Spatial and temporal patterns of Ellenberg nutrient values in
forests of Germany and adjacent regions - a survey based on
phytosociological databases

J 2013

Spatial and temporal patterns of Ellenberg nutrient values in forests of Germany and adjacent regions - a survey based on phytosociological databases

EWALD, Jörg, Stephan HENNEKENS, Sven CONRAD, Thomas WOHLGEMUTH, Florian JANSEN et. al.

Basic information

Original name

Spatial and temporal patterns of Ellenberg nutrient values in forests of Germany and adjacent regions - a survey based on phytosociological databases

Authors

EWALD, Jörg (276 Germany), Stephan HENNEKENS (528 Netherlands), Sven CONRAD (276 Germany), Thomas WOHLGEMUTH (756 Switzerland), Florian JANSEN (276 Germany), Martin JENSSEN (276 Germany), Johnny CORNELIS (56 Belgium), Hans-Gerd MICHIELS (276 Germany), Jürgen KAYSER (276 Germany), Milan CHYTRÝ (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution), Jean-Claude GÉGOUT (250 France), Michael BREUER (276 Germany), Clemens ABS (276 Germany), Helge WALENTOWSKI (276 Germany), Franz STARLINGER (40 Austria) and Sandrine GODEFROID (56 Belgium)

Edition

Tuexenia, Göttingen, 2013, 0722-494X

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Článek v odborném periodiku

Field of Study

10600 1.6 Biological sciences

Country of publisher

Germany

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

References:

URL

Impact factor

Impact factor: 1.516

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14310/13:00069392

Organization unit

Faculty of Science

UT WoS

000324790800005

Keywords in English

bioindication; Central Europe; Ellenberg indicator values; eutrophication; nitrogen deposition; soil nutrients; vegetation-plot data

Abstract

V originále

Within the last 30 years the role of nitrogen in Central European forests has changed fundamentally from limiting resource to environmental problem. As the retrospective tracking of nutrient availability by soil chemical and biogeochemical measurements faces serious problems, bioindication based on understorey species composition is indispensable for monitoring broad-scale eutrophication. Based on a broad survey of more than 100,000 forest vegetation plots accessible in electronic data-bases from Germany and adjacent countries, we calculated unweighted average Ellenberg nutrient values (mN) as a proxy of plant-available macronutrients. Based on the quantiles of the frequency distribution of mN in a regionally stratified sample, we define five trophic classes, which can be used to compare dimensionless mN values. We studied spatial patterns of average nutrient values within 17 regions and compared the periods from 1899 to 1975 and 1976 to 2006. After 1975 eutrophic (mN > 5.67) and hypertrophic (mN > 6.28) conditions were common everywhere except in the Alps and Saxony-Anhalt, but very oligotrophic conditions (mN < 3.44) were still widespread in regions with nutrient-poor bedrock. Before 1975 mN of plots had been lower than after 1975 in all but the southeastern regions. Between the pre- and post-1975 data the proportion of hypertrophic plots increased from 5.7 to 11.8%, and that of very oligo-trophic plots decreased from 14.6 to 8.3%. To remove bias resulting from uneven distribution, the dataset was stratified by five tree layer dom-inance types, period and region and resampled. In pre-1975 plots medians of mN increased in the order Pinus sylvestris, Quercus spp., Picea abies, Fagus sylvatica and Alnus spp, whereas the increase of mN was highest in forest types with historically low nutrient values. Therefore, the widespread change in mN must be attributed to the pronounced vegetation changes in Quercus and Pinus stands, indicating the importance of land-use change, i.e. recovery of nutrient cycles after hundreds of years of exploita-tion through coppicing, grazing and litter use. The analysis confirms eutrophication as a megatrend of modern vegetation change and demonstrates the high research potential of linking vegetation plot databases across large regions.

Citovat

EWALD, Jörg, Stephan HENNEKENS, Sven CONRAD, Thomas WOHLGEMUTH, Florian JANSEN, Martin JENSSEN, Johnny CORNELIS, Hans-Gerd MICHIELS, Jürgen KAYSER, Milan CHYTRÝ, Jean-Claude GÉGOUT, Michael BREUER, Clemens ABS, Helge WALENTOWSKI, Franz STARLINGER and Sandrine GODEFROID. Spatial and temporal patterns of Ellenberg nutrient values in forests of Germany and adjacent regions - a survey based on phytosociological databases. Tuexenia. Göttingen, 2013, vol. 33, No 1, p. 93-109. ISSN 0722-494X.

