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The effect of fertilization and irrigation on the vegetation dynamics of a pine-heath ecosystem

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Abstract

The year-to-year changes in the field-and bottom layers were studied by non-destructive recording of cover percentage on permanent plots in a young Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) stand, subjected to experimental treatment. The treatments were: control (0), daily irrigation (I), fertilization once a year (F) and daily irrigation plus fertilization five days a week (IF). The cover of the total field layer of the 0-, I-, F-and IF-plots increased during the period of study from 51, 40, 47 and 50% in 1973 to 70, 79, 86 and 92% in 1980. The bulk of this increase consisted of Vaccinium vitis-idaea with the exception of the IF-plots, where the increase especially during the later part of the period of study was due to Chamaenerion angustifolium and and to some extent, to Rubus idaeus. The cover of the total bottom layer of the 0-, I-, F-and IF-plots changed from 63, 59, 54 and 41% in 1973 to 68, 90, 37 and 36% in 1980. The most drastic change took place in the IF-plots, where the composition changed from almost exclusively lichens to bryophytes. Pohlia nutans and Pleurozium schreberi were recorded in substantial amounts filling the gap left by the vanishing lichens. There were no conclusive changes on the I-plots as compared with the 0-plots. The cover estimates, however, were generally more substantial. The overall decline in the bottom layer on the F-plots was mainly due to a decrease in the cover of Pleurozium schreberi.

The work was carried out within the Swedish Coniferous Forest Project and supported by the Swedish Natural Research Council, the Swedish National Environmental Protection Board, the Swedish Council of Forestry and Agricultural Research and the Wallenberg Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Ecological Botany, P.O. Box 559, S-751 22, Uppsala, Sweden

    H. Persson

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  1. H. Persson
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Additional information

Nomenclature follows Lid (1974) for vascular plants, Nyholm (1954–69) and Arnell (1956) for bryophytes, Dahl & Krog (1973) for lichens, except for Lecidia granulosa, and the collective group Cladonia silvatica, where Magnusson (1929, 1952) was followed.

I wish to thank J. G. K. Flower-Ellis for taking an active part in the planning of this work; S. Bråkenhielm for help and co-operation in the field; H. Sjörs, C. O. Tamm and many colleagues in the Swedish Coniferous Forest Project, among them F. Andersson, A. Aronsson & B. Axelsson for encouragement and support.

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Persson, H. The effect of fertilization and irrigation on the vegetation dynamics of a pine-heath ecosystem. Vegetatio 46, 181–192 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00118396

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