Abstract
Plant species of oligotrophic wet dune slacks have dramatically decreased as a result of desiccation and eutrophication. The aim of this study was to test in a field experiment the effects of restoration management in oligotrophic, wet dune slacks (groundwater level rise in combination with topsoil removal or mowing) on abiotic variables and on survival and biomass of four plant species. The effect of groundwater level rise on abiotic variables strongly differed between mown sampling locations and those with topsoil removal. At locations with a mowing treatment, a large rise in water tables led to increased N availability and higher reduced iron concentrations than at other locations. Such effects were absent at locations with recent topsoil removal. No effect of groundwater level rise on P-availability was found. Topsoil removal on average lowered N availability by 13%, P availability by 65% and Fe2+ by 56%. All phytometer species survived better in mown dune slacks than in dune slacks that had received topsoil removal. Survival of all species was negatively related to groundwater level rise. On the short term local extinction risks of small populations may be enhanced by rewetting and topsoil removal. On the long-term, however, such measures are crucial to maintain vegetation of oligotrophic wet dune slacks in a degraded dune landscape.
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Acknowledgements
This research was supported by the Technology Foundation STW, applied science division of NWO and the technology programme of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, grant VBI 4840. The drinking water company Provinciaal Waterleidingbedrijf Noord-Holland kindly gave permission for the field experiment in National Park South-Kennemerland and provided historic hydrological data. Rob Broekman carried out a part of the soil analyses.
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Bakker, C., Van Bodegom, P.M., Nelissen, H.J.M. et al. Plant responses to rising water tables and nutrient management in calcareous dune slacks. Plant Ecol 185, 19–28 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-005-9080-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-005-9080-5