Restoration of plant diversity on ditch banks: Seed and site limitation in response to agri-environment schemes

TY - JOUR

T1 - Restoration of plant diversity on ditch banks: Seed and site limitation in response to agri-environment schemes

AU - Leng, X.

AU - Musters, C. J. M.

AU - de Snoo, G. R.

N1 - ISI Document Delivery No.: 455IP Times Cited: 18 Cited Reference Count: 49 Leng, X. Musters, C. J. M. de Snoo, G. R. Musters, Cornelis/K-7828-2013; de Snoo, geert/M-4315-2013 18 1 22 Elsevier sci ltd Oxford 1873-2917 <Go to ISI>://WOS:000266752500010

PY - 2009

Y1 - 2009

N2 - Recently it has become clear that seed limitation is probably a much more important factor in plant recovery than has often been recognized. However, in practice, restoration measures that are focussed on decreasing site limitation may actually increase seed limitation. We tried to determine whether the effects of restoration measures affect site or seed limitation or both. An experiment was set up on ditch banks in the Netherlands which applied agri-environment schemes (AES). To investigate whether nature reserves (seed source) can improve species diversity on the surroundings and to what extent AES is improving this function, we studied the plant diversity (presence of individual species and species richness) of ditch bank vegetations in relation to increasing distance from nature reserves. The presence or absence and species richness of 25 target plants were assessed in 26 ditch banks with AES and 36 non-AES at 15 plots each differing in distance to a nature reserve. Data were analyzed using a Hierarchical Generalized Linear Model (HGLM) with species richness and presence of individual species as response variables and distance to nature reserve and application of AES as factors, controlling for possible confounding factors. Results were interpreted as the effects of AES on seed and site limitation of the species. The results showed that plant diversity decreased significantly with distance from source populations. There were considerable differences in species diversity between AES and non-AES ditch banks, with the former showing greater plant diversity especially in the first 200 m from nature reserves. Presences of all individual species decreased with distance to nature reserve, but the strength of this relationship and the AES effects differed among species. AES ditch banks had lower site limitations for most plant species, but did not have lower seed limitation. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

AB - Recently it has become clear that seed limitation is probably a much more important factor in plant recovery than has often been recognized. However, in practice, restoration measures that are focussed on decreasing site limitation may actually increase seed limitation. We tried to determine whether the effects of restoration measures affect site or seed limitation or both. An experiment was set up on ditch banks in the Netherlands which applied agri-environment schemes (AES). To investigate whether nature reserves (seed source) can improve species diversity on the surroundings and to what extent AES is improving this function, we studied the plant diversity (presence of individual species and species richness) of ditch bank vegetations in relation to increasing distance from nature reserves. The presence or absence and species richness of 25 target plants were assessed in 26 ditch banks with AES and 36 non-AES at 15 plots each differing in distance to a nature reserve. Data were analyzed using a Hierarchical Generalized Linear Model (HGLM) with species richness and presence of individual species as response variables and distance to nature reserve and application of AES as factors, controlling for possible confounding factors. Results were interpreted as the effects of AES on seed and site limitation of the species. The results showed that plant diversity decreased significantly with distance from source populations. There were considerable differences in species diversity between AES and non-AES ditch banks, with the former showing greater plant diversity especially in the first 200 m from nature reserves. Presences of all individual species decreased with distance to nature reserve, but the strength of this relationship and the AES effects differed among species. AES ditch banks had lower site limitations for most plant species, but did not have lower seed limitation. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

KW - Distance to nature reserves Colonization Plant dispersal Nature conservation species richness agricultural landscapes farmed landscapes dispersal grassland biodiversity management habitat colonization abundance Biodiversity & Conservation Environmental Sc

U2 - 10.1016/j.biocon.2009.01.019

DO - 10.1016/j.biocon.2009.01.019

M3 - Article

SN - 0006-3207

VL - 142

SP - 1340

EP - 1349

JO - Biological Conservation

JF - Biological Conservation

IS - 7

ER -