Winners and losers in a long-term study of vegetation change at Moor House NNR: Effects of sheep-grazing and its removal on British upland vegetation

Milligan, G. C.; Rose, Robert J.; Marrs, Rob H.

doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2015.10.053

Cited by 28 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…Our study also agrees with Milligan et al. (), who found no variation in the abundance of sedges and rushes in ungrazed hill pasture plots in North Wales. This is probably because grazing pressures are usually lower in the wetter flushes and mire habitats in which they generally occur (Ross, Woodin, Hester, Thompson, & Birks, ).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

“…There was also a decrease in grass cover at Creag an Lochain, which has been recorded in some other grazer removal experiments in northern grasslands or upland communities across Britain and Europe (Huhta, Rautio, Tuomi, & Laine, ; Miller et al., ; Milligan et al., ). This may be explained by greater light competition and litter accumulation, while the increased bryophyte cover and reduced bare ground could be related to a lack of sheep trampling (Miller et al., ).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 61%

“…() erected sheep‐proof cages each spring for 10 years to investigate their effects on an alpine dwarf‐herb community, Hill et al. () excluded sheep from hill pasture plots in North Wales for up to 24 years and Milligan, Rose, and Marrs () assessed the effects of sheep grazing versus no sheep grazing at Moor House NNR over a 28‐ to 44‐year period. However, such experiments typically utilise small‐sized exclosures but vegetation change could differ considerably if grazing pressures are reduced over much larger geographic scales, i.e., entire hillsides or reserves (Milligan et al., ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Grazing exclusion and vegetation change in an upland grassland with patches of tall herbs

Watts

Griffith²,

Mackinlay³

2019

Applied Vegetation Science

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Questions:The hydrophilous tall herb community is an important refuge for grazing-sensitive broad-leaved flowering plants. It is distributed throughout upland Europe but overgrazing has contributed to an unfavourable conservation status. To guide tall herb restoration, we asked: (a) Does using grazing exclusion where the tall herb habitat is confined to cliff ledge patches promote an expansion into the grassland below? (b) Does this management negatively affect vascular plant diversity?Location: Ben Lawers NNR, Scotland.Methods: Large herbivores have been excluded from a 180-ha area containing patches of outcrops rich in tall herb habitat. Using 1999 and 2017 surveys of permanent plot transects located in the grassland below (Before-After design), we quantify impacts on community composition and tall herb abundance.Results: Species diversity remained constant although total species richness declined slightly and tall herb species richness increased significantly. There was a large expansion in tall herb cover (+29.67%) and a corresponding decrease in grass cover (−26.16%), as well as smaller increases in bryophytes and small herbs and a reduction in bare ground. Community composition shifted significantly from species typical of upland calcareous grassland towards those found in tall herb habitats. Seven tall herb species were amongst those showing the greatest increase in cover, along with taller grasses and understory herbs. Grazing tolerant grasses and low-growing, prostrate and annual herbs decreased. Competition for light, rather than resilience to herbivory, now has a major influence on the vegetation. Conclusions:Using grazing exclusion where the tall herb habitat is largely confined to patches on cliff ledges facilitates an expansion into the upland grassland below.Although this management favours species tolerant of shadier conditions, there is no evidence of a negative impact on vascular plant community composition. It is therefore an effective strategy for promoting the restoration and favourable condition of this grazing-sensitive habitat.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 61%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Grazing exclusion and vegetation change in an upland grassland with patches of tall herbs

Watts

Griffith²,

Mackinlay³

2019

Applied Vegetation Science

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“…as Calluna vulgaris, R. repens and V. myrtillus (Milligan, Rose, & Marrs, 2016). This was less true for the Molinia mire and Agrostis-Festuca grassland which showed little change when grazing was removed;…”

Section: Are Upland Plant Communities Stable In Response To Changedmentioning

confidence: 94%

Long‐term impacts of changed grazing regimes on the vegetation of heterogeneous upland grasslands

