Plant diversity declines with recent land use changes in European Alps

Niedrist, Georg; Tasser, Erich; Lüth, Christian; Via, Josef Dalla; Tappeiner, Ulrike

doi:10.1007/s11258-008-9487-x

Cited by 160 publications

(108 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…According to Persson (1984), vegetation changes are slower on dry soils compared to moist or fresh soils. In general, phytodiversity is decreasing as a result of abandonment (Willems 1985;Pykälä et al 2005;Niedrist et al 2009;Prévosto et al 2011). Consequently, from a conservation point of view, there is a need for knowledge of strategies for the preservation of species-rich grassland under difficult socio-economic conditions, minimizing management costs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vegetation changes in an abandoned montane grassland, compared to changes in a habitat with low-intensity sheep grazing – a case study in Styria, Austria

Bohner¹,

Starlinger²,

Koutecký³

2012

ecomont

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In protected areas maintaining existing phytodiversity is an important conservation target. In this study we analysed the effects of abandonment on plant species composition and species richness over a period of nine years in a montane grassland in the Long-term Ecosystem Research (LTER) region Eisenwurzen (Styria, Austria). Additional investigations concerned the number of Red Data List species, plant strategy types, Ellenberg indicator values, indicator values for mowing, grazing and trampling tolerance, temporal sequence of phenological phases and seven plant traits. We differentiated two topography-related habitat types: an initially species-rich sheep pasture on a steep, south-facing slope and a less species-rich meadow on a flat site immediately below, with a comparatively higher nutrient and water supply in the topsoil. Testing a possible management alternative, the effects of continued low-intensity sheep grazing on the slope were also analysed. In spring 2001, one permanent plot of 50 m² was established in the centre of each habitat type and treatment. Our results show that the long-term effects of abandonment on grassland vegetation depend largely on local site conditions. Nutrient availability in the soil seems to be an especially important factor. On the abandoned flat site, floristic composition and physiognomy changed dramatically within four years; a high species turnover and a decline in phytodiversity could be observed. In contrast, we found only minor effects on the abandoned slope site even nine years after abandonment. If the maintenance of existing phytodiversity is a conservation target, suitable management operations have to be carried out at shorter intervals (at least every 3 years) in habitats with nutrient-rich soils than in nutrient-poor habitats (approx. 5 to 10 years). From a nature conservation point of view, low-intensity sheep grazing may be a suitable management alternative to mowing.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vegetation changes in an abandoned montane grassland, compared to changes in a habitat with low-intensity sheep grazing – a case study in Styria, Austria

Bohner¹,

Starlinger²,

Koutecký³

2012

ecomont

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“…Different cultural traditions (Germanic, Romanic, and Walser) with their specific farming practices have contributed to the high diversity of the alpine landscapes (Bätzing 2003). In the Alps, land use is undergoing major changes (Bätzing 2003) where both abandonment and intensification of land use are reducing the plant species diversity of many grasslands (Olsson et al 2000;Fischer and Wipf 2002;Tasser and Tappeiner 2002;Maurer et al 2006;Niedrist et al 2009. In addition to land use, biodiversity is also affected by geological, topographic, and climatic conditions (Kikvidze et al 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Omnipresence of leaf herbivory by invertebrates and leaf infection by fungal pathogens in agriculturally used grasslands of the Swiss Alps, but low plant damage

et al. 2012

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Agriculturally used grasslands in the Alps are characterised by a trade-off between high fodder production in some and high plant species richness in others. In contrast to plant species richness and production, however, little is known on the relevance of biological interactions between plants, invertebrate herbivores, and fungal pathogens for grasslands in the Alps. At the time when the vegetation was fully developed, but prior to agricultural use, we examined whether leaf damage by herbivory and fungal pathogen infection, and their diversity, are affected by plant functional group, land use, and altitude. Moreover, we studied whether extent and diversity of leaf damage are related to each other, to plant species richness, and to standing crop. We recorded the leaf area damaged by ten types of herbivory and five types of fungal pathogen infection on 12,054 plant leaves of legumes, other forbs, and graminoids collected in 215 grassland parcels in 12 valleys in the Swiss Alps. With 83 % of all leaves infested, herbivory and fungal pathogen infection were omnipresent. However, only 2.7 % leaf area was damaged by herbivory and 1.2 % by fungal pathogens. Damage by herbivory was highest on legumes, and damage by fungal pathogens was highest on graminoids. More leaf damage by herbivory occurred in traditionally mown sites and at lower altitudes, while damage by fungal pathogen infection was independent of land use and altitude. Most types of herbivory were found on legumes and on leaves from fertilised sites, whereas the number of fungal pathogen types was highest on graminoids and in unfertilised sites. Larger standing crop was associated with higher leaf damage and diversity of herbivory types per leaf. Neither damage by herbivory nor by fungal pathogens was correlated with plant species diversity. In more plant species rich parcels, the number of herbivory types was lower at the leaf level, but tended to be higher at the parcel level. Our results highlight the omnipresence of plant-herbivore and plant-pathogen interactions. They suggest that current land use changes from mowing to grazing or to abandonment decrease the diversity of herbivory, and that fertilisation decreases pathogen diversity. As our results did not reveal conservation conflicts between diversities of plants, herbivores, and fungal pathogens, and as the damage from herbivory and pathogens is generally low, we conclude that for protecting the high diversity of plant-herbivore and plant-pathogen interactions a diverse low-intensity land use should be maintained.

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“…These opposing processes have led to a decrease in biodiversity, which continues to be observed today, particularly in Western Europe (ELLENBERG 1988;BAKKER 2005;HODGSON et al 2005;POSCHLOD et al 2005;PETIT, FIRBANK 2006;REIDSMA et al 2006;NIEDRIST et al 2009). …”

Section: General Directions Of Land Use Changes In Europe Over the Lamentioning

confidence: 99%

Changing Land Use in Recent Decades and Its Impact on Plant Cover in Agricultural and Forest Landscapes in Poland

Bomanowska

Kiedrzyński

2011

biologica

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The objective of this paper is to present the effects of general changes in land use in recent decades on plant cover structure in Poland. The paper is focused on spontaneous processes that occur in agricultural and forest areas being no longer under human pressure. Studies carried out in different geobotanical regions of Poland demonstrated that the directions and range of dynamic changes in plant cover are similar across the country. The formation of secondary forest phytocenoses, on the lands delivered from human activity is a common ecological process observed today in the agricultural landscape. In the dynamics of forest vegetation the basic process is regeneration after ceased use, and the introduction of legal protection.

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Plant diversity declines with recent land use changes in European Alps

Cited by 160 publications

References 27 publications

Vegetation changes in an abandoned montane grassland, compared to changes in a habitat with low-intensity sheep grazing – a case study in Styria, Austria

Vegetation changes in an abandoned montane grassland, compared to changes in a habitat with low-intensity sheep grazing – a case study in Styria, Austria

Omnipresence of leaf herbivory by invertebrates and leaf infection by fungal pathogens in agriculturally used grasslands of the Swiss Alps, but low plant damage

Changing Land Use in Recent Decades and Its Impact on Plant Cover in Agricultural and Forest Landscapes in Poland

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