Flora and Vegetation of the Czech Republic (Plant and Vegetation, 14)

Annotation This book provides basic information on the botanical diversity in the Czech Republic and relates the patterns in flora and vegetation to environmental factors, biogeographical history and human impact. Focusing on vascular plants, bryophytes and lichens, it summarizes the data on taxonomic diversity and provides details of relict, endemic, rare, alien and other biogeographically important species. Main vegetation types are characterized in terms of their structure, distribution, ecology and dynamics, emphasizing the long-term vegetation changes since the late Pleistocene, historical impact of humans on vegetation and current changes in vegetation including the impact of alien species. Special attention is paid to the conservation of threatened plant species and their habitats and ecological restoration. An account of the history of botanical research in this country is also provided. The book is illustrated with numerous maps, graphs and photographs of plant species and communities. The book is an essential reference for any biogeographer, botanist and plant ecologist who is working in Central Europe or is searching for both general and more specific information on this part of the world This book summarizes basic information on the diversity of vascular plants, bryophytes, lichens and plant communities in the Czech Republic. It explains the patterns in botanical diversity in this country by linking them to environmental factors, biogeographical history and human impact. Basic taxonomic accounts of the flora are completed with an analysis of relict, endemic, rare and other biogeographically important species. The history of vegetation since the late Pleistocene is characterized based on a new synthesis of palaeoecological data and types of current vegetation are described following a recently developed system of national vegetation classification. Special attention is paid to the altitudinal zonation of vegetation, areas with high diversity of different vegetation types, species richness of plant communities, dynamics of current changes in vegetation and underlying causes. Alien flora is characterized separately with emphasis on the dynamics of the spread of introduced species, patterns in the invasibility of habitats and landscapes, and impact and management of alien plants. Individual species of invasive alien plants are characterized in detail. Finally, various aspects of conservation of botanical diversity are assessed, including its legal basis, protected plant species, Red List and Red Data Book, national system of protected areas, Natura 2000 network in the Czech Republic, mapping of habitats for conservation purposes, management of threatened plant species and their habitats and ecological restoration. This book also contains a basic description of the physical geography of this country, emphasizing the factors that shape the patterns in botanical diversity, and a detailed overview of the history of botanical research since the Renaissance up to the present. The flora and vegetation in this country is illustrated by numerous maps, graphs and photographs of plant species and communities Front Matter ....Pages i-xii Physical Geography of the Czech Republic (Milan Chytrý)....Pages 1-23 History of Botanical Research in the Czech Republic (Jiří Danihelka, Milan Chytrý, Jan Kučera, Zdeněk Palice)....Pages 25-87 Flora and Phytogeography of the Czech Republic (Zdeněk Kaplan)....Pages 89-163 Bryoflora of the Czech Republic (Jan Kučera)....Pages 165-176 Lichen Biota of the Czech Republic (Zdeněk Palice)....Pages 177-192 History of Czech Vegetation Since the Late Pleistocene (Petr Kuneš, Vojtěch Abraham)....Pages 193-227 Current Vegetation of the Czech Republic (Milan Chytrý)....Pages 229-337 Plant Invasions in the Czech Republic (Petr Pyšek, Milan Chytrý, Jan Pergl, Jiří Sádlo, Jan Wild)....Pages 339-399 Conservation of Botanical Diversity in the Czech Republic (Handrij Härtel)....Pages 401-444 Back Matter ....Pages 445-466