Triin Reitalu

Associate professor of historical plant ecology

GENERAL BACKGROUND

My research focuses on estimating the importance of historical factors for plant diversity. I have investigated how the historical landscape structure and land-use influence present-day plant diversity and how long that influence lasts. In addition to the research in present-day communities, I have used palaeoecological methods, especially pollen analysis, to study changes in plant communities through the last 12000 years. In my palaeoecological research, the main research question has been the relative importance of climate and human impact in determining changes in plant community composition and different aspects of diversity through time. Both in ecological and paleoecological studies, I have been studying the different aspects of plant biodiversity: taxonomic, functional, phylogenetic diversity.

My research in the Landscape biodiversity group is focused on grassland restoration, associations between soil organic carbon and biodiversity, and the importance of historical factors for ecosystem functionality and diversity. My research is mainly focussed on plant biodiversity but I am also studying the interactions of plants with other organism groups like soil fungi and pollinators. We are clarifying which organism groups recover faster and how the interactions between different organism groups develop after the restoration. For me, it is especially important to disentangle which landscape-scale and historical factors play a role in the successful recovery of ecosystems and their biodiversity and how to account for the historical factors when planning the restoration.

CURRENT PROJECTS

PUBLICATIONS

2025

2024

Xie, S.; Li, K.; Li, F.; Yang, X.; Reitalu, T. (2024) Modern pollen–plant diversity relationships for reliable pollen-based reconstruction of past plant taxonomic and functional diversity: A case study in southwest Shandong, China. Ecological Indicators, 167, 112739. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2024.112739
Bhatta, K.B., Mottl, O., Felde, V.A., Grytnes, J.-A., Reitalu, T., Birks, H.H., Birks, J.B & Vetaas, O.R. (2024) Latitudinal gradients in the phylogenetic assembly of angiosperms in Asia during the Holocene. Scientific Reports 14, 17940. 10.1038/s41598-024-67650-1
Prangel, E., Reitalu, T., Neuenkamp, L., Kasari-Toussaint, L., Karise, R., Tiitsaar, A., Soon, V., Kupper, T., Meriste, M., Ingerpuu, N. & Helm, A. (2024). Restoration of semi-natural grasslands boosts biodiversity and re-creates hotspots for ecosystem services. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 374, 109139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2024.109139

2023

Wipulasena, A. Y. Ayesh Piyara., Davison, J., Helm, A., Kasari, L., Moora, M., Prangel, E., Reitalu, T., Vahter, T., Vasar, M. ja Zobel, M. (2023). Soil community composition in dynamic stages of semi-natural calcareous grassland. PLOS ONE. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0292425.
Brown, K. A., Bunting, M. J., Carvalho, F., de Bello, F., Mander, L., Marcisz, K., Mottl, O., Reitalu, T., Svenning, J.-C. (2023). Trait-based approaches as ecological time machines: Developing tools for reconstructing long-term variation in ecosystems. Functional Ecology, 37, 2552–2569. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.14415
Lindborg, R., Hartel, T., Helm, A., Prangel, E., Reitalu, T. & Ripoll-Bosch, R. (2023). Ecosystem services provided by semi-natural and intensified grasslands: Synergies, trade-offs and linkages to plant traits and functional richness. Applied Vegetation Science, 26, e12729. https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.12729
Trindade, P. F. D., Carmona, C.P., Reitalu, T., Pärtel, M. (2023). Observed and dark diversity dynamics over millennial time scales: fast life-history traits linked to expansion lags of plants in northern Europe. Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 290(1990), 20221904. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2022.1904
Marquer, L., Seim, A., Kuosmanen, N., Reitalu, T., Solomina, O., Tallavaara, M. (2023). Editorial: Past interactions between climate, land use, and vegetation. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 10, 1116756. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2022.1116756
Reitalu, T., Nougue, S. (2023). Functional vegetation change over millennia. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 7, 174–175, https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.12729

2022

Izdebski, A., Guzowski, P., Poniat, R. ... Reitalu, T. ...Masi, A. (2022) Palaeoecological data indicates land-use changes across Europe linked to spatial heterogeneity in mortality during the Black Death pandemic. Nature Ecology and Evolution 6: 297-306 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-021-01652

2021

Biurrun, I., Pielech, R., Dembicz, I., Gillet, F., Kozub, Ł., Marcenò, C., Reitalu, T., Van Meerbeek, K., Guarino, R., Chytrý, M. ... Helm, A.... and Pakeman, R.J. (2021). Benchmarking plant diversity of Palaearctic grasslands and other open habitats. Journal of Vegetation Science, 32(4), p.e13050. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.13050
Blaus, A., Reitalu, T., Poska, A., Vassiljev, J., & Veski, S. (2021). Mire plant diversity change over the last 10,000 years: Importance of isostatic land uplift, climate and local conditions. Journal of Ecology, 109(10), 3634-3651. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.13742

