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Heather, Calluna vulgaris, is a key species of European dry heath and central determinant of its conservation status. The established Calluna life cycle concept describes four phases—pioneer, building, mature, and degeneration—distinguishable by growth and vitality characteristics of undisturbed plants grown from seeds. However, little is known about the life cycle and ageing of plants subjected to severe disturbance, although measures to this effect (burning, mowing) are common in heathland management. We studied the vitality of over 400 heather plants by examining multiple morphological (plant height, long shoot and inflorescence lengths, flowering activity), anatomical (growth rings) and environmental (management, nitrogen deposition, climate) attributes. We found Calluna vitality to be mainly determined by the aboveground stem age, and that severe disturbances promote vigorous vegetative regeneration. Ageing-related shifts in the habit and vitality of plants resprouting from stem-base buds is similar to that of seed-based plants, but the former revealed higher vitality when young, at the cost of a shorter life span. In contrast, plants originating from decumbent stems resemble building-stage plants but apparently lack the capacity to re-enter a cycle including stages other than degeneration-type. As a consequence, we supplemented the established heather life cycle concept with a post-disturbance regeneration cycle of plants derived from resprouting. We conclude that management of dry lowland heathlands should include rotational small-scale severe disturbance to support both seed germination and seedling establishment as well as vegetative regeneration chiefly of young heather plants capable of resprouting from buds near rootstock.

Calluna vulgaris (Ericaceae) is the most widespread and prevalent woody species of the European dry heathland, from the African side of the Strait of Gibraltar to northern Europe. However, previous biogeographic analyses of this species have ignored the western Mediterranean region, despite its preponderant role as a major glacial refugium for European biota. Here, we explore the existence of further Pleistocene glacial refugia for C. vulgaris in the Iberian Peninsula and the Strait of Gibraltar area and provide new insights into the post-glacial colonization of Europe by this emblematic heathland species. We carried out phylogeographical analyses of C. vulgaris samples from 44 locations using four plastid markers (matK, trnH-psbA, trnL-F and rpl16). We built palaeodistribution models using MAXENT to identify possible refugia for C. vulgaris during the mid-Pliocene, Last Interglacial (LIG), Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and mid-Holocene. Our results identified a genetic lineage exclusive to the Strait of Gibraltar area s.l. (south-western Iberian Peninsula and north-western tip of Africa) as the most probable close to the clade of origin of the species. This lineage also had more private haplotypes than more recent, Eurosiberian clades. The obtained data highlighted two main refugia for C. vulgaris during the LGM, one around the Strait of Gibraltar and another in the north-western Iberian Peninsula. The Strait of Gibraltar area is a major centre of origin or glacial refugium for the heather C. vulgaris. However, the north-western Iberian Peninsula seems to have acted as a secondary glacial refugium for the more recent, Eurosiberian lineage of this species. This study stresses the importance of the Strait of Gibraltar area in the biogeographic history and conservation of the heather and, by extension, the European heathland habitat.

The response of soil microbial communities to a changing climate will impact global biogeochemical cycles, potentially leading to positive and negative feedbacks. However, our understanding of how soil microbial communities respond to climate change and the implications of these changes for future soil function is limited. Here, we assess the response of soil bacterial and fungal communities to long-term experimental climate change in a heathland organo-mineral soil. We analysed microbial communities using Illumina sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and ITS2 region at two depths, from plots undergoing 4 and 18 years of in situ summer drought or warming. We also assessed the colonisation of Calluna vulgaris roots by ericoid and dark septate endophytic (DSE) fungi using microscopy after 16 years of climate treatment. We found significant changes in both the bacterial and fungal communities in response to drought and warming, likely mediated by changes in soil pH and electrical conductivity. Changes in the microbial communities were more pronounced after a longer period of climate manipulation. Additionally, the subsoil communities of the long-term warmed plots became similar to the topsoil. Ericoid mycorrhizal colonisation decreased with depth while DSEs increased; however, these trends with depth were removed by warming. We largely ascribe the observed changes in microbial communities to shifts in plant cover and subsequent feedback on soil physicochemical properties, especially pH. Our results demonstrate the importance of considering changes in soil microbial responses to climate change across different soil depths and after extended periods of time.

The maintenance of protected lichen species and their biodiversity in general depends on good management practices based on their distribution and habitat preferences. To date, 10 of the 17 protected lichen species of Hungary have been recorded in the Bakony Mts including the Balaton Uplands region. Habitat preferences of three protected Cladonia species (C. arbuscula, C. mitis and C. rangiferina) growing on underlying rocks of red sandstone, basalt, Pannonian sandstone and gravel were investigated by detailed sampling. We recorded aspect, underlying rock type, soil depth, pH and CaCO3 content, habitat type (as defined by the General National Habitat Classification System Á-NÉR), all species of lichen, bryophyte and vascular plants as well as percentage cover of exposed rock, total bryophytes, lichens, vascular plants and canopy, degree of disturbance and animal impacts. Sporadic populations of these species mostly exist at the top of hills and mountains in open acidofrequent oak forests, but they may occur in other habitats, such as closed acidofrequent oak forests, slope steppes on stony soils, siliceous open rocky grasslands, open sand steppes, wet and mesic pioneer scrub and dry Calluna heaths. Cladonia rangiferina was found to grow beneath higher canopy cover than either C. arbuscula or C. mitis in the Balaton Uplands. Furthermore, there were significant differences in canopy cover between occupied and unoccupied quadrats in the case of all three species. Cladonia rangiferina is a good indicator species of natural habitats in Hungary due to its restricted distribution and low ecological tolerance. These results may lead to the adoption of effective conservation methods (e.g. game exclusion, artificial dispersal) in the future.

The increasing dominance of purple moor-grass Molinia caerulea in heathland ecosystems in the UK is of growing concern due to its detrimental impact on plant and animal diversity on sites of nature conservation interest. The use of free-ranging ponies to reduce Molinia dominance was investigated from 2017 to 2019 within a 425 ha site on Dartmoor, UK. Salt blocks were used to attract the ponies to a Molinia-dominated area of heath within the site, away from their previously-preferred grazing areas. The impact of pony grazing was assessed by measurements of vegetation structure and plant species composition. The increased presence of ponies in the vicinity of the salt blocks increased the percentage occurrence of bare ground, reduced sward surface height, reduced percentage occurrence of Molina and increased the germination of heather Calluna vulgaris seedlings. The conclusions of this research are that salt blocks can be used to attract ponies to graze targeted areas of Molinia-dominated heathland. Through their grazing and trampling, ponies can reduce the dominance of Molinia, leading to an increase in the germination and establishment of heather seedlings.

In this article, we examined the indicative value of a relationship between two non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs), fungal HdV-10, related to the presence of Calluna vulgaris, and HdV-31A, which is testate amoeba – Archerella flavum. Both are frequently present on slides designated for pollen analysis, prepared from Sphagnum peat. We analysed three profiles from three extensive ombrotrophic peatlands in northern Poland, in which the content of testate amoebae (TA) was examined and TA-inferred depth to the water table (DWT) was reconstructed. The new analysis of palynological samples regarding NPPs revealed that strong increases in HdV-10 content were mostly simultaneous to HdV-31A declines. However, the relations between both types were not statistically significant. The rapid increases in HdV-10, despite the fact that this type of conidiospores is related to drier habitats on peatlands, were tentatively interpreted as an indicator of rapid rises in the water table level which, in consequence, might have stimulated the production of these spores by fungi. In addition, a negative correlation between HdV-31A and Arcella discoides and positive one, but weaker, in case of HdV-10 (attributed by some authors to species Trichocladium opacum (Corda) S Hughes) and A. discoides show a link between mutual fluctuations of both NPPs and hydrological instabilities on peatland. The Bagno Kusowo bog, the westernmost peatland subjected to the study, displayed an intriguing agreement between the presence of peat sections with strong increases in HdV-10 and cold climate events affecting Europe. Our study reveals that counting even a limited number of NPP types during the standard pollen analysis of Sphagnum peat may support the interpretation of results, especially, in cases when the investigation lacks testate amoeba analysis. When the reconstruction of TA-inferred DWT is provided, it may introduce additional information about the patterns of hydrological dynamics.

