The conservation management of upland hay meadows in Britain: a review

Jefferson, R.

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2494.2005.00489.x

Cited by 33 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Many species‐rich meadows are traditionally managed by hay cutting, use of farmyard manure (FYM) and occasional liming (Ellenberg ; Rodwell ; Tallowin ; Crofts & Jefferson ; Jefferson ), yet sustainable practices to maintain their botanical diversity are still ill defined. Furthermore, no previous study has examined the impacts of FYM on vegetation when matched with inorganic fertilizers supplying equivalent amounts of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecologically sustainable fertility management for the maintenance of species‐rich hay meadows: a 12‐year fertilizer and lime experiment

Kirkham¹,

Tallowin

Dunn

et al. 2013

Journal of Applied Ecology

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Summary1. Increased use of artificial fertilizers has caused widespread loss of species-rich grasslands throughout Britain and mainland Europe. Species-rich meadows are traditionally managed by hay cutting, use of farmyard manure (FYM) and occasional liming, but sustainable fertility management to maintain their botanical diversity is ill defined. 2. This study measured vegetation responses to fertilizers and lime applied over 12 years to species-rich upland and lowland mesotrophic hay meadows in the UK. Treatments consisted of three rates of FYM applied annually or triennially, inorganic fertilizers giving equivalent amounts of N, P and K to two of the annual and two of the triennial FYM treatments, and lime applied either alone or with annual or triennial FYM. 3. Farmyard manure at 24 tonnes ha À1 year À1 reduced total species richness and the richness of positive indicator species at both meadows and increased aggregate cover of negative indicator species. Lower rates of FYM application were also detrimental at the lowland meadow, but not at the upland one. Inorganic fertilizers were no more damaging to plant species richness than equivalent FYM treatments. 4. At the upland meadow, vegetation quality was maintained by continuing past FYM inputs (12 t ha À1 year À1 ), but improved at lower rates. At the lowland meadow, which has no recent history of fertilizer use, rates equivalent to only ≤4 tonnes FYM ha À1 year À1 were sustainable.Evidence was slight of vegetation adapting to increased inputs at either meadow. Between-meadow differences in vulnerability to treatments apparently reflected differences in site-specific factors, particularly past management, rather than differences in plant community type. 5. Synthesis and applications. Relatively modest fertility inputs can reduce the ecological value of meadows with no recent history of such inputs, whereas moderate inputs of fertilizer and lime will be ecologically sustainable in meadows adapted to a long history of application. Decisions on sustainable levels of fertilizer use to maintain or enhance botanical diversity of grassland should be based on knowledge of soil physical and chemical status and past fertility management. Inorganic fertilizers are no more damaging than farmyard manure when applied at equivalent amounts of N, P and K.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecologically sustainable fertility management for the maintenance of species‐rich hay meadows: a 12‐year fertilizer and lime experiment

Kirkham¹,

Tallowin

Dunn

et al. 2013

Journal of Applied Ecology

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“…A great deal of research has been conducted on the biodiversity, conservation and restoration of hay meadow systems in Europe (Smith et al 2000, Jefferson 2005, Knop et al 2006, Marini et al 2008. In contrast, very little research has been conducted for native hay meadows of the tallgrass prairie region.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of hay management and native species sowing on grassland community structure, biomass, and restoration

Foster

Kindscher

Houseman

et al. 2009

Ecological Applications

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Abstract. Prairie hay meadows are important reservoirs of grassland biodiversity in the tallgrass prairie regions of the central United States and are the object of increasing attention for conservation and restoration. In addition, there is growing interest in the potential use of such low-input, high-diversity (LIHD) native grasslands for biofuel production. The uplands of eastern Kansas, USA, which prior to European settlement were dominated by tallgrass prairie, are currently utilized for intensive agriculture or exist in a state of abandonment from agriculture. The dominant grasslands in the region are currently high-input, low-diversity (HILD) hay fields seeded to introduced C 3 hay grasses. We present results from a long-term experiment conducted in a recently abandoned HILD hay field in eastern Kansas to evaluate effects of fertilization, haying, and native species sowing on community dynamics, biomass, and potential for restoration to native LIHD hay meadow.Fertilized plots maintained dominance by introduced grasses, maintained low diversity, and were largely resistant to colonization throughout the study. Non-fertilized plots exhibited rapid successional turnover, increased diversity, and increased abundance of C 4 grasses over time. Haying led to modest changes in species composition and lessened the negative impact of fertilization on diversity. In non-fertilized plots, sowing increased representation by native species and increased diversity, successional turnover, and biomass production. Our results support the shifting limitations hypothesis of community organization and highlight the importance of species pools and seed limitations in constraining successional turnover, community structure, and ecosystem productivity under conditions of low fertility. Our findings also indicate that several biological and functional aspects of LIHD hay meadows can be restored from abandoned HILD hay fields by ceasing fertilization and reintroducing native species through sowing. Declines in primary production and hay yield that result from the cessation of fertilization may be at least partially compensated for by restoration.

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“…Timing of hay cutting has been considered both in relation to single species and to whole communities (e.g. Smith and Jones, 1991;Kirkham and Tallowin, 1995;Lennartsson, 1997;Jefferson, 2005;Svensson and Carlsson, 2005;Dahlström et al, 2013). Therefore, an important component of management of remaining species-rich meadows is to find suitable timing of hay cutting (Humbert et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Historic hay cutting dates from Sweden 1873–1951 and their implications for conservation management of species-rich meadows

Eriksson

Bolmgren

Westin

et al. 2015

Biological Conservation

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The conservation management of upland hay meadows in Britain: a review

Cited by 33 publications

References 25 publications

Ecologically sustainable fertility management for the maintenance of species‐rich hay meadows: a 12‐year fertilizer and lime experiment

Ecologically sustainable fertility management for the maintenance of species‐rich hay meadows: a 12‐year fertilizer and lime experiment

Effects of hay management and native species sowing on grassland community structure, biomass, and restoration

Historic hay cutting dates from Sweden 1873–1951 and their implications for conservation management of species-rich meadows

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