Applied Vegetation Science最新文献

{"title":"Determinants on Sphagnum Block Transplantation Success After Peat Mining in Sarobetsu Mire, Northern Japan","authors":"Tsuyuzaki Shiro,&nbsp;Jia Yumen,&nbsp;Umemura Masahiro","doi":"10.1111/avsc.70083","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.70083","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Aims</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Succession in post-mined bogs is often stagnant, limiting natural recovery. <i>Sphagnum</i> mosses play a pivotal role in peatland restoration, but their establishment is constrained by the respective successional stages. We evaluated whether <i>Sphagnum</i> moss transplantation accelerated succession in degraded bog habitats and identified habitats supporting successful moss growth.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Location</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Sarobetsu mire, northern Japan.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We transplanted 3-<i>l</i> blocks of <i>Sphagnum</i> moss into four successional habitats in Sarobetsu mire, northern Japan: bareground (early stage), sedgeland, grassland, and <i>Sphagnum</i> vegetation (late stage). Moss growth was monitored over 3 years by productivity, shoot elongation, NDVI, capitulum density, and <i>Sphagnum</i> cover. Environmental factors including water table, peat moisture, pH, temperature, and light intensity were measured. Vegetation surveys were conducted to evaluate species richness and plant cover in each habitat.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>No <i>Sphagnum</i> emerged in non-transplanted controls. Transplanted mosses reduced productivity in the first year but recovered in all habitats except bareground. A few transplanted-origin species grew but rarely persisted. Species richness increased only in later-successional habitats. Growth patterns varied across habitats, with high elongation and density in <i>Sphagnum</i> vegetation, vigorous elongation and cover increase in grassland, and steady productivity increase in sedgeland. Aboveground factors varied among habitats, while belowground conditions remained relatively stable.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p><i>Sphagnum</i> transplantation effectively accelerated succession in vegetated habitats with moderate shading. Bareground sites were unsuitable due to desiccation and instability. Microclimatic buffering and biotic context were critical for transplant success. Vegetation-mediated shading and microclimatic buffering were the key determinants of transplantation success, whereas bareground failed due to desiccation and unstable peat surfaces. However, the increase in species richness is not expected.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55494,"journal":{"name":"Applied Vegetation Science","volume":"29 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148533333","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":"Grassland Management in a Changing Climate: Insights From a Dutch Road Verge Study","authors":"Wiene Bakker,&nbsp;Peter-Jan Keizer,&nbsp;Toine Morel,&nbsp;Wim Ozinga,&nbsp;Jeroen Scheper,&nbsp;Philippine Vergeer","doi":"10.1111/avsc.70085","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.70085","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Questions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Biodiversity of European semi-natural grasslands has declined over the last century, largely due to land-use changes. To maintain or restore grassland biodiversity, mowing regimes are commonly applied. However, nitrogen deposition and climate change have affected the productivity and phenology of grasslands, resulting in further biodiversity loss and necessitating a reassessment of current mowing regimes. In particular, increasing the mowing frequency, adjusting mowing timing, and adjusting the mowing height may mitigate the effects of elevated nitrogen availability and climate change. This study aims to evaluate the impacts of these adjustments on plant diversity, vegetation composition, and aboveground biomass production across a productivity gradient.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Location</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The Netherlands.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We performed a three-year (2021–2023) field experiment in ten roadside grasslands across a productivity gradient. The treatments included the standard late-August mowing (control), early-November mowing, and combinations of a high (15 cm) or low (6 cm) cut in June followed by either late-August or early-November mowing. All treatments included hay removal.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>A delayed second cut reduced standing biomass across all productivity levels. Adjusted mowing regimes significantly affected vegetation composition, particularly in productive roadside grasslands. In these sites, mowing twice per year resulted in the highest species richness and number of characteristic species, especially when a low-height June cut was combined with a delayed (early-November) second cut. In contrast, adjusted mowing regimes (i.e., treatments differing from the standard control) had no biodiversity benefit in low-productivity grasslands.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Our results indicate that in productive road verges, adopting more intense and differently timed mowing regimes can help mitigate biodiversity loss by addressing the increased productivity and prolonged growing seasons caused by nitrogen deposition and climate change.