Applied Vegetation Science最新文献

{"title":"Hydrologic Restoration of Retired Cranberry Farms Leads to Species Rich Wetlands","authors":"Sarah M. Klionsky,&nbsp;Christopher Neill,&nbsp;Anastasia M. Pulak,&nbsp;Beth Lawrence","doi":"10.1111/avsc.70024","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.70024","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Questions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Formerly cultivated lands are common targets for wetland restoration, but human interventions needed to achieve diverse plant communities in sites with agricultural legacies are not well understood. We studied pre-restoration seed banks and pre- and post-restoration plant communities of former cranberry farms, whose native peat was covered with anthropogenically placed sand during cultivation and that underwent hydrologic restoration.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Location</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Three retired cranberry (<i>Vaccinium macrocarpon</i> Aiton) farm complexes in southeast Massachusetts, USA, that underwent hydrologic restoration between 2017 and 2020.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We quantified seed germination from sand and peat collected from former farms in a greenhouse under three hydrologic treatments (inundated, saturated, and well-drained) to assess the pre-restoration seed bank composition. In the field, we surveyed plant species presence and cover both before and after restoration at permanent 9 m² plots. We assessed species composition, richness, and diversity in seed bank treatments and <i>in situ</i>. We also measured changes in <i>in situ</i> vegetation over time and compared seed bank and <i>in situ</i> vegetation.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The 30 species that germinated from retired cranberry farm seed banks were primarily native, perennial, wetland-adapted, and occurred in the sand but not peat. Highest germination rates and species richness occurred in saturated substrate, with very little germination in the well-drained treatment. Seed banks were not predictive of post-restoration <i>in situ</i> species richness, but post-restoration vegetation was similarly native, perennial, and wetland-adapted. Restoration increased <i>in situ</i> total plant and wetland-adapted plant species richness compared with pre-restoration, and this richness persisted for multiple years post-restoration. Wetland plant cover was more variable and likely affected by year-to-year changes in growing season precipitation.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Vegetation responses to wetland restoration at formerly cultivated sites indicate that diverse, native plant communities can regenerate following hydrologic restoration in sites with sandy, nutrient-poor soils.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55494,"journal":{"name":"Applied Vegetation Science","volume":"28 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/avsc.70024","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143875555","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Woody Vegetation Dynamics in a Protected African Savanna: Insights From Vegetation Resurvey of the Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe","authors":"Bob Mandinyenya,&nbsp;Robert Cunliffe,&nbsp;Riccardo Testolin,&nbsp;Fabio Attorre","doi":"10.1111/avsc.70020","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.70020","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Aims</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study assessed changes in woody vegetation cover, richness, diversity, and species composition in Gonarezhou National Park (GNP) between 2010 and 2023, focusing on the impacts of fire and elephants. Analyses were conducted for the entire park and its main vegetation types and ecoregions.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Location</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>GNP is located in southern Zimbabwe, bordering Mozambique, covering approximately 5000 km².</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>In 2010, 313 sampling areas were surveyed, and a resurvey was conducted in 2022/2023 using a plotless method. For each area, woody species cover was recorded in four height classes. Indices for total woody cover, species richness, diversity (Shannon), and evenness (Pielou) were calculated for both surveys across the park, ecoregions, and vegetation types. Differences between surveys were analyzed with paired t-tests. Species composition changes were analyzed using NMDS and PERMANOVA, while the effects of fire frequency, slope, and distance from rivers on species composition were tested with a mixed linear model. The change in dominant species occurrence was also examined.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Species richness significantly declined, with no changes in woody vegetation cover, diversity, or evenness, except in the alluvial ecoregion, where diversity decreased. Changes across height layers revealed increased richness and diversity in the &lt; 1 m layer and declines in the 1–3 m and 3–5 m layers. Species composition changes were significant across ecoregions and influenced by fire frequency. A decrease in dominant tree species was observed, varying by species' resilience to current pressures.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>GNP is undergoing simplification in woody vegetation, likely due to the combined effects of elephants and fire. This is leading to shrubbier vegetation and changes in species composition, particularly in trees. To prevent further degradation, actions must be implemented, such as the use of individual protection systems from debarking, the development of a fire management system, and the creation of ecological corridors in the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area to facilitate the movement of elephants.