Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Distribution trends of rare vascular plant species in Estonia

  • Published:
Biodiversity & Conservation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

On the basis of quantitative analysis of the vascular plant distribution maps for Estonia, we specified the list of rare species which occur in less than 5% of grid quadrangles, and studied the possible correlations between their rarity and habitat preference, distribution, and sensitivity to human impact. Rare species occur statistically more often among species that are at the limit of their geographical range. The proportion of rare species was significantly higher among arctomontane and disjunct circumpolar taxa. Among apophytes, there were less rare taxa than would be expected according to the common native flora, but among hemerophobes, there were significantly more rare species than would be expected. The number of rare species was in strong positive correlation with the species richness of the region. Besides the western part of Estonia, where the greatest number of rare species occur, some small areas rich in rare species also lie in East and North Estonia.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Edwards W and Westoby M (1996) Reserve mass and dispersal investment in relation to geographic range of plant species: phylogenetically independent contrasts. Journal of Biogeography 23: 329-338

    Google Scholar 

  • Eriksson O and Jakobsson A (1998) Abundance, distribution and life histories of grassland plants: a comparative study of 81 species. Journal of Ecology 86: 922-933

    Google Scholar 

  • Dahl E (1998) The Phytogeography of Northern Europe (British Isles, Fennoscandia and Adjacent Areas). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Gaston KJ (1994) Measuring geographic range sizes. Ecography 17: 198-205

    Google Scholar 

  • Gaston KJ (1997) What is rarity? In: Kunin WE and Gaston KJ (eds) The Biology of Rarity, pp 30-47. Chapman & Hall, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Gaston KJ and Kunin WE (1997) Rare-common differences: an overview. In: Kunin WE and Gaston KJ (eds), The Biology of Rarity: Causes and Consequences of Rare-Common Differences, pp 13-29. Chapman & Hall, London, UK

    Google Scholar 

  • Gustafsson L (1994) A comparison of biological characteristics and distribution between Swedish threatened and non-threatened forest vascular plants. Ecography 17: 39-49

    Google Scholar 

  • Haeupler H and Vogel A (1999) Plant diversity in Germany: a second review. Acta Botanica Fennica 162: 55-59

    Google Scholar 

  • Hämet-Ahti L, Suominen J, Ulvinen T and Uotila P (eds) (1998) Retkeilykasvio. Luonnontieteellinen keskusmuseo, Kasvimuseo, Helsinki

    Google Scholar 

  • Hodgson JG (1986) Commonness and rarity in plants with special reference to the Sheffield flora: Part I: the identity, distribution and habitat characteristics of the common and rare species. Biological Conservation 36: 199-252

    Google Scholar 

  • Hultén E (1950) Atlas över växternas utbredning i Norden. Generalstabens Litografiska Anstalts Förlag, Stockholm

    Google Scholar 

  • Hultén E (1971) Atlas of the Distribution of Vascular plants in Northwestern Europe, 2nd edition. AB Kartografiska Institut, Stockholm

    Google Scholar 

  • Hultén E and Fries M (1986) Atlas of North European Vascular Plants. North of the Tropic of Cancer, pp 1-3. Koeltz Scientific Books, Köningstein

    Google Scholar 

  • Ingelög T, Andersson R and Tjernberg M (1993) Red Data Book of the Baltic Region. Part 1. Swedish Threatened Species Unit, Uppsala

  • Jalas J and Suominen J (eds) (1972-1996) Atlas Florae Europaeae, pp 1-11. The committee for Mapping the Flora of Europe, Helsinki

    Google Scholar 

  • Jalas J, Suominen J, Lampinen R and Kurtto A (eds) (1999) Atlas Florae Europaeae, vol 12. The committe for Mapping the Flora of Europe, Helsinki

    Google Scholar 

  • Järvinen O (1982) Conservation of endangered plant populations: single large or several small reserves? Oikos 38: 301-307

    Google Scholar 

  • Kask M and Kuusk V (1981) Plant species in the Red Data Book of the Estonian SSR. In: Laasimer L, Trass H and Kask M (eds) Anthropogenous Changes in the Plant Cover of Estonia, pp 5-17. Institute of Zoology and Botany, Tartu

    Google Scholar 

  • Kask M and Laasimer L (1987) The significance of species at the margins of their area in the Estonian Flora. In: Laasimer L and Kull T (eds) Plant Cover of the Estonian SSR. Flora, Vegetation and Ecology, pp 7-16. Valgus, Tallinn

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelly CK and Woodward FI (1996) Ecological correlates of plant range size: taxonomies and phylogenies in the study of plant commonness and rarity in Great Britain. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London B 351: 1261-1269

    Google Scholar 

  • Kukk T (1999) Eesti taimestik/Vascular Plant Flora of Estonia/Teaduste Akadeemia Kirjastus, Tallinn-Tartu [in Estonian with an English summary]

  • Kukk T and Kull K (1997) Puisniidud-Wooded meadows. Estonia Maritima 2: 1-249

    Google Scholar 

  • Kukk Ñ (1987) Protection of rare plant species in the Estonian SSR. In: Laasimer L and Kull T (eds) Plant Cover of the Estonian SSR. Flora, Vegetation and Ecology, pp 17-21. Valgus, Tallinn

    Google Scholar 

  • Kukk Ñ (1999) Eesti kaitstavad taimeliigid/Protected plants of Estonia/Huma, Tartu [in Estonian with an English summary]

