Calcicolous plants colonize limed mires after long-distance dispersal

Aim Dispersal range is a key factor for understanding species’ persistence in dynamic landscapes. However, dispersal, especially over long distances, is inherently difficult to study. Making use of a unique system of anthropogenically disturbed, geographically isolated mires, we assessed dispersal ranges for a group of plants restricted to wet calcareous conditions via empirical studies of colonization patterns. We hypothesized that more species would have colonized the less isolated mires and that colonization frequencies would be related to traits influencing propagule pressure. Location Sweden Taxon Calcicolous vascular plants and bryophytes Methods The study system consisted of 52 acidic mires that had acquired a high pH through active liming by the Swedish government during the past two decades. These conditions killed off mat-forming Sphagnum spp. mosses, rendering the mires open to colonization by other species. In each mire, we recorded the presence of rich fen plant species ty...