Prunus serotina is one of the worst invasive alien plants throughout Europe, able to rapidly replace autochthonous vegetation and form monospecific stands both in open lands and forested areas. Invasion by shrubs and trees due to abandonment of traditional management practices, is one of the major threats to the conservation of “European dry heaths”, a priority habitat included in the Council Directive 92/43/EEC. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of P. serotina invasion on heathland vegetation in terms of species composition and cover, with special regards to the dominant Calluna vulgaris and Molinia arundinacea, in an area of North-Western Italy subjected to massive invasion by this alien species. We collected data on the plant cover along an invasion gradient in 10 linear transects running from P. serotina invaded stands towards non invaded ones. P. serotina differently affected the heathland vegetation. In particular, the cover of C. vulgaris and other typical heathland species such as Cytisus scoparius sharply decreased at P. serotina cover increasing. On the contrary, positive or no effect of P. serotina cover was found on M. arundinacea. Our results showed that shaded conditions created by the alien tree disfavored light demanding C. vulgaris and C. scoparius, enabling fast grower M. arundinacea to outcompete and replace them. This study emphasizes the urgency to develop management strategies to effectively control P. serotina spread in the area and to restore typical heathland species.

Blanket peatlands are globally rare, and many have been severely eroded. Natural recovery and revegetation (‘self-restoration’) of bare peat surfaces are often observed but are poorly understood, thus hampering the ability to reliably predict how these ecosystems may respond to climatic change. We hypothesised that morphometric/topographic-related microclimatic variables may be key controls on successional pathways and vegetation patterning in self-restoring blanket peatlands. We predicted the occurrence probability of four common peatland plant species (Calluna vulgaris, Eriophorum vaginatum, Eriophorum angustifolium, and Sphagnum spp.) using a digital surface model (DSM) generated from drone imagery at a pixel size of 20 cm, a suite of variables derived from the DSM, and an ensemble learning method (random forests). All four species models provided accurate fine-scale predictions of habitat suitability (accuracy > 90%, area under curve (AUC) > 0.9, recall and precision > 0.8). Mean elevation (within a 1 m radius) was often the most influential variable. Topographic position, wind exposure, and the heterogeneity or ruggedness of the surrounding surface were also important for all models, whilst light-related variables and a wetness index were important in the Sphagnum model. Our approach can be used to improve prediction of future responses and sensitivities of peatland recovery to climatic changes and as a tool to identify areas of blanket peatlands that may self-restore successfully without management intervention.

The distribution of Calluna minor in Nizhny Novgorod oblast is described on the basis of published sources, herbaria, and original data. This species prefers water bodies with well-warmed shallow areas and high mineralization. This species should be included in the regional Red Data Book due to its location at the edge of its distribution. It is advisable to increase the rarity level of this species in the region. Recommendations on its conservation are proposed.

Clear—cuttings cause significant changes in boreal forest ecosystems and have long-term effects on populations of understory plants. The aim of our studies was to determine the impact of clear-cuttings on understory mosses and vascular plants populations after clear-cuttings. The species diversity of particular populations in mature stands before cuttings and after one year was determined. Results of investigations corroborated changes in coverage, frequency, and prominence value of predominant Ericaceae plants. We determined the different response of Vaccinium vitis-idaea L., V. myrtillus L. and Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull. Plant species that are particularly sensitive to clear—cuttings have been identified also. Assessing the viability of moss populations in mature forest stands and deforested areas showed that moss species are most sensitive to environmental changes after clear—cuttings. These investigations could justify the conservation of sensitive forest plant populations and non-wood forest resources.

The potential of vegetation recovery through resprouting of plant tissue from buds after the removal of aboveground biomass is a key resilience strategy for populations under abrupt environmental change. Resprouting leads to fast regeneration, particularly after the implementation of mechanical mowing as part of active management for promoting open habitats. We investigated whether recovery dynamics of resprouting and the threat of habitat conversion can be predicted by optical and structural stand traits derived from drone imagery in a protected heathland area. We conducted multivariate regression for variable selection and random forest regression for predictive modeling using 50 spectral predictors, textural features and height parameters to quantify Calluna resprouting and grass invasion in before-mowing images that were related to vegetation recovery in after-mowing imagery. The study reveals that Calluna resprouting can be explained by significant optical predictors of mainly green reflectance in parental individuals. In contrast, grass encroachment is identified by structural canopy properties that indicate before-mowing grass interpenetration as starting points for after-mowing dispersal. We prove the concept of trait propagation through time providing significant derivates for a low-cost drone system. It can be utilized to build drone-based decision support systems for evaluating consequences and requirements of habitat management practice.

The coastal heathland of Western Europe, dominated by Calluna vulgaris L., was previously maintained by prescribed-burning and grazing to the extent that the Calluna became anthropogenically adapted to regular burning cycles. This 5000&ndash, 6000-year-old land management practice was essential for local biodiversity and created a vegetation free from major wildland fires. In Norway, recent neglect has, however, caused accumulation of live and dead biomass. Invasion of juniper and Sitka spruce has resulted in limited biodiversity and increasing wildland fire fuels. At the Kringsj&aring, cabin and sheep farm, Haugesund, an area of previous fire safe heathland has been restored through fire-agriculture. Kringsj&aring, is located close to several important Viking Age sites and the Steinsfjellet viewpoint, a popular local tourist destination. The motivation for the present study is to analyse this facility and investigate possibilities for synergies between landscape management and tourism as a route to sustainable transitions. The present study compares restored heathland vegetation with unmanaged heathland at Kringsj&aring, The potential for activities is also analysed based on the proximity to the tourist attractions in the region. The Kringsj&aring, area demonstrates different vegetation conditions depending on level of afforestation, Calluna heath maintenance, and gracing. Within a few minutes&rsquo, walk, dense Sitka spruce communities with desert-like forest floor may be compared to native forest floors, Calluna dominated heathland, and grazing fields. It turns out that Kringsj&aring, may become a showcase for resuming prescribed burning and grazing for fire-safe rich landscapes, while offering cultural and historical experiences for all age groups. Moreover, tourism may become a source of income required for supporting ongoing restoration initiatives. To start working on a common vision, preferably aligned with existing "Homeland of the Viking Kings" tourism approach, should be one of the first steps along this path.

