Estonian Journal of Ecology最新文献

{"title":"Taxonomic composition of zoopsammon in fresh and brackish waters of Estonia, a Baltic province ecoregion of Europe","authors":"Külli Lokko, T. Virro, J. Kotta","doi":"10.3176/ECO.2014.4.04","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3176/ECO.2014.4.04","url":null,"abstract":"INTRODUCTION Zoopsammon is a diverse group of organisms living in the interstitial spaces between sand grains at the shoreline. The term psammon is nowadays mainly used to characterize freshwater sandy beach habitats, although it was originally defined as 'a transitional zone between aquatic and soil habitats' (Schmid-Araya, 1998), and is also applicable to brackish and marine beach habitats, where the intertidal zone can be considered as psammon habitat if the sediment consists of sand and is regularly exposed (e.g. Tzschaschel, 1983; Golemansky, 1998; De Smet and Chernyshev, 2006; Alekperov et al., 2007). However, in the marine literature psammic comunities are more often referred to as meiofauna. Psammon communities have received very little attention compared to lower littoral and sublittoral meiobenthos, and psammon has been rarely treated as a single entity. Despite its unstable and very fluctuating environment, the arenal zone hosts a large variety of species (Pejler, 1995; Golemansky, 1998; Gheskiere et al., 2005). Protists, nematodes, rotifers, small crustaceans, tardigrades, gastrotrichs, turbellarians, oligochaetes, and insect larvae are regularly found from psammon habitats (Thane-Fenchel, 1968; Whitman and Clark, 1984; Schmid-Araya, 1998, Kotwicki et al., 2005a, 2005b). From psammic taxa, rotifers have received relatively much attention in freshwater habitats (e.g. Pejler, 1995; Bielariska-Grajner, 2001; Segers and Chittapun, 2001). In marine beach habitats, nematodes tend to be the most thoroughly researched psammic taxa (e.g. Gheskiere et al., 2004, 2005; Liu et al., 2008; Maria et al., 2012, 2013). From the Baltic Sea area some information is available on psammic ciliates (Czapik and Fyda, 1992), testate amoebae (Golemansky, 1998), rotifers (Thane-Fenchel, 1968; Sorensen, 2001), and nematodes (Gheskiere et al., 2005). In Europe, freshwater zoopsammon has received more attention in Poland (e.g. Bielariska-Grajner, 2001; Ejsmont-Karabin, 2003; Nesteruk, 2007; Kalinowska, 2008, 2013; Bielaiska-Grajner and Poznaiska, 2010). At the Estonian water bodies, the coastal zone was sampled already in the 19th century. In these studies, some beach invertebrates were recorded (Eichwald, 1849, 1852; Levander, 1894). However, it is not known where exactly the samples were taken (water or sediment, at waterline/beach or deeper water). First true reports on the interstitial fauna, i.e. zoopsammon, of sandy beach in Estonia date from the 1980s. In these sampling campaigns, Golemansky (1983) investigated psammic testate amoebae from the Estonian coast of the Gulf of Finland, and Kutikova and Haberman (1986) determined the taxonomic composition of rotifers from the arenal zone of Lake Vortsjarv. Recently, some information has been provided about the taxonomic composition and density of zoopsammon communities, their temporal and spatial distribution, and relation with various environmental variables in some Estonian coastal beaches (Lokko et al., 2014)","PeriodicalId":262667,"journal":{"name":"Estonian Journal of Ecology","volume":"127 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115621785","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Recreational Ice Fishing on the Large Lake Peipsi: Socioeconomic Importance, Variability of Ice-Cover Period, and Possible Implications for Fish Stocks","authors":"Kati Orru, K. Kangur, P. Kangur, Kai Ginter, A. Kangur","doi":"10.3176/ECO.2014.4.06","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3176/ECO.2014.4.06","url":null,"abstract":"This article focuses on the socioeconomic aspects of recreational ice fishing and on the related pressures on the fish stocks of Lake Peipsi in changing ice conditions. Structured interviews conducted with anglers were combined with the assessment of the landings, the numbers of fisher- men, and fluctuations in ice-cover periods. At weekends, up to 3000 anglers were observed on the Estonian side of the ice-covered lake. Respondents defined ice fishing as a hobby; however, financial gain from selling caught fish was an important incentive for retired or unemployed persons. Eurasian perch, Perca fluviatilis L., was the most important target fish. Catches amounted from 0 to 20 kg (mean ~ 4 kg) per day per angler. Depending on the length of the ice-cover period, which varied from a few days to four months, the total catch may differ about ten times. In the case of long ice-cover periods, anglers may fish out approximately 