Experiments on the restoration of species-rich meadows in The Netherlands

Berendse, F.; Oomes, M.J.M.; Altena, H.; Elberse, W.Th.

doi:10.1016/0006-3207(92)91152-i

Cited by 151 publications

(104 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…More frequent fires are now needed to resist invasion by exotics and woody species in remaining grassland fragments (16), but as shown here frequent burning dramatically increases the dominance of C 4 grasses and reduces plant species diversity (17). Whereas fire is used as a conservation tool throughout much of the tallgrass region, the use of grazing by bison or cattle as a management tool for maintaining species diversity is less common (18). Yet herbivores such as bison historically served as keystone species in tallgrass ecosystems because they reduced the competitive dominance of the C 4 grasses, increased habitat heterogeneity, and increased species diversity (19).…”

Section: Reportsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Modulation of Diversity by Grazing and Mowing in Native Tallgrass Prairie

Collins

Knapp

Briggs

et al. 1998

Science

843

685

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Species diversity has declined in ecosystems worldwide as a result of habitat fragmentation, eutrophication, and land-use change. If such decline is to be halted ecological mechanisms that restore or maintain biodiversity are needed. Two long-term field experiments were performed in native grassland to assess the effects of fire, nitrogen addition, and grazing or mowing on plant species diversity. In one experiment, richness declined on burned and fertilized treatments, whereas mowing maintained diversity under these conditions. In the second experiment, loss of species diversity due to frequent burning was reversed by bison, a keystone herbivore in North American grasslands. Thus, mowing or the reestablishment of grazing in anthropogenically stressed grasslands enhanced biodiversity.

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Section: Reportsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Modulation of Diversity by Grazing and Mowing in Native Tallgrass Prairie

Collins

Knapp

Briggs

et al. 1998

Science

843

685

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“…In some fallows, however, the original species composition did not recover after mowing, or the change was exceedingly slow (Berendse et al 1992;Stampfli and Zeiter 1999). It is unclear why restoration is successful in some instances and not in others.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Restoration of montane fen meadows by mowing remains possible after 4–35 years of abandonment

2007

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Billeter R., Peintinger M. and Diemer M. 2007. Restoration of montane fen meadows by mowing remains possible after 4-35 years of abandonment. Bot. Helv. 117: 1 -13.The abandonment of management in Swiss fen meadows has reduced their plant species diversity and the fitness of some typical fen species. We examined whether the resumption of mowing can reverse these effects, and if so, which mechanisms are responsible for community change; we also tested whether restoration success depends on the duration since abandonment. Experimental mowing was applied to 15 montane fen meadows of NE Switzerland that had been abandoned for 4-35 years. After two years of mowing, plant species richness was 11 % higher in mown plots (2 m 2 ) than in fallow plots, approaching levels of neighbouring continuously managed fen meadows. In particular, experimental mowing significantly increased the number of fen indicator species (+15 %) as well as herbs and woody species (seedlings and saplings), while grass, sedge and rush species richness was not affected. Mowing had little effect on aboveground biomass, but strongly reduced litter mass (-50 %) and canopy height (-20 %). Seedling densities of two common species showed opposite responses to mowing: they increased in Carex davalliana and decreased in Succisa pratensis, approaching values of continuously mown fen meadows. Duration since abandonment had no significant effect on any of the variables. Our results demonstrate a rapid recovery of montane fen plant communities irrespective of the duration since abandonment (up to 35 years). We conclude that the restoration of pre-fallow plant community composition is likely to be successful if site conditions (hydrology, nutrient status) remain intact and if common habitat specialists are still present in the vegetation and/or seed bank.

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“…), but five other services were diminished; these were water quality improvement, stormwater retention, flow attenuation, erosion resistance, and plant diversity support. The two rapidly-draining swales had open canopies that allowed moss and algal mats to help stabilize the soil [33], which, along with rapid infiltration, reduced the export of total suspended solids, N, and P. N and P likely came from the topsoil (15 cm thick) that facility engineers/designers insisted on adding, despite scientific evidence that nutrient-rich soil reduces diversity [34] and causes plants to allocate biomass to shoots instead of roots that could potentially stabilize the soil (Leaflet #15 in [21]). Our explanation of these different outcomes is that porous subsoils precluded ponding but facilitated infiltration and pulsed hydroperiods.…”

Section: Treatment Of Urban Runoff By Constructed Wetlandsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Three possibilities follow: (1) Remove nutrient-rich topsoil [34] to favor hardy natives (e.g., [46]). At the Arboretum, tussock sedge might grow well on low-nutrient soil ( [47]; Leaflet #22 in [21]).…”

Section: Weeds Are An Undesirable and Persistent Outcomementioning

confidence: 99%

Leopold’s Arboretum Needs Upstream Water Treatment to Restore Wetlands Downstream

Zedler

Doherty

Rojas

2014

Water

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A case study has broad relevance for urban natural reserves. Aldo Leopold's far-reaching vision to restore historical ecosystems at the UW-Madison Arboretum has been difficult to achieve despite ~80 years of restoration work. Wetlands (~1/4 of the 485-ha reserve) resist restoration, given urban watersheds and inflows of low quality water. Current conditions favor aggressive invasive plants (cattails, reed canary grass, and buckthorn)-species that do not fulfill the 1934 vision. Today, urban runoff flows into remnant natural wetlands, degraded wetlands, the iconic Curtis Prairie, and constructed wetlands. Regulations for total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) have led local municipalities to expand pre-existing sediment-and nutrient-trapping ponds from 5.67 ha (14 ac) of Arboretum land to 9.3 ha (23 ac) to protect downstream lakes. Both the runoff and the treatment facilities (with invasive plants) limit the Arboretum's ability to achieve pre-settlement vegetation. Consistent with Leopold's vision, we endorse Arboretum principles that urban runoff be restored to pre-settlement quality, and we recommend shifting efforts to reduce TMDLs to upstream lands in order to protect the Arboretum. Given that invasive species will persist, Leopold's Arboretum should be rededicated to research, education, and restoration, plus sustainable management of its waters and wetlands.

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Experiments on the restoration of species-rich meadows in The Netherlands

Cited by 151 publications

References 5 publications

Modulation of Diversity by Grazing and Mowing in Native Tallgrass Prairie

Modulation of Diversity by Grazing and Mowing in Native Tallgrass Prairie

Restoration of montane fen meadows by mowing remains possible after 4–35 years of abandonment

Leopold’s Arboretum Needs Upstream Water Treatment to Restore Wetlands Downstream

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