Recreational trampling of vegetation: standard experimental procedures

Cole, David N.; Bayfield, N.

doi:10.1016/0006-3207(93)90714-c

Cited by 148 publications

(190 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…Trampling lanes were used so that the results could be compared with other marine and terrestrial experimental trampling studies (see also Sun & Walsh 1998, Keough & Quinn 1998, Schiel & Taylor 1999. The lanes were wider than some experimental lanes used in terrestrial studies (Cole & Bayfield 1993) to avoid an edge effect that could have influenced the abundances of mobile fauna. The 10 replicate sites were chosen in seagrass beds of <1 m depth where no known trampling had occurred.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trampling in a seagrass assemblage: direct effects, response of associated fauna, and the role of substrate characteristics

Eckrich¹,

Holmquist²

2000

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Human wading in shallow coastal waters is a common activity that inherently involves trampling of the substrate. An experiment was conducted in Thalassia testudinum seagrass beds in Puerto Rico to determine how seagrass and associated mobile fauna respond to this anthropogenic disturbance. Three trampling intensities were applied to replicate seagrass beds throughout a 4 mo period. Seagrass biomass was inversely related to trampling intensity and duration. There was moderate recovery in the trampled areas 7 mo after the last trampling event. Intense levels of trampling resulted in decreased shrimp abundances, especially for Thor manningi. Fish abundances and composition of shrimp and fish assemblages did not change significantly after 4 mo of trampling. T. testudinum beds with softer substrates lost more seagrass biomass as a result of trampling than seagrass beds with firm substrates, suggesting that substrate firmness can modify disturbance effects. Educators and resource managers should limit trampling by large groups, or confine it to small areas with firm substrates, and researchers should be mindful of artifacts arising from trampling in and around sampling areas.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trampling in a seagrass assemblage: direct effects, response of associated fauna, and the role of substrate characteristics

Eckrich¹,

Holmquist²

2000

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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“…Les études expérimentales des effets du piétinement reposent sur l'application, dans des chemins créés dans des zones homogènes non perturbées, d'intensités croissantes de piéti-nement (Cole et Bayfield, 1993).…”

Section: éTudes Expérimentalesunclassified

Combiner tourisme et conservation patrimoniale

Gallet

2014

teoros

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Du fait d’une pression touristique croissante sur les sites naturels ou culturels et leur environnement, la gestion de la fréquentation devient un enjeu majeur sur ces derniers. En présentant l’exemple du site de Carnac, cet article montre comment, par une démarche scientifique, des solutions originales de gestion de la fréquentation, adaptées aux caractéristiques parfois complexes de chaque site, peuvent être mises en oeuvre. Ainsi, la gestion de ce site est fondée sur une connaissance fine de l’écologie des milieux présents ainsi que sur une phase relativement longue d’observations et d’expérimentations. Le protocole d’ouverture établi permet un contingentement des visiteurs en période de haute fréquentation et de grande sensibilité de la végétation, et une ouverture plus libre en hiver. En outre, il permet un accès du public sans aménagement interne au site, tout en préservant l’intégrité écologique et archéologique du site.

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“…Accordingly, trampling studies have been conducted in mountain environments around the world including North America [30][31][32], Europe [33,34] and in Tasmania, Australia [35,36]. Using methods proposed by Cole and Bayfield [37], the damage caused by increasing intensities of trampling (0, 30, 100, 200, 500 and 700 passes) have been assessed within five tall alpine herbfield sites in Kosciuszko Summit Area. Vegetation parameters examined included height, cover and diversity.…”

Section: Trail Development From Tramplingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Managing visitor impacts in the Australian Alps: a case study in informal track development and track recovery

Scherrer¹,

Growcock²

2006

WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment, Vol 97

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Visitation to protected areas is increasing worldwide, causing increasing pressures on areas that are often principally conserved for their natural and cultural heritage values. The Australian Alps have been no exception with a continuing increase occurring over the last 25 years. Visitation to the Kosciuszko Summit Area (Australia's highest mountain) in Kosciuszko National Park, for example, has increased from an estimated 20 000 visits per annum in the late 1970s to over 100 000 per annum by the year 2000. The most common activity of these visitors is walking from one of two main park entrance points to key landmarks within the area. While hardened areas can contain some of the impacts of these visitors, damage from off-track walking can rapidly occur and is slow to recover in this alpine environment. This paper presents a case study from the Kosciuszko Summit Area on track development and recovery in tall alpine herbfields, the area's dominant vegetation community. Results from experimental off-track walking studies demonstrate that longer-term damage can occur after only moderate usage levels (as little as 200 passes). Results from a study on a closed walking track in the area further provide examples of the slow recovery of the vegetation and soils once damage has occurred, with significant differences from undisturbed conditions remaining evident for vegetation cover, soil nutrients and species composition 20 years after track closure. Locally appropriate solutions are required to ensure that a sustainable level of tourism and visitor use can continue to occur in the area. The use of proactive management tools is discussed with regard to a damage prevention/minimisation approach.

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Recreational trampling of vegetation: standard experimental procedures

Cited by 148 publications

References 8 publications

Trampling in a seagrass assemblage: direct effects, response of associated fauna, and the role of substrate characteristics

Trampling in a seagrass assemblage: direct effects, response of associated fauna, and the role of substrate characteristics

Combiner tourisme et conservation patrimoniale

Managing visitor impacts in the Australian Alps: a case study in informal track development and track recovery

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