Fire and regeneration: the role of seed banks in the dynamics of northern heathlands

Måren, Inger Elisabeth; Vandvik, Vigdis

doi:10.1111/j.1654-1103.2009.01091.x

Cited by 36 publications

(63 citation statements)

References 65 publications

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“…Smoke-induced germination is known from Calluna populations in anthropogenic coastal heathlands [17,18], where it increases recruitment from seedbanks in newly burnt heath [19,20]. We document that the trait is not universally present in Calluna; instead, it is lacking in the species' range outside the culturally fire-prone coastal heathlands.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

“…Major expansion occurred from ca 5000 BP (before present) in Jutland, Denmark [12], and at 3300-1000 BP in western Norway [11,13]; and although studies are scarce in the north, there is evidence of anthropogenic coastal heathland 4700-3300 BP in central Norway [14], and 3800-1800 BP in northern Norway [15]. Burning cycles of [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] traditional throughout the coastal heathland region [10,16]. Smoke-stimulated germination responses in heathland species, e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Management-driven evolution in a domesticated ecosystem

Vandvik¹,

Töpper²,

Cook³

et al. 2014

Biol. Lett.

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Millennia of human land-use have resulted in the widespread occurrence of what have been coined 'domesticated ecosystems'. The anthropogenic imprints on diversity, composition, structure and functioning of such systems are well documented. However, evolutionary consequences of human activities in these ecosystems are enigmatic. Calluna vulgaris (L.) is a keystone species of coastal heathlands in northwest Europe, an ancient semi-natural landscape of considerable conservation interest. Like many species from naturally fire-prone ecosystems, Calluna shows smoke-adapted germination, but it is unclear whether this trait arose prior to the development of these semi-natural landscapes or is an evolutionary response to the anthropogenic fire regime. We show that smoke-induced germination in Calluna is found in populations from traditionally burnt coastal heathlands but is lacking in naturally occurring populations from other habitats with infrequent natural fires. Our study thus demonstrates evolutionary imprints of human land-use in semi-natural ecosystems. Evolutionary consequences of historic anthropogenic impacts on wildlife have been understudied, but understanding these consequences is necessary for informed conservation and ecosystem management.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Management-driven evolution in a domesticated ecosystem

Vandvik¹,

Töpper²,

Cook³

et al. 2014

Biol. Lett.

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“…(ii) We performed a germination experiment of soil seed-bank samples to test whether the observed germination peak in post-fire succession (Måren and Vandvik 2009) could be re-created experimentally. Soil seed-bank was sampled at Lygra in March 2008.…”

Section: Data Sets and Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In order to understand the mechanisms and processes which select for persistent seed-banks, and also the dormancy-breaking mechanisms operating, descriptive seed-bank, studies need to be complemented by experiments. In a previous study (Måren and Vandvik 2009) patterns in Calluna seed-bank density after fire were studied using a 24-year chronosequence. Germinable seed-bank densities showed a pronounced peak in soils of newly burnt heathlands (samples collected in the same year of the fire, i.e.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prescribed burning of northern heathlands: Calluna vulgaris germination cues and seed-bank dynamics

et al. 2009

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The European coastal heathlands are important habitats for international conservation. Today, these low-intensity farming systems are threatened by the cessation of traditional management regimes, such as grazing and prescribed burning. In natural systems, the effects of fire on germination responses are often explained by adaptation to fire over extended periods of time. However, Northern heathlands are semi-natural systems with only a limited fire history. We investigated whether and how the keystone species in this system, Calluna vulgaris, responded to prescribed burning, based on previous findings where Calluna germinable seedbank densities showed a pronounced peak right after fire. Our main findings were (i) an ecophysiological response to smoke; (ii) a potential explanation for this pattern, revealed by a seed-bank experiment where we managed to re-create the germination pattern experimentally by using an aqueous plant-derived smoke solution; and (iii) a history of anthropogenic use of fire and the development of heathlands in the region documented through palaeoecological investigations.

