Spatial and Temporal Biodiversity Dynamics in Ecosystems of Central Europe
by BIODIVERSITY Research Group 1999-2004

Taxonomy of Plants

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The research of the vascular plant biodiversity group was focused on evolutionarily young species aggregates: Achillea millefolium agg., (Asteraceae), Eleocharis palustris agg. (Cyperaceae), Festuca ovina agg. and F. palens agg. (Poaceae), Hieracium sect. Pilosella (Asteraceae), and Poa pratensis agg. (Poaceae). Some groups with intensive natural interspecific hybridization and polyploidy were also studied: Cirsium (Asteraceae), Polypodium (Pteridophyta), and Senecio jacobaea agg. (Asteraceae).

Taxonomical or chorological studies of Achillea, Festuca, Senecio paludosus, and Eleocharis with eventual nomenclatural consequences were based on investigations of morphological, phyto-chorological and aut-ecological parameters.

The study of plant genome biodiversity was an integrative part of our research on three main levels:

  1. Ploidy level and chromosome number in relation to interspecific hybridization (Hieracium, Cirsium, Festuca, Polypodium) geographic distribution (Achillea, Eleocharis, Hieracium) and breeding systems (Hieracium).
  2. Genome size and its adaptability in relation to eco-geographic and morphological parameters (Cirsium, Ceratonia, Cyclamen) and in relation to interspecific hybridization (Cirsium).
  3. Sequence variability of non-coding DNA in connection with phylogeny or phylogeography (Poa and Cortusa).