Temporal effects of agri-environment schemes on ditch bank plant species

TY - JOUR

T1 - Temporal effects of agri-environment schemes on ditch bank plant species

AU - van Dijk, W. F. A.

AU - Schaffers, A. P.

AU - Leewis, L.

AU - Berendse, F.

AU - de Snoo, G. R.

N1 - ISI Document Delivery No.: 151KW Times Cited: 9 Cited Reference Count: 51 van Dijk, William F. A. Schaffers, Andre P. Leewis, Lies Berendse, Frank de Snoo, Geert R. de Snoo, geert/M-4315-2013 Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation We thank R. de Wit, C. van der Helm, B. Blok, M. van den Berg and A. de Wit for their help with providing the datasets we used. We appreciate the help of H. Wiggers in digitizing the dataset and W. Ozinga by providing data on dispersal capacities of target species. Furthermore we are grateful to B. Engel and J van Ruijven for statistical assistance and J. Burrough for author editing. This research is part of the KBIV strategic research programme "Sustainable spatial development of ecosystems, landscapes, seas and regions" which is funded by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation, and carried out by Wageningen University & Research Centre. 9 0 43 Elsevier gmbh, urban & fischer verlag Jena 1618-0089 <Go to ISI>://WOS:000319460400002

PY - 2013

Y1 - 2013

N2 - Many of the agri-environment schemes (AES) implemented in the Western Peat District of the Netherlands have as their objective the conservation of the diversity of ditch bank plants. We investigated the effects of AES on ditch bank species in this area, using a dataset collected by 377 farmers who managed and monitored ditch banks during a 10-year period. We found that species richness has increased minimally over the last 10 years in ditch banks. Yet, we found no differences in increases in time between ditch banks with and without AES. In both ditch bank types plant species composition changed to species with higher nitrogen tolerance. Furthermore, species that disperse over long distances by water increased, whereas species with no capacity to disperse over long distances declined in both ditch bank types. This indicates that changes in vegetation composition in ditch banks are affected by other factors than AES.

AB - Many of the agri-environment schemes (AES) implemented in the Western Peat District of the Netherlands have as their objective the conservation of the diversity of ditch bank plants. We investigated the effects of AES on ditch bank species in this area, using a dataset collected by 377 farmers who managed and monitored ditch banks during a 10-year period. We found that species richness has increased minimally over the last 10 years in ditch banks. Yet, we found no differences in increases in time between ditch banks with and without AES. In both ditch bank types plant species composition changed to species with higher nitrogen tolerance. Furthermore, species that disperse over long distances by water increased, whereas species with no capacity to disperse over long distances declined in both ditch bank types. This indicates that changes in vegetation composition in ditch banks are affected by other factors than AES.

KW - Plant species richness Biodiversity conservation Farmland Agrobiodiversity Grassland Riparian management Dispersal agricultural landscapes farmland biodiversity peat areas grassland restoration management diversity europe conservation netherlands Environm

U2 - 10.1016/j.baae.2013.04.001

DO - 10.1016/j.baae.2013.04.001

M3 - Article

SN - 1439-1791

VL - 14

SP - 289

EP - 297

JO - Basic and Applied Ecology

JF - Basic and Applied Ecology

IS - 4

ER -