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55494,"journal":{"name":"Applied Vegetation Science","volume":"28 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/avsc.70020","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143801535","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nontarget Plant Community and Biomass Responses in Northern Mixed Grassland Treated With Indaziflam for Invasive Annual Brome Control","authors":"Anabel Dombro,&nbsp;Lisa Raatz,&nbsp;Edward W. Bork","doi":"10.1111/avsc.70019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.70019","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Aims&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;To understand how northern temperate grassland vegetation responds to indaziflam herbicide treatment used to control invasive annual bromegrass, we studied the initial and longer-term effects of indaziflam on plant species composition, richness, diversity, and biomass. We additionally assessed the influence of indaziflam on the recruitment of perennial grasses and forbs from the seedbank, and root and shoot biomass of young perennial grass plants.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Location&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;Dry Mixed Grassland of Alberta, Canada.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Methods&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;Plant biomass and cover composition were monitored over 4 years after indaziflam application in fall and spring at concentrations of 0, 37.5, 75, and 150 g ai ha&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt; across two field sites, with four replication blocks for each concentration. Seedling emergence was assessed in the greenhouse using soil cores from fall plots two seasons after treatment. Root and shoot biomass of greenhouse-cultivated perennial grasses treated with indaziflam at 2 months age were quantified 2 months later.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Results&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;Indaziflam did not affect the cover, richness, or diversity of non-brome plant species until the fourth year after treatment. In the fourth year, indaziflam reduced plant richness and diversity and affected the cover of the three most abundant grasses but not the cover of the three most abundant forbs. Total shoot biomass decreased in the second year, increased in the third, and stabilized by the fourth year following indaziflam treatment. Perennial grass biomass either increased or remained the same but did not decline under any indaziflam treatment in any year. Forb biomass was not affected. In the greenhouse, indaziflam-treated soil had reduced seedling emergence of forbs but not perennial grasses, and indaziflam applied at 2 months of age reduced root and shoot biomass of four-month-old perennial grasses.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Conclusions&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;Our study provides an improved understanding of how indaziflam affects nontarget plant community composition and biomass within northern mixed grasslands where native vegetation is relatively intact but under increasing risk of invasion by annual bromegrasses. Land managers considering indaziflam application will have to weigh small reductions in diversity and subtle changes in perennial grass composition against the beneficial control of annual brom","PeriodicalId":55494,"journal":{"name":"Applied Vegetation Science","volume":"28 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/avsc.70019","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143632795","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Long-Term Deer Exclusion Releases Dwarf Bamboo, Reducing Vascular Plant Diversity","authors":"Lisa Petersson,&nbsp;Carl Salk,&nbsp;Daniel Jensen,&nbsp;Göran Thor,&nbsp;Tatsuhiro Ohkubo","doi":"10.1111/avsc.70018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.70018","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Aims</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Overgrazing by excessive deer populations harms native plant communities across most north temperate and boreal regions. In regions where deer impact is particularly severe, fencing is sometimes employed as a conservation measure to safeguard rare and threatened species and ecosystems. Here we examine how forest vascular plant communities have been affected by 21 years of sika deer exclusion by fencing of a 900 ha area.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Location</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Nikko National Park, Tochigi prefecture, Japan.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We surveyed vascular plant cover in 240 plots and measured forest density on both sides of the fence in stands dominated by larch (<i>Larix kaempferi</i>) and oak (<i>Quercus crispula</i>).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Vascular plant species richness was found to be lower in forest areas protected by the fence. At the same time, dwarf bamboo, often the most abundant understory component in Japanese open forests, was taller and denser inside the fence where deer had been excluded. In addition, the lack of natural tree regeneration inside the fence, likely due to strong dwarf bamboo competition, was also notable. This suggests that deer exclusion has benefitted dwarf bamboo while inhibiting the competition of other species, thereby lowering vascular plant richness. Vascular plant communities outside the fence instead seem to be strongly shaped by abundant sika deer; several species found there are known to be unpalatable or grazing tolerant, and there were few tree seedlings.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>These results show that fencing to protect forest flora against overgrazing may have unintended consequences where there is a risk that competitive species can dominate understory plant communities. Instead of fencing, improved game management to maintain moderate deer populations may be a better strategy for large-scale conservation of forest flora and for promoting natural tree regeneration.