1/ Global exchange and continental accumulation of non-native plants
The first comprehensive analysis of the global accumulation and exchange of alien plant species based on a unique global database of naturalized alien plant species in 481 mainland and 362 island regions. In total, 13,168 plant species, corresponding to 3.9 % of the extant global vascular flora, are naturalized somewhere on the globe as a result of human activity. Continents in the Northern Hemisphere are the major donors of naturalized alien species to all other continents (see fig.).
Flow of naturalized plant species among continents. Observed flows of naturalized species. The continents are ordered according to decreasing importance as sources. Left (white) parts of inner bars along the circle represent flows of imported species; right (coloured) parts represent exported species. Taken from van Kleunen et al., Nature 525: 100-103, 2015.
1. van Kleunen M., Dawson W., Essl F., Pergl J., Winter M., Weber E., Kreft H., Weigelt P., Kartesz J., Nishino M., Antonova L. A., Barcelona J. F., Cabezas F. J., Cárdenas D., Cárdenas-Toro J., Castaño N., Chacón E., Chatelain C., Ebel A. L., Figueiredo E., Fuentes N., Groom Q. J., Henderson L., Inderjit, Kupriyanov A., Masciadri S., Meerman J., Morozova O., Moser D., Nickrent D. L., Patzelt A., Pelser P. B., Baptiste M. P., Poopath M., Schulze M., Seebens H., Shu W., Thomas J., Velayos M., Wieringa J. J. & Pyšek P. (2015) Global exchange and accumulation of non-native plants. Nature 525: 100–103 (doi: 10.1038/nature14910).
2. Seebens H., Essl F., Dawson W., Fuentes N., Moser D., Pergl J., Pyšek P., van Kleunen M., Weber E., Winter M. & Blasius B. (2015) Global trade will accelerate plant invasions in emerging economies under climate change. Global Change Biology 21: 4128–4140 (doi: 10.1111/gcb.13021)
2/ Chapters on Cyanobacteria in the second edition of Freshwater Algae of North America
Professor Jiří Komárek was as a world-renowned specialist in diversity and distribution of Cyanobacteria invited as a co-author of chapters on this group of organisms of high environmental and economic importance in North America included in the book Freshwater Algae of North America. The publication will be used by students at universities as well as scientists or specialist in environmental monitoring.
Komárek J., Johansen J.R. 2015. Coccoid Cyanobacteria. In: Wehr J.D., Sheath R.G & Kociolek J. P. [Eds]: Freshwater Algae of North America. Ecology and Classification. Academic Press, New York, USA, pp. 75-133.
Komárek J., Johansen J.R. 2015. Filamentous Cyanobacteria. In: Wehr J.D., Sheath R.G & Kociolek J. P. [Eds]: Freshwater Algae of North America. Ecology and Classification. Academic Press, New York, USA, pp. 135-235.
3/ Ecological implications of plant clonality
Many plant species are able to grow and reproduce clonally (by tubers, stolons etc.). Clonality seems to confer a number of advantages, but suprisingly has been paid very little attention in plant ecology. By assembling a large database of clonal growth of 2000+ species, we show how clonality is the essential element that underlies almost complete absence of senescence in plant individuals. We also show that clonal plants can afford to invest less into sexual reproduction.
Herben T., Šerá B., Klimešová J. (2015) Clonal growth and sexual reproduction: tradeoffs and environmental constraints. Oikos 124: 469–476, 2015
Klimešová J., Herben T. (2015) Clonal and bud bank traits: patterns across temperate plant communities. Journal of Vegetation Science 26: 243-253.
Klimešová J., Nobis M.P., Herben T. (2015) Senescence, ageing and death of the whole plant: morphological prerequisites and constraints of plant immortality. New Phytologist 206: 14-18.