The New Zealand tea tree Leptospermun scoparium (mānuka) is widely known for the antimicrobial properties of its honey. Mānuka is native to New Zealand, growing in a range of environments, including the Central Volcanic Plateau of the North Island, where it is currently threatened by the spread of exotic invasive weeds such as heather (Calluna vulgaris) and Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius). Here, we characterise for the first time the aboveground volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by mānuka in this area, during summer and winter seasons, in weed-invaded and non-invaded stands. We measured plant volatiles at four sites, each with a distinct combination of woody species: (1) conspecific stands of mānuka; (2) mānuka and another native species (Dracophyllum subulatum); and mānuka with one of two European invasive plants, (3) heather or (4) Scotch broom. We also quantified herbivore damage on target mānuka plants and analysed microclimatic variables (soil nutrients, air temperature and soil water content) to investigate their impact on volatile emissions. Our results reveal a strong seasonal effect on volatile emissions, but also significant differences between sites associated with biotic and abiotic changes partly driven by invasive plants. Overall, volatile emission rates from mānuka were typically lower at sites where invaders were present. We point to several factors that could contribute to the observed emission patterns and areas of interest for future research to provide a comprehensive understanding of VOC emissions in nature. Given the vital role of volatile compounds in plant communication, we also recommend future studies to be performed in multiple seasons, with larger sample sizes and more study sites to expand on these findings and explore the ecological impacts of changes in VOC emissions during plant invasion.

Vegetation at ecotone transitions between open and forested areas is often heavily affected by two key processes: climate change and management of large herbivore densities. These both drive woody plant state shifts, determining the location and the nature of the limit between open and tree or shrub‐dominated landscapes. In order to adapt management to prevailing and future climate, we need to understand how browsing and climatic factors together affect the growth of plants at biome borders. To disentangle herbivory and climate effects, we combined long‐term tree growth monitoring and dendroecology to investigate woody plant growth under different temperatures and red deer (Cervus elaphus) herbivory pressures at forest–moorland ecotones in the Scottish highlands. Reforestation and deer densities are core and conflicting management concerns in the area, and there is an urgent need for additional knowledge. We found that deer herbivory and climate had significant and interactive effects on tree growth: in the presence of red deer, pine (Pinus sylvestris) growth responded more strongly to annual temperature than in the absence of deer, possibly reflecting differing plant–plant competition and facilitation conditions. As expected, pine growth was negatively related to deer density and positively to temperature. However, at the tree population level, warming decreased growth when more than 60% of shoots were browsed. Heather (Calluna vulgaris) growth was negatively related to temperature and the direction of the response to deer switched from negative to positive when mean annual temperatures fell below 6.0°C. In addition, our models allow estimates to be made of how woody plant growth responds under specific combinations of temperature and herbivory, and show how deer management can be adapted to predicted climatic changes in order to more effectively achieve reforestation goals. Our results support the hypothesis that temperature and herbivory have interactive effects on woody plant growth, and thus accounting for just one of these two factors is insufficient for understanding plant growth mechanics at biome transitions. Furthermore, we show that climate‐driven woody plant growth increases can be negated by herbivory. © 2020 The Authors. Ecological Applications published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Ecological Society of America This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.

Background and Aims Plant secondary metabolites play critical roles in plant stress tolerance and adaptation, and are known to be influenced by the environment and climate changes, yet the impacts and interactions of multiple climate change components are poorly understood, particularly under natural conditions. Methods Accumulation of phenolics and emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were assessed on heather, Calluna vulgaris, an abundant evergreen dwarf shrub in European heathlands, after 6 years of exposure to elevated CO2, summer drought and nighttime warming. Key Results Drought alone had the strongest effects on phenolic concentrations and compositions, with moderate effects of elevated CO2 and temperature. Elevated CO2 exerted the greatest impact on VOC emissions, mainly by increasing monoterpene emissions. The response magnitudes varied among plant tissue types and chemical constituents, and across time. With respect to interactive effects of the studied climate change components, the interaction between drought and elevated CO2 was most apparent. Drought mainly reduced phenolic accumulation and VOC emissions, while elevated CO2 mitigated such effects. Conclusions In natural ecosystems, co-occurring climate factors can exert complex impacts on plant secondary metabolite profiles, which may in turn alter ecosystem processes.

Tree planting is increasingly being proposed as a strategy to combat climate change through carbon (C) sequestration in tree biomass. However, total ecosystem C storage that includes soil organic C (SOC) must be considered to determine whether planting trees for climate change mitigation results in increased C storage. We show that planting two native tree species (Betula pubescens and Pinus sylvestris), of widespread Eurasian distribution, onto heather (Calluna vulgaris) moorland with podzolic and peaty podzolic soils in Scotland, did not lead to an increase in net ecosystem C stock 12 or 39 years after planting. Plots with trees had greater soil respiration and lower SOC in organic soil horizons than heather control plots. The decline in SOC cancelled out the increment in C stocks in tree biomass on decadal timescales. At all four experimental sites sampled, there was no net gain in ecosystem C stocks 12-39 years after afforestation-indeed we found a net ecosystem C loss in one of four sites with deciduous B. pubescens stands; no net gain in ecosystem C at three sites planted with B. pubescens; and no net gain at additional stands of P. sylvestris. We hypothesize that altered mycorrhizal communities and autotrophic C inputs have led to positive 'priming' of soil organic matter, resulting in SOC loss, constraining the benefits of tree planting for ecosystem C sequestration. The results are of direct relevance to current policies, which promote tree planting on the assumption that this will increase net ecosystem C storage and contribute to climate change mitigation. Ecosystem-level biogeochemistry and C fluxes must be better quantified and understood before we can be assured that large-scale tree planting in regions with considerable pre-existing SOC stocks will have the intended policy and climate change mitigation outcomes.

Winter temperatures are projected to increase in Central Europe. Subsequently, snow cover will decrease, leading to increased soil temperature variability, with potentially different consequences for soil frost depending on e.g. altitude. Here, we experimentally evaluated the effects of increased winter soil temperature variability on the root associated mycobiome of two plant species (Calluna vulgaris and Holcus lanatus) at two sites in Germany; a colder and wetter upland site with high snow accumulation and a warmer and drier lowland site, with low snow accumulation. Mesocosm monocultures were set-up in spring 2010 at both sites (with soil and plants originating from the lowland site). In the following winter, an experimental warming pulse treatment was initiated by overhead infrared heaters and warming wires at the soil surface for half of the mesocosms at both sites. At the lowland site, the warming treatment resulted in a reduced number of days with soil frost as well as increased the average daily temperature amplitude. Contrary, the treatment caused no changes in these parameters at the upland site, which was in general a much more frost affected site. Soil and plant roots were sampled before and after the following growing season (spring and autumn 2011). High-throughput sequencing was used for profiling of the root-associated fungal (ITS marker) community (mycobiome). Site was found to have a profound effect on the composition of the mycobiome, which at the upland site was dominated by fast growing saprotrophs (Mortierellomycota), and at the lowland site by plant species-specific symbionts (e.g. Rhizoscyphus ericae and Microdochium bolleyi for C. vulgaris and H. lanatus respectively). The transplantation to the colder upland site and the temperature treatment at the warmer lowland site had comparable consequences for the mycobiome, implying that winter climate change resulting in higher temperature variability has large consequences for mycobiome structures regardless of absolute temperature of a given site.