40% of the total catch of perch, roach, Rutilus rutilus (L.), and ruffe, Gymnocephalus cernuus (L.) in the lake. However, favouring recreational fisheries would help to maintain the traditional fisheries-dependent lifestyle and benefit socioeconomically less secured people around Lake Peipsi and beyond.","PeriodicalId":262667,"journal":{"name":"Estonian Journal of Ecology","volume":"65 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131027144","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mean weight and total biomass of zooplankton as a core indicator of biodiversity of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive: an example of the Gulf of Riga","authors":"M. Simm, J. Kotta, H. Jänes","doi":"10.3176/ECO.2014.4.03","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3176/ECO.2014.4.03","url":null,"abstract":"INTRODUCTION The value of zooplankton as an indicator of ecological processes arises from its position in various food webs. Zooplankton acts as a middle point between top-down (fishes) and bottom-up (phytoplankton) regulators (Jeppesen et al., 2011). Thereby, zooplankton indirectly indicates trophic interactions between phytoplankton/bacterioplankton and zooplankton as well as zooplankton and fishes, hence, eutrophication as well as fish predation on zooplankton (Haberman, 1996). Direct predation pressure from fish can significantly impact on zooplankton communities. For example, predation-induced mortality leads to a high percentage of overall mortality in copepods (Hirst and Kiorboe, 2002; Tang et al., 2006; Martinez et al., 2014). Larger individuals of zooplankton are normally consumed in case of high rates of fish predation, which leads into a situation where domination within zooplankton communities is given to smaller individuals (Haberman, 1996; Brucet et al., 2010; Jeppesen et al., 2011). In addition to the size of zooplankton, top-down predation pressure is also affected by the morphology of various life history stages of zooplankton (Brooks and Dodson, 1965; Otto et al., 2014). A common assumption is that marine zooplankton is bottom-up controlled. Thus, it could be used as an indicator of climate change effects in the open ocean where anthropogenic impact on top of the food chain is considered to be negligible (Adrian et al., 2006; Barton et al., 2013; Daewel et al., 2014). Nevertheless, recently species on lower trophic levels have shown cascading effects in various marine ecosystems due to the overfishing of top-down predators (Casini et al., 2008, 2014). Various studies have focused on long-term dynamics of zooplankton in relation to hydro-climatic conditions in the adjacent sea (Viitasalo et al., 1995; Mollmann et al., 2000, 2008; Kotta et al., 2009). It is common in aquatic ecosystems that hierarchic response takes place along trophic levels, i.e. the intensity of response to eutrophication can vary among trophic levels (Hsieh et al., 2011; Lewandowska et al., 2014). Surprisingly, mesozooplankton has not been included into the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) as a quality element. The importance of mesozooplankton in terms of ecological environmental assessment has been demonstrated in rivers and lakes, and the necessity of including mesozooplankton in the WFD has been outlined (Jeppesen et al., 2011). However, mesozooplankton is included into the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). On the basis of work carried out by the MSFD HELCOM zooplankton working group, a core indicator of food web structure based on mesozooplankton, i.e. the average size or weight of a zooplankter, was proposed by Gorokhova et al. (2013a). The indicator is also supported by total values of zooplankton abundance and biomass. Thus, the measure captures both zooplankton community structure (by mean weight) and the stock size (by biomass or","PeriodicalId":262667,"journal":{"name":"Estonian Journal of Ecology","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122865460","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessment of the Hydromorphological Quality of Streams in the Venta River Basin District, Latvia","authors":"Jolanta Jekabsone, L. Uzule","doi":"10.3176/ECO.2014.4.01","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3176/ECO.2014.4.01","url":null,"abstract":"INTRODUCTION According to the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD), surface waters in Europe must achieve good ecological quality by 2015 (European Commission, 2000). The WFD requires ecological quality assessment of running waters based on various biotic (phytoplankton, macrophytes, phytobenthos, benthic invertebrates, and fish fauna), chemical, and hydromorphological elements (European Commission, 2000). When evaluating the quality status of water bodies, the predominant