Artificial dispersal as a restoration tool in meadows : sowing or planting?

• Habitat fragmentation and the abandonment of former agricultural   practices have led to extremely low dispersal rates for plant species   growing in traditionally managed hay meadows in Sweden. Historically,   seed dispersal between populations was maintained by hay movement,   grazing animals, and farmers sharing their equipment. Because these   means of dispersal typically are no longer occurring, artificial   dispersal using seeds and plug-plants is tested here as a restoration   tool. In this study, we chose two perennial herbs commonly occurring in   meadows as test species, viz, Hypochoeris maculata L. (Asteraceae) and   Succisa pratensis Moench. (Dipsacaceae). We found that plug-plant   transplants were twice as effective as seed sowing for both species.   The seed collection site was found to be important for seed-based   establishment and survival; consequently, the choice of donor meadow is   important when acquiring seeds used for restoration. We also found that   survival of plants introduced as seeds was generally lower at sites   harboring species favored by nitrogen as well as at sites in later   successional phases. Both methods of introducing meadow species worked   well, even though long-term establishment may well be more successful   with the plug-plant method due to higher plug-plant establishment 2   years after introduction in the field.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

hay meadow

Hypochoeris maculata

plug-plant transplantation

population augmentation

seed sowing

Succisa pratensis

Biology

Biologi

NATURAL SCIENCES

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)