Global change drivers can interact in synergistic ways, yet the interactive effect of global change drivers, such as climatic warming and species invasions, on plant pollination are poorly represented in experimental studies. We paired manipulative experiments to probe two mechanistic pathways through which plant invasion and warming may alter phenology and reproduction of native plant species. In the first, we tested how experimental warming (+1.7°C) modulated flowering phenology and how this affected flowering overlap between a native plant (Dracophyllum subulatum) and an invasive plant (Calluna vulgaris L.). In the second experiment, we explored how variation in the ratio of native to invasive flowers, and the overall quantity of resources in a floral patch, affected the reproduction of the native species. We hypothesized that the flowering overlap of native and invasive plants would be altered by warming, given that invading plants typically exhibit greater phenological plasticity than native plants. Further, we hypothesized that pollination of native plant flowers would decrease in floral patches dominated by invasive plant flowers, but that this effect would depend on total floral density in the patch. As predicted, the invasive plant had a stronger phenological response to experimental warming than the native plant, resulting in increased flowering overlap between the native the invasive plants. There was a four-fold increase in the number of native flowers co-flowering with high densities of invasive flowers suggesting native plant competition for pollinators with invasive plants under a warmed climate. In the second experiment, we found depressed seed masses of the native species in high density floral patches that were dominated by invasive flowers relative to high density floral patches dominated by native flowers. At low floral densities, seed mass of native plants was unaffected by invasion. Together, these results demonstrate that by increasing their phenological overlap, warming may enhance the magnitude of existing competition for pollination exerted by an invasive plant on a native plant, particularly in plant patches with high floral density. Our results illustrate a novel pathway through which global change drivers can operate synergistically to alter an important ecosystem service: pollination.

The distribution of nine chloroplast DNA haplotypes in four insular North-Atlantic and four European coastal Atlantic populations of Calluna vulgaris in the glacial zone of the range has been analyzed in comparison with that in six marginal southern populations in the nonglacial zone of the Atlantic and Mediterranean regions. As a result, two hypothetical Pleistocene refugia (HPRs) for this C. vulgaris population group have been revealed, one in the Cevennes mountain range and the other in the Southern Alps (Trento). Judging from the 1–FST value, it has been found that the group of populations in the glacial Atlantic zone and adjacent European coastal Atlantic region is genetically similar to the HPR in the Cevennes at a highly significant level (p ≥ 0.999) and less similar to the HPR in Trento; however, it differs significantly from other Mediterranean and Atlantic populations. It has been concluded that the most probable hypothetical Pleistocene refugium for the recent C. vulgaris populations of the northeastern Atlantic and European coastal Atlantic regions was in the west of the Mediterranean, in the Cevennes, while the additional refugium was in the Southern Alps. Possible directions of the postglacial dispersal and recolonization of habitats by C. vulgaris populations from the western Mediterranean to the northeast of the Atlantic and to Scandinavia have been revealed.

AIMS: To apply the Landscape Reconstruction Algorithm (LRA) to pollen count data from multiple sites to estimate local vegetation abundance and compare with charcoal‐derived records of burning. LOCATION: Exmoor, southwest England, UK. METHODS: Pollen count data from 16 sites were transformed to estimates of distance‐weighted vegetation abundance using the LRA (REVEALS and LOVE models), correcting for bias in pollen production and dispersal. Charcoal concentration data from six sites were normalized using Box‐Cox transformation to produce z‐scores. Moving‐window correlation was undertaken to compare pollen percentage values for key taxa (Calluna, Poaceae) and localized burning. Estimates of distance‐vegetation abundance (LRA output) and time‐averaged charcoal z‐scores were compared to assess the role of burning as a driver for upland vegetation cover. RESULTS: Comparison of pollen percentage and normalized charcoal z‐scores show little correlation between vegetation cover and burning. Estimates of distance‐weighted vegetation abundance and normalized charcoal data show relationships between vegetation change and burning at four of the six sites. The relationships are site‐specific: three sites suggest burning promoted grass‐dominated vegetation, at one site burning promoted heather‐dominated vegetation, and in two sites there is no apparent relationship. CONCLUSIONS: The patterning of vegetation within uplands is a crucial part of ecosystem service delivery, and contemporary and future management benefits from understanding of ‘long‐term’ development, i.e. patterns over millennia. The correction of biases within pollen production and dispersal to produce local vegetation estimates has demonstrated spatial heterogeneity in vegetation cover on Exmoor that is not otherwise evident in the pollen percentage data (which retain a strong influence of the regional vegetation cover). The relationship between LRA‐derived vegetation cover and burning is not apparent in comparisons between pollen percentage data and charcoal records. This implies that studies that use pollen proportional data alone can misrepresent the relationship between vegetation cover and fire. This study demonstrates that fire has been an important part of the development of this cultural landscape.

The exact cause of population dieback in nature is often challenging to identify retrospectively. Plant research in northern regions has in recent decades been largely focussed on the opposite trend, namely increasing populations and higher productivity. However, a recent unexpected decline in remotely-sensed estimates of terrestrial Arctic primary productivity suggests that warmer northern lands do not necessarily result in higher productivity. As large-scale plant dieback may become more frequent at high northern latitudes with increasing frequency of extreme events, understanding the drivers of plant dieback is especially urgent. Here, we report on recent extensive damage to dominant, short, perennial heath and tundra plant populations in boreal and Arctic Norway, and assess the potential drivers of this damage. In the High-Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, we recorded that 8-50% of Cassiope tetragona and Dryas octopetala shoots were dead, and that the ratios of dead shoots increased from 2014 to 2015. In boreal Norway, 38-63% of Calluna vulgaris shoots were dead, while Vaccinium myrtillus had damage to 91% of shoots in forested sites, but was healthy in non-forested sites. Analyses of numerous sources of environmental information clearly point towards a winter climate-related reason for damage to three of these four species. In Svalbard, the winters of 2011/12 and 2014/15 were documented to be unusually severe, i.e. insulation from ambient temperature fluctuation by snow was largely absent, and ground-ice enforced additional stress. In boreal Norway, the 2013/14 winter had a long period with very little snow combined with extremely low precipitation rates, something which resulted in frost drought of uncovered Calluna plants. However, extensive outbreaks of a leaf-defoliating geometrid moth were identified as the driver of Vaccinium mortality. These results suggest that weather and biotic extreme events potentially have strong impacts on the vegetation state of northern lands.

On the basis of the system of ordination for the geographic zonal and provincial replacement of types of pine forests, gradients, and some geographical trends of the main parameters of the morphostructure, the growth and viability of the cenopopulations of common heather Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull between various subzones of the Russian Plain and the western part of Western Siberia (Tobolsk area) have been revealed.

Climate change influences the ecological environment and affects the recruitment of plants, in addition to population dynamics, including Scots pine regeneration processes. Therefore, the impact of cover-dominant species extracts on the germination of pine seeds and morpho-physiological traits of seedling under different environmental conditions was evaluated. Increasing temperature reinforces the plant-donor allelochemical effect, reduces Scots pine seed germination, and inhibits seedling morpho-physiological parameters. Conditions unfavourable for the seed germination rate were observed in response to the effect of aqueous extracts of 2-year-old Vaccinium vitis-ideae and 1-year-old Calluna vulgaris under changing environmental conditions.&nbsp, The lowest radicle length and hypocotyl growth were observed in response to the effect of 1-year-old C. vulgaris and 2-year-old Rumex acetosella under increasing temperature (+4 °C) conditions. The chlorophyll a + b concentration in control seedlings strongly decreased from 0.76 to 0.66 mg g−1 (due to current environmental and&nbsp, changing environmental conditions). These factors may reduce the resistance of Scots pine to the effects of dominant species and affect the migration of Scots pine habitats to more favourable environmental conditions.

