Consequences of abandonment for a regional fen flora and mechanisms of successional change

Jensen, Kai; Schrautzer, Joachim

doi:10.2307/1478884

Cited by 77 publications

(48 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…Such successional patterns--an increase of tall sedges and grasses at the expense of small or medium-sized herbs, altogether leading to a decrease in the cover of CSR Table 2 in relation to elevation and the proportion of area mown or grazed early in the preceding year species, a reduced overall plant species number, and a thicker litter layer--have been reported in numerous longterm studies of abandoned meadows all over Central Europe (among others: Rosenthal and Müller 1988;Leyer 2002 for floodplain sites including fens; and Jensen and Schrautzer 1999;Falińska 1999;Bakker et al 2002;Wagner et al 2003;Güsewell and Le Nédic 2004;Hodgson et al 2005 for other fens and grasslands). In the Elbe river floodplains, that are similar to the study site, sporadically mown or abandoned Carex acuta stands developed a thick litter layer, which inhibited colonisation of other plants for many years.…”

Section: Long-term Aquatic Warbler Habitat Deteriorationmentioning

confidence: 87%

“…We distinguished between early mowing or grazing (until 31 July), late mowing or grazing (after 31 July) and no mowing or grazing in the respective year. As parameters related to land use, we analysed the total plant species number (Jensen and Schrautzer 1999;Pfadenhauer et al 2001;Hodgson et al 2005), the cover of small and medium-sized, least competitive plant species (CSR species = intermediate strategy type, combination of competition, stress, and ruderal strategies; after Grime 1974;Grime et al 1988;Hodgson et al 1999;Moog et al 2005;species list in Frank and Klotz 1990), and the thickness of the litter layer (Billeter et al 2003). Plant species cover was estimated in 1993and 1998in modified Braun-Blanquet scale (Dierschke 1994-2006in Londo scale (Londo 1984.…”

Section: Habitat Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

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Rapid deterioration of Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola habitats at the western margin of the breeding range

et al. 2007

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In the last German breeding area of the rapidly declining ''Pomeranian'' population of the Aquatic Warbler (Acrocephalus paludicola), the Lower Oder Valley National Park, we investigated changes in habitat suitability between 1993 and 2006 by combining monitoring results with repeated assessments of vegetation structure and composition, site conditions, and land use. Sites with recent Aquatic Warbler records showed shorter and sparser vegetation, a thinner litter layer, and a higher total plant species richness and cover of small and least competitive (CSR) species than abandoned or unoccupied sites. On a long-term study plot, during a period of late mowing and subsequent cessation of land use, vegetation height increased, the cover of CSR species decreased, and the site became abandoned by Aquatic Warblers. The probability of Aquatic Warbler occurrence was dependent on elevation and increased with the proportion of early mown or grazed area in the preceding year, with early use being most important on slightly higher elevated sites. This rapid deterioration of eutrophic habitats by delayed or discontinued land use is atypical for the majority of Aquatic Warbler breeding habitats. We conclude that both late or no land use and land use during the breeding season negatively affect the Pomeranian breeding sites and that a more sophisticated and flexible land management is urgently needed.

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Section: Long-term Aquatic Warbler Habitat Deteriorationmentioning

confidence: 87%

Section: Habitat Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Rapid deterioration of Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola habitats at the western margin of the breeding range

et al. 2007

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“…On the other hand, the cover of taller plants (30-100 cm), plants with larger leaves (>1 cm 2 ) and, above all, plants with mesomorphic leaves and with vegetative spread, as well as non-tufted perennials, increased considerably. Various observations and experiments proved that the changes in the proportions of plants with these traits are characteristic for different successional series, including also abandoned grasslands [2,3,7,27,28]. The species of larger size, or taller and with larger leaves, have the advantage over small species in the competition for light [29,30], whereas the species with extended vegetative spread have a greater chance of penetrating into more closed vegetation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of weather on dynamics of plant functional groups in an abandoned limestone grassland

