Top‐soil translocation as a technique in the re‐creation of species‐rich meadows

Vécrin, M.P.; Müller, Serge

doi:10.1111/j.1654-109x.2003.tb00588.x

Cited by 47 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…This was mainly due to expansion of competitive grasses, which also consecutively colonized the area surrounding the turf. Our results therefore show, in agreement with other studies (Bruelheide & Flintrop 2000;V ecrin & Muller 2003;Aradottir 2012;Jaunatre et al 2014), that turf transfer successfully supports spread of target species, although the community undergoes significant changes and does not fully resemble the original donor community (Bullock 1998). Our results also stress the need for long-term monitoring (Dole zal et al 2011), since the most important changes took place more than 3 yrs after the turf transfer and could, therefore, not have been recorded in our previous study concerning the same experiment (Klime s et al 2010).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

“…Whether transplantation of turfs is generally applicable and successful in meadow restoration is still an open question. The results of previous attempts seem promising, at least from a short-term perspective, but it is not clear how the plants are affected by local conditions over a longer period of time (Bullock 1998;Kailov a 2000;V ecrin & Muller 2003;Trueman et al 2007;Aradottir 2012). In this study we resampled an established experiment in which a potential positive effect on the restoration process by overcoming diaspore limitation via turf transfer was explored from 2002 to 2004(Klime s et al 2010.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Restoring species‐rich meadow by means of turf transplantation: long‐term colonization of ex‐arable land

Mudrák

Fajmon

Jongepierová

et al. 2016

Applied Vegetation Science

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Question Do transplanted turfs of preserved meadow vegetation enrich ex‐arable land with species and promote meadow restoration? If so, can this ecologically non‐random process be predicted by plant functional traits? Are transplanted turfs stable over time while preserving their high species richness or do they change in composition, for instance, due to weeds expanding from the surrounding ex‐arable land? Methods In the experiment, 25 meadow turfs 40 cm × 40 cm × 30 cm in size were transplanted to ex‐arable land. Species composition and cover were monitored in the transferred turfs and their surroundings in three 40 cm × 40 cm plots positioned in a row (transplant, adjacent and distant surrounding area) for a period of 12 yrs. Location Bílé Karpaty Mts., SE Czech Republic. Results With the turfs, 80 species were transferred, 53 of which were recorded in the turf surrounding ex‐arable land. After 9 yrs, the number of species (on average 16 per plot) did not differ between the turf and its surroundings. Most of these species had been transferred and are typical of the local meadow vegetation, making up most of the plant cover. Weedy species, originally abundant on the ex‐arable land, did not penetrate the turf and retreated with time. The species composition converged between the turf and its surroundings, but it also changed from that of the turf source meadow. This was mainly due to the expansion of the strongly competitive grass Brachypodium pinnatum at the expense of Bromus erectus. The species that spread best to the arable land had a high leaf dry matter content. Species with the best performance in the turf had high ability for lateral clonal spread. Conclusion Turf transplantation promoted the establishment of target meadow species on ex‐arable land and supported restoration of meadow vegetation, but plant species composition changed from the turf source meadow, and expansion of target species from the turf into the surrounding area required a long time period.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Restoring species‐rich meadow by means of turf transplantation: long‐term colonization of ex‐arable land

Mudrák

Fajmon

Jongepierová

et al. 2016

Applied Vegetation Science

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“…Of the sown species Holcus lanatus, Plantago lanceolata and Trifolium pratense established successfully at both experimental sites. Similar results have been reported from other restoration experiments using sowing, where environmental conditions favour the establishment of species that occur naturally on fertile soils and have a wide ecological niche (Pywell et al , 2003Vécrin & Muller 2003). The dominance of Holcus lanatus at the Sunnybrae experimental site does draw attention to the choice of species in the sown mixture.…”

Section: Seed Addition and Sowing Datesupporting

confidence: 84%

The influence of seed addition and cutting regime on the success of grassland restoration on former arable land

Lawson

Ford²,

Mitchley

2004

Applied Vegetation Science

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Questions: Can seed addition enhance the success of establishing species‐rich grassland on former arable land? Are sowing date and cutting regime important in determining success? Location: Aberdeen and Elgin, northeast Scotland, United Kingdom. Methods: A field experiment was conducted at two sites to assess the effect of seed addition, sowing date and cutting regime on the vegetation developing on former arable land, the aim being to compare the success of different treatments at producing a species‐rich grassland. Results: Sowing a seed mix resulted in the establishment of vegetation very distinct from the species‐poor vegetation dominated by perennial grasses which otherwise developed, though establishment success of the sown grassland species was highly variable between sites. Where establishment of the sown species was poor, sowing date had no significant effect on species composition, whereas the cutting regime was very important. Cutting the vegetation significantly increased both the number and abundance of sown species compared with the uncut control. Conversely, where establishment had been good, the cutting regime in the first year had little effect on species composition. Cutting the vegetation at least twice a year appeared to be the most effective management over the length of the experiment. Conclusions: Sowing a seed mixture significantly reduced the abundance and number of naturally colonising species, effectively controlling problem weed species such as Senecio jacobaea and Cirsium vulgare, highlighting the agronomic value of sowing seed mixtures on fallow farmland. The sowing of a seed mix on former arable land has demonstrated that it is feasible to create vegetation similar in character to that of species‐rich grasslands.

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“…Most new meadow and some nonmeadow species in the translocated ecosystem were detected only after the transfer, and were most likely derived from seeds deposited in the soil bank. This phenomenon was previously observed in translocated meadows by Vécrin and Muller (2003). Other species, especially invasive ones (e.g., S. species.…”

Section: Vegetationsupporting

confidence: 72%

Rapid change in forms of inorganic nitrogen in soil and moderate weed invasion following translocation of wet meadows to reclaimed post‐industrial land

et al. 2019

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Anthropogenic expansion and loss of natural environments calls for the more sustainable use of resources, including land. To combine the conservation of highly valuable meadow habitat with reclamation of post‐industrial land, 1.3 ha of turf were translocated from an urban area to basins constructed near an abandoned quarry. In contrast to the usual method of choosing similar habitats as salvage sites, the selected quarry possessed different environmental properties to the meadows, challenging their acclimatisation. To evaluate the project, we monitored three meadows (Molinion caeruleae alliance) for three seasons: immediately before the transfer and for 2 years afterwards. We recorded vegetation composition in tandem with 27 physico‐chemical properties of the soil. In the first year following translocation, enrichment of soil in total calcium, potassium, sodium, and sulphur was noted. The contents of available phosphorus, nitrogen, and magnesium, as well as soil pH, were lower in the second year. The domination of ammonia over nitrate, which is characteristic of wetlands, decreased markedly. Water holding capacity slowly decreased as well, suggesting humus decomposition. The plant communities maintained their high level of diversity, and the dominance of characteristic meadow species continued. However, an increase in the number of weeds was observed, along with the replacement of some meadow plant species by others. We conclude that if a receptor site does not resemble a habitat type of a donor site, the ecosystem becomes more human‐dependent and requires site‐specific aftercare. In this case, the active control of competitive and ruderal species invasion and moisture management is required.

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Top‐soil translocation as a technique in the re‐creation of species‐rich meadows

Cited by 47 publications

References 22 publications

Restoring species‐rich meadow by means of turf transplantation: long‐term colonization of ex‐arable land

Restoring species‐rich meadow by means of turf transplantation: long‐term colonization of ex‐arable land

The influence of seed addition and cutting regime on the success of grassland restoration on former arable land

Rapid change in forms of inorganic nitrogen in soil and moderate weed invasion following translocation of wet meadows to reclaimed post‐industrial land

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