Sustaining recovered grasslands is not likely without proper management: vegetation changes after cessation of mowing

Kelemen, András; Török, Péter; Valkó, Orsolya; Deák, Balázs; Miglécz, Tamás; Tóth, Katalin; Ölvedi, Tamás B.; Tóthmérész, Béla

doi:10.1007/s10531-014-0631-8

Cited by 62 publications

(61 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…From the perspective of ecological protection and the long-term sustainable use of resources, mowing every other year is the most reasonable mowing frequency. This is similar to the results showing that while yearly mowing cannot be considered to be enough to recover target vegetation composition [28] and decreased mowing frequency (mowing in every second or third year) on the entire meadow or temporarily changing mosaics of mown and unmown stripes might be the most suitable management option for maintaining the highest biodiversity of forbs [29].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Influence of Different Mowing Systems on Community Characteristics and the Compensatory Growth of Important Species of the Stipa grandis Steppe in Inner Mongolia

Wan

Jiuyan

et al. 2016

Sustainability

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Abstract:The Stipa grandis steppe is a type of steppe in the Central Asian sub-region, and it is an important resource for livestock production in China. Mowing is one of the main management methods for this steppe. Verifying the response of the Stipa grandis steppe communities to different mowing frequencies is essential for the rational utilization of pastures and the protection and recovery of natural steppe. In this study, we investigated the community characteristics and compensatory growth of important species of the Stipa grandis steppe community under four mowing frequencies (TAY: twice a year; OAY: once a year; OTY: once every other year; NM: no mowing/enclosure), and found that different frequencies of mowing significantly influenced the community characteristics and the compensatory growth of dominant plant species. In the enclosure, species density was significantly lower, and height and biomass were significantly greater than in the mowing treatments. At the beginning of the growing season, mowing had a significant impact on the individual miniaturization of Stipa grandis, Leymus chinensis, and Anemarrhena asphodeloides. Mowing also had a significant impact on the diversity of the community. The Shannon diversity index, the Pielou evenness index, and the richness index were higher under OTY than other mowing frequencies. Under different mowing frequencies, growth rates were significantly different after the aboveground portions were cut, while the levels of biomass were not significantly different. Stipa grandis, Leymus chinensis, and Anemarrhena asphodeloides had less compensatory height growth under OAY compared to the other treatments; however, there were no significant differences in the relative growth rates of the three species under different treatments. Stipa grandis exhibited equivalent compensatory height growth; both Leymus chinensis and Anemarrhena asphodeloides exhibited over-compensatory growth. Based on the results of community characteristics and the compensatory growth of the dominant species, mowing every other year is currently the most practical mowing system.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Influence of Different Mowing Systems on Community Characteristics and the Compensatory Growth of Important Species of the Stipa grandis Steppe in Inner Mongolia

Wan

Jiuyan

et al. 2016

Sustainability

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“…However, the dense canopy of perennial graminoids likely suppressed the spontaneous establishment of target species (Kelemen et al. , ), although in the sown fields, we found no correlation between cover of perennial graminoids and cover and species richness of spontaneously immigrated target species. The inclusion of B. inermis in the seed mixture can further increase microsite limitation in case of improper management.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 67%

“…After a successful project, restored grasslands can be utilized as pastures or hay meadows and can support local animal husbandry (Kelemen et al. ). In order to solve the problems associated with abandoned fields, to increase the area of grasslands and to support local animal husbandry, the European Union strongly supports agri‐environmental subsidies for grassland restoration.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Abandonment of croplands: problem or chance for grassland restoration? case studies from hungary

