Biodiversity of Bryophytes Growing on the Faeces of Ungulates - a Case Study from north-eastern Poland

Jaroszewicz, Bogdan; Sondej, Izabela; Stebel, Adam; Pirożnikow, Ewa; Kwiatkowska-Falińska, Anna J.

doi:10.7872/cryb.v32.iss3.2011.221

Cited by 6 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…Marino ; Jaroszewicz et al. ). Dung patches affect vascular plants via increased nutrient levels, increased seed amounts and decreased defoliation due to grazer avoidance (Bakker & Olff ; Gillet et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many bryophyte species disperse quickly to the special microhabitats on dung patches (e.g. Marino 1991;Jaroszewicz et al 2011). Dung patches affect vascular plants via increased nutrient levels, increased seed amounts and decreased defoliation due to grazer avoidance (Bakker & Olff 2003;Gillet et al 2010).…”

Section: Effects Of Defoliation Trampling and Dunging On Bdiversitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Dung and urine cause a local fertilization effect (Afzal & Adams 1992). In addition, dung pats introduce seeds, reduce the attractiveness of the surrounding herbage for cattle and provide substrate for specialized dungdependent species (Bakker & Olff 2003;Gillet et al 2010;Jaroszewicz et al 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Grazers increase β‐diversity of vascular plants and bryophytes in wood‐pastures

Oldén

Halme

2016

J Vegetation Science

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Questions How does the presence of grazers impact plant diversity at various spatial scales? What are the effects on plant β‐diversity and its two components, species turnover and nestedness? Are the effects caused by defoliation, trampling or defecating? Location Twenty‐four currently grazed and 24 abandoned wood‐pasture sites in Central Finland. Methods The species richness of vascular plants and bryophytes was studied at four spatial scales: within 4‐m2 subplots (α1), within 100‐m2 plots (α2), within sites (α3) and within the landscape (γ). β‐Diversity was studied between subplots within plots (β1), between plots within sites (β2) and between sites within the landscape (β3). Results Currently grazed sites had higher species richness at all of the spatial scales (α1, α2, α3, γ) and higher within‐plot and within‐site β ‐diversities (β1 and β2). At the within‐plot scale (β1) plant β‐diversity was increased primarily by variation in defoliation. At this scale both turnover and nestedness were increased by grazers. At the larger within‐site scale (β2) only turnover was increased, and it was mostly caused by variation in trampling intensities. Within the landscape (β3) currently grazed sites had higher between‐site turnover and lower nestedness than abandoned sites. Conclusions Grazing creates and maintains high species richness and β‐diversity of vascular plants and bryophytes, mostly due to high species turnover between patches. Defoliation, dunging and trampling are all important turnover agents, although their relative importance varies with spatial scale. At the landscape scale the currently grazed sites had high species turnover between them, and thus the conservation of all grazing‐dependent species requires continued management at various sites, while high nestedness between abandoned sites implies that their biodiversity can be efficiently conserved through protecting the most species‐rich sites.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Effects Of Defoliation Trampling and Dunging On Bdiversitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Grazers increase β‐diversity of vascular plants and bryophytes in wood‐pastures

Oldén

Halme

2016

J Vegetation Science

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“…Heintze [27] noted that moose faeces include viable seeds of several plant species, Pastor et al [28,29] pointed out the potential importance of moose in plant dispersal, but without any detailed information, and Seefeldt et al [30] proved the survival in moose gut of the seeds of two plant species invasive in Alaska: Melilotus albus Medik. and Crepis tectorum L. There is also evidence that moose dung contributes to the biodiversity of bryophyte flora, although evidence that moose disperse the moss via endozoochory is lacking [31]. Moose-mediated endozoochoric seed dispersal is poorly studied, but taking into account the considerable patchiness of the wetland ecosystems inhabited by this ungulate in the temperate zone, its role in transferring seeds between isolated plant subpopulations may be of great importance.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vegetation diversity influences endozoochoric seed dispersal by moose (Alces alces L.)

2013

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Research on moose-mediated seed dispersal is limited. However, its potential role in transferring seeds in patchy landscapes may be of great importance. In this work we examined how seasons and vegetation diversity influence the species richness and abundance of seeds dispersed endozoochorically by moose. Samples of moose faeces were collected year-round, fortnightly, from contrasting vegetation types, dominated by diverse, species-rich wetland or poor, dry pine forest. The viable seed content of dung was studied by the seedling emergence method. The mean number of emerged seedlings per 0.8 L sample and the mean number of plant species per 0.8 L sample were several times higher in the diverse wetland vegetation than in the poor pine forest vegetation. Maximum species richness and seed abundance was observed during the fructification period, and the minimum during spring. The species richness of samples did not differ between winter and the growing season, although the composition of plant species was different. The results of this study suggest that moose are efficient seed vectors, especially of grasses typical for grasslands and wetlands. The species richness and abundance of dispersed seeds coincides with the diversity of the vegetation of the animal’s habitat.

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