Apomicts in the vegetation of Central Europe Apomikten in der Vegetation Mitteleuropas

Summed frequency data of apomictic taxa derived from vegetation relevees from Central Europe were correlated with ecological traits – water content of soil, calcium and magnesium content of soil or water, nutrient content of soil or water, environmental dynamics, hemeroby, frequency of stress-tolerant species, salt tolerance, altitude, height, and frequency of annual taxa – of alliances of the Central European vegetation. The partly problematic identification of taxa where apomixis is important for seed production was based on a literature review. In Central Europe, high altitudes favour apomictic taxa. Otherwise, no correlations between ecological factors attributed to the alliances of the European phytosociological system and frequencies of apomictic taxa in the alliances of the European phytosociological system were found. Analyses could not confirm theories on ecological preferences of apomictic taxa; e.g., that competition penalizes apomicts, apomicts have better colonizing abilities than sexual plants, or apomicts have larger ranges than their sexual relatives could not be confirmed.