The ground level of boreal pine forests consists of a dense layer of ericaceous shrubs, herbs, grasses, mosses and lichens. The primary productivity of this forest floor vegetation is notable but the role the most common ericoid dwarf shrub plant species, Calluna vulgaris, Vaccinium myrtillus and Vaccinium vitis-idaea, play in carbon (C) cycling in these ecosystems is poorly understood. Here, we studied their C dynamics in detail using plants of similar size (age 14–19 months) in a microcosm study. We determined the full C balances of these dwarf shrubs for the first time and compared them to those of Pinus sylvestris by using long-term biomass accumulation, ¹³C pulse labelling and CO₂ exchange measurements in a controlled laboratory experiment. Pinus sylvestris had significantly higher biomass-based C fluxes than dwarf shrubs, both aboveground and belowground, but the dwarf shrubs did not differ in the biomass-based fluxes. We showed that root respiration of the evergreen ericoid dwarf shrubs was sensitive to the aboveground light conditions as belowground respiration was 50–70% higher under light compared with dark conditions. Such light-related differences were not observed for Scots pine. The observed differences in C dynamics are important in estimating the origin of belowground CO₂ fluxes and in evaluating their biological relevance. Our results improve current understanding of CO₂ sources and sinks in boreal ecosystems.

The contribution of boreal forest plants to the methane (CH4) cycle is still uncertain. We studied the above and belowground CH4 fluxes of common boreal plants, and assessed the possible contribution of CH4 producing and oxidizing microbes (methanogens and methanotrophs, respectively) to the fluxes. We measured the CH4 fluxes and the amounts of methanogens and methanotrophs in the above- and belowground parts of Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Calluna vulgaris and Pinus sylvestris seedlings and in non-planted soil in a microcosm experiment. The shoots of C. vulgaris and P. sylvestris showed on average emissions of CH4, while the shoots of the Vaccinium species indicated small CH4 uptake. All the root-soil-compartments consumed CH4, however, the non-rooted soils showed on average small CH4 emission. We found methanotrophs from all the rooted and non-rooted soils. Methanogens were not detected in the plant or soil materials. The presence of plant roots seem to increase the amount of methanotrophs and thus CH4 uptake in the soil. The CH4 emissions from the shoots of C. vulgaris and P. sylvestris demonstrate that the plants have an important contribution to the CH4 exchange dynamics in the plant-soil systems.

Throughout the last decades, Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull heathlands have declined across Europe and nowadays their conservation is particularly challenging at the southern edge of their distribution. In the Nature Reserve of Vauda (north-western Italy), six restoration treatments were applied (extensive annual goat browsing, one-off mowing, annual mowing, one-off fire without and with annual browsing, and annual fire) and their effects on plant diversity and the cover of C. vulgaris, its competitor grass Molinia arundinacea Schrank, woody, and alien species were monitored between 2005 and 2011. In the short-term, most of the treatments changed the vegetation community, reducing C. vulgaris cover according to a gradient of increasing biomass removal. In the mid-term, C. vulgaris, M. arundinacea, woody and alien species cover followed different trajectories according to the treatment and functional group. Annual fire shifted the vegetation towards a M. arundinacea-dominated community, while extensive annual browsing did not affect the heathland community and resulted in the lowest increase in M. arundinacea, which showed a remarkable fitness in these environments. Moreover, annual burning and mowing were effective in reducing woody species encroachment (p < 0.05), and fire treatments triggered a peak in alien species cover (mainly Panicum acuminatum Swartz) in the short-term. Six years after treatment, species richness and Shannon index did not differ between treated and control sites (p > 0.05). In conclusion, these results highlight the need and potential benefit of integrating multiple techniques to preserve C. vulgaris heathlands at their southern edge.

Little is known about nutrient balances and the effect of different management measures on coastal heathlands, which differ in habitat structure and nutrient deposition from the more well-investigated inland heaths. This investigation aims at documenting management effects in a coastal heathland on the island of Hiddensee, northeastern Germany, and to recommend suitable management measures for this heathland type. Soil and vegetation samples were taken, and the development of vegetation was monitored after a number of restoration measures such as sod-cutting, choppering, Heirieten (= manual removal of over-aged Calluna vulgaris) and mowing. Effects from grazing were estimated based on own and literature data, and the possible effect of burning was calculated. Finally, the potential gain of renewable energy was considered. A positive correlation between mineral soil nutrient concentrations and share of grasses in the vegetation indicates increasing grass-encroachment due to eutrophication. Areas with heavily grass-encroached, overaged Calluna developed a vegetation poor in grass cover and with dense, healthy Calluna after sod-cutting, choppering, mowing and Heirieten. Nutrient balance calculations indicate that high-intensity measures (sod-cutting, choppering, Heirieten) counteract 450, 250 and 90 years of nutrient deposition, respectively. A combination of low-intensity measures such as mowing, sheep grazing, burning and regular shrub clearance is recommended to preserve a high biodiversity, to rejuvenate Calluna vegetation and to achieve a balanced nutrient budget in Baltic coastal heathlands, where atmospheric nutrient deposition is far lower than in western Europe. Contrary to inland heathlands, mowing seems to be sufficient even for an initial restoration of heavily grass-encroached areas.

Dominant plant species established in the understory of clear-cuts may have a strong biochemical influence on pine regeneration process, with important consequences for reforestation management. We evaluated and compared the total phenolic content and the allelopathic activity of acqueous extracts from both roots and shoots of dominant plant species established in 1-yr-old and 2-yr-old clear-cuts of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stands in Lituania. The highest total content of phenolic compounds was detected in the lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.) shoots from 1-yr-old and 2-yr-old clear-cuts, as well as in the common heather (Calluna vulgaris [L.[ Hull) shoots from 1-yr-old clear-cuts. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to identify and quantify the allelochemicals present in the active fraction to determine their possible role in allelopathy. The highest variety and content of phenolic compounds were observed in shoot extracts of the dominant species from both 1-yr-old and 2-yr-old clear-cuts. Scots pine seed germination and seedling growth were significantly and negatively correlated with ρ-coumaric acid and sinapic acid content, while Scots pine seedling growth was significantly and negatively correlated with ferulic, caffeic and hydroxycinnamic acids contents. The highest contents of these phenolic acids were determined in aqueous extracts of C. vulgaris from 1-yr-old clear-cuts and Rumex acetosella L. of 2-yr-old clear-cuts, which exerted a strong phytotoxicity on Scots pine seed germination. Moreover, morphometric parameters of Scots pine seedlings were most sensitive to aqueous extracts of V. vitis-idaea shoots from both 1-yr-old and 2-yr-old clear-cuts and R. acetosella shoots from 2-yr-old clear-cuts.

