Ecological Studies on the Porton Ranges: Relationships Between Vegetation, Soils and Land-Use History

Wells, T. C. E.; Sheail, John; Ball, D. F.; Ward, Lena K.

doi:10.2307/2258775

Cited by 124 publications

(65 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…The intermediate position of the ex-arable field of the nature reserve (last ploughed in 1959) between the new restoration fields and the ancient grassland on axis 1 of the DCA indicates, however, that time allocated to succession also plays an important role for the vegetation of grasslands on ex-arable fields as suggested by Wells et al (1976) and Gibson and Brown (1991). At this site, many target species had already invaded by natural dispersal during the last 40 years but others were still lacking due to slow dispersal or limited colonisation ability in the dense vegetation.…”

Section: Effects Of Hay Transfer On Species Richness and Species Compmentioning

confidence: 99%

Establishment and persistence of target species in newly created calcareous grasslands on former arable fields

Kiehl

Pfadenhauer

2006

Plant Ecol

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The effects of different restoration measures and management variants on the vegetation development of newly created calcareous grasslands were studied in southern Germany from 1993 to 2002. In 1993, fresh seed-containing hay from a nature reserve with ancient calcareous grasslands was transferred onto ex-arable fields with and without topsoil removal. Nine years after start of the restoration, the standing crop was lower and the cover of bare soil was higher on topsoil-removal sites than on sites without soil removal. Topsoil removal had a positive effect on the proportion of target species (class FestucoBrometea), because the number and cover of productive meadow species (class Molinio-Arrhenatheretea) were reduced. Persistence of hay-transfer species and the number of newly colonizing target species were highest on topsoilremoval sites. On plots with and without soil removal, species richness and the number of target species increased quickly after hay transfer and were always higher on hay-transfer plots than on plots that had not received hay in 1993. In 2002, differences induced by hay transfer were still much more pronounced than differences between management regimes. Management by mowing, however, led to higher species richness, a greater number of target species and a lower number of ruderals in comparison to no management on restoration fields without soil removal. A detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) indicated that vegetation composition of the hay-transfer plots of the restoration fields still differed from the vegetation of ancient grasslands in the nature reserve. Vegetation of an ex-arable field in the nature reserve (last ploughed in 1959) showed an intermediate successional stage. In general our results indicate that the transfer of autochthonous hay is an efficient method for the restoration of species-rich vegetation, which allows not only quick establishment but also long-term persistence of target species.

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Section: Effects Of Hay Transfer On Species Richness and Species Compmentioning

confidence: 99%

Establishment and persistence of target species in newly created calcareous grasslands on former arable fields

Kiehl

Pfadenhauer

2006

Plant Ecol

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“…2013). Wells (1976) recommended a stocking density of three sheep/0.4 ha for the grazing of chalk downland, to produce a sward height of ca 5 cm by the end of the growing season, but grazing management can be complex, particularly for sites rich in flora and fauna, and at least two of the study sites where T. integrifolia was absent support nationally important populations of the butterflies Euphydryas aurinia and Hamearis lucina, both of which require a taller sward than is optimal for T. integrifolia and other low-growing hemicryptophytes (Turner et al 2009;Smee et al 2011).…”

Section: Grazing Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-term changes in lowland calcareous grassland plots using Tephroseris integrifolia subsp. integrifolia as an indicator species

2017

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We investigated the changes to calcareous grassland plots within protected sites, and whether Tephroseris integrifolia subsp. integrifolia can act as a useful indicator species for re-visitation studies within vegetation predicted to remain relatively stable. Twenty-two plots located across lowland England and all formerly containing T. integrifolia were resurveyed following the methodology used in the original survey undertaken in the 1960s. Pseudoturnover and between-observer bias were minimised by sampling replicate quadrats at each fixed plot using a single surveyor and at a similar time of year as the original survey. Qualitative details concerning grazing management were obtained for all sites. In contrast to other long-term re-visitation studies, all our study plots were intact and retained diverse, herb-rich vegetation, demonstrating the value of site protection. However, there were clear shifts in vegetation composition, most notably where T. integrifolia was absent, as shown by an increase in Ellenberg fertility and moisture signifying nutrient enrichment, and a decrease in the cover of low-growing, light-demanding specialists, with a change likely to be associated predominantly with grazing management. Whereas in the mid-20th century the greatest threat to calcareous grassland was habitat loss, undergrazing or temporary neglect now appears to pose the principal threat. Distinctive species such as T. integrifolia with marked sensitivity to habitat change provide a potentially useful tool for rapid assessment and monitoring of site quality. Focusing monitoring on such species allows non-expert observers to recognise the early stages of habitat degradation, providing, in effect, a ''health check'' on individual sites and groups of sites.

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“…They were used as a vineyard before 1914 and sheep-grazed from then to approximately 1950 (Liger, 1952). These former agricultural practices on previously arable areas still have some effects on the composition of the chalk grassland (Wells et at., 1976), with the presence of typical weeds from old vineyards (e.g. AUium sphaerocephalum, Muscari racemosum, Thlaspi perfoliatum).…”

Section: Study Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

Permanent seed banks in chalk grassland under various management regimes: their role in the restoration of species-rich plant communities

Dutoit

Alard

1995

Biodivers Conserv

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A survey was carded out on four stands of a chalk grassland (open, intensively grazed, tall and scrub) in order to monitor the permanent soil seed bank under various management regimes responsible for the decline of the ecological interest of this ecosystem. There was no real similarity between the seed banks and the associated vegetation, except in the intensively grazed stand. When vegetation changes, seed banks appear to be quite stable and are mostly dominated by three species ( Centaurium erythraea, Origanum vulgare, Hypericum perforatum ). The seed bank seems to be quite useless in order to restore a species-rich community after both grazing intensification or abandonment. Because recolonization processes are the critical factor, the management of species-rich grassland has to be designed with a view to preserving a given plant community as well as to improving dispersion processes from a source to target areas.

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Ecological Studies on the Porton Ranges: Relationships Between Vegetation, Soils and Land-Use History

Cited by 124 publications

References 20 publications

Establishment and persistence of target species in newly created calcareous grasslands on former arable fields

Establishment and persistence of target species in newly created calcareous grasslands on former arable fields

Long-term changes in lowland calcareous grassland plots using Tephroseris integrifolia subsp. integrifolia as an indicator species

Permanent seed banks in chalk grassland under various management regimes: their role in the restoration of species-rich plant communities

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