Abstract
<p>The calcareous grasslands belong to the species-rich plant communities in Poland. Most of them are of anthropogenic origin and they need specific management (i.e. periodical cutting suckers of trees and shrubs, grazing or mowing) in order to protect their floristic diversity. Many of calcareous grasslands have been overgrown by shrubs as a result of cessation of traditional management. The aim of this study was to compare the structure and dynamics of xerothermic hazel shrub patches, which were undergoing secondary succession with patches where different management practices aiming at restoration of species-rich limestone grassland were applied. The managed plots had a significantly higher species richness than the control one. However, they strongly differed in their floristic composition from well-preserved limestone grasslands. There were also significant differences observed between both the managed plots. Too intensive management, particularly frequent mowing of herbs resulted in expansion of grass species such as <em>Brachypodium pinnatum</em> and <em>Calamagrostis arundinacea</em> and caused a sharp decline in species richness.</p><p>The species composition and turnover rate strongly depended on succesional stage (soil layer thickness) of plots at the start of the experiment. The deeper was the soil, the higher was the rate of species turnover and the smaller was the share of xerothermic and thermophilous species. The last mentioned group was dominated by species with a persistent seed bank in the soil, frequently colonizing anthropogenic habitats.</p>
Highlights
The encroachment of shrub into open grasslands as a result of their abandonment is a major threat to their biodiversity
Limestone grasslands are built mainly by thermophilous species, such as Geranium sanguineum, Coronilla varia, Origanum vulgare, Asperula cynanchica and Inula hirta, in most cases confined to this specific habitat many of them are rare or endangered (Medwecka-Korna and Korna 1992)
The managed plots were characterized by a higher overall species richness and species diversity (H) as compared to the control (Tables 1, 2)
Summary
The encroachment of shrub into open grasslands as a result of their abandonment is a major threat to their biodiversity. Xerothermic grasslands on limestone rocks, which are classified as Origano-Brachypodietum association (following phytosociological nomenclature by Matuszkiewicz 2001) are among the richest in species plant communities in Poland and for this reason they are interesting for nature conservationists They occur mainly in southern Poland where they occupy a zone between Festuca pallens-community on rock shelters, and hazel shrub (Peucedano cervariae-Coryletum). In the Ojców National Park (Poland), only remnants of the previously widespread xerothermic grasslands occur on limestone rocks and on the southern slopes of the valleys of the Pr1dnik and S1spówka streams They are classified as Festucetum pallentis, Origano-Brachypodietum and Koelerio-Festucetum rupicolae associations (Michalik 1992). Most of them have been converted into thickets and forest in the last 30 years as a result of traditional management cessation (Michalik 1992; Michalik and Zarzycki 1995)
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