Abstract
The 14 th EDGG Field Workshop took place from the 4 th to the 14 th of September 2020 in Switzerland, and was devoted to the vegetation of open habitats in the subalpine and alpine zones. In total, 26 EDGG Biodiversity Plots (nested plots with grain sizes of 0.0001 to 100 m) were sampled in different open habitat types (grasslands, heathlands, screes, snowbeds, fens) in three regions of Switzerland, both over acidic and base-rich bedrock. Additionally, three normal plots of 10 m were sampled in high-elevation Festuco-Brometea stands in Zermatt. Across all grain sizes, stands showed 10-25% higher means and 50-94% higher maxima for total richness of vascular plants, terricolous bryophytes and lichens compared with data from the 12 th EDGG Field Workshop in dry and semi-dry grasslands of the central valleys of the Swiss Alps. We found outstanding preliminary maxima of total richness of 61, 109 and 163 species in 1, 10 and 100 m respectively, in an unused alpine grassland over limestone (Seslerion). Both particularly variable and partly extremely rich was the bryophyte and lichen flora of the analysed stands, with up to 33 bryophyte and 22 lichen species in 10-m plots. We report the liverwort Cephaloziella dentata as new for Switzerland, found in a thermophilous subalpine heathland at Alp Glivers, Surselva, Grisons. Overall, our preliminary data suggest that some of the sampled subalpine and alpine habitats are among the most species-rich communities at small scales if bryophytes and lichens are also considered. Based on this finding, we recommend that these two taxonomic groups be more regularly included in surveying and particularly in monitoring programs for vegetation. The Scientific Report is supplemented by a photo diary that provides impressions of work and life during the Field Workshop.
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Claims 10
Claim · model-written summary
Mean total richness across plot sizes was 10–25% higher than in the earlier workshop.
Verbatim
e0“stands showed 10-25% higher means and 50-94% higher maxima for total richness of vascular plants, terricolous bryophytes and lichens compared with data from the 12 th EDGG Field Workshop”
Claim · model-written summary
Maximum total richness across plot sizes was 50–94% higher than in the earlier workshop.
Verbatim
e0“stands showed 10-25% higher means and 50-94% higher maxima for total richness of vascular plants, terricolous bryophytes and lichens compared with data from the 12 th EDGG Field Workshop”
Claim · model-written summary
An unused limestone alpine grassland had preliminary maximum richness of 61 species in 1 m plots.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“preliminary maxima of total richness of 61, 109 and 163 species in 1, 10 and 100 m respectively, in an unused alpine grassland over limestone”
Claim · model-written summary
An unused limestone alpine grassland had preliminary maximum richness of 109 species in 10 m plots.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“preliminary maxima of total richness of 61, 109 and 163 species in 1, 10 and 100 m respectively, in an unused alpine grassland over limestone”
Claim · model-written summary
An unused limestone alpine grassland had preliminary maximum richness of 163 species in 100 m plots.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“preliminary maxima of total richness of 61, 109 and 163 species in 1, 10 and 100 m respectively, in an unused alpine grassland over limestone”
Claim · model-written summary
Bryophyte richness reached 33 species in 10-m plots.
Verbatim
e0“up to 33 bryophyte and 22 lichen species in 10-m plots”
Claim · model-written summary
Lichen richness reached 22 species in 10-m plots.
Verbatim
e0“up to 33 bryophyte and 22 lichen species in 10-m plots”
Claim · model-written summary
Cephaloziella dentata was newly recorded for Switzerland at Alp Glivers.
- Taxon
- Cephaloziella dentataCephaloziella dentatae0
- Outcome
- new for Switzerlande0
- Setting
- Alp Glivers, Surselva, Grisonse0
Verbatim
e0“liverwort Cephaloziella dentata as new for Switzerland, found in a thermophilous subalpine heathland at Alp Glivers, Surselva, Grisons”
Claim · model-written summary
The sampled subalpine and alpine communities may be among the richest at small scales when bryophytes and lichens count.
Verbatim
e0“some of the sampled subalpine and alpine habitats are among the most species-rich communities at small scales if bryophytes and lichens are also considered”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend more regular inclusion of bryophytes and lichens in vegetation monitoring.
- Outcome
- more regularly included in surveying and particularly in monitoring programs for vegetatione0
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“we recommend that these two taxonomic groups be more regularly included in surveying and particularly in monitoring programs for vegetation”