Community structure and diversity of vegetation and flower-visiting wild bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) in sandy dry grassland: are there congruent characteristics?

Beil, Marion; Storm, Christian; Schwabe, Angelika

doi:10.1127/0340-269x/2014/0044-0587

Cited by 6 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 61 publications

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“…However, as long as nutrient enrichment is not too strong and habitats are adequately managed by grazing, ruderal species are a valuable part of the system and dominance of single, highly competitive species is prevented (Stroh et al ). For instance, the phytomass of many ruderal species provides valuable fodder sources for sheep flocks (Stroh et al ) and flowers of ruderal plants can be important pollen sources for threatened wild‐bee species (Beil et al ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sheep trampling on surface‐lying seeds improves seedling recruitment in open sand ecosystems

Eichberg

Donath

2017

Restoration Ecology

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Low‐intensity grazing with domestic ungulates is an important tool in restoration to enhance habitat openness and foster light‐demanding plant species. Ungulates affect plant regeneration in different ways; one important factor is trampling. We hypothesized that in dry open sand ecosystems sheep trampling is beneficial for seedling recruitment. Therefore, we set up a standardized laboratory experiment, where we simulated trampling on surface‐lying seeds and measured the number of seedlings, mean germination time, synchrony of germination, and aboveground phytomass of seedlings. We studied seeds of 16 herbaceous species occurring in European open inland sand ecosystems, which depend on continuous disturbance dynamics. The species set comprised four plant families (Asteraceae, Caryophyllaceae, Fabaceae, and Poaceae) and two species groups (target and ruderal nontarget species). Across species, trampling had profound effects on seedling emergence, that is it induced a 3.5‐fold increase in the number of emerging seedlings. In addition, germination synchrony and aboveground phytomass increased after trampling, whereas mean germination time decreased. Interestingly, ruderal species seemed to be more susceptible toward trampling than target species. We conclude that sheep trampling strongly promotes seedling emergence in grazed open sand ecosystems by pressing seeds into the uppermost soil layer and improving microclimatic conditions.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sheep trampling on surface‐lying seeds improves seedling recruitment in open sand ecosystems

Eichberg

Donath

2017

Restoration Ecology

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“…Nevertheless, the genetic data remain compatible with low inbreeding coefficients in each population, with F ISnull values up to 0.024–0.086 (Table 1). Flowers of H. arenarium are considered as important nectar and pollen resources for many insects, in particular for solitary bees, wasps, and flies (e.g., Beil et al., 2008, 2014). Pollen dispersal patterns by these insects are often leptokurtic‐shaped (fat‐tailed), with most allogamous pollination events occurring among neighbors, so at relatively short distances, and with a few long‐distance pollen transfers (e.g., Hardy et al., 2004; Van Rossum et al., 2011; Zurbuchen et al., 2010).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Capitulum flowering starts from the outer to the inner floret whorls (Figure 1b). Flowers of H. arenarium are important resources for pollinators, which can be wild bees, bumblebees, wasps, hoverflies, flies, Bombyliidae, and butterflies (Beil et al, 2008(Beil et al, , 2014Klotz et al, 2002;Kratochwil et al, 2009;F. Van Rossum, pers. obs.…”

Section: Study Species and Populationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic diversity assessment of Helichrysum arenarium (Asteraceae) for the genetic restoration of declining populations

Van Rossum,

Godé,

Baruca Arbeiter

et al. 2024

Ecology and Evolution

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Helichrysum arenarium (L.) Moench (Asteraceae) is a self‐compatible, insect‐pollinated herb occurring in sand grasslands, and is declining and endangered in many parts of its European distribution range. A recovery plan of H. arenarium has been conducted in southern Belgium, involving plant translocations. We developed multiplex genotyping protocol for nine microsatellite markers previously published for Helichrysum italicum and two newly developed microsatellite markers for H. arenarium. Eleven polymorphic loci were associated (pooled) in two multiplex panels, to assess the genetic status of the only small remaining population in Belgium and of three large German populations used as seed source for propagating transplants. The small Belgian population was characterized by high clonality, with only two, however heterozygous, genets detected. The three large German populations showed high genetic diversity (He ranging from 0.635 to 0.670) and no significant inbreeding coefficient values, despite expectations of geitonogamous selfing. Management practices (grazing livestock) increasing seed dispersal distances, inbreeding depression at early stages of development, and mechanisms preventing or delaying selfing might be hypothesized to explain the observed patterns. The two Belgian genotypes remained within genetic variation range of German populations so that the high genetic differentiation between Belgian and German populations (FST values ranging from 0.186 to 0.206) likely resulted from genetic drift effects and small sample size. Transplants obtained from seeds sampled from the three large source populations from Germany constitute a highly diverse, noninbred gene pool, and are thus of high genetic quality for plant translocations.

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“…If such a site remains unmanaged, competitive graminoids such as Calamagrostis epigejos or Arrhenatherum elatius will become dominant (Stroh et al 2002; Süss et al 2010; Schwabe et al 2013). On the other hand, specialists indicating sandy grasslands, drought‐tolerant and nutrient‐poor species, and threatened species had a high abundance in well‐preserved vegetation (Beil et al 2012), also at the restored sites.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Topsoil removal in degraded open sandy grasslands: can we restore threatened vegetation fast?

Řehounková

Jongepierová

Šebelíková

et al. 2020

Restoration Ecology

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Natural open inland sandy grasslands are a highly threatened habitat in Europe. The originally nutrient‐poor habitats have been affected by increased aerial N‐deposition and the spread of competitively strong plants. We investigated the restoration of degraded psammophilous vegetation in the southeastern part of the Czech Republic, central Europe, where the competitively strong grass Calamagrostis epigejos had formed a compact cover over many hectares formerly dominated by valuable psammophilous grasslands. To expose nutrient‐poor sand, the upper nutrient‐rich layer was scraped off down to a depth of 10–30 cm. Vegetation was recorded by phytosociological relevés annually in a total of 15 permanent plots (5 × 5 m) established between 2012 and 2014 (five plots in each consecutive year). Reference sites with target psammophilous vegetation and degraded sites were also sampled. The target psammophilous species colonized the open sand areas immediately from the adjacent well‐preserved vegetation fragments. Out of 101 vascular plant species recorded in total in restored sites, 34 species were classified as target species, out of which 25 species were classified as threatened. After 6 years, the species richness and number of threatened species in the restored plots approached those of the reference sites. The results of multivariate analyses revealed that spontaneous development of restored plots run fast towards psammophilous vegetation. The optimal restoration strategy of eutrophicated open sandy grasslands should consist in creating a mosaic of topsoil removal patches followed by disturbance after some time and preservation of still existing fragments of target vegetation.

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Community structure and diversity of vegetation and flower-visiting wild bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) in sandy dry grassland: are there congruent characteristics?

Cited by 6 publications

References 61 publications

Sheep trampling on surface‐lying seeds improves seedling recruitment in open sand ecosystems

Sheep trampling on surface‐lying seeds improves seedling recruitment in open sand ecosystems

Genetic diversity assessment of Helichrysum arenarium (Asteraceae) for the genetic restoration of declining populations

Topsoil removal in degraded open sandy grasslands: can we restore threatened vegetation fast?

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