Environmental scales on the reproduction of a gypsophyte: a hierarchical approach.

Background And Aims: Environmental variability at several scales can determine plant reproductive success. The main goal of this work was to model the reproductive flexibility of a semi-arid specialist considering different scales of environmental variability.

Methods: A 2-year field study was performed on the determinants of the female reproductive success of Helianthemum squamatum, an Iberian gypsophyte, considering two scales of environmental variability: differences between two contrasting slope aspects; and, on individual scale, the neighbouring microenvironment.

Plants living on gypsum: beyond the specialist model.

Background And Aims: Plants from gypsum habitats are classified as gypsophiles and gypsovags. The former include both narrow endemics limited to small gypsum areas and regionally dominant gypsophiles growing in gypsum areas of large regions, whereas gypsovags are plants that can grow both in gypsum and non-gypsum soils. Factors controlling the distribution of gypsum plants are still not fully understood.