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Effects of long-term mowing on coenological composition and recovery routes of a Brachypodium rupestre-invaded community: insight into the restoration of sub-Mediterranean productive grasslands

  • Vegetation Science and Habitats Directive
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Abstract

In low-mountain secondary grasslands of central Apennines, grazing cessation and undergrazing foster Brachypodium rupestre invasion, threatening the 6210* habitat (92/43/EEC Directive). The research aim was to understand the effect of multi-annual mowing and litter removal on recovery of coenological composition of a B. rupestre-invaded grassland. One hectare of grassland was mown, in late June and October, for 6 years, removing litter and hay. Before the first yearly mowing, we collected species and litter cover in 30 randomly selected plots (0.5 × 0.5 m). Festuco-Brometea/Festuco-Ononidetea species promptly increased, in number and abundance, in response to B. rupestre and litter removal, but decreased in the second half of the treatment, being partly replaced by Molinio-Arrhenatheretea species, progressively fostered by litter reduction. Litter removal also explained the increase in abundance of Sedo-Scleranthetea/Helianthemetea guttati species, whose richness peaked at treatment end, indicating the potential for higher species richness and the formation of patches of 6110* and 6220* habitats. Fringe and successional species decreased in richness and abundance, without a linear trend. The number of diagnostic taxa of the 6210* habitat increased significantly with the reduction of B. rupestre and litter, although the frequency/abundance of most of them did not change significantly, indicating that the studied community could be still considered habitat of community interest, although in a low conservation status. The treatment was effective in restoring grassland composition, although the achievement and maintenance of a favourable conservation status for the 6210* habitat require a long-term management planning, including sheep grazing during late spring/summer.

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Acknowledgements

The research was funded by “Montagna di Torricchio” Natural Reserve.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Pontoni 5, 62032, Camerino, MC, Italy

    Federico M. Tardella & Andrea Catorci

  2. Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy

    Luca Malatesta

  3. Department of Taxonomy and Ecology, Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babeş-Bolyai University, 42 Republicii Street, 400015, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

    Irina G. Goia

Authors
  1. Federico M. Tardella
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  2. Luca Malatesta
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  3. Irina G. Goia
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  4. Andrea Catorci
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Correspondence to Luca Malatesta.

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This peer-reviewed contribution is from the European Vegetation Survey working group established in 1992 by Alessandro Pignatti and colleagues in Rome.

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Tardella, F.M., Malatesta, L., Goia, I.G. et al. Effects of long-term mowing on coenological composition and recovery routes of a Brachypodium rupestre-invaded community: insight into the restoration of sub-Mediterranean productive grasslands. Rend. Fis. Acc. Lincei 29, 329–341 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12210-018-0711-x

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