Journal of Environmental Biology

Competitive, stress-tolerant and ruderal based classification  of

some plant species in an  Alpine community  of 

the Giresun Mountains in Turkey

 

R. Huseyinoglu¹* and E. Yalcin²

¹Giresun University, Åžebinkarahisar School of Applied Sciences, iresun, 28400, Turkey

²Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Science, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun, 55139, Turkey

*Corresponding Author E-mail: rena.huseyinoglu@giresun.edu.tr

 

 

 

Key words

Alpine community,

Competitor-ruderal,

Grime's CSR strategies,

Stress tolerant 

 

 

Publication Data

Paper received : 17.03.2016       

Revised received : 28.08.2016   

Re-revised received : 05.12.2016

Accepted : 01.03.2017  

 

Abstract

Aim: The CSR strategy model classifies plant species based on established strategies in dealing with two groups of external environmental factors, namely stress and disturbance. The main objective of the present study was to analyze established strategies of some characteristic plant species in the alpine belt of the Giresun Mountains in Turkey and to determine any disturbance on plant species present in the study area.

 

Methodology: Fifty sample plots and ninety plant species were selected from homogenous areas to determine predictor variables for Grime's CSR strategies. Canopy height (CH), dry matter content (LDMC), lateral spreading (LS), dry leaf weight (LDW), specific leaf area (SLA), flowering period (FP) and onset of flowering period (FS) were used to find Grime's strategies for the studied species.

 

Results: Almost all species present in the study area were allocated into nine different secondary or transient Grime's strategies. Most of these secondary or transient strategies (SC, S/SC, and SC/CSR) have a large proportion stress-tolerator strategy (S). On the other hand, high number of plant species exhibited CR, C/SC, R/CR and C/CR strategies having strong competition and ruderalism extents. CR (competitor-ruderal) was the most common strategy in the study area.      

 

Interpretation: Findings suggested that plant species in the study area were exposed to more than one pressure factor. The presence of a large proportion of ruderalism demonstrates the increasing impact of disturbance (grazing and mowing) on the studied species.

 

 

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