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Sympatric diploid and hexaploid cytotypes of Senecio carniolicus (Asteraceae) in the Eastern Alps are separated along an altitudinal gradient

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Abstract

We explored the fine-scale distribution of cytotypes of the mountain plant Senecio carniolicus along an altitudinal transect in the Eastern Alps. Cytotypes showed a statistically significant altitudinal segregation with diploids exclusively found in the upper part of the transect, whereas diploids and hexaploids co-occurred in the lower range. Analysis of accompanying plant assemblages revealed significant differences between cytotypes along the entire transect but not within the lower part only, where both cytotypes co-occur. This suggests the presence of ecological differentiation between cytotypes with the diploid possessing the broader ecological niche. No tetraploids were detected, indicating the presence of strong crossing barriers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biogeography and Botanical Garden, Faculty Centre Botany, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, Vienna, 1030, Austria

    Peter Schönswetter & Gerald M. Schneeweiss

  2. Department of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Faculty Centre Botany, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, Vienna, 1030, Austria

    Margarita Lachmayer, David Prehsler & Dieter S. Reich

  3. Department of Conservation Biology, Vegetation Ecology and Landscape Ecology, University of Vienna, Althanstr. 14, Vienna, 1090, Austria

    Christian Lettner, Stefanie Rechnitzer, Michaela Sonnleitner & Iris Wagner

  4. Vienna Institute for Nature Conservation and Analyses, Giessergasse 6/7, Vienna, 1090, Austria

    Karl Hülber

  5. Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Benátská 2, Prague, 128 01, Czech Republic

    Pavel Trávníček & Jan Suda

  6. Institute of Botany, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Průhonice 1, 252 43, Czech Republic

    Pavel Trávníček & Jan Suda

Authors
  1. Peter Schönswetter
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  2. Margarita Lachmayer
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  3. Christian Lettner
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  4. David Prehsler
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  5. Stefanie Rechnitzer
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  6. Dieter S. Reich
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  7. Michaela Sonnleitner
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  8. Iris Wagner
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  9. Karl Hülber
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  10. Gerald M. Schneeweiss
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  11. Pavel Trávníček
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  12. Jan Suda
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Karl Hülber.

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Schönswetter, P., Lachmayer, M., Lettner, C. et al. Sympatric diploid and hexaploid cytotypes of Senecio carniolicus (Asteraceae) in the Eastern Alps are separated along an altitudinal gradient. J Plant Res 120, 721–725 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10265-007-0108-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10265-007-0108-x

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