Abstract
This article evaluates the three-year vegetation dynamics of a species rich, protected steppe grassland on loess where no grazing occurred for decades at Bicske, Central Hungary. A detailed coenological survey of vascular vegetation was conducted in four permanent plots of 16 m2 each from 2018 to 2020. Raunkiaer’s life-forms, distribution range, and thousand-seed weight of species were evaluated. Shannon diversity and turnover rates for the species and the vegetation were also determined for each plot. In total, 108 vascular plant species were detected. The results indicate grassland stability when plant traits spectra were based on species presence data, but directional change if species cover values were used to weight trait categories. During the three years of the study, chamaephytes decreased and woody species increased their contribution for the Raunkiaer’s life-forms, while the cosmopolitan group has steadily lost its significance for distribution range types. Shannon diversity varied between 2.46 and 3.18 among plots (based on natural logarithm) and remained statistically unchanged through time. Average species turnover rates were 14.18% for 2018/19 and 17.52% for 2019/20, whereas corresponding values for vegetation turnover rates were 25.83% and 23.28%. Vegetation turnover rate was significantly higher than the species turnover rate.
Highlights
Steppe grasslands on loess are among the most species rich vegetation types of Hungary, harbouring several rare and endangered species
The most abundant species were in decreasing order: Brachypodium pinnatum, Festuca rupicola, Filipendula vulgaris, Euphorbia pannonica, Teucrium chamaedrys, Galium verum, Carex michelii and Salvia pratensis
Some of the analyses which were performed in this study referred to the stability of the loess grassland in Pócalja, while others referred to its slow successional change
Summary
Steppe grasslands on loess are among the most species rich vegetation types of Hungary, harbouring several rare and endangered species. Before the advent of industrial agriculture, these grasslands covered large areas on the Hungarian Plain and the surrounding foothills [1] This vegetation type had shrunk to a fraction of its former territory, surviving in isolated fragments mostly on terrain unsuitable for mechanized agriculture, like steep slopes and narrow land stripes along motorways or railway lines, whereas some other patches were spared on prehistoric earthworks (kurgans, mottes, ramparts) considered as cultural heritage sites [2,3]. Each still existing steppe grassland patch on loess is of high botanical and nature conservation values today [4,5]. The relic patches of loess grassland vegetation played an important role in the reconstruction of the potential vegetation map of Hungary [6,7]. Further research focused on soil respiration and soil water content in connection with vegetation cover [17], as well as on the effect of indigenous fossorial mammals on the species composition of loess grasslands [18]
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.