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55494,"journal":{"name":"Applied Vegetation Science","volume":"29 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/avsc.70085","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148533255","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":"Experimental Assessment of Natural Enemy Impacts on Palm Regeneration at Forest Edge Versus Interior","authors":"Alma L. Trujillo-Miranda,&nbsp;David Cantos,&nbsp;Jordan Karubian,&nbsp;Liza S. Comita","doi":"10.1111/avsc.70080","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.70080","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Aims</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Forest fragmentation induces edge effects that alter the abiotic environment and plant–enemy interactions, with potential consequences for the regeneration of shade-tolerant species. Importantly, plant–enemy interactions are context-dependent, suggesting that fragmentation can differentially modify natural enemy pressure along edge-interior gradients, weakening some interactions while intensifying others. However, experiments quantifying how multiple natural enemies differentially affect seed germination and seedling establishment at forest edges versus interiors remain scarce. To provide a biotic mechanistic understanding of edge effects in plant regeneration, we experimentally evaluated how natural enemies (vertebrates, insects, and fungi) influence seed germination and seedling establishment of two shade-tolerant palm species, <i>Prestoea decurrens</i> and <i>Synechanthus warscewiczianus</i>, in forest edges and interiors within a highly fragmented landscape.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Location</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Choco Forest in northwestern Ecuador.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>In an enemy-exclusion experiment, we manipulated access by natural enemies using wire cages and pesticides and established control plots at 13 paired edge (0–10 m) and interior forest (90–100 m) sites. We monitored seed germination (radicle emergence) and seedling establishment (development of epicotyl and roots) weekly over 5 months.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Germination and establishment were consistently higher in the forest interior for both species, highlighting strong negative edge effects on early recruitment. Insects emerged as the primary natural enemies; they negatively impacted the regeneration of <i>P. decurrens</i> in both edge and interior habitats, whereas for <i>S. warscewiczianus</i>, the impact was restricted to the forest interior. Conversely, fungi and vertebrates had no detectable effects.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Our findings demonstrate that forest edges and biotic filtering through insect predation limited the regeneration of the two understory palm species evaluated, reducing their regeneration potential in forest remnants within fragmented landscapes. Conservation strategies should prioritize maintaining interior forest conditions, minimizing edges when possible, and preventing seed and seedling damage by insects in restoration programs.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55494,"journal":{"name":"Applied Vegetation Science","volume":"29 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148282222","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":"Experimental Assessment of Natural Enemy Impacts on Palm Regeneration at Forest Edge Versus Interior","authors":"Alma L. Trujillo-Miranda,&nbsp;David Cantos,&nbsp;Jordan Karubian,&nbsp;Liza S. Comita","doi":"10.1111/avsc.70080","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.70080","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Aims</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Forest fragmentation induces edge effects that alter the abiotic environment and plant–enemy interactions, with potential consequences for the regeneration of shade-tolerant species. Importantly, plant–enemy interactions are context-dependent, suggesting that fragmentation can differentially modify natural enemy pressure along edge-interior gradients, weakening some interactions while intensifying others. However, experiments quantifying how multiple natural enemies differentially affect seed germination and seedling establishment at forest edges versus interiors remain scarce. To provide a biotic mechanistic understanding of edge effects in plant regeneration, we experimentally evaluated how natural enemies (vertebrates, insects, and fungi) influence seed germination and seedling establishment of two shade-tolerant palm species, <i>Prestoea decurrens</i> and <i>Synechanthus warscewiczianus</i>, in forest edges and interiors within a highly fragmented landscape.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Location</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Choco Forest in northwestern Ecuador.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>In an enemy-exclusion experiment, we manipulated access by natural enemies using wire cages and pesticides and established control plots at 13 paired edge (0–10 m) and interior forest (90–100 m) sites. We monitored seed germination (radicle emergence) and seedling establishment (development of epicotyl and roots) weekly over 5 months.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Germination and establishment were consistently higher in the forest interior for both species, highlighting strong negative edge effects on early recruitment. Insects emerged as the primary natural enemies; they negatively impacted the regeneration of <i>P. decurrens</i> in both edge and interior habitats, whereas for <i>S. warscewiczianus</i>, the impact was restricted to the forest interior. Conversely, fungi and vertebrates had no detectable effects.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Our findings demonstrate that forest edges and biotic filtering through insect predation limited the regeneration of the two understory palm species evaluated, reducing their regeneration potential in forest remnants within fragmented landscapes. Conservation strategies should prioritize maintaining interior forest conditions, minimizing edges when possible, and preventing seed and seedling damage by insects in restoration programs.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55494,"journal":{"name":"Applied Vegetation Science","volume":"29 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148282223","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":"How Well Is the Conservation Status of Alluvial and Lowland Hay Meadows Reflected in Their Plant Functional Composition?","authors":"Karina Engst,&nbsp;Annett Baasch,&nbsp;Sandra Dullau,&nbsp;Ute Jandt,&nbsp;Helge Bruelheide","doi":"10.1111/avsc.70082","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.70082","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Questions&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;Species-rich grasslands in floodplain landscapes, particularly alluvial and lowland hay meadows, are of high conservation value and are protected under the European Habitats Directive as habitat types 6440 and 6510. Despite being protected, these grasslands often face an unfavourable conservation status. While the conservation status is commonly based on the number of characteristic and habitat-specific species, an unfavourable state might also have functional consequences. Thus, we asked how functional traits at the community scale are related to the community's conservation status and whether they can enhance habitat assessments beyond traditional species-based criteria. We hypothesised that community mean traits and functional diversity can reflect the conservation status, and thus, might complement the traditional assessment criteria based on characteristic species.&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;River floodplains in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.&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 compiled vegetation plot records from river floodplains in Saxony-Anhalt from databases, classified them into habitat types and assigned the conservation status to each plot record based on the prevalence of characteristic species. We then linked the grassland's conservation status to its functional identity and diversity, structural variables and Ellenberg indicator values using community-weighted mean values as well as species diversity metrics. From those, we predicted the conservation status, employing multinomial logistic regressions. Furthermore, we used linear discriminant analysis to identify the variables that best differentiate the different levels of conservation status.&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;Communities with a favourable conservation status displayed a high species richness, a significant presence of endangered species and a low Ellenberg indicator value for nutrient supply. In a multi-criteria approach, dispersal traits, such as ‘Diaspore type: infructescence’ and Ellenberg indicator values for nutrient supply were key discriminators of conservation status, indicating an unfavourable conservation status when these traits attained high values. Although models of both habitat types were insufficiently robust to reliably distinguish between good, poor and bad conservation status, functional diversity clearly tended to increase with better conservation status. We have shown that habitat conservation status can principally be derived from existing vegetation records, origina","PeriodicalId":55494,"journal":{"name":"Applied Vegetation Science","volume":"29 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/avsc.70082","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148282238","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":"Pervasive Effects of Roadside Plant Invasions on Native Vegetation in Tropical Forests and Savannas","authors":"Juliano Zardetto,&nbsp;Alessandra Fidelis","doi":"10.1111/avsc.70081","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.70081","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Aims</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Edge effects and biological invasions are among the major threats in protected areas. Invasive plant species are often found alongside roads in protected areas, facilitated by local edge effects. Although structurally distinct, both forests and savannas seem to be under strong invasion along roadsides. In this study, we investigated how edge effects of roads facilitate plant invasions in protected areas of forest and savanna, and how they affect native vegetation.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Location</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Protected areas of forest (Parque Estadual do Morro do Diabