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Felix Gugerli Künzle

Rolf Holderegger

Niklaus Zimmermann

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Duration: 2004 - 2010

Study area

The study on the relationship of diversity at all three levels of biodiversity encompassed the entire ranges of the European Alps and the Carpathians. While species and habitat diversity were assessed on areas above 1000m a.s.l., the genetic analysis were restricted to the range above 1500m a.s.l.

Grid system
Grid system adopted for assessing ecosystem, species and genetic diversity of alpine vascular plants. Each grid cell that comprised a minimal area above a defined threshold represents approximately 563km². The sampling for the genetically analyzed species was restricted to areas of higher altitude and comprised only every second grid cell in the Alps.

Click on the graf to enlarge. (A) Grid system encompassing continuous mountainous areas in the Alps and the Carpathians above 1000m a.s.l. Numbers refer to the total alpine vascular plant species richness recorded within the respective countries (A, Austria; CH, Switzerland; CZ, Czech Republic; D, Germany; F, France; I, Italy; PL, Poland; RO, Romania; SK, Slovakia; SLO, Slovenia; UKR, Ukraine). (B) Grid cell selection (light grey) for sampling of genetically analysed species. Numbers reflect the total of species that were successfully genotyped within a given cell. Maps taken from Gugerli et al. (2008) Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics.

Methods
The following methods were used, which are described in detail in Gugerli et al. (Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 2008):

Intraspecific diversity: analysis by using molecular markers (amplified fragment length polymorphisms, AFLPs) in 27 widespread species of the Alps and the Carpathians

Species richness: mapping of the vascular high-mountain flora using mainly existing data on plant distributions

Habitat diversity: compilation of environmental data and composition of a map of habitat diversity

Comparison of these maps to find possible correlations among the variables analysed.

Keywords:

intraspecific diversity, species richness, habitat diversity, alpine plants, Alps, Carpathians, genetic diversity