Impacts of soil disturbance on plant diversity in a dry grassland

Abstract

Dry grasslands are among the most species rich habitats in Europe, but they are also among the most threatened. Threats include too high and too low levels of disturbance. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of soil disturbance intensity on species composition and diversity in a dry grassland in Mols Bjerge National Park in Denmark. We recorded vascular plant species inside and just outside patches of bare sand, and in the transition zone between these. We found that the number of species was highest in the dense vegetation, intermediate at the transition and lowest in bare sand areas. However, an analysis of plant traits showed that the number of small annual species was highest in the transition zone. High abundance of small annual species may therefore indicate intermediate disturbance regimes.Based on a literature study we demonstrate that many threatened species are adapted to such habitats. This suggests that dry grasslands should be managed to maintain areas with intermediate disturbances intensities to maintain optimal conditions for many threatened species. To our knowledge, this is the rst time it has been documented that small annual species can indicate intermediate disturbance regimes in dry grasslands. of red-listed habitats. To our knowledge, this is the rst time it has been documented that small annual species can indicate intermediate disturbance regimes in dry grasslands.

The interplay between historical land‐use and the distribution of Helichrysum shrubs in an African‐protected grassland

“…Alternatively, previous grazing activities may have reduced grass cover, resulting in a reduced biomass fuel load, and thus, fire frequencies at KNP (Mgimba et al., in review) may have promoted shrub encroachment in the rangeland (Amerh et al., 2022; Eldridge et al., 2013). Helichrysum splendidum is a stress‐tolerant species (Nabe‐Nielsen et al., 2021); therefore, it may thrive in poor soils with low fire frequencies (Lesoli et al., 2013; Szita & Gyo, 2021). In addition, the low water‐holding capacity of the sandy loam soils observed in the KNP (KDFM, 1982) may have favoured the establishment and spread of Helichrysum species in this mountainous grassland habitat.…”

Desmonte De Riberas: Cambios en La Diversidad Del Estrato Herbáceo en Un Río Pampeano (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

“…Los disturbios no necesariamente son acompañados de una disminución de la diversidad (Lyon y Gross, 2005;Hughes et al, 2007;Çoban S et al, 2019;Nabe-Nielsen et al, 2021). En el caso particular de la ribera del río Luján, la eliminación del estrato arbóreo aumenta la disponibilidad de recursos, fundamentalmente de luz incidente, y esto puede ser aprovechado por un gran número de especies, ausentes bajo el dosel arbóreo, y conlleva al incremento observado en la riqueza de especies.…”

Selection against ruderals in Danish grasslands over an eight-year period

“…by large herbivores, is a suitable management strategies for grassland habitats (e.g. Nabe- Nielsen et al, 2021).…”