The abandonment of traditional pastoralism as well as the use of heath areas for military purposes has had a major impact on dry heaths in the Continental biogeographical region of Europe, causing severe degradation of its key species Calluna vulgaris (L.) HULL. The reproductive potential of this species in a Continental climate is assumed to be low, although there is yet no observational or experimental evidence for this. More knowledge is also needed about cost-effective and sustainable measures to restore abandoned dry heaths in this biogeographical region, because traditional management options are often too expensive (e.g., sod-cutting) or restricted due to environmental laws and the danger of unexploded ammunition (e.g., burning). Using as an example an 800 ha Continental heathland in Germany that has been abandoned for about two decades, we studied the reproductive potential (seed production, soil seed bank, and germination ability) of degenerate C. vulgaris stands. In addition, we conducted a comprehensive field experiment to test the effects of low-intensity, year-round grazing by Heck cattle and Konik horses as well as one-time mowing and patchy exposure of bare soil on the generative rejuvenation (i.e., recruitment and survival) of degenerate C. vulgaris stands over 3 years. We used generalized linear mixed models for statistical analyses. Seed production of degenerate C. vulgaris stands was high as well as the germination ability of their seeds, being similar to Atlantic heathlands. However, soil seed-bank densities were lower than those found in managed or abandoned Atlantic heaths. Overall seedling recruitment in the field was considerably lower in comparison with Atlantic heaths. Low-intensity grazing or one-time mowing did not induce a substantial increase in C. vulgaris recruitment, whereas an additional one-time creation of bare soil patches or the one-time creation of bare soil without subsequent management significantly facilitated seedling recruitment and survival in the first year. However, from the second year on, the positive effect of the creation of bare soil without subsequent management was no longer present. In the third year, survival of juveniles was significantly supported by low-intensity grazing in combination with shallow soil disturbances as well as in combination with one-time mowing and shallow soil disturbances, whereas mowing alone resulted in marginally significant lower survival. The extremely low seedling recruitment requires a careful choice of suitable management measures to promote the survival of sufficient numbers of Calluna individuals. Therefore, we recommend low-intensity grazing with free-ranging robust breeds and the combination of this with one-time mowing as an effective means of supporting generative rejuvenation of C. vulgaris in degraded heaths. However, at the beginning of the restoration process, the creation of bare soil patches for seedling recruitment is crucial. For implementation into practice, we present different strategies to enhance the proportion of bare soil after long-term abandonment of heaths when traditional management options are no longer feasible.

As different plant species support different soil communities, assessment of climate change impacts on soil communities must consider how these impacts depend on the vegetation. We investigate soil community responses to global change under different co-occurring plant species. In a heathland FACE-experiment, we modelled projected global changes by increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration (to 510 ppm) and soil temperature by 1 °C at 2 cm depth (with night-time reflectance curtains) and reducing summer precipitation for 2–5 weeks annually (with rain-out curtains). We assessed nematode community trophic composition and bacterial and fungal abundance in soil under the dominant plant species Calluna vulgaris and Deschampsia flexuosa in the spring, 10 months after the last experimental drought period. Fungal dominance increased relative to bacterial under elevated CO2. Similarly, elevated CO2 increased abundance of fungivorous nematodes relative to bacterivorous nematodes. Decreased precipitation did not affect the abundances of microorganisms or nematodes, and there were only few effects of warming. Fungivorous nematodes dominated under C. vulgaris, whereas bacterivorous nematodes were relatively more abundant under D. flexuosa. Abundances of plant feeding and omnivorous/predatory nematodes were higher under D. flexuosa than under C. vulgaris. This supports the hypothesis that more carbon will flow through fungal than bacterial channels when below-ground allocation of photosynthetically-derived C increases without a corresponding soil nitrogen increase. Further, as different plant species are associated with distinct belowground decomposer communities, vegetation shifts induced by future CO2 and climate regimes will also shift belowground communities with consequences for decomposition dynamics.

There is little knowledge of the effects of landform relief on early growth dynamics and competitive interactions of Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine) stands on inland dunes, which could potentially be substantial. The goal of this study was to examine and compare early dynamics (based on growth parameters and properties of the understorey vegetation) and the effects of slope aspect in naturally regenerated and pine-planted woodland on inland dunes in northern Poland. Growth parameters, tree density, and understorey vegetation were monitored on north- and south-facing slopes in a 26.3 ha post-fire area with natural secondary succession and eight even-aged pine-planted stands, 5-34 years old. Clear differences were detected between the woodland types, in both growth parameters of pines with similar ages and effects of slope aspect on the pines. In the natural regeneration area north-facing slopes provided favorable conditions for natural encroachment by pines. Tree density was higher, and the pines were taller and thicker, on north-facing than on south-facing slopes. In contrast, in the pine-planted area pines were larger on south-facing slopes, although growth conditions were less favorable than on north-facing slopes. However, in the pine-planted area the north-facing slopes had significantly higher herb cover, dominated by Deschampsia flexuosa, indicating that even the presence of a relatively low grass species can impede early growth of Scots pine. The understorey species composition differed in the natural regeneration area, being dominated by Calluna vulgaris on north-facing slopes and Corynephorus canescens on south-facing slopes. The results reveal that interactions between landform, natural dynamics, planting practices, and competitive interactions in woodlands on inland dunes are complex, and should be considered in efforts to manage them efficiently.

Most plant species display a certain degree of spatial aggregation that may play an essential role in plant community dynamics, e.g. in regulating the importance of interspecific competitive interactions. Here, the hypothesis that the degree of spatial aggregation may be regulated by environmental drivers such as nitrogen deposition or precipitation is tested. The degree of spatial aggregation of Calluna vulgaris was investigated using spatial pin-point cover data from 3797 Danish dry heathland plots. The pin-point cover data was analyzed using the Polya-Eggenberger distribution, where one of the parameters measures the degree of spatial aggregation. The degree of spatial aggregation was found to covary positively with nitrogen deposition and negatively with precipitation. The degree of spatial aggregation was found to decrease with time. The observed patterns of spatial and temporal covariation need to be followed up by more mechanistic cause and effect studies of the effect of environmental drivers on spatial aggregation.

Calluna vulgaris-dominated habitats are valued for ecosystem services such as carbon storage and for their conservation importance. Climate and environmental change are altering their fire regimes. In particular, more frequent summer droughts will result in higher severity wildfires. This could alter the plant community composition of Calluna habitats and thereby influence ecosystem function. To study the effect of fire severity on community composition we used rain-out shelters to simulate drought prior to experimental burns at two Calluna-dominated sites, a raised bog and a heathland. We analysed species abundance in plots surveyed ca. 16 months after fire in relation to burn severity (indicated by fire-induced soil heating). We found that fire severity was an important control on community composition at both sites. Higher fire severity increased the abundance of ericoids, graminoids and acrocarpous mosses, and decreased the abundance of pleurocarpous mosses compared to lower severity fires. At the raised bog, the keystone species Sphagnum capillifolium and Eriophorum vaginatum showed no difference in regeneration with fire severity. Species and plant functional type beta-diversity increased following fire, and was similar in higher compared to lower severity burns. Our results further our understanding of the response of Calluna-dominated habitats to projected changes in fire regimes, and can assist land managers using prescribed fires in selecting burning conditions to achieve management objectives.

Structural equation models are highly suited for evaluating ecosystem-level hypotheses, but to be effective, structural equation models need to be able to accommodate spatial and temporal data. Here, the importance of different abiotic and biotic drivers on wet heathland vegetation is investigated using a spatio-temporal structural equation model in a hierarchical Bayesian framework. Ecological data from 39 Danish sites, each with several wet heathland plots, were sampled in the period 2007–2014. Including resampling over the years, 1322 plots were sampled. Plant cover was measured using the pin-point method and the joint distribution of the key plant species in the wet heathland ecosystem, Erica tetralix, Calluna vulgaris, Molinia caerulea, and an aggregate class of other higher plants was estimated assuming a Dirichlet-multinomial mixture distribution. The investigated drivers of wet heathland vegetation include nitrogen deposition, soil type, pH, precipitation and grazing. Generally, the two dwarf shrubs, E. tetralix and C. vulgaris, responded in qualitatively similar ways to the abiotic variables and qualitatively oppositely to the way the grass M. caerulea and the aggregate class of other higher plants. Furthermore, the spatial effects were qualitatively similar to the temporal effects. The two dwarf shrub species were most likely positively affected by nitrogen deposition, soil pH, sandy soils, low precipitation, and the absence of grazing. The study demonstrated that important insight on ecosystem dynamics and regulation can be obtained by spatial and temporal structural equation modeling in a hierarchical Bayesian framework and that the proper statistical modeling of the joint species abundance is a key feature of such models. Furthermore, the advantages of partitioning different types of uncertainties become clear when the fitted structural equation model is used for predictive purposes at a specific site.

