The state of sown meadow communities of different intensity of management (intensive and extensive using) over the period of 10-14 years of running was evaluated at Graisupis Experimental Field Station, Lithuania. Comparison of study data on intensively and extensively used sown meadows enabled to ascertain that intensity of sown meadows succession depends upon the character of grassland management. The positive correlation between the number of vascular plant species and sown meadow age revealed that botanical diversity of species in extensively used grassland restores much faster (r E = 0,95) than under intensive management conditions (r I = 0,59).
Jarašius L., Matulevičiūtė D., Pakalnis R., Sendžikaitė J., Lygis V., 2014: Drainage impact on plant cover and hydrology of Aukštumala raised bog (western Lithuania) [Sausinimo įtaka Aukštumalos aukštapelkės hidrologinėms sąlygoms ir augalinei dangai]. -Bot. Lith., 20(2): 109-120.One-third of the former Aukštumala raised bog (western Lithuania) has been preserved as Telmological Reserve since 1995, while the remaining territory is still under active industrial peat mining or are abandoned peat harvesting fields. The present study was carried out in 2013 and aimed to assess long-term human impact on the structure of plant cover and hydrology of Aukštumala raised bog. On the basis of vegetation assessment (Twinspan analysis), four habitat types were identified: i) active raised bog, ii) degraded raised bog drained by ditches, iii) contact zone of the bog and the peat mining fields and iv) recently burnt areas. The largest anthropogenic impact on vegetation cover was found in the degraded raised bog drained by the ditches and in the burnt area, where the proportion of plant species atypical to ombrotrophic raised bogs was the highest. Water electrical conductivity negatively correlated (r = -0.57) with bog water level, whereas correlation between pH and bog water level was weaker (r = -0.38). Water level in the active raised bog was significantly higher than in the rest three habitat types. Electrical conductivity values in the active raised bog were significantly lower compared to the degraded raised bog and burned area habitats. In order to recreate favourable conditions for peat accumulation and natural functioning of bog ecosystem, mean bog water level should be raised at least up to -32 cm (the optimum water level assigned for most of the typical ombrotrophic species fell into the range of -20 --32 cm).
Sendžikaitė J., Pakalnis R., Gudžinskas Z., 2013: Changes in botanical diversity of sown grasslands due to naturalization and extensive management [Sėtų pievų botaninės įvairovės kaitos dėl žolynų natūralėjimo ir ekstensyvaus naudojimo]. -Bot. Lith., 19(2): 99-110The paper deals with sown grassland naturalization models related to changes in botanical diversity of extensively managed meadows under temperate climate conditions. The vegetation surveys were carried out in Sėliškės and Polyma Experimental Field Stations (Lithuania). Based on our research data and literature sources (on the investigation of Lithuanian natural meadows), we developed the following hypothetical models of sown grassland naturalization: vascular plant species constancy alteration chronocline, vascular plant species constancy and productivity alteration topocline and a scheme of sown grassland naturalization on hilly landscape. Here we consider extensive management and naturalization as one of most natural and requiring minor investments method for grassland restoration.
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