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55494,"journal":{"name":"Applied Vegetation Science","volume":"28 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/avsc.70018","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143612519","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multiple Effects of Capybaras on Vegetation Suggest Impending Impacts of Jaguar Reintroduction","authors":"Ana Belen Avila,&nbsp;María Jose Corriale,&nbsp;Debora Di Francescantonio,&nbsp;Pablo Ignacio Picca,&nbsp;Emiliano Donadio,&nbsp;Mario Santiago Di Bitetti,&nbsp;Agustín Paviolo,&nbsp;Carlos De Angelo","doi":"10.1111/avsc.70017","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.70017","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Aims&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;A key challenge in applied vegetation science is understanding the impact of herbivory on plant communities. Herbivores often reduce dominant species' abundance (biomass, cover), making resources available for new species and increasing plant diversity. This understanding is crucial in systems undergoing ecological restoration through trophic rewilding. In Iberá National Park, Argentina, jaguars (&lt;i&gt;Panthera onca&lt;/i&gt;) are being reintroduced after a 70-year absence, and it is critical to assess the role of herbivores in shaping plant communities for evaluating future potential trophic cascades. Capybaras (&lt;i&gt;Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris&lt;/i&gt;), the park's most abundant herbivore and an important prey for jaguars, likely exert significant pressure on vegetation. This study aims to investigate how capybara herbivory affects vegetation height, biomass, diversity, and composition, providing insights into how jaguar reintroduction might indirectly influence plant communities and restore ecosystem functionality through capybaras' demographic or behavioral responses.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Location&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;Iberá National Park, Corrientes, Argentina.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Methods&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;We simulated the absence of capybara foraging pressure by establishing 10 3 m x 3 m herbivore exclosures with adjacent unfenced control plots in the capybara's grazing lawns. Vegetation attributes—height, biomass, plant diversity, and species composition—were monitored over 4 years to assess the impact of capybara exclusion on plant communities.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Results&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;Excluding capybaras significantly increased vegetation height and biomass, which, in turn, altered plant diversity and species composition. The exclosures' vegetation height and biomass were consistently higher than those in control plots. A decrease in species diversity accompanied this shift, as the abundance of common species declined and the dominance of a few species increased, generating new communities.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Conclusions&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;Capybaras significantly influence vegetation dynamics, demonstrating their role in shaping plant communities. Excluding capybaras leads to species composition and structural shifts, highlighting herbivory's importance in maintaining ecosystem heterogeneity. These findings provide critical baseline data for understanding the potential indirect impacts of the jaguar's reintroduction on plant communities and ecosystem processes. This study contributes valuable insights into the ecological mechan","PeriodicalId":55494,"journal":{"name":"Applied Vegetation Science","volume":"28 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143533347","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mixing Green Manure With Native Seeds in the Same Row Enhances Species Establishment in Restoration Areas of the Brazilian Cerrado","authors":"Maria Luciana Zequim Colado,&nbsp;Letícia Koutchin Reis,&nbsp;Angélica Guerra,&nbsp;Natalia Guerin,&nbsp;Judit Kriszta Szabo,&nbsp;Letícia Couto Garcia","doi":"10.1111/avsc.70015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.70015","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Aims</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study investigates the effectiveness of different spatial arrangements of green manure and native species in promoting native seedling emergence and reducing invasive grass cover in restoration efforts, particularly within agricultural landscapes.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Location</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Cerrado biome (savanna), Brazil.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We tested four experimental setups by direct seeding: (1) native species only (control), (2) native species and green manure mixed in the same row (<i>N</i> + GM [mixture]), (3) green manure and native species planted in separate rows (<i>N</i> + GM [rows]), and (4) native species intercropped with wider strips of green manure (<i>N</i> + GM [strips]). We evaluated richness, seedling abundance, invasive grass cover, and cost-effectiveness 540 days (a year and a half) post planting.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The <i>N</i> + GM (mixture) treatment yielded the best cost-effectiveness, highest species richness (three species) and seedling abundance (10,267 individuals/ha), along with the lowest invasive grass cover (50%). <i>Hymenaea stigonocarpa</i> Mart. ex Hayne and <i>Astronium fraxinifolium</i> Schott ex Spreng had the highest emergence rates across all treatments. However, green manure alone did not entirely prevent invasive grass, requiring further weed control. <i>N</i> + GM (rows) showed the lowest cost, but should be considered only with ongoing maintenance.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Mixing green manure with native species in the same row (<i>N</i> + GM [mixture]) is a practical and cost-effective method for increasing native species emergence in the early stages of restoration, particularly in agricultural settings, where mechanized planting is feasible.