Valkó

Deák²,

Török

et al. 2016

Ecosyst Health Sustain

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In Central‐ and Eastern Europe, the collapse of socialist regimes resulted in a transformation of state‐owned agricultural cooperatives to privately owned lands from the early 1990s onwards. These socioeconomic processes resulted in landscape‐scale changes in biodiversity, ecosystem services and agricultural production. In parallel, large‐scale abandonment of croplands, especially on sandy, salty or frequently inundated areas, became common. Abandoned croplands are usually sensitive to species invasions, and are hotspots of noxious weeds, posing threats both to agriculture and nature conservation. Grassland restoration on former croplands can be an effective strategy for suppressing these species. Thus, a common goal of nature conservation and agriculture can be the restoration of grasslands on former croplands to (1) suppress weed and/or invasive species in line with the EU policy “Good Farming Practices”, (2) support animal husbandry by creating meadows or pastures, and to (3) recover biodiversity and ecosystem services. In the present paper we report “best practices” of grassland restoration projects from Hungary. Our aim was to compare the effectiveness of spontaneous grassland recovery vs. active grassland restoration by seed sowing in terms of the recovery of biodiversity and ecosystem services, such as weed control and biomass production. Our results showed that grassland restoration on abandoned fields offers a viable solution for restoring biodiversity and ecosystem services. Seed sowing ensures higher weed control and biomass production, but results in lower biodiversity compared to spontaneous recovery. Both restoration methods can be cost‐effective, or even profitable even within a relatively short period of a nature conservation project.

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“…In the study sites, hand mowing was performed three times a year, which supported higher vegetation openness compared to kurgans mown once a year by machinery. More frequent hand mowing was likely to be more effective in weed control than less frequent mowing by machinery and, at the early mowing dates, weeds could be removed before their seeds ripened (Kelemen et al 2014). By hand mowing, it was also possible to give an advantage to introduced species by avoiding cutting them before seed ripening.…”

Section: Seed Sowingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cultural heritage and biodiversity conservation – plant introduction and practical restoration on ancient burial mounds

Valkó¹,

Tóth²,

Kelemen³

et al. 2018

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Linking the conservation of cultural heritage and natural values provides a unique opportunity for preserving traditional landscapes and receives an increased awareness from stakeholders and society. Ancient burial mounds are proper objects of such projects as they are iconic landscape elements of the Eurasian steppes and often act as refugia for grassland specialist species. The aim of this project was to reintroduce grassland plant species to burial mounds for representing them as cultural monuments with the associated biodiversity for the public. The effectiveness of seed sowing, transplanting greenhouse-grown plants and individuals from threatened populations on burial mounds in Hortobágy National Park, Hungary was tested. The following questions were answered: (1) which method is the most effective for species introduction? (2) which species can establish most successfully? (3) how does management affect the species establishment rates? It was found advisable to use a combination of seed sowing and transplanting greenhouse-grown plants. Sowing was found as a cost-effective method for introducing large-seeded species, whilst introduction of greenhouse-grown transplants warranted higher establishment rates for a larger set of species. Transplanting adult individuals was more reliable regardless of management regimes, however this method is labour-intensive and expensive. Intensive management, like mowing with heavy machinery and intensive grazing, should be avoided in the first few years after introduction. The authors CONSERVATION IN PRACTICE Launched to accelerate biodiversity conservation A peer-reviewed open-access journalOrsolya Valkó et al. / Nature Conservation 24: 65-80 (2018) 66 highlighted the fact that introducing characteristic grassland species on cultural monuments offers a great opportunity to link issues of landscape and biodiversity conservation. This project demonstrated that, by the revitalisation of cultural monuments, cultural ecosystem services can also be restored.

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Sustaining recovered grasslands is not likely without proper management: vegetation changes after cessation of mowing

Cited by 62 publications

References 38 publications

Influence of Different Mowing Systems on Community Characteristics and the Compensatory Growth of Important Species of the Stipa grandis Steppe in Inner Mongolia

Influence of Different Mowing Systems on Community Characteristics and the Compensatory Growth of Important Species of the Stipa grandis Steppe in Inner Mongolia

Abandonment of croplands: problem or chance for grassland restoration? case studies from hungary

Cultural heritage and biodiversity conservation – plant introduction and practical restoration on ancient burial mounds

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