Publication List of Karsten Meyer
Below you find a list of all my publications, including abstracts and links to authors (e-mail) and journals if possible.
Last update: 25 November 1999.
1994
Biologische Schutzgemeinschaft Göttingen, Arbeitskreis Botanik (1994)
Neuer Fundort des Niederliegenden Salztäschels, Hymenolobus procumbens Nutt. ex Torr. & Gray, in Niedersachsen.
Floristische Rundbriefe 28: 42-43.
1996
Meyer, K. & F. H. Hellwig (1996)
Untersuchungen zur Rhizommorphologie und Wachstumsstrategie von Geophyten des Göttinger Waldes.
Tuexenia 16: 65-71.
Zusammenfassung
Das Rhizomwachstum von sieben Pflanzenarten des Göttinger Waldes wurde untersucht. Dabei wurden Wachstumszeiten, Wuchsformen und phänologische Entwicklung festgestellt. Aus den Daten wurde auf die Wachstumsstrategien der Arten geschlossen und die oberirdische Entwicklung mit dem Rhizomwachstum verglichen. Es konnte festgestellt werden, daß das Rhizomwachstum kurz nach Beginn der Blattentfaltung einsetzt. Ab diesem Zeitpunkt liefert die Photosynthese der Blätter genügend Kohlenhydrate zum Aufbau neuer Rhizomabschnitte.
Bei den sieben untersuchten Arten konnten drei verschiedene Wachstumsstrategien festgestellt werden. Früh blühende Arten folgen der Dominanzstrategie, um Licht monopolisieren zu können. Arten fleckenhafter Habitate folgen der Explorationsstrategie, die flexibel auf veränderte Umweltbedingungen reagieren kann. Spät blühende Arten folgen der unspezialisierten pragmatischen Strategie.
Abstract: Investigations on rhizom-morphology and growth strategies of geophytes of the Göttingen Forest
The rhizome growth of seven plant species of the Göttingen Forest was investigated. The growth period, growth form and phenological development were determined. From that data base, the growth strategies of the species were evaluated and the above-ground development was compared with the rhizome growth.
It was found that the rhizome growth began during the first stages of leaf expansion. From this point photosynthesis produces sufficient carbohydrates for the construction of new rhizome segments.
Three different growth strategies could be determined for the seven species investigated. Early-flowering species follow a dominance strategy to monopolize light. Species of patchy habitats follow an explorative strategy which could react flexibly to changing environment conditions. Late-flowering species follow an unspecialized, pragmatic strategy.
1997
Meyer, K. & F. H. Hellwig (1997)
Annual cycle of starch content in rhizomes of the forest geophytes Anemone nemorosa and Aegopodium podagraria.
Flora 192, 335-339.
Abstract
Starch contents of rhizomes of Anemone nemorosa L. and Aegopodium podagraria L. were measured enzymatically. The results were compared to the developmental stage determined weekly. Minimum starch contents were measured few weeks after the begin of the growth period, then the starch contents increased during leaf expansion to reach its maximum immediately before the yellowing of the leaves. During the yellowing starch contents did not increase further due to rhizome growth.
Anemone nemorosa had a highre starch content than Aegopodium podagraria. This can be explained in context of the different growth strategies of the plants. The first species follows the dominance strategy of growth, which allows the storage of excess carbohydrates. The explorative growth strategy of Aegopodium requires the consumption of all reserve carbohydrates in spring.
Meyer, K., G. Clausing & S. S. Renner (1997)
Plasticity of fruit characters in Asiatic Melastomataceae.
In: Smets, E., Ronse Decraene, L. P. & Robbrecht, E. (eds.): 13th Symposium Morphology, Anatomy and Systematics - Progr. and Abstracts. Scripta Botanica Belgica 15, 116.
