Sand Dunes and Their Vegetation Series

Leuschner, Christoph; Ellenberg, Heinz

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-43048-5_2

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 83 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Dune vegetation can vary dramatically depending on the age of the dune and its distance to the sea, where young dunes are dominated by herb species such as Cakile maritima and Elymus farctus , while more mature dunes can harbour woody species from small shrubs to tall trees (e.g. Salix repens and Betula pubescens ) (Leuschner & Ellenberg, 2017b; TMAP, 2017). Land use on the target islands can be described as rather extensive compared to mainland areas.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Disentangling natural and anthropogenic drivers of native and non‐native plant diversity on North Sea islands

Walentowitz,

Ferreira‐Arruda,

Irl

et al. 2023

Journal of Biogeography

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

AimBiodiversity on islands is commonly explained by a set of natural drivers such as area, isolation and habitat heterogeneity. However, constant human impact has led to considerable changes in island floras worldwide. This is reflected, among others, in increased numbers of non‐native species. Barrier islands are discrete land units, strongly influenced by humans and not displaying significant evolutionary dynamics. This makes them highly suitable for studying contemporary patterns of species richness and underlying processes. We aim to disentangle the effects of established natural and anthropogenic drivers on native and non‐native plant species richness at the example of 31 European barrier islands.Location31 North Sea barrier islands located off the Dutch, German and Danish coast.TaxonNative and non‐native plant species (spermatophytes and ferns).MethodsIndividual relationships of natural and anthropogenic drivers with native and non‐native plant species richness are analysed with generalised linear models (GLMs). We use structural equation models (SEMs) to additionally account for interrelations between drivers.ResultsIsland area was the strongest predictor of native and non‐native plant species richness but affected richness mostly indirectly through habitat heterogeneity (non‐native species) and island inhabitants (native species). Isolation had a slight negative effect on native and non‐native plant species numbers on islands.Main ConclusionsThe richness of native and non‐native plant species on islands is associated with different drivers, that is, habitat heterogeneity and island inhabitants respectively. This might be caused by distinct underlying processes forming native and non‐native richness patterns. Area was confirmed to be the most important driver of species richness but acting primarily through other natural and anthropogenic drivers of plant species richness. We encourage considering both natural and anthropogenic drivers and their interrelatedness to explain contemporary biogeographic patterns of species richness.

show abstract

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Disentangling natural and anthropogenic drivers of native and non‐native plant diversity on North Sea islands

Walentowitz,

Ferreira‐Arruda,

Irl

et al. 2023

Journal of Biogeography

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Thus, it can be expected that at least some vegetation pattern changes observed in field can be explained by differences in germination requirements. Low water holding capacity of the soil and possibly soil nitrogen (N) status are the main factors limiting completion of germination and seedling survival in this kind of environments [ 6 ]. Total N concentrations recorded in the soils of Spergulo-Corynephoretum vary between 0.01 and 0.08% of soil dry weight (SDW) (equal to 100–800 mg kg -1 SDW [ 2 ]) which suggests its poor nutritional quality.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nitrogen signals and their ecological significance for seed germination of ten psammophilous plant species from European dry acidic grasslands

Wala

Kołodziejek

Patykowski³

2021

PLoS ONE

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The presented study evaluated effects of potassium nitrate (KNO3), ammonium nitrate (NH4 NO3) and ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) on the germination-related characteristics of 10 species from European dry acidic grasslands. Germination was studied under controlled laboratory conditions. The seeds were subjected to KNO3, NH4 NO3 and NH4Cl in four doses (1, 10, 50 and 100 mM) and to distilled water. Final germination percentage, index of germination velocity and index of germination synchrony were determined. Content of nitrogen in the soil probed from the site of seeds collection was also analyzed. Significant effects of type of the nitrogen compounds and their concentrations were observed. High concentrations of nitrogen-containing salts inhibited completion of germination in almost all species. Helichrysum arenarium and Hypericum perforatum showed preference for NH4+ over NO3‒, whereas Arnoseris minima, Alyssum montanum, Jasione montana and Spergula morisonii showed preference for NO3‒ over NH4+. Centaurea scabiosa, C. stoebe and Hypochaeris radicata had no preference and wide tolerance to the type of nitrogen-containing compound. Echium vulgare showed differential response hard for interpretation. A. montanum and J. montana showed stenotopic behavior in terms of nitrogen-related conditions. It is proposed that nitrogen-rich soil gaps favor establishment of more nitro-tolerant plant species (e.g. C. scabiosa, C. stoebe and H. radicata) as compared to nitrogen-poor ones.

show abstract

Successional development of the phototrophic community in biological soil crusts, along with soil formation on Holocene deposits at the Baltic Sea coast

Kammann,

Leinweber,

Glaser

et al. 2024

Front. Ecol. Evol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Harsh environmental conditions form habitats colonized by specialized primary microbial colonizers, e.g., biological soil crusts (biocrusts). These cryptogamic communities are well studied in drylands but much less in temperate coastal dunes, where they play a crucial role in ecological functions. Following two dune chronosequences, this study highlights the successional development of the biocrust’s community composition on the Baltic Sea coast. A vegetation survey, followed by morphological species determination, was conducted. Sediment/soil cores of the different dune types were analyzed to uncover the potential impacts of the biocrust community on initial soil formation processes, with special emphasis on biogeochemical phosphorous (P) transformations. Biocrust succession was characterized by a dune type-specific community composition, shifting from thinner algae-dominated biocrusts in dynamic dunes to more stable moss-dominated biocrusts in mature dunes. The change in the biocrust community structure was accompanied by an increase in Chl a, water, and organic matter content. In total, 25 algal and cyanobacterial species, 16 mosses, and 26 lichens across all sampling sites were determined. The pedological characterization of these cores elucidated initial processes of soil genesis, such as decalcification, acidification, and the accumulation of organic matter with dune and biocrust development. Furthermore, the chemistry of iron (Fe)-containing compounds such as the Fedithionite/Fetotal ratios confirmed mineral weathering and the beginning of soil profile development. The biocrusts accumulated P over time, while the P content in the underlying sediment did not change. That implies that biocrusts take up P from the geological parent material in the dunes, thereby accumulating available P in the ecosystem, which gets transferred into subsoil horizons through leaching or redeposition. The relative proportion of the bioavailable P pool (56% to 74% of Pt) increased with dune succession. That happened at the expense of more stable bound P, which was transformed into labile P. Thus, the level of plant available P along the dune chronosequences increased due to the microbial activity of the biocrust organisms. It can be concluded that biocrusts of temperate coastal dunes play a crucial role in maintaining their habitat by accumulating nutrients and organic matter, supporting soil development and subsequent vegetation.

show abstract

Sand Dunes and Their Vegetation Series

Cited by 4 publications

References 83 publications

Disentangling natural and anthropogenic drivers of native and non‐native plant diversity on North Sea islands

Disentangling natural and anthropogenic drivers of native and non‐native plant diversity on North Sea islands

Nitrogen signals and their ecological significance for seed germination of ten psammophilous plant species from European dry acidic grasslands

Successional development of the phototrophic community in biological soil crusts, along with soil formation on Holocene deposits at the Baltic Sea coast

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About