Vegetation change in acidic dry grasslands in Moravia (Czech
Republic) over three decades: Slow decrease in habitat quality
after grazing cessation

J 2023

Vegetation change in acidic dry grasslands in Moravia (Czech Republic) over three decades: Slow decrease in habitat quality after grazing cessation

HARÁSEK, Martin, Klára KLINKOVSKÁ and Milan CHYTRÝ

Basic information

Original name

Vegetation change in acidic dry grasslands in Moravia (Czech Republic) over three decades: Slow decrease in habitat quality after grazing cessation

Authors

HARÁSEK, Martin (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution), Klára KLINKOVSKÁ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution) and Milan CHYTRÝ (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution)

Edition

Applied Vegetation Science, Wiley, 2023, 1402-2001

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Článek v odborném periodiku

Field of Study

10611 Plant sciences, botany

Country of publisher

United States of America

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

References:

URL

Impact factor

Impact factor: 2.800 in 2022

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14310/23:00134505

Organization unit

Faculty of Science

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/avsc.12726

UT WoS

000977417700001

Keywords in English

abandonment; conservation management; dry grassland; heathland; plant diversity; protected area; species composition; species richness; vascular plants; vegetation change; vegetation plot; vegetation resurvey

Abstract

V originále

Aims Shallow soils on acidic bedrock in dry areas of Central Europe support dry grasslands and heathlands that were formerly used as extensive pastures. These habitats are of high conservation value, but their abandonment in the 20th century triggered slow natural succession that poses a threat to specialized plant species. We asked how this vegetation and its plant diversity have changed over the past three decades and whether protected areas have positively affected habitat quality. Location Southwestern and central Moravia, Czech Republic. Methods In 2018–2019, we resurveyed 94 vegetation plots first sampled in 1986–1991 at 47 acidic dry grassland and heathland sites. We compared the number of all vascular plant species, Red List species and alien species per plot using parametric and non-parametric tests, life-form spectra using the chi-square test, species composition using detrended correspondence analysis, and indicator values using a permutation test. We also compared these changes between sites within and outside protected areas. Results Vegetation changes over the past three decades have been relatively small. However, we detected a decrease in total species richness, the number of Red List species and the number of characteristic species of dry grasslands. Neophytes were infrequent, while archaeophytes increased slightly. The competitive tall grass Arrhenatherum elatius, annual species and young woody plants increased in abundance or newly established at many sites. Indicator values did not change except for a slight increase in nutrient values. These negative trends occurred both within and outside protected areas but were more pronounced outside. Conclusions Formerly grazed acidic dry grasslands and heathlands in Moravia are slowly losing habitat specialists, including threatened plant species, and are increasingly dominated by Arrhenatherum elatius. Conservation management, especially cutting in protected areas, slows down the negative trends of decline in plant diversity and habitat quality but is insufficient to halt these processes completely.

Links

SS02030018, research and development project

Name: Centrum pro krajinu a biodiverzitu (Acronym: DivLand)

Investor: Technology Agency of the Czech Republic

Citovat

HARÁSEK, Martin, Klára KLINKOVSKÁ and Milan CHYTRÝ. Vegetation change in acidic dry grasslands in Moravia (Czech Republic) over three decades: Slow decrease in habitat quality after grazing cessation. Applied Vegetation Science. Wiley, 2023, vol. 26, No 2, p. 1-16. ISSN 1402-2001. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/avsc.12726.

@article{2317550,
   author = {Harásek, Martin and Klinkovská, Klára and Chytrý, Milan},
   article_number = {2},
   doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/avsc.12726},
   keywords = {abandonment; conservation management; dry grassland; heathland; plant diversity; protected area; species composition; species richness; vascular plants; vegetation change; vegetation plot; vegetation resurvey},
   language = {eng},
   issn = {1402-2001},
   journal = {Applied Vegetation Science},
   title = {Vegetation change in acidic dry grasslands in Moravia (Czech Republic) over three decades: Slow decrease in habitat quality after grazing cessation},
   url = {https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.12726},
   volume = {26},
   year = {2023}
}

TY  - JOUR
ID  - 2317550
AU  - Harásek, Martin - Klinkovská, Klára - Chytrý, Milan
PY  - 2023
TI  - Vegetation change in acidic dry grasslands in Moravia (Czech Republic) over three decades: Slow decrease in habitat quality after grazing cessation
JF  - Applied Vegetation Science
VL  - 26
IS  - 2
SP  - 1-16
EP  - 1-16
PB  - Wiley
SN  - 14022001
KW  - abandonment
KW  - conservation management
KW  - dry grassland
KW  - heathland
KW  - plant diversity
KW  - protected area
KW  - species composition
KW  - species richness
KW  - vascular plants
KW  - vegetation change
KW  - vegetation plot
KW  - vegetation resurvey
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.12726
N2  - Aims Shallow soils on acidic bedrock in dry areas of Central Europe support dry grasslands and heathlands that were formerly used as extensive pastures. These habitats are of high conservation value, but their abandonment in the 20th century triggered slow natural succession that poses a threat to specialized plant species. We asked how this vegetation and its plant diversity have changed over the past three decades and whether protected areas have positively affected habitat quality. Location Southwestern and central Moravia, Czech Republic. Methods In 2018–2019, we resurveyed 94 vegetation plots first sampled in 1986–1991 at 47 acidic dry grassland and heathland sites. We compared the number of all vascular plant species, Red List species and alien species per plot using parametric and non-parametric tests, life-form spectra using the chi-square test, species composition using detrended correspondence analysis, and indicator values using a permutation test. We also compared these changes between sites within and outside protected areas. Results Vegetation changes over the past three decades have been relatively small. However, we detected a decrease in total species richness, the number of Red List species and the number of characteristic species of dry grasslands. Neophytes were infrequent, while archaeophytes increased slightly. The competitive tall grass Arrhenatherum elatius, annual species and young woody plants increased in abundance or newly established at many sites. Indicator values did not change except for a slight increase in nutrient values. These negative trends occurred both within and outside protected areas but were more pronounced outside. Conclusions Formerly grazed acidic dry grasslands and heathlands in Moravia are slowly losing habitat specialists, including threatened plant species, and are increasingly dominated by Arrhenatherum elatius. Conservation management, especially cutting in protected areas, slows down the negative trends of decline in plant diversity and habitat quality but is insufficient to halt these processes completely.
ER  -

HARÁSEK, Martin, Klára KLINKOVSKÁ and Milan CHYTRÝ. Vegetation change in acidic dry grasslands in Moravia (Czech Republic) over three decades: Slow decrease in habitat quality after grazing cessation. \textit{Applied Vegetation Science}. Wiley, 2023, vol.~26, No~2, p.~1-16. ISSN~1402-2001. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/avsc.12726.

Detailed Information on Publication Record