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“…Considerable attention has been devoted to the study of practices that maintain heathland community structure, such as grazing, burning, cutting, sod-cutting or sod-chopping and other factors affecting vegetation development (e.g., Pywell et al 1995, Gallet & Roze 2001, Hulme et al 2002, Pakeman et al 2003, Niemeyer et al 2007, Mitchell et al 2008, Måren & Vandvik et al 2009, Newton et al 2009). Previous research has focused particularly on the parts of Western Europe where heathland occurs in extensive amounts.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wall Vegetation in Old Royal Mining Towns in Central Slovakia

Kolbek¹,

Valachovič²,

Mišíková³

2015

Hacquetia

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The vegetation of low-altitude dry heathlands in Central Europe (Euphorbio cyparissiae-Callunion vulgaris) has declined because the abandonment of traditional management has resulted in gradual overgrowth by woody species and because nutrient inputs have changed. Low-intensity grazing and sod-cutting, which are traditionally recommended to regenerate heather (Calluna vulgaris) vegetation from the seed bank, were introduced to restore stands of heather that had disappeared. The study was conducted in the Zlatnice Nature Reserve, located in the northwestern part of Prague (Czech Republic). A system of 1 m² permanent plots was used to collect the data. Both grazing and sod-cutting were effective for the restoration of the Calluna vulgaris vegetation. During the two years after the introduction of grazing, the greatest increase in the heather cover occurred in the grazed areas. The heather cover in the areas managed by sod-cutting started to increase significantly in the third year following the removal of sods and reached values comparable with the grazed areas. Regular grazing hindered the increase in the cover of herbs; the increase in the herb cover was higher after single sodcutting. Sod-cutting facilitated the expansion of mosses. The experiment suggests that non-intensive sheep and goat grazing is most likely the most appropriate tool to restore dry heathland on shallow poor soils when more than 20 years have elapsed since the disappearance of the heathland. The use of sod-cutting itself is more demanding and brings a higher risk of overgrowth by unwanted herbs and woody species, resulting in repeated degradation of the Calluna vulgaris vegetation. Keywords: Calluna vulgaris, heather, moss, open landscape, sheep grazing, woody encroachment. IzvlečekVegetacija nižinskih suhih vresav v srednji Evropi (Euphorbio cyparissiae-Callunion vulgaris) je v upadanju zaradi opuščanja tradicionalnega gospodarjenja in to se kaže v postopnem zaraščanju z lesnatimi rastlinami in spremenjenem vnosu hranil. Za obnovitev sestojev z vreso, ki so izginili, smo uporabili pašo z nizko intenzivnostjo in košnjo, ki sta tradicionalno priporočena načina za obnavljanje vegetacije z vreso (Calluna vulgaris) iz semenske banke. Raziskavo smo opravili v naravnem rezervatu Zlatnice, ki se nahaja v severozahodnem delu Prage (Češka republika). Vzpostavili smo sistem stalnih 1 m² ploskev. Za obnovitev vegetacije z vrsto Calluna vulgaris sta bila uspešna tako paša kot košnja. Pokrovnost vrese se je povečala dve leti po začetku poskusa s pašo, na površinah s košnjo pa se je značilno povečala tretje leto in vrednosti so bile primerljive s pašenimi površinami. Redna paša je ovirala povečanje pokrovnosti zelišč, medtem ko se je njihova pokrovnost povečala po posamezni košnji. Košnja je tudi vplivala na povečanje pokrovnosti mahov. Poizkus je pokazal, da je slabo intenzivna paša ovac in koz verjetno najbolj primeren način obnove suhih vresav na plitvih, s hranili revnih tleh, po več kot 20 let od uničenja vresave. Košnja je bolj zahtevna, poja...

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Fire and regeneration: the role of seed banks in the dynamics of northern heathlands

Cited by 36 publications

References 65 publications

Management-driven evolution in a domesticated ecosystem

Management-driven evolution in a domesticated ecosystem

Prescribed burning of northern heathlands: Calluna vulgaris germination cues and seed-bank dynamics

Wall Vegetation in Old Royal Mining Towns in Central Slovakia

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