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55494,"journal":{"name":"Applied Vegetation Science","volume":"28 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143521932","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Patch-Burn Grazing Increased Structural Heterogeneity in Southwestern North Dakota Rangelands","authors":"Jonathan W. Spiess,&nbsp;Devan Allen McGranahan,&nbsp;Torre Hovick,&nbsp;Marisol Berti,&nbsp;Caley Gasch,&nbsp;Benjamin Geaumont","doi":"10.1111/avsc.70016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.70016","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Aims</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Persistent land use change throughout the North American Great Plains increases the need to maintain and improve ecosystem service delivery from remaining rangelands to meet production and conservation goals. Vegetation structure is an ecosystem property influenced by management that has site selection and use implications for wildlife and livestock. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of patch-burn grazing to increase structural heterogeneity on semi-arid post-Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) grasslands in southwestern North Dakota.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Location</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Hettinger Research Extension Center in Hettinger, North Dakota.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We surveyed plant community composition and structural characteristics in patch-burn grazing pastures during the 2017–2020 summer grazing seasons. Three pastures were stocked with cow-calf pairs and three were stocked with sheep. We also surveyed structural characteristics on units with conventional management (hay or idle) for active and post-CRP enrolled grasslands during the summers of 2018–2020. We tested for vegetative and structural differences between patches with varying time since fire and between grazer types on patch-burn pastures using mixed-effect models and ordination. We used variance partitioning to determine if structural contrast on patch-burn pastures increased over the study period and if structural contrast was higher on patch-burn grazing pastures relative to conventional management.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Time since fire was significant for all structural characteristics, with recently burned patches being different from other patches. There were no structural differences between cattle and sheep pastures, but forb and legume cover were lower in sheep pastures. Structural contrast on patch-burn pastures increased over the study and was greater than conventional management.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Increased structural heterogeneity is important for supporting a broad suite of rangeland wildlife and can stabilize forage production. This study supports the expectation that patch-burn grazing with moderate stocking rates will increase structural contrast regardless of grazer type, but practitioners should consider which suites of species that management may benefit.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55494,"journal":{"name":"Applied Vegetation Science","volume":"28 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143513665","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) Generate Grazing Lawns and Maintain Plant Diversity in Neotropical Savanna","authors":"Julia C. Mata,&nbsp;Jens-Christian Svenning,&nbsp;Renata Nicora Chequín,&nbsp;Marcos Davalos,&nbsp;Roberto Salas,&nbsp;Ayrton Vucko,&nbsp;Robert Buitenwerf","doi":"10.1111/avsc.70013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.70013","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Questions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Herbivores can exert strong top-down control on vegetation structure and composition, which in turn can affect overall biodiversity and ecosystem processes. However, South American megafauna was largely driven to extinction in recent prehistory, and remaining species have suffered severe range reductions from human actions. The potential role of South American megafauna in shaping vegetation therefore remains unclear. We examined herbivore-driven top-down control of the vegetation, particularly impacts on plant diversity, structure and functional composition.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Location</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Iberá Wetlands, Corrientes, Argentina.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We set up an herbivore exclosure experiment in a restoration area with 10 wild large-herbivore species. We compared vegetation dynamics in fenced plots with paired control plots to which herbivores had full access. Replicate plot pairs were established in three grassland types: characterized as short, medium-tall and tall grasslands. Grass height, plant biomass, functional types and community composition were measured at the start of the experiment and after 6, 13 and 18 months.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We found that in short and medium-tall grasslands, herbaceous biomass and grass height increased significantly in no-grazing plots, while species richness decreased. Similarly, community dissimilarity between paired grazed and ungrazed plots increased over time for short and medium-tall grasslands. Camera trap images revealed that capybara (<i>Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris</i>) was the dominant grazer on the grazed plots.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Our results show a strong impact of native herbivores on the structure and composition of South American savannas akin to African grazing lawns, with higher plant species richness and dominance of grazing-tolerant growth forms. These results imply that South American grassy ecosystems, despite severely reduced herbivore richness and density, have retained plant taxa and functional trait complexes that tolerate intense herbivory. Further, they also show that herbivory can still play an important role in maintaining their plant diversity. The conservation and restoration of South American grassy ecosystems are likely to benefit from restoring functional grazing regimes.