Eco-Coenotic and Diversity Patterns in Artemisia alba Open Scrubs from Romania within the Context of Similar Communities from Neighbouring Regions

No information currently exists on the floristic structure and richness of Artemisia alba scrubs in Romania their regional/local environmental drivers. We aimed to fill these knowledge gaps by also considering physiognomically similar communities from Hungary, Serbia Bulgaria. A total 89 phytosociological relevés, including 43 performed Romania, were analysed through clustering, constrained ordination generalised linear mixed models. The Carpathian Pontic clustered into three distinct groups, which assigned as many new syntaxa. Differences regional species pool elevation have strongest effects dissimilarities between all studied communities. As opposed bare soil fraction, slope positive but no singular Pontic-Carpathian coenoses. Species diversity declines steadily with increasing shrub cover relative annuals has contrasting richness, most xerophilous negative mesophilous counterparts. number is only (negatively) related overall coenoses least affected moisture deficit. Overall, driven mainly water availability and, a lesser extent, abundance shrubs annuals.