a total of 27 populations over two years. We analysed population growth rate (lambda), stage distribution, net reproductive rate (R0), generation time, age at first reproduction, and elasticity and calculated a life table response experiment (LTRE). Most populations were declining and lambda did not differ between species or regions during the observed interval. Despite higher probabilities for survival and flowering in the Dyje populations, R0 was higher in the Rhine populations. |
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