role used to be given to the assessment of biotic elements (Logan and Furse, 2002), with the support of hydromorphology and physico-chemical assessment (European Commission, 2000). Previous monitoring focused on chemical parameters and assessment of benthic invertebrates in running waters (O'Hare et al., 2006), but the new legislation of the WFD states that it is necessary to include hydromorphology in the assessment of ecological status. Assessment of river hydromorphology is needed not only for the implementation of the WFD but also for nature conservation purposes, such as the monitoring of the condition of Special Areas of Conservation under the EC Habitats Directive and helping the management and restoration of rivers (Boon et al., 2010). Rivers have important functions in ecosystems, such as natural flood control, ecological refuge development, production, and species conservation. However, aquatic ecosystems are among the most severely affected habitats (Sala et al., 2000). Streams and their floodplains have been modified as a result of land drainage, floodplain urbanization, and flood defence (Sparks, 1995; Kronvang et al., 2007). More recently, physical disturbances such as damming, channelization, separation of channel and floodplain, and destruction of riparian vegetation have become more relevant in Europe and have therefore been included into the assessment methods (Feld, 2004; Lorenz et al., 2004; Timm et al., 2011). The morphology, longitudinal and lateral connectivity, as well as the discharge regime of running waters are severely disturbed in Central Europe. Only 10% of the river reaches in the alpine region can be classified as near natural (Muhar et al., 2000). In Latvia there are still streams with sites corresponding to 'conditions that are representative of a group of minimally disturbed sites, i.e. reference site, described by selected physical, chemical and biological characteristics' (Springe et al., 2010). There is a long history of biological assessments in Europe but systems for the assessment of hydromorphological quality are far less developed (Erba et al., 2006). Various methods and indices (Muhar et al., 2000; Friberg et al., 2005; Kamp et al., 2007) are used in different countries to characterize hydromorphological quality. Characterization of the physical structure and assessment of the habitat quality of rivers are gaining importance in the context of environmental planning, appraisal, and impact assessment. Hydromorphological quality assessment","PeriodicalId":262667,"journal":{"name":"Estonian Journal of Ecology","volume":"16 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127813363","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dynamics of silica and phytoplankton population under altered conditions of river flow in the Daugava River, Latvia","authors":"J. Aigars, I. Jurgensone, M. Jansons","doi":"10.3176/ECO.2014.4.02","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3176/ECO.2014.4.02","url":null,"abstract":"INTRODUCTION Nitrogen and phosphorus are recognized as major nutrients because their availability governs overall algal growth (e.g. Schindler, 1977; Hecky and Kilham, 1988). At the same time, it has been discussed previously that a number of other elements might be limiting in certain ecosystems or for some organism groups. One of such elements is dissolved silica, whose availability can regulate phytoplankton species composition (Egge and Aksnes, 1992). Dissolved silica in aquatic environments originates from the weathering and breakdown of silica-containing minerals and mostly is carried to marine environments by rivers (Treguer et al., 1995). There are substantial variations in the delivery of dissolved silica from continents to the ocean due to different lithology of drainage areas, continental weathering intensity, climatic variations, and diatom production (Conley, 1997). In addition, it has been shown that anthropogenic factors, e.g. hydrological alteration of rivers as a result of construction of dams, can significantly reduce loads of dissolved silica to the sea (Garnier et al., 1999; Humborg et al., 2006), with adverse effects on the marine ecosystem (Conley et al., 1993; Humborg et al., 2000). The actual mechanism of a decrease of dissolved silica is still debated. For example, Humborg et al. (2000) argue that land-sea fluxes are smaller in the regulated than non-regulated boreal river systems as a result of the lower weathering flux of silica. It has been shown that major reservoirs built on boreal rivers can hold 30% to 70% of their annual water discharge (Dynesius and Nilsson, 1994), which can significantly decrease dissolved Si concentrations in rivers by providing preconditions for enhanced diatom growth and sedimentation of diatom frustules, and