A first inventory of gypsum flora in the Palearctic and Australia

  • Francisco J. Pérez-García University of Almería. Biology and Geology Dpt. CITE II–B, CECOUAL. Ctra. Sacramento s/n. La Cañada de San Urbano, E-04120 Almería
  • Hossein Akhani Halophytes and C4 Plants Research Laboratory, Department of Plant Sciences, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 14155-6455 Tehran
  • Robert F. Parsons Department of Ecology, Environment & Evolution, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria 3086
  • Jennifer L. Silcock Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072
  • Latif Kurt Department of Biology, Science Faculty, Ankara University, 06100 Ankara
  • Ebru Özdeniz Department of Biology, Science Faculty, Ankara University, 06100 Ankara 1,
  • Giovanni Spampinato Department of AGRARIA, “Mediterranea” University of Reggio Calabria, Località Feo di Vito, 89122 Reggio Calabria
  • Carmelo M. Musarella Department of AGRARIA, “Mediterranea” University of Reggio Calabria, Località Feo di Vito, 89122 Reggio Calabria
  • Esteban Salmerón-Sánchez University of Almería. Biology and Geology Dpt. CITE II–B, CECOUAL. Ctra. Sacramento s/n. La Cañada de San Urbano, E-04120 Almería
  • Fernando Sola University of Almería. Biology and Geology Dpt. CITE II–B, CECOUAL. Ctra. Sacramento s/n. La Cañada de San Urbano, E-04120 Almería
  • María E. Merlo University of Almería. Biology and Geology Dpt. CITE II–B, CECOUAL. Ctra. Sacramento s/n. La Cañada de San Urbano, E-04120 Almería
  • Fabián Martínez-Hernández University of Almería. Biology and Geology Dpt. CITE II–B, CECOUAL. Ctra. Sacramento s/n. La Cañada de San Urbano, E-04120 Almería
  • Antonio J. Mendoza-Fernández University of Almería. Biology and Geology Dpt. CITE II–B, CECOUAL. Ctra. Sacramento s/n. La Cañada de San Urbano, E-04120 Almería
  • Juan A. Garrido-Becerra University of Almería. Biology and Geology Dpt. CITE II–B, CECOUAL. Ctra. Sacramento s/n. La Cañada de San Urbano, E-04120 Almería
  • Juan F. Mota University of Almería. Biology and Geology Dpt. CITE II–B, CECOUAL. Ctra. Sacramento s/n. La Cañada de San Urbano, E-04120 Almería
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5209/MBOT.59428
Keywords: gypsophile, gypsophyte, gypsicolous, gypsophily, global check-list, edaphism

Abstract

Gypseous substrates are well-recognised as supporting distinctive and unique flora assemblages, including numerous gypsum endemic (gypsophile) species. Along with these, others are also frequent although their presence is not restricted to gypsum; they show a clear preference for them (gypsocline). While this phenomenon (gypsophily) has been studied regionally, and various hypotheses put forward to explain it, there has been little global synthesis. We present a preliminary check-list on the gypsophile and gypsocline flora of the Palaearctic and Australian areas as a part of a project to develop a global checklist of the World’s gypsophytes, which can broaden our ecological and biogeographical understanding of these unique environments.

The database contains 935 taxa spanning 54 countries. The Irano-Turanian region —and to a lesser extent the Mediterranean region— emerged as the richest territories in terms of gypsophile species; this richness was much reduced in the Saharo-Arabian and, especially in the Eurosiberian regions.

The factors that can modulate the richness of gypsophytes in a region are discussed and have been distributed into four groups: a) geological and edaphic factors; b) factors linked to the insular nature of outcrops; c) climatic variables and their interaction with the soil; d) biogeographical factors. The importance of those factors linked to insularity and, especially, to water availability is emphasized. Because the soil structure of many gypsum outcrops reduces water ability to plants, such outcrops can be regarded as “dry-islands” surrounded by less xeric substrates. The fact that gypsophytes can be grouped within a few major flowering plant clades across continents, confirms their pre-adaptations to these harsh and unique environments. Our work provides a preliminary database for exploring ecological and biogeographic issues relating to gypsophily, and we hope it will stimulate global interest in these valuable ecosystems.

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How to Cite
Pérez-García F. J., Akhani H., Parsons R. F., Silcock J. L., Kurt L., Özdeniz E., Spampinato G., Musarella C. M., Salmerón-Sánchez E., Sola F., Merlo M. E., Martínez-Hernández F., Mendoza-Fernández A. J., Garrido-Becerra J. A. y Mota J. F. (2018). A first inventory of gypsum flora in the Palearctic and Australia. Mediterranean Botany, 39(1), 35-49. https://doi.org/10.5209/MBOT.59428
Issue
Vol. 39 No. 1 (2018)
Section
Applied Botany

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