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55494,"journal":{"name":"Applied Vegetation Science","volume":"28 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/avsc.70013","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143513664","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Modeling the Abundance of Boreal Foundation Species: The Impact of Forest Structure, Soils, and Legacy Effects on Ericaceous Shrubs","authors":"Per-Ola Hedwall,&nbsp;Annika Felton,&nbsp;Karin Öhman,&nbsp;Laura Juvany,&nbsp;Jörg Brunet","doi":"10.1111/avsc.70014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.70014","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Aims</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The dwarf shrubs <i>Calluna vulgaris</i>, <i>Vaccinium myrtillus</i>, and <i>V. vitis-idaea</i> are functionally important species in boreal forest, driving ecosystem processes and delivering multiple ecosystem services. Their dependency on previous and present land-use calls for tools to estimate the outcomes of different forest management strategies on their abundance. Here we built models for estimating their cover as a response to forest structure, soils, and legacy effects, with the ultimate target to be used in decision support systems to be able to adapt future management.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Location</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Sweden.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We fitted Generalized Linear Mixed Models with beta error distribution, and accounting for zero-inflation, based on data (<i>n</i> &gt; 2800) on plant cover, forest structure, and soils from the Swedish National Forest Inventory.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The resulting best models include forest density and tree species composition, and their interaction effects, likely governing the light availability in the forest understory for all three species. These models also included soil fertility indicated by the C:N ratio, the age of the forest as an indicator of time since disturbance, and the cover of the focal species 10 years earlier to account for legacy and time-lag effects. Although these variables were important for the model predictions of all three species, there were interspecific differences in the response due to the stress tolerance of the species and their placement in the leaf economics spectrum.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We show that it is possible to predict the cover of these species with higher accuracy (<i>R</i>² = 0.44–0.60) than previously has been achieved, using predictors available from for example, national forest inventories. Hence, our models will improve the estimations of the outcomes of different forest management strategies on the cover of these species. This will be important when weighing pros and cons for ecosystem functions and services, and thus imperative for sustainable forest management.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55494,"journal":{"name":"Applied Vegetation Science","volume":"28 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/avsc.70014","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143475746","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Grassland Changes in the Eastern Alps Over Four Decades: Unveiling Patterns Along an Elevation Gradient","authors":"Gianmaria Bonari,&nbsp;Alessandro Bricca,&nbsp;Giulia Tomasi,&nbsp;Lucio Dorigatti,&nbsp;Alessio Bertolli,&nbsp;Davide Andreatta,&nbsp;Francesco Maria Sabatini,&nbsp;Michele Di Musciano,&nbsp;Filippo Prosser","doi":"10.1111/avsc.70012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.70012","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Aims&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;Alpine valleys have faced escalating global changes in recent decades such as a decline of traditional management and rural expansion. Grasslands are likely the type of vegetation most affected by these transformations. This study investigates the multifaceted changes in plant diversity over the past four decades in a major valley of the Italian Eastern Alps and examines whether changes occurred uniformly across different elevations.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Location&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;Valsugana Valley, Eastern Alps, Italy.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Methods&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;In 2022, we resurveyed 115 vegetation plots (including vascular plants, mosses, and lichens) originally sampled in 1986–1988. Plots were collected in grasslands and span along an elevation gradient of 2000 m. At each time period, we automatically classified these plots using the EUNIS expert system of habitats. We analysed the variation over time in species richness, species diversity, beta diversity (turnover and nestedness), and relative proportion of life form, woodiness, and neophyte species along an elevation gradient, subdivided in low-, middle-, and high-elevation belts. Lastly, we quantified the number of gained, winning, stable, losing, and lost species.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Results&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;We found differences in the classification of EUNIS habitats and elevation-dependent changes in community diversity and composition. Many grassland types were transformed into other grassland types or into forests and man-made habitats. Species richness varied along the elevation gradient over time, being constant at lower elevations but markedly increasing at high elevations. Temporal turnover dominated across elevations, especially at lower sites, while nestedness components increased towards high elevations. Neophytes increased and hemicryptophytes decreased in the low-elevation belt, while therophytes and geophytes increased at low- and high-elevation belts. In the middle-elevation belt, many dry grassland species were replaced by nitrophilous and woody species. High-elevation witnessed species replacement with the loss of mountain species and the increase of therophyte and geophyte species.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Conclusions&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;Grasslands of Valsugana valley have undergone substantial changes over four decades. Different processes likely acted across the elevation gradient. Nonetheless the driver, impoverishment of semi-natural grassla","PeriodicalId":55494,"journal":{"name":"Applied Vegetation Science","volume":"28 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/avsc.70012","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143362325","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}