subsequent burial in sediments behind dams (Conley et al., 2000). Furthermore, the ability of small reservoirs with a short residence time of water to act as diatom traps and so affect silica land-sea flux has been discussed. For example Friedl et al. (2004) argued that the residence time characteristic for small reservoirs of lowland rivers is not sufficient for the development of massive diatom blooms, so suggesting that some other explanation for the observed silica concentration decrease in lowland rivers is needed. At the same time it was argued that dams built on lowland rivers of the south-eastern Baltic with shorter residence times than those on boreal rivers can negatively affect silica land-sea fluxes (Humborg et al., 2006). Furthermore, it was demonstrated that even a relatively small reservoir with a short water residence time slows the river flow and that low flow conditions are essential for the formation of diatom blooms in rivers (e.g. Kiss and Genkal, 1993; Mitrovic et al., 2008). Nevertheless, in our opinion there are too few direct studies on the impact of river flow alteration on land-sea silica fluxes due to alterations in diatom ecology. Therefore, we attempted to t","PeriodicalId":262667,"journal":{"name":"Estonian Journal of Ecology","volume":"492 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125015211","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Contrasting patterns of macroptery in Roesel's bush cricket Metrioptera roeselii (Orthoptera, Ensifera)","authors":"Szabolcs Szanyi, A. Nagy, I. Rácz, Z. Varga","doi":"10.3176/ECO.2014.4.07","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3176/ECO.2014.4.07","url":null,"abstract":"We studied the wing dimorphism in Roesel's bush cricket populations. A total of 410 individuals (77 macropterous and 333 brachypterous) were sampled in seven sites. We found a high frequency (≤ 53%) of macropterous individuals in some meadows surrounded by forests. We measured the body weight, thorax weight, and abdomen weight in connection with macroptery vs brachyptery. We could find a positive correlation between macroptery and thorax weight. The abdomen weight of females showed high individual variation; thus the supposed trade-off between macroptery and lower fertility of females was not supported.","PeriodicalId":262667,"journal":{"name":"Estonian Journal of Ecology","volume":"6 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126452690","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Testing and development of different metrics and indexes describing submerged aquatic vegetation for the assessment of the ecological status of semi-enclosed coastal water bodies in the NE Baltic Sea","authors":"K. Torn, G. Martin, L. Rostin","doi":"10.3176/ECO.2014.4.05","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3176/ECO.2014.4.05","url":null,"abstract":"A national assessment system for the classification of the ecological status of coastal waters according to the requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive was established in Estonia in the year 2007. The Estonian Phytobenthos Index was used to assess the ecological status of coastal waters based on submerged aquatic vegetation. After the testing period it appeared that the selected method did not respond to anthropogenic pressure in two national water types: the Vainameri and Parnu Bay. During this study new indexes were developed and validated against pressure for these areas. The PCF index was combined from the proportion of perennial species, charophytes, and Fucus spp. This index is suitable for the assessment of the ecological status in the Vainameri area. In Parnu Bay the depth distribution of higher plants and the proportion of opportunistic species showed the strongest correlation with eutrophication variables. These metrics were combined into the HPO index. The class boundaries for assessing the ecological status of water quality were determined for both indexes. The paper describes the calculation of the indexes.","PeriodicalId":262667,"journal":{"name":"Estonian Journal of Ecology","volume":"37 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132590727","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Linking nutrient loading, local abiotic variables, richness and biomasses of macrophytes, and associated invertebrate species in the north- eastern Baltic Sea","authors":"J. Kotta, T. Möller","doi":"10.3176/ECO.2014.3.03","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3176/ECO.2014.3.03","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. We studied relationships between nutrient loading, local abiotic variables, richness and biomasses of macrophytes, and associated invertebrate species in the north-eastern Baltic Sea. The study showed that nutrient