In alpine habitats, the seasonally marked climatic conditions generate seasonal and spatial differences in forage availability for herbivores. Vegetation availability and quality during the growing season are known to drive life history traits of mountain ungulates. However, little effort has been made to understand the association between plant phenology and changes in the foraging strategies of these mountain dwellers. Furthermore, this link can be affected by the seasonal presence of livestock in the same meadows. The objective of this work was to study the seasonal changes in diet composition of Pyrenean chamois (Rupicapra p. pyrenaica) and its relationship to primary production trends in a Mediterranean alpine environment. Moreover, diet composition in two populations with contrasting livestock pressure was compared in order to study the effect of sheep flocks on the feeding behaviour of chamois. From 2009 to 2012, monthly diet composition was estimated by cuticle microhistological analysis of chamois faeces collected in the eastern Pyrenees. The primary production cycle was assessed by remote sensing, using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index. Additionally, the diet of sheep sharing seasonally the subalpine and alpine meadows with chamois was analysed. Diet selection of chamois and sheep and their overlap was also assessed. Our results show an intra-annual variation in the diet composition of Pyrenean chamois and demonstrate a strong relationship between plant consumption dynamics and phenology in alpine areas. In addition, Calluna vulgaris, Cytisus spp. and Festuca spp., as well as forbs in the summer, are found to be key forage species for Pyrenean chamois. Furthermore, this study couldn't detect differences between both chamois populations despite the presence of sheep flocks in only one area. However, the detection of a shift in the diet of chamois in both areas after the arrival of high densities of multi-specific livestock suggest a general livestock effect. In conclusion, Pyrenean chamois are well adapted to the variations in the seasonal availability of plants in alpine habitats but could be disturbed by the seasonal presence of livestock. Due to the key plants in their diet, we suggest that population management programmes should focus on the preservation of mixed grasslands composed of patches of shrubs and herbs. The effects of climate change and shrub expansion should be studied as they may potentially affect chamois population dynamics through changes in habitat composition and temporal shifts in forage availability.

International audience; Background and aims: The co-existence of large number of competing plant species with the same basic needs is a major question in ecology, particularly when this involves closely related species. Methods: We investigated the ecology of six heather species (Calluna vulgaris & Erica spp., Ericaceae) able to cohabit in the same heathlands. We characterised the ionome, i.e. the mineral composition of the plants using a sampling strategy specifically designed to control for soil effects. Nine plant communities in Limousin, France, were investigated, representing eight combinations of different species, on serpentine and non-serpentine substrates. Results: Ionome was influenced by both taxonomic and environmental factors with significant interactions between them. We found that species growing in sympatry had distinct ionomic profiles, i.e. they differ in their leaf mineral content, suggesting different nutritional strategies. Different mycorrhizal associations may be hypothesised to explain these different chemical signatures. Conclusions: Differential use of the soil nutrients could explain the co-existence of closely related species. It may also explain the diversity of certain shrubby ecosystems or large shrubby genera such as Erica. Ionomics is therefore a promising tool for ecological studies in non-model organisms.

Fungi are a highly diverse group of organisms and play a significant role in decomposition and carbon cycling in boreal ecosystems. To determine how fungal communities are structured in peat bogs and how to obtain representative samples for monitoring fungal community changes, we separately sampled and sequenced (ITS2, Illumina MiSeq) peat, mixed litter and litter from individual dominant plant species in five permanent plots in raised bogs in the Jizerske Hory Mountains (Czech Republic). In total, we detected 68–103 OTUs per plot. The fungal assemblages were mostly influenced by substrate identity, whereas the effect of the site was minimal. Only a few identified OTUs behave like generalists. The most specific fungi were found in dead parts of Calluna vulgaris, Trichophorum cespitosum and Drosera rotundifolia. The high substrate heterogeneity means that sequencing soil core samples does not provide an exhaustive inventory of the fungal diversity in bogs. Poor correspondence was observed between the recorded OTUs and either visually inspected fruitbodies or literature reports on the fungal taxa associated with the analysed substrates.

Plaggic Anthrosols are the result of historical forms of land management in cultural landscapes on chemically poor sandy substrates. Application of plaggic manure was responsible for the development of the plaggic horizons of these agricultural soils. Pollen diagrams reflect aspects of the environmental development but the interpretation of the pollen spectra is complicated due to the mix of the aeolian pollen influx of crop species and species in the surroundings, and of pollen occurring in the used stable fillings. Pollen diagrams and radiocarbon dates of plaggic Anthrosols suggested a development period of more than a millennium. Calluna is present in almost all the pollen spectra, indicating the presence of heath in the landscape during the whole period of soil development. Optically stimulated luminescence dating of the plaggic horizon made clear that the deposition of plaggic covers started in the 16th century and accelerated in the 18th century. The stable fillings, used for the production of plaggic manure and responsible for the rise of the soil surface, cannot be identified with pollen diagrams alone. Biomarker analyses provide more evidence about the sources of stable fillings. The oldest biomarker spectra of the plaggic horizons of three typical plaggic Anthrosols examined in this study were dominated by biomarkers of forest species such as Quercus and Betula while the spectra of middle part of the plaggic horizons were dominated by biomarkers of stem tissue of crop species such as Secale and Avena. Only the youngest spectra of the plaggic horizons were dominated by biomarkers of Calluna. This indicates that the use of heath sods as stable filling was most likely introduced very late in the development of the Anthrosols. Before the 19th century the mineral component in plaggic manure cannot be explained by the use of heath sods. We conclude that other sources of materials, containing mineral grains must have been responsible for the raise of the plaggic horizon.

Fungi play a central role in litter decomposition, a key process controlling the terrestrial carbon cycle and nutrient availability for plants and microorganisms. Climate change and elevated CO2 affect soil fungi, but the relative importance of the global change variables for litter decomposition is still uncertain. The main objective was therefore to assess the short-term litter decomposition and associated fungal community in a global change manipulated temperate heath ecosystem. The heath had been exposed to 6 years of warming, elevated atmospheric CO2 and an extended pre-summer drought. Litterbags with litter from heather (Calluna vulgaris) and wavy-hair grass (Deschampsia flexuosa) were incubated in the litter layer for 6 months, where after we analyzed the litter-associated fungal community, litter loss, CO2 respiration, and total content of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus. Elevated temperature tended to increase litter decomposition rates, whereas elevated CO2 had no effect on the process. The pre-summer drought treatment had a positive impact on litter decomposition, CO2 respiration and fungal abundance in the litterbags, although we observed no major changes in fungal community composition. The drought treatment during pre-summer had a legacy effect on litter decomposition as decomposition rates were positively affected later in the year. The community structure of litter-decomposing fungi was not affected by the drought treatment. Hence, the legacy effect was not mediated by a change in the fungal community structure.