2020

Jeliazkov, A., Mijatovic, D., Chantepie, S., Andrew, N., Arlettaz, R., Barbaro, L., Barsoum, N., Bartonova, A., Belskaya, E., Bonada, N., Brind’Amour, A., Carvalho, R., Castro, H., Chmura, D., Choler, P., Chong-Seng, K., Cleary, D., Cormont, A., Cornwell, W., de Campos, R. ... Reitalu, T., ... Chase, J. M. (2020). A global database for metacommunity ecology, integrating species, traits, environment and space. Scientific Data, 7 (1), 1−15. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-019-0344-7
Blaus, A., Reitalu, T., Amon, L., Vassiljev, J., Alliksaar, T., Veski, S. (2020). From bog to fen: palaeoecological reconstruction of the development of a calcareous spring fen on Saaremaa, Estonia. Vegetation History and Archaeobotany, 29, 373−391. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00334-019-00748-z
Amon, L., Blaus, A., Alliksaar, T., Heinsalu, A., Lapshina, E., Liiv, M., Reitalu, T., Vassiljev, J., Veski, S. (2020). Postglacial flooding and vegetation history on the Ob River terrace, central Western Siberia based on the palaeoecological record from Lake Svetlenkoye. The Holocene, 30(5), 618-631. https://doi.org/10.1177/0959683619895582
Blaus, A., Reitalu, T., Gerhold, P., Hiiesalu, I., Massante, J.C., Veski, S. (2020). Modern pollen–plant diversity relationships inform palaeoecological reconstructions of functional and phylogenetic diversity in calcareous fens. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 8, 207 https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2020.00207

2019

Liiv, M., Alliksaar, T., Amon, L., Freiberg, R., Heinsalu, A., Reitalu, T., Saarse, L., Seppä, H., Stivrins, N., Tõnno, I., Vassiljev, J., Veski, S. (2019). Late glacial and early Holocene climate and environmental changes in the eastern Baltic area inferred from sediment C/N ratio. Journal of Paleolimnology, 61(1), 1−16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10933-018-0041-0
Reitalu, T., Bjune, A. E., Blaus, A., Giesecke, T., Helm, A., Matthias, I., Peglar, S. S., Salonen, S. J., Seppä, H., Väli, V., Birks, H. J. B. (2019). Patterns of modern pollen and plant richness across northern Europe. Journal of Ecology, 107: 1662-1677. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.13134

2018

2017

Ehapalu, K., Tõnno, I., Reitalu, T., Alliksaar, T., Liiv, M., Freiberg, R., Nõges, P. (2017). Sedimentary carbon forms in relation to climate and phytoplankton biomass in a large, shallow, hard-water boreal lake. Journal of Paleolimnology, 57 (1), 81−93. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10933-016-9931-1
Stivrins, N., Ozola, I., Gałka, M., Kuske, E., Alliksaar, T., Andersen, T. J., Lamentowicz, M., Wulf, S., Reitalu, T. (2017). Drivers of peat accumulation rate in a raised bog: impact of drainage, climate, and local vegetation composition. Mires and Peat, 19 (8), 1−19. http://dx.doi.org/10.19189/MaP.2016.OMB.262
Grudzinska, I., Vassiljev, J., Saarse, L., Reitalu, T., Veski, S. (2017). Past environmental change and seawater intrusion into coastal Lake Lilaste, Latvia. Journal of Paleolimnology, 57 (3), 257−271. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10933-017-9945-3

2016

Kuosmanen, N., Seppä, H., Alenius, T., Bradshaw, R. H. W., Clear, J. L., Filimonova, L., Heikkilä, M., Renssen, H., Tallavaara, M., Reitalu, T. (2016). Importance of climate, forest fires and human population size in the Holocene boreal forest composition change in northern Europe. Boreas, 45, 688−702. https://doi.org/10.1111/bor.12183
Stivrins, N., Soininen, J., Amon, L., Fontana, S. L., Gryguc, G., Heikkilä, M., Heiri, O., Kisielienė, D., Reitalu, T., Stančikaitė, M., Veski, S., Seppä, H. (2016). Biotic turnover rates during the Pleistocene-Holocene transition. Quaternary Science Reviews, 151, 100−110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2016.09.008
Kuosmanen, N., Seppä, H., Reitalu, T., Alenius, T., Bradshaw, R.H.W., Clear, J.L., Filimonova, L., Kuznetsov, O., Zaretskaya, N. (2016). Long-term forest composition and its drivers in taiga forest in NW Russia. Vegetation History and Archaeobotany, 25, 221−236. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00334-015-0542-y

