Biodiversity of dry grasslands in Armenia : first results from the 13th EDGG Field Workshop in Armenia

Aleksanyan, Alla; Biurrun, Idoia; Belonovskaya, Elena; Cykowska-Marzencka, Beata; Berastegi, Asun; Dembicz, Iwona; Dengler, Jürgen

doi:10.21570/EDGG.PG.46.12-51

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-20293

Publication type:	Article in scientific journal
Type of review:	Peer review (publication)
Title:	Biodiversity of dry grasslands in Armenia : first results from the 13th EDGG Field Workshop in Armenia
Authors:	Aleksanyan, Alla Biurrun, Idoia Belonovskaya, Elena Cykowska-Marzencka, Beata Berastegi, Asun Dembicz, Iwona Dengler, Jürgen
et. al:	Yes
DOI:	10.21570/EDGG.PG.46.12-51 10.21256/zhaw-20293
Published in:	Palaearctic Grasslands
Issue:	46
Page(s):	12
Pages to:	51
Issue Date:	15-Jul-2020
Publisher / Ed. Institution:	Eurasian Dry Grassland Group (EDGG)
ISSN:	2627-9827
Language:	English
Subjects:	Armenia; Biodiversity
Subject (DDC):	577: Ecology
Abstract:	The 13th EDGG Field Workshop was conducted from the 26 June to 6 July 2019 in Armenia. The Field Workshop had two main aims: (a) to analyse the biodiversity patterns of the Armenian grasslands across multiple taxonomic groups and grain sizes, and (b) to study the syntaxonomic position of these grasslands in a general European context. We conducted our sampling in 16 sites that ensured good geographical coverage across the country. In total, we sampled 29 EDGG Biodiversity Plots (nested-plot series of 0.0001 to 100 m²) and 53 additional 10-m2 plots. Data of orthopteroid insects (Orthoptera and Mantodea) were recorded in 42 100-m² plots. We found mean total species richness values of the vegetation of 7.5 species in 0.01 m², 31.9 species in 1 m² and 51.3 species in 10 m². The richest grasslands for vascular plants were meso-xeric grasslands with up to 35 species in 0.1 m² and 80 in 10 m². Maximum orthopteroid rich-ness in 100 m² was 14. Syntaxonomically, the majority of stands appear to belong to the class Festuco-Brometea, with the orders Brachy-podietalia pinnati (meso-xeric), Festucetalia valesiacae (xeric, non-rocky) and an unknown order of rocky dry grasslands. By contrast, the thorn-cushion communities (probably Onobrychidetea cornutae), the scree communities and the dry grasslands of lower elevations rich in annuals and chamaephytes (probably largely Astragalo-Brometea), do not fit to any vegetation class described in Europe. We found two species new to Armenia – the moss Syntrichia papillosissima and the lichen Aspicilia hispida. Our data demonstrate that Armenia is one of the Palaearctic hotspots of fine grain plant diversity. Both diversity patterns and syntaxonomy warrant in-depth studies, which are now possible with our comprehensive dataset.
URI:	https://digitalcollection.zhaw.ch/handle/11475/20293
Fulltext version:	Published version
License (according to publishing contract):	CC BY-SA 4.0: Attribution - Share alike 4.0 International
Departement:	Life Sciences and Facility Management
Organisational Unit:	Institute of Natural Resource Sciences (IUNR)
Appears in collections:	Publikationen Life Sciences und Facility Management

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Aleksanyan, A., Biurrun, I., Belonovskaya, E., Cykowska-Marzencka, B., Berastegi, A., Dembicz, I., & Dengler, J. (2020). Biodiversity of dry grasslands in Armenia : first results from the 13th EDGG Field Workshop in Armenia. Palaearctic Grasslands, 46, 12–51. https://doi.org/10.21570/EDGG.PG.46.12-51

Aleksanyan, A. et al. (2020) ‘Biodiversity of dry grasslands in Armenia : first results from the 13th EDGG Field Workshop in Armenia’, Palaearctic Grasslands, (46), pp. 12–51. Available at: https://doi.org/10.21570/EDGG.PG.46.12-51.

A. Aleksanyan et al., “Biodiversity of dry grasslands in Armenia : first results from the 13th EDGG Field Workshop in Armenia,” Palaearctic Grasslands, no. 46, pp. 12–51, Jul. 2020, doi: 10.21570/EDGG.PG.46.12-51.

ALEKSANYAN, Alla, Idoia BIURRUN, Elena BELONOVSKAYA, Beata CYKOWSKA-MARZENCKA, Asun BERASTEGI, Iwona DEMBICZ und Jürgen DENGLER, 2020. Biodiversity of dry grasslands in Armenia : first results from the 13th EDGG Field Workshop in Armenia. Palaearctic Grasslands. 15 Juli 2020. Nr. 46, S. 12–51. DOI 10.21570/EDGG.PG.46.12-51

Aleksanyan, Alla, Idoia Biurrun, Elena Belonovskaya, Beata Cykowska-Marzencka, Asun Berastegi, Iwona Dembicz, and Jürgen Dengler. 2020. “Biodiversity of Dry Grasslands in Armenia : First Results from the 13th EDGG Field Workshop in Armenia.” Palaearctic Grasslands, no. 46 (July): 12–51. https://doi.org/10.21570/EDGG.PG.46.12-51.

Aleksanyan, Alla, et al. “Biodiversity of Dry Grasslands in Armenia : First Results from the 13th EDGG Field Workshop in Armenia.” Palaearctic Grasslands, no. 46, July 2020, pp. 12–51, https://doi.org/10.21570/EDGG.PG.46.12-51.