The calcareous riddle: Why are there so many calciphilous species in the Central European flora?

摘要: The pool of the Central European flora consists a majority vascular plant taxa that are restricted to very base rich and calcareous soils. Ellenberg indicator values for Germany indicate this floristic pattern is one potentially most powerful determinants richness modern temperate communities. Considering example forest flora, which, as putative natural core species pool, exhibits same skew, it shown neither frequency suitable soil types nor other correlated ecological factors can explain striking pattern. Also, ramification higher offers no indication evolution speeds in calciphilous plants. As an alternative, hypothesized Pleistocene range contractions have caused extinction more acidophilous than species, because acid soils were much rarer when refugial areas at their minimum. If correct, significant patterns contemporary distribution diversity must be regarded result drift imposed by historical bottleneck.