2015

Reitalu, T., Gerhold, P., Poska, A., Pärtel, M., Väli, V., Veski, S. (2015). Novel insights into post-glacial vegetation change: functional and phylogenetic diversity in pollen records. Journal of Vegetation Science, 26, 911−922. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.12300
Stivrins, N., Kołaczek, P., Reitalu, T., Seppä, H., Veski, S. (2015). Phytoplankton response to the environmental and climatic variability in a temperate lake over the last 14,500 years in eastern Latvia. Journal of Paleolimnology, 54, 103−119. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10933-015-9840-8
Veski, S., Seppä, H., Stančikaitė, M., Zernitskaya, V., Reitalu, T., Gryguc, G., Heinsalu, A., Stivrins, N., Amon, L., Vassiljev, J., Heiri, O. (2015). Quantitative summer and winter temperature reconstructions from pollen and chironomid data between 15 and 8 ka BP in the Baltic–Belarus area. Quaternary International, 388, 4−11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2014.10.059
Riibak, K., Reitalu, T., Tamme, R., Helm, A., Gerhold, P., Znamenskiy, S., Bengtsson, K., Rosén, E., Prentice, H., Pärtel, M. (2015). Dark diversity in dry calcareous grasslands is determined by dispersal ability and stress-tolerance. Ecography, 38, 713−721. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ecog.01312
Stivrins, N., Brown, A., Reitalu, T., Veski, S., Heinsalu, A., Banerjea, R.Y., Elmi, K. (2015). Landscape change in central Latvia since the Iron Age: multi-proxy analysis of the vegetation impact of conflict, colonization and economic expansion during the last 2,000 years. Vegetation History and Archaeobotany, 24, 377−391. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00334-014-0502-y

2014

Janišova, M., Boch, S., Ruprecht, E., Reitalu, T., Becker, T. (2014). Continental dry grasslands from range margin to range centre – Editorial to the 9th Dry Grassland Special Feature. Tuexenia, 34, 347−353. http://dx.doi.org/10.14471/2014.34.021
Rosengren, F., Cronberg, N., Reitalu, T., Prentice, H.C. (2014). Sexual reproduction in the phyllodioicous bryophyte Homalothecium lutescens (Hedw.) H.Rob. in relation to habitat age, growth conditions and genetic variation. Journal of Bryology, 36, 200−208. https://doi.org/10.1179/1743282014Y.0000000114
Reitalu, T., Kuneš, P., Giesecke, T. (2014). Closing the gap between plant ecology and Quaternary palaeoecology. Journal of Vegetation Science, 25, 1188−1194. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.12187
Carboni, M., de Bello, F., Janeček, Š., Doležal, J., Hornik, J., Lepš, J., Reitalu, T., Klimešova, J. (2014). Changes in trait divergence and convergence along a productivity gradient in wet meadows. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, 182, 96−105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2013.12.014
Vandewalle, M., Purschke, O., de Bello, F., Reitalu, T., Prentice, H. C., Lavorel, S., Johansson, L. J., Sykes, M. T. (2014). Functional responses of plant communities to management, landscape and historical factors in semi-natural grasslands. Journal of Vegetation Science, 25, 750−759. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.12126
Reitalu, T., Helm, A., Pärtel, M., Bengtsson, K., Gerhold, P., Rosén, E., Takkis, K., Znamenskiy, S., Prentice, H. C. (2014). Determinants of fine-scale plant diversity in dry calcareous grasslands within the Baltic Sea region. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, 182, 59−68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2012.11.005
Vacht, P., Puusepp, L., Koff, T., Reitalu, T. (2014). Variability of riparian soil diatom communities and their potential as indicators of anthropogenic disturbances. Estonian Journal of Ecology, 63, 3, 168−184. http://dx.doi.org/10.3176/eco.2014.3.04