Abstract
We have carried out anatomical and morphological investigations of fruits of 70 species of Melastomataceae and a few species of Memecylaceae, mainly from SE Asia but also from Madagascar and the Neotropics. These species represent c. 20 genera and five of the nine tribes recognized by Renner (Nord. J. Bot. 13: 519-540. 1993). The Melastomataceae sensu stricto possess a variety of fruit types, including berries (38 genera, c. 2100 species), capsules (118 genera, c. 1900 species), and in a few genera transitional types, such as dry or woody berries or fleshy capsules. These transitional fruit types are of particular interest to us in the context of ongoing phylogenetic studies and ecological field work in the Dissochaeta, Medinilla, and Melastoma alliances. Among the characters investigated are placentation, hypanthium wall and ovary tissues, cell size in these tissues, number and distribution of sclereids, crystals, and starch granules, fruit dehiscence, hypanthium indument, and presence of fruit pulp. Especially the number and distribution of sclereids and the lignification of the endo- and exocarp proved variable within clades. Berries are characterized by a fusion of the ovary and hypanthium and an absence of any lignification. With an increase in sclereids, berries become woody. In most but not all capsules, the ovary and hypanthium are free from each other, and the endo- and/or exocarp become lignified and form the wall of the mature capsule. Where the mesocarp does not dry out, the fruit becomes a fleshy capsule. We will also report on the results of an ongoing phenetic analysis of these characters.
in press
Renner, S. S., G. Clausing, N. Cellinese & K. Meyer (in press)
Melastomataceae.
In: Smitinand, T. & Larsen, K. (eds.): Flora of Thailand.
Clausing, G., K. Meyer & S. S. Renner (in press)
Fruit characters in the Melastomataceae, an analysis of their morphological and evolutionary plasticity.
Bot. J. Linnean Soc. London.
Abstract
The anatomy and morphology of nearly mature fruits in 85 mainly paleotropical species of Melastomataceae was examined using microtome- and hand-sectioning and differential staining. A high structural heterogeneity was observed in both, capsules and berries. Multivariate analyses of 31 of the 52 characters recorded for each species, however, revealed that indehiscence is associated with fusion of ovary and hypanthium tissues, placenta persistence, lack of an endocarp, and a dearth of sclereids in these tissues, while dehiscence is correlated with the opposite states and a persistent exocarp. Other fruit characters such as lignification or fleshiness of tissues do not show a consistent association with dehiscence. Our decomposition of broad fruit types, such as 'berry' and 'capsule', into their individual morphological and anatomical traits shows how unusual fruit types, such as woody berries, fleshy capsules, and capsules containing fleshy placentas (display fruits), which are common in palaeotropical Melastomeae and Dissochaeteae, contribute to a loosening of expected correlations. Thus, discriminant analysis clearly differentiated display fruits from the other fruit types because of their combination of fleshy placentas with a persistent endocarp and absence of ovary/hypanthium fusion. The evolution of fruit types within Melastomataceae and Dissochaeteae and their reliability as phylogenetic indicators is discussed in the light of molecular phylogenies for these groups that show that berries and capsules evolved several times independently, explaining the observed heterogeneity of outwardly similar fruits. Fruit diversity within Melastoma, a monophyletic genus of 22 species, provides an example of the plasticity afforded by the particular construction of Melastomataceae fruits, which has contributed to ecological diversification in melastome seed dispersal.
Meyer, K. (in press)
Revision of the Southeast Asian genus Melastoma (Melastomataceae).
Blumea.
Abstract
A revision of the monophyletic genus Melastoma (Melastomataceae) is presented. Melastoma is centered in Southeast Asia, but extends to India, South China, northern Australia and Oceania. It comprises 22 species, two subspecies and three varieties. Two new species, Melastoma sabahense and M. minahassae, and a new variety, M. sanguineum var. ranauensis, are described, two species are reduced to subspecies and variety, repectively, and the genus Otanthera is transferred into Melastoma. In many species, especially M. malabathricum, morphological characters vary locally, resulting in the description of many restricted entities here considered synonyms. Most species of Melastoma are pioneers with a high dispersal capacity, which have resulted in small, relatively isolated populations in which unique character combinations were stabilized locally.