Abstract
Little is known about the suite of ecological conditions under which characteristic species may continue to develop under the pressure of recent habitat deterioration. We aimed to determine the niche of three indicator species of the priority habitat Pannonic salt steppes and to find out how their vegetation composition, land use, and soil chemistry mirror the current condition of their typical habitat. A plot-based vegetation survey was conducted in degraded and in pristine (reference) inland salt steppes in East-Central Europe. We confirmed decreased habitat quality at their northern geographical limit. Most of the sites there showed a strong prevalence of generalists (e.g., Elytrigia repens) and lack of specialists, both resulting from lowered habitat extremity and inappropriate land use (abandonment). A small proportion of plots (19%) were in the same good condition as the reference vegetation in the central area. Soil analyses revealed that the studied halophytes are able to persist on desalinized soils if the land use is suitable. The occurrence of the annual Camphorosma annua (Amaranthaceae) was driven largely by abiotic stress; grazing alone is insufficient for its long-term persistence, while the perennial Artemisia santonicum (Asteraceae) and Tripolium pannonicum (Asteraceae) have higher survival chances as they are able to coexist with generalists. Overall habitat quality can be reliably determined from the analyzed ecological conditions of indicator species. The outcomes of the presented work are relevant for conservation practice and can serve as a quick tool for assessing the current stage of other grassland habitats.
Highlights
Natural habitats have recently been subjected to species turnover due to negative vegetation changes when the original, highly specialized species pool has been substituted by generalists with a lower naturalness value [1]
The majority of the Slovak plots have higher moisture and nutrient values (Figure 2a) which refers to decreased habitat extremity, suboptimal for salt steppes
The habitat quality of Pannonian salt steppes at their northern geographical limit is decreased compared to their central occurrence
Summary
Natural habitats have recently been subjected to species turnover due to negative vegetation changes when the original, highly specialized species pool has been substituted by generalists with a lower naturalness value [1]. Halophytic vegetation belongs to a group of highly threatened habitats hosting endangered plant and animal species [3] They develop on salt-affected soils in large areas with a semiarid-subhumid climate [4], in Europe for instance on the East European Plain and the Iberian Peninsula [5]. Whether inland saline habitats have natural origins or owe their existence to the salt industry [8] or secondary salinization [9], their flora has a high representation of specialists (halophytes). They are well-adapted to such permanent abiotic stresses as soil salinity and an unstable water regime [10] and are excellent indicators of soil salinity [11,12,13]. They occur exclusively in the Pannonian Basin in East-Central Europe [7]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