2013

de Bello, F., Vandewalle, M., Reitalu, T., Lepš, J., Prentice, H.C., Lavorel, S., Sykes, M.T. (2013). Evidence for scale- and disturbance-dependent trait assembly patterns in dry semi-natural grasslands. Journal of Ecology, 101, 1237−1244. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.12139
Becker, T., Reitalu, T., Ruprecht, E., Dengler, J. (2013). Dry grassland of Europe: biodiversity, classification, conservation and management – Editorial to the 8th Dry Grassland Special Feature. Tuexenia, 33, 285−291.
Rosengren, F. K., Cronberg, N., Reitalu, T., Prentice, H. C. (2013). Genetic variation in the moss Homalothecium lutescens in relation to habitat age and structure. Botany, 91, 431−441. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjb-2012-0258
Reitalu, T., Seppä, H., Sugita, S., Kangur, M., Koff, T., Avel, E., Kihno, K., Vassiljev, J., Renssen, H., Hammarlund, D., Heikkilä, M., Saarse, L., Poska, A., Veski, S. (2013). Long-term drivers of forest composition in a boreonemoral region: the relative importance of climate and human impact. Journal of Biogeography, 40, 1524−1534. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jbi.12092
Meltsov, V., Poska, A., Reitalu, T., Sammul, M., Kull, T. (2013). The role of landscape structure in determining palynological and floristic richness. Vegetation History and Archaeobotany, 22, 39−49. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00334-012-0358-y

2012

Veski, S., Amon, L., Heinsalu, A., Reitalu, T., Saarse, L., Stivriņš, N., Vassiljev, J. (2012). Late-Glacial vegetation dynamics in the eastern Baltic region, a complete record since the Bølling (GI-1e). Quaternary Science Reviews, 40, 39−53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2012.02.013
Purschke, O., Sykes, M. T., Reitalu, T., Poschlod, P., Prentice, H. C. (2012). Linking landscape history and dispersal traits in grassland plant communities. Oecologia, 168, 773−783. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-011-2142-6
Reitalu, T., Purschke, O., Johansson, L. J, Hall, K., Sykes, M. T., Prentice, H. C. (2012). Responses of grassland species richness to local and landscape factors depend on spatial scale and habitat specialization. Journal of Vegetation Science, 23 (1), 41−51. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1654-1103.2011.01334.x
Hall, K., Reitalu, T., Sykes, M. T., Prentice, H. C. (2012). Spectral heterogeneity of QuickBird satellite data is related to fine-scale plant species spatial turnover in semi-natural grasslands. Applied Vegetation Science, 15 (1), 145−157. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1654-109X.2011.01143.x

2010

Reitalu, T., Johansson, L. J., Sykes, M. T., Hall, K., Prentice, H.C. (2010). History matters: village distances, grazing and grassland species diversity. Journal of Applied Ecology, 47, 1216−1224. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2664.2010.01875.x
Hall, K., Johansson, L.J., Sykes, M.T., Reitalu, T., Larsson, K., Prentice, H.C. (2010). Inventorying management status and plant species richness in semi-natural grasslands using high spatial resolution imagery. Applied Vegetation Science, 13 (2), 221−233. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1654-109X.2009.01063.x
Reitalu, T.; Sykes, M.T.; Johansson, L.J.; Lönn, M.; Hall, K.; Vandewalle, M.; Prentice, H.C. (2009). Small-scale plant species richness and evenness in semi-natural grasslands respond differently to habitat fragmentation. Biological Conservation, 142 (4), 899−908. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2008.12.020

2008

Johansson, L.J., Hall, K., Prentice, H.C., Ihse, M., Reitalu, T., Sykes, M.T., Kindström, M. (2008). Semi-natural grassland continuity, long-term land-use change and plant species richness in an agricultural landscape on Öland, Sweden. Landscape and Urban Planning, 84, 200−211. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2007.08.001
Reitalu, T.; Prentice, H. C.; Sykes, M. T.; Lönn, M.; Johansson, L.J.; Hall, K. (2008). Plant species-segregation on different spatial scales in dry, semi-natural grasslands. Journal of Vegetation Science,19, 407−416. http://dx.doi.org/10.3170/2008-8-18381

2007

Pärtel, M., Helm, A., Reitalu, T., Liira, J., Zobel, M. (2007). Grassland diversity related to the Late Iron Age human population density. Journal of Ecology, 95 (3), 574−582. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2745.2007.01230.x

2002

Reitalu, T., Paal, J., Martin, G. (2002). Phytobenthic microcoenoses along Estonian exposed seashores. Proceedings of the Estonian Academy of Sciences. Biology. Ecology, 51 (4), 257−276. https://doi.org/10.3176/biol.ecol.2002.4.03

1999

Ruuskanen, A., Back, S., Reitalu, T. (1999). A comparison of two cartographic exposure methods using Fucus vesiculosus as an indicator. Marine Biology, 134 (1), 139−145. https://doi.org/10.1007/s002270050532