Impact of land-use change in mountain semi-dry meadows on plants, litter decomposition and earthworms

Autor: Johann G. Zaller, Raja Imran Hussain, Andreas Bohner, Arne Arnberger, Ronnie Walcher, Ines Jernej, Thomas Frank
Rok vydání: 2019
Předmět:
0106 biological sciences
lcsh:QH1-199.5
Soil biology
lcsh:QR1-502
Biodiversity
lcsh:QH1-278.5
lcsh:General. Including nature conservation
geographical distribution
010603 evolutionary biology
01 natural sciences
lcsh:Microbiology
lcsh:Physiology
lcsh:Oceanography
lcsh:QH540-549.5
lcsh:Botany
lcsh:Zoology
Ruderal species
lcsh:GC1-1581
lcsh:QL1-991
lcsh:Human ecology. Anthropogeography
lcsh:Science
lcsh:QH301-705.5
lcsh:Environmental sciences
Ecology
Evolution
Behavior and Systematics
lcsh:GE1-350
Biomass (ecology)
lcsh:QP1-981
Ecology
lcsh:Natural history (General)
Species diversity
04 agricultural and veterinary sciences
Vegetation
lcsh:QK1-989
lcsh:Biology (General)
040103 agronomy & agriculture
0401 agriculture
forestry
and fisheries
Environmental science
Plant cover
lcsh:Q
lcsh:Ecology
Species richness
lcsh:GF1-900
Zdroj: Web Ecology, Vol 19, Pp 53-63 (2019)
ISSN: 1399-1183
DOI: 10.5194/we-19-53-2019
Popis: Traditionally managed mountain grasslands are biodiversity hotspots in central Europe. However, socio-economic trends in agriculture during the last decades have changed farming practices, leaving steep and remote sites abandoned. Especially the abandonment of meadows is well known to directly affect plant and insect diversity. However, not much is known about the effects on soil processes and soil biota. To assess this, we studied four extensively managed (mown once a year, no fertilization) and four abandoned (no mowing, no fertilization) semi-dry meadows in a mountain region in Austria. Plant species richness, plant cover, plant traits, plant biomass, litter decomposition (tea bag index), and earthworm species richness and density were assessed. Additionally, soil temperature, moisture and electrical conductivity were measured. Results showed that managed meadows contained more plant species than abandoned meadows (118 vs. 93 species, respectively). We also observed different plant species assemblages between the two management types. In managed meadows, hemirosette and ruderal plant species were more abundant, while more plant species without rosettes and a higher plant necromass were found in abandoned meadows. Additionally, decomposition rate was higher in abandoned meadows. There was a trend towards higher earthworm densities in managed meadows, but there was no difference in earthworm species richness. We conclude that meadow management has effects on both aboveground vegetation and belowground biota and processes. Both abandoned and extensively managed meadows were important to sustain overall biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in the study region.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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