Dzwonko

Loster

2011

Acta Soc Bot Pol

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We examined to what extend the rate and direction of changes in unmanaged grassland depend on fluctuations in climatic conditions. Vegetation data from permanent plots in a semi-natural grassland in southern Poland collected over 12 years were used. Relations between weather variables, time, and the cover of 41 more frequent species and 14 plant functional groups were analysed. The greatest effect on the dynamics of species and functional groups had precipitation in spring and/or early summer, particularly in the current year. The majority of plant groups were significantly affected also by the temperature in spring and early summer in one of the three previous years. During 12 years, the cover of annuals and biennials, short plants, and plants with small leaves decreased, while the cover of taller plants, plants with larger leaves, and with vegetative spread increased. The analyses suggest that these successional changes were not directly associated with climatic conditions but were affected by them indirectly through interspecific competition. The fluctuations in climatic conditions, chiefly precipitation, had a significant effect on both the composition and the rate of changes in abandoned grassland. The increase in the cover of tall perennial species with broad leaves hindered succession towards woodland despite of the presence of woods in the closed vicinity. It can be expected that during drier periods colonisation of grassland by later successional species could be easier.Keywords: permanent plots, plant functional groups, plant-weather relations, secondary succession, southern Poland, time series Acta Societatis Botanicorum PoloniaeJournal homepage: pbsociety.org.pl/journals/index.php/asbp ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER Received: 2010.10.13 Accepted: 2011.06.13 Published electronically: 2011.12.30 Acta Soc Bot Pol 80(4):259-268 DOI: 10.5586/asbp.2011 Impact of weather on dynamics of plant functional groups in an abandoned limestone grassland Zbigniew Dzwonko*, Stefania LosterInstitute of Botany, Jagellonian University, Lubicz 46, 31-512 Kraków, Poland * Corresponding author. Email: ubdzwonk@cyf-kr.edu.pl This is an Open Access digital version of the article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/), which permits redistribution, commercial and non-commercial, provided that the article is properly cited.

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“…Foster and Gross 1998;Jensen and Schrautzer 1999;Zobel 2001), though few studies have directly investigated how species coexistence in grasslands depends on light availability. In dense and tall vegetation, light limitation is caused by the plant canopy itself, which creates a vertical light gradient (Hirose and Werger 1995;Anten and Hirose 1999;Schieving and Poorter 1999).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Progressive effects of shading on experimental wetland communities over three years

Edelkraut

Güsewell

2005

Plant Ecol

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To investigate how the composition of wetland communities changes over time in response to altered light regimes, experimental communities of five Carex and four grass species were subjected to artificial shading (continuous or seasonal) in a three-year field experiment. Shoot number and size was measured after six weeks, and shoot biomass was harvested five times during the experiment. Communities were initially dominated by three grass species in all treatments, but subsequently, the Carex species increased and reached dominance in the control plots, whereas grasses remained dominant in the shaded plots. Shading had no effect on the biomass of communities or of single species in the first year. In the second year, community biomass was still unaffected, but shading reduced the biomass of three Carex species and also reduced species diversity. In the third year, shading reduced community biomass and all Carex species, but not species diversity. The greater shade tolerance of the grasses could not be explained by differences in morphological plasticity: after six weeks of growth all species had increased shoot height in response to shade by 40 -70%. Grasses were hardly more plastic than Carex species. We propose that the long-term success of the Carex species in full light was due to a high allocation of biomass to belowground parts, which may have reduced losses caused by repeated harvesting of shoots (a simulation of management in productive wet meadows). Shading probably caused the Carex plants to change their allocation pattern, and thus prevented their progressive increase.

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Consequences of abandonment for a regional fen flora and mechanisms of successional change

Cited by 77 publications

References 51 publications

Rapid deterioration of Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola habitats at the western margin of the breeding range

Rapid deterioration of Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola habitats at the western margin of the breeding range

Impact of weather on dynamics of plant functional groups in an abandoned limestone grassland

Progressive effects of shading on experimental wetland communities over three years

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