  • Kunin WE and Gaston KJ (1993) The biology of rarity: patterns, causes and consequences. TREE 8: 298-301

    Google Scholar 

  • Kunin WE and Schmida A (1997) Plant reproductive traits as a function of local, regional, and global abundance. Conservation Biology 11: 183-192

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuusk V, Tabaka L and Jankevi?cien?e R (1996) Flora of the Baltic Countries II. Eesti Loodusfoto, Tartu

    Google Scholar 

  • Laasimer L (1965) Eesti NSV taimkate/Vegetation of the Estonian SSR/Valgus, Tallinn [in Estonian with an English summary]

  • Laasimer L, Kuusk V, Tabaka L and Lekavicius A (1993) Flora of the Baltic Countries I Estonian Academy of Sciences, Tartu

    Google Scholar 

  • Lahti T, Kemppainen E, Kurto A and Uotila P (1991) Distribution and biological characteristics of threatened vascular plants in Finland. Biological Conservation 55: 299-314

    Google Scholar 

  • Lahti T, Kurtto A and Väisänen RA (1988) Floristic composition and regional species richness of vascular plants in Finland. Annales Botanici Fennici 25: 281-291

    Google Scholar 

  • Lang V (1995) Varajane maaviljelus ja maaviljelusühiskond Eestis: ääremärkusi möningate arengutendentside kohta. In: Lang V (ed) Eesti arheoloogia historiograafilisi, teoreetilisi ja kultuuriajaloolisi aspekte. Muinasaja teadus, vol 3, pp 116-181. Teaduste Akadeemia Kirjastus, Tallinn

    Google Scholar 

  • Lilleleht V (ed) (1998) Eesti Punane Raamat/Estonian Red Data Book/Eesti Teaduste Akadeemia Looduskaitse Komisjon, Tartu [in Estonian with an English summary]

  • Linkola K (1916) Studien über den Einfluss der Kultur auf die Flora in den Gegenden nördlich vom Ladogasee. Acta Societas pro Fauna et Flora Fennica 45(1,2): 429-491

    Google Scholar 

  • Minjaev NA, Orlova NI and Schmidt VM (eds) (1981) Key-Book of Vascular Plants of North-western Part of Russia. University of Leningrad, Leningrad [in Russian]

    Google Scholar 

  • Mossberg B, Stenberg L and Ericsson S (1992) Den Nordiska Floran. Wahlström and Widstrand

  • Paal J (1997) Classification of Estonian Vegetation Site Types. Keskkonnaministeeriumi Info-ja Tehnokeskus, Tallinn

  • Paal J (1998) Rare and threatened plant communities of Estonia. Biodiversity and Conservation 7: 1027-1049

    Google Scholar 

  • Pirie CD, Walmsley S, Ingle R, Jimenez AP, Magallanes AS and Kelly CK (2000) Investigations in plant commonness and rarity: a comparison of seed removal patterns in the widespread Jatropha standleyi and the endemic J. chamelensis (Euphorbiaceae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 71: 501-512

    Google Scholar 

  • Preston CD and Hill MO (1997) The geographical relationships of British and Irish vascular plants. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 124: 1-120

    Google Scholar 

  • Quinn RM, Lawton JH, Eversham BC and Wood SN (1994) The biogeography of scarce vascular plants in Britain with respect to habitat preference, dispersal ability and reproductive biology. Biological Conservation 70: 149-157

    Google Scholar 

  • Rabinowitz D (1978) Abundance and diaspore weight in rare and common prairie grasses. Oecologia 37: 213-219

    Google Scholar 

  • Rabinowitz D (1981) Seven forms of rarity. In: Synge H (ed) The Biological Aspects of Rare Plant Conservation, pp 205-217. John Wiley & Sons

  • Sætersdal M (1994) Rarity and species/area relationships of vascular plants in deciduous woods, western Norway-applications to nature reserve selection. Ecography 17: 23-38

    Google Scholar 

  • Schnittler M and Günther K-F (1999) Central European vascular plants requiring priority conservation measures-an analysis from national Red Lists and distribution maps. Biodiversity and Conservation 8: 891-925

    Google Scholar 

  • Schönfelder P (1999) Mapping the flora of Germany. Acta Botanica Fennica 162: 43-53

    Google Scholar 

  • Stace C (1991) New Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Thompson K, Gaston KJ and Band SR (1999) Range size, dispersal and niche breadth in the herbaceous flora of central England. Journal of Ecology 87: 150-155

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Zoology and Botany, Estonian Agricultural University, Riia 181, Tartu, 51014, Estonia

    Tiiu Kull, Toomas Kukk, Malle Leht, Heljo Krall, Kalevi Kull & Vilma Kuusk

  2. Tartu University, Ülikooli 18, Estonia

    Toomas Kukk

  3. Environmental Protection Institute, Estonian Agricultural University, Akadeemia 4, Tartu, Estonia

    Ülle Kukk

Authors
  1. Tiiu Kull
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Toomas Kukk
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Malle Leht
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Heljo Krall
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Ülle Kukk
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Kalevi Kull
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Vilma Kuusk
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kull, T., Kukk, T., Leht, M. et al. Distribution trends of rare vascular plant species in Estonia. Biodiversity and Conservation 11, 171–196 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1014564521151

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1014564521151

Search

Navigation