Capsule: In the Scottish Highlands, Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix females with young broods selected areas rich in wet flushes, grasses and Sphagnum mosses. Aims: To identify associations between young Black Grouse broods and habitat characteristics. Methods: We located brood-rearing Black Grouse females in four areas of moorland-forest mosaic in the Scottish Highlands. Each brood was paired with a random reference location 100 m away. We recorded cover of different habitats and fine-scale vegetation and structure within squares of 1 and 0.25 ha, respectively. Associations between brood occurrence and habitat and vegetation variables were examined at the two scales. Results: Black Grouse broods were positively associated with wet flushes (1 ha), and with Heather Calluna vulgaris, sedges Carex spp., grasses, Sphagnum mosses and taller vegetation with intermediate levels of height variability (0.25 ha). Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of wet habitats for young Black Grouse chicks. In addition, relatively tall field-layer vegetation comprising Heather, sedges, grasses over a layer of Sphagnum mosses attracted brood-rearing Black Grouse females. Many management practices associated with peatland restoration, including drain-blocking, Sphagnum re-establishment and the avoidance of burning on deep peat soils, are therefore consistent with favourable habitat management for Black Grouse.

Background: Management actions in mountain heathlands oriented to increasing the cover of Vaccinium myrtillus promote mowing of Calluna vulgaris to avoid competition. However, such action ignores the fact that plant–plant interactions range from competition to facilitation under different stress conditions.Aims: To test whether the interactions between these two species are related to competition or facilitation, which would change the perspective for their management in mountain heathlands.Methods: A total of 40 experimental plots located in a montane heathland (northern Spain) were selected. Calluna or Vaccinium plants were either cut at ground level or not cut, and plots were fertilized with nitrogen or not in a three-factorial design. Vegetative and reproductive shoot mass and length of the current year’s shoots were estimated in two consecutive years for both species. Herbivory on Vaccinium by browsing ungulates was compared in control plots and plots where Calluna had been cut 2 yrs ago.Results: The...

In recent years, the use of satellite-derived vegetation indices has become a powerful tool to collect information on vegetation dynamics in a broad range of ecosystems worldwide. However, the utility of these indices as indicators of the diet composition and quality of herbivore mammals has not yet been established. This work focuses on exploring such relationships analysing four years of records of monthly Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI, a MOD13 satellite-derived index) and diet composition and quality of two populations of chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica pyrenaica) in the Eastern Pyrenees (Spain). Our results revealed that 68.4% and 53.3% of diet composition and quality of chamois can be explained by EVI values in the green-up season (spring) and green senescence (winter season), respectively. In both periods, EVI was related mainly to diets low in fibre (cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin) and heather (Calluna vulgaris) and high in nitrogen due to the consumption of Festuca, Forbs and Trifolium. During the summer season however, the EVI was not significantly related to diet components of chamois. A significant inter-year variability in the diets of the chamois was also observed. To conclude, remote sensing is appropriate to assess temporal variations in dietary components of mountain ungulates, and could be used as a component of monitoring large herbivore populations in management programmes., A. Gálvez-Cerón was supported by an Erasmus Mundus programme from the European Commission, N. Fernández by the Excellence Programme of Junta de Andalucía (RNM-6685), and E. Serrano by the postdoctoral programme (SFRH/BPD/96637/2013) of the Fundação para a Ciência ea Tecnologia, Portugal. This study was partly funded by the CGL2009-11631 research project of the Spanish MICINN, the National Foundation for Science and Technology, through CESAM: UID/AMB/50017/2013, and the scientific programme “Approche Intégrée de la Démographie des Populations d’Isard” sponsored by the ONCFS and the SEFaS.

In biodiversity management, spatio-temporal heterogeneity is important to consider conserving high levels of habitat diversity and ecosystems. In this study, we investigated the relationship between landscape spatio-temporal heterogeneity and biodiversity in a mosaic-landscape, located in the Fontainebleau forest (France). The diversity of successional stages along a gradient from heathland to forest as well as the persistence of Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull in different forest stands was examined in order to find how the numerous patches of European Heathland habitat embedded in this area should be maintained. The results indicated that in the areas of high spatio-temporal heterogeneity, a general increase is observed in species richness, in particular for vascular plants, bryophytes and carabids. C. vulgaris persisted in coniferous stands and young mixed stand but decreased under deciduous trees and old mixed stands. The Ellenberg’s values for light, nutrients and acidity, show the persistence of favorable enviromental conditions for heathland vegetation under coniferous stands and young mixed stands. These results enable us to offer recommendations to better manage mosaic-landscape biodiversity, and in particular, the heathland semi-natural habitats in the Fontainebleau forest and elsewhere in Europe.

International audience; The long-term ecological interactions between fire and the composition of dominant trees and shrubs in boreal and cold temperate Fennoscandian forests are still under discussion. We hypothesized that fire- prone taxa should abound during periods and regions characterized by higher fire disturbance, while fire-intolerant taxa should dominate when and where fire activity is low. Biomass burning (BB) is here investigated based on 69 sedimentary charcoal records. For the same sites, the relative contribution of pollen-based reconstructions of dominant vegetation cover divided into three different fire-sensitivity classes is explored by means of a statistical approach. The overall patterns found across Fennoscandia suggest that Ericaceae (mainly Calluna), Pinus, Betula and Populus are strongly positively correlated with multi-millennial variability of BB in both boreal and cold temperate forests, confirming their fire-prone character (taxa adapted/favoured by burning). Positive but much weaker (and not always significant) relationships also exist between long-term trends in BB and Fagus, Quercus, Corylus, Alnus, Juniperus, Carpinus and Salix, fire-tolerant taxa that survive low/moderate intense fires because of specific func- tional traits or their rapid, enhanced regeneration after fire. A strong negative significant correlation is instead detected between BB and Picea, Ulmus Tilia, Fraxinus, which are fire-intolerant taxa and can locally disappear for a short time after a fire. This large-scale analysis supports our initial hypothesis that tree and shrub dominance was closely linked to biomass burning since the onset of the Holocene in the study regions. Fire was an important ecosystem disturbance in Fennoscandia influencing long-term vegetation dynamics and composition over the last 11,000 years, although human activities probably altered the strength of fire-vegetation interactions during more recent millennia.

Heather (Calluna vulgaris) and broom (Cytisus scoparius), originally from Europe, are the main invasive plants on New Zealand&rsquo, s North Island Central Plateau, where they threaten native flora and fauna. Given the strong link between arthropod communities and plants, we explored the impact of these invasive weeds on the diversity and composition of associated arthropod assemblages in this area. The arthropods in heather-invaded areas, broom-invaded areas, and areas dominated by the native species mānuka (Leptospermum scoparium) and Dracohyllum (Dracophyllum subulatum) were collected and identified to order. During summer and autumn, arthropods were collected using beating trays, flight intercept traps and pitfall traps. Diversity indices (Richness, Shannon&rsquo, s index and Simpson&rsquo, s index) were calculated at the order level, and permutational multivariate analysis (PERMANOVA) was used to explore differences in order-level community composition. Our results show a significant variation in community composition for all trapping methods in both seasons, whereas invasive plants did not profoundly impact arthropod order richness. The presence of broom increased arthropod abundance, while heather was linked to a reduction. Under all possible plant pairings between heather, broom, mānuka, and Dracophylum, the impact of neighbouring plant identity on arthropod community composition was further explored for the samples collected using beating trays. The results suggest that during plant invasion, arthropod communities are affected by neighbouring plant identity and that impacts vary between arthropod sampling methods and seasons.