load strongly correlated to the richness and biomass of macroalgal and invertebrate species and functions and often interacted with local abiotic variables such as salinity and depth. Generally elevated nutrient loads increased the species richness of macrophytes and benthic invertebrates and the biomass of annual macroalgae and of the majority of invertebrate feeding groups, but reduced the biomass of perennial macroalgae. The study also showed that the effect of nutrient loading was scale-specific, i.e. different responses to nutrients were observed at water-body and gulf scales. The biomass of the majority of species and functions was a function of the gulf-scale nutrient loading whereas the variability of annual algae and chironomidae reflected changes in the water-body level nutrient loading.","PeriodicalId":262667,"journal":{"name":"Estonian Journal of Ecology","volume":"33 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115763208","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Winter Conditions in Six European Shallow Lakes: A Comparative Synopsis","authors":"M. Dokulil, A. Herzig, B. Somogyi, L. Vörös, K. Donabaum, L. May, T. Nõges","doi":"10.3176/ECO.2014.3.01","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3176/ECO.2014.3.01","url":null,"abstract":"This review summarizes winter conditions from six polymictic European shallow lakes. The lakes range from oligotrophic to hyper-eutrophic. Four of the lakes freeze regularly while ice cover is absent or rare in the two others. Ice duration and timing of ice-out are significantly influenced by climate signals in three of the lakes. Winter water temperature remains higher in non- ice-covered lakes. No long-term trend in temperature is detectable except for one lake where winter water temperature began to increase in 1986. Secchi depth in winter is equal or greater than summer values in all six lakes indicating relatively better light conditions in winter. Total phosphorus concentration in winter ranges from 10 to 130 µg L -1 , which is equal or lower than summer values and is unrelated to chlorophyll a in five of the sites. Phytoplankton species composition during winter differs largely at the six sites. The winter assemblages largely depend on the trophic level and the conditions during the previous season. Winter chlorophyll a and phytoplankton biomass are usually lower than summer values because of reduced photosynthetic rates. Bacterial production often exceeds primary production. Epipelic algal assemblages tend to proliferate during winter in both ice-covered and non-ice-covered lakes. Primary production is low during winter because of insufficient light. Zooplankton abundances and biomass critically depend on conditions during the previous season and the winter situation and are quite variable from year to year, but their values correlate with the trophic status of the lakes. As a result, winter conditions are important to understand seasonal and annual changes in shallow lakes.","PeriodicalId":262667,"journal":{"name":"Estonian Journal of Ecology","volume":"83 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124468839","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Analysis of some limiting ecological factors on the example of the distribution of the genus Tilia L. cultivated in Latvia","authors":"G. Evarte-Bundere","doi":"10.3176/ECO.2014.3.05","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3176/ECO.2014.3.05","url":null,"abstract":"The study was performed on the basis of an inventory of the genus Tilia in Latvia. A total of 134 dendrological objects were inventoried in order to clarify factors limiting the distribution of linden in the territory of Latvia. During the 2007-2013 inventory 47 taxa of Tilia were found. The taxa and their winter hardiness were evaluated according to the Sokolov scale. In the interpretation of the distribution of taxa 16 geographical and climatic factors were used. Spearman's rank correlation indicated a connection with 11 factors, among them distance to the sea, height above sea level, average January temperature, sum of negative temperatures, and amount of annual precipitation. The results of statistical analysis demonstrated an irregular connection between the geographical distribution of the genus Tilia and ecological factors. A negative correlation with height above sea level was observed for T. americana, T. × moltkei, and T. platyphyllos subsp. platyphyllos. Analysis of winter hardiness of trees revealed that trees get frozen in hard winters although they grow in hardiness zones that fit linden.","PeriodicalId":262667,"journal":{"name":"Estonian Journal of Ecology","volume":"97 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125515390","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}