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Restoration of acidified and eutrophied rich fens: Long-term effects of traditional management and experimental liming
- Source :
- Ecological Engineering 75 (2015), Ecological Engineering, 75, 208-216, Ecological Engineering, 75, pp. 208-216
- Publication Year :
- 2015
-
Abstract
- Rich fens are known for their high botanical diversity encompassing many endangered species. For decades, several management measures, including mowing and burning, have been applied to maintain a high biodiversity by means of slowing down the natural succession from calcareous rich fens to acidic poor fens or woodland. In this study, we assessed the long-term effects of these traditional management measures, and explored the effectiveness of liming as a measure to restore rich fen vegetation. Effects of summer mowing, and of burning after winter mowing, were assessed by comparing current (2013) and historical (1967) vegetation data. Effects of experimental liming, using different levels of lime addition (0, 1000, 2000, and 4000 kg Dolokal/ha), were monitored in the field during 7.5 years. Summer mowing led to more acidic and nutrient-poor conditions as indicated by a shift from rich to poor fen vegetation, including a well-developed bryophyte cover dominated by Sphagnum with some threatened species. Burning (after winter mowing) counteracted acidification but increased nutrient availability, as indicated by dominance of vascular species characteristic of productive tall-herb grasslands and a sparse bryophyte cover with common species. We conclude that the traditional measures were unable to maintain rich fen composition in the long term. Given the fact that the restoration of hydrological conditions, favouring rich fens, is not always feasible, liming could be an alternative to counteract acidification and improve rich fen conditions in the short term. This measure, however, appeared to be unsustainable as the re-establishment and dominance of Sphagnum spp. seriously complicated the development of rich fen vegetation in the longer term.
- Subjects :
- bekalking
Environmental Engineering
ecological restoration
liming
Biodiversity
Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation
Wetland
Woodland
Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
laagveengebieden
fens
surface-water
Sphagnum
vegetation development
wetlands
acidification
level
ecologisch herstel
verzuring
groundwater
Dominance (ecology)
phosphorus
Restoration ecology
Nature and Landscape Conservation
geography
geography.geographical_feature_category
biology
Ecology
Aquatic Ecology
PE&RC
biology.organism_classification
Centrum Ecosystemen
Centre for Ecosystem Studies
nitrogen deposition
eutrophication
Agronomy
limitation
Plantenecologie en Natuurbeheer
Environmental science
Poor fen
nutrient availability
Eutrophication
eutrofiƫring
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 09258574
- Volume :
- 75
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Ecological Engineering
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....5918f5623533c0406907922668c1e802