Regeneration of threatened alkali steppe vegetation after a heavy disturbance by disk tillage

Current Condition of Pannonic Salt Steppes at Their Distribution Limit: What Do Indicator Species Reveal about Habitat Quality?

“…It tends to form pure stands on soils with high salinity after destruction of the vegetation cover (e.g., former ploughing). Due to the deep rooting its great regeneration ability was confirmed also by Galvánek et al [ 58 ]. After all, the recent populations’ vitality did not correspond with the habitat quality.…”

“…As it is more clayey and sodic than the topsoil, the salts will leach more slowly and the new secondary sodic soil surface is again occupied by halophytes. Simultaneously, the disturbed surface favors the colonization of opportunistic weeds [ 58 ] which in case of abandonment remain a constant component of the regenerated vegetation. The plots in Slovakia demonstrate this phenomenon.…”

Impact of Water Level on Species Quantity and Composition Grown from the Soil Seed Bank of the Inland Salt Marsh: An Ex-Situ Experiment

“…Additionally, these salt marshes experience considerable water level changes throughout a year; the soil is inundated in winter, but water levels decrease over the spring, summer, and autumn months, wherein the soil may dry Land 2020, 9, 533 2 of 15 out completely [4]. These Central and Eastern European biotopes are predominantly located on the eastern steppes of the Pontic-Pannonian region [5][6][7] with a lobe extending into the eastern parts of the Czech Republic [8,9]. However previously abundant these salt marshes were in the Czech Republic, they now occupy very small and fragmented patches [1,2].…”

“…Inland salt marshes gradually disappeared from the rural landscape starting in the 18th century and culminated in the destruction of the majority of their original native areas. The Central European annual halophytic grass vegetation biotopes occupy only 10% of their former 18th-century range and have largely disappeared from rural landscape [5,10]. Even though some patches remain, the surviving salt marsh, halophytic reed grass, and sedge vegetation patches experienced abiotic and biotic degradation that then caused the extinction of some species and the extirpation of entire halophytic habitats [10,11].…”

“…Even though some patches remain, the surviving salt marsh, halophytic reed grass, and sedge vegetation patches experienced abiotic and biotic degradation that then caused the extinction of some species and the extirpation of entire halophytic habitats [10,11]. This degradation and loss are mostly attributed to the fact that all Czech salt marshes are located in intensively farmed areas; salt marshes were systematically removed from the landscape in this region until 1989 [12], which is similar in other Central European regions [5]. The removal of salt marsh wetland biotopes was primarily achieved through draining and their subsequent transformation to arable land [13].…”