@article{1122909,
   author = {Ewald, Jörg and Hennekens, Stephan and Conrad, Sven and Wohlgemuth, Thomas and Jansen, Florian and Jenssen, Martin and Cornelis, Johnny and Michiels, HansandGerd and Kayser, Jürgen and Chytrý, Milan and Gégout, JeanandClaude and Breuer, Michael and Abs, Clemens and Walentowski, Helge and Starlinger, Franz and Godefroid, Sandrine},
   article_location = {Göttingen},
   article_number = {1},
   keywords = {bioindication; Central Europe; Ellenberg indicator values; eutrophication; nitrogen deposition; soil nutrients; vegetation-plot data},
   language = {eng},
   issn = {0722-494X},
   journal = {Tuexenia},
   title = {Spatial and temporal patterns of Ellenberg nutrient values in forests of Germany and adjacent regions - a survey based on phytosociological databases},
   url = {http://www.sci.muni.cz/botany/chytry/Ewald_etal2013_Tuexenia.pdf},
   volume = {33},
   year = {2013}
}

TY  - JOUR
ID  - 1122909
AU  - Ewald, Jörg - Hennekens, Stephan - Conrad, Sven - Wohlgemuth, Thomas - Jansen, Florian - Jenssen, Martin - Cornelis, Johnny - Michiels, Hans-Gerd - Kayser, Jürgen - Chytrý, Milan - Gégout, Jean-Claude - Breuer, Michael - Abs, Clemens - Walentowski, Helge - Starlinger, Franz - Godefroid, Sandrine
PY  - 2013
TI  - Spatial and temporal patterns of Ellenberg nutrient values in forests of Germany and adjacent regions - a survey based on phytosociological databases
JF  - Tuexenia
VL  - 33
IS  - 1
SP  - 93-109
EP  - 93-109
SN  - 0722494X
KW  - bioindication
KW  - Central Europe
KW  - Ellenberg indicator values
KW  - eutrophication
KW  - nitrogen deposition
KW  - soil nutrients
KW  - vegetation-plot data
UR  - http://www.sci.muni.cz/botany/chytry/Ewald_etal2013_Tuexenia.pdf
N2  - Within the last 30 years the role of nitrogen in Central European forests has changed fundamentally from limiting resource to environmental problem. As the retrospective tracking of nutrient availability by soil chemical and biogeochemical measurements faces serious problems, bioindication based on understorey species composition is indispensable for monitoring broad-scale eutrophication. Based on a broad survey of more than 100,000 forest vegetation plots accessible in electronic data-bases from Germany and adjacent countries, we calculated unweighted average Ellenberg nutrient values (mN) as a proxy of plant-available macronutrients. Based on the quantiles of the frequency distribution of mN in a regionally stratified sample, we define five trophic classes, which can be used to compare dimensionless mN values. We studied spatial patterns of average nutrient values within 17 regions and compared the periods from 1899 to 1975 and 1976 to 2006. After 1975 eutrophic (mN > 5.67) and hypertrophic (mN > 6.28) conditions were common everywhere except in the Alps and Saxony-Anhalt, but very oligotrophic conditions (mN < 3.44) were still widespread in regions with nutrient-poor bedrock. Before 1975 mN of plots had been lower than after 1975 in all but the southeastern regions. Between the pre- and post-1975 data the proportion of hypertrophic plots increased from 5.7 to 11.8%, and that of very oligo-trophic plots decreased from 14.6 to 8.3%. To remove bias resulting from uneven distribution, the dataset was stratified by five tree layer dom-inance types, period and region and resampled. In pre-1975 plots medians of mN increased in the order Pinus sylvestris, Quercus spp., Picea abies, Fagus sylvatica and Alnus spp, whereas the increase of mN was highest in forest types with historically low nutrient values. Therefore, the widespread change in mN must be attributed to the pronounced vegetation changes in Quercus and Pinus stands, indicating the importance of land-use change, i.e. recovery of nutrient cycles after hundreds of years of exploita-tion through coppicing, grazing and litter use. The analysis confirms eutrophication as a megatrend of modern vegetation change and demonstrates the high research potential of linking vegetation plot databases across large regions.
ER  -

EWALD, Jörg, Stephan HENNEKENS, Sven CONRAD, Thomas WOHLGEMUTH, Florian JANSEN, Martin JENSSEN, Johnny CORNELIS, Hans-Gerd MICHIELS, Jürgen KAYSER, Milan CHYTRÝ, Jean-Claude GÉGOUT, Michael BREUER, Clemens ABS, Helge WALENTOWSKI, Franz STARLINGER and Sandrine GODEFROID. Spatial and temporal patterns of Ellenberg nutrient values in forests of Germany and adjacent regions - a survey based on phytosociological databases. \textit{Tuexenia}. Göttingen, 2013, vol.~33, No~1, p.~93-109. ISSN~0722-494X.

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