Pakeman

Fielding

Everts

et al. 2019

Journal of Applied Ecology

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1. Marginal agricultural land, which in the UK refers to upland grazings in particular, is going to see changes in management driven by markets, subsidies, grants and environmental change with implications for biodiversity. Using a large-scale, long-term grazing experiment in the UK uplands we assessed the impact of intensification (tripling sheep numbers), abandonment (removal of sheep) and grazer diversification (partial replacement of sheep by cattle) on vegetation composition in a heterogenous area of grassland. 3. Species benefiting from increased grazing included sweet vernal grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum), mat grass (Nardus stricta) and deer grass (Trichophorum cespitosum). Species that benefitted from the removal of grazing included bog asphodel (Narthecium ossifragum), bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) and blaeberry (Vaccinium myrtillus). 4. Responses differed between vegetation communities; more productive acid grassland communities showed little change when grazing was removed, whilst less productive mire communities contained species, capable of increasing after grazing removal. Increased grazing and, to a lesser extent, the introduction of cattle increased species diversity. 5. Synthesis and applications. Marginal agricultural grassland will likely see management change driven by markets, subsidies and environmental change. Vegetation change in these relatively infertile grasslands is slow and features shuffling dominance amongst species in the initial vegetation. Initial structural changes affect other trophic levels in this experiment; the slow change in composition will affect the system over longer timescales. Management decisions in the uplands encompass complex trade-offs between production, biodiversity and a range of ecosystem services. Predicting the consequences of decisions is difficult given the slow dynamics of unproductive habitats.

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“…Nitrogen additions can limit Sphagnum growth directly (Granath, Strengbom, & Rydin, 2012) or by increasing competition (Malmer, Albinsson, Svensson, & Wallén, 2003), and can favour C. introflexus (Field et al, 2014;Southon et al, 2012). Grazing is also widespread on many peatlands and experimental work has shown varying responses among plant species (Milligan, Rose, & Marrs, 2016). Further knowledge of the relationship between grazing and peatland vegetation on a national scale may help when weighing up economic, cultural and conservation concerns.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Prescribed burning, atmospheric pollution and grazing effects on peatland vegetation composition

Noble

Palmer

Glaves

et al. 2017

Journal of Applied Ecology

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Abstract1. Peatlands are valued for ecosystem services including carbon storage, water provision and biodiversity. However, there are concerns about the impacts of land management and pollution on peatland vegetation and function.2. We investigated how prescribed vegetation burning, atmospheric pollution and grazing are related to vegetation communities and cover of four key taxa (Sphagnum spp., Calluna vulgaris, Eriophorum vaginatum and Campylopus introflexus) using two datasets from a total of 2,013 plots across 95 peatland sites in the UK.3. Non-metric multidimensional scaling and permutational multivariate analysis of variance showed differences in vegetation community composition between burned and unburned plots at regional and national scales.4. Analysis showed that burned sites had less Sphagnum and greater C. vulgaris cover on a national scale. On a regional scale, plots burned between 2 and 10 years ago had greater cover of invasive moss C. introflexus and less E. vaginatum than unburned sites. 5. Livestock presence was associated with less Sphagnum and C. vulgaris, while atmospheric pollution was associated with less Sphagnum, but greater C. introflexus cover, and appeared to have more impact on burned sites.6. Synthesis and applications. Burning, grazing and atmospheric pollution are associated with peatland vegetation composition and cover of key species, including Sphagnum. We suggest that, to promote cover of peat-forming species, peatlands should not be routinely burned or heavily grazed. Current or historical atmospheric pollution may hinder peat-forming species, particularly on burned sites.

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Winners and losers in a long-term study of vegetation change at Moor House NNR: Effects of sheep-grazing and its removal on British upland vegetation

Cited by 28 publications

References 40 publications

Grazing exclusion and vegetation change in an upland grassland with patches of tall herbs

Grazing exclusion and vegetation change in an upland grassland with patches of tall herbs

Long‐term impacts of changed grazing regimes on the vegetation of heterogeneous upland grasslands

Prescribed burning, atmospheric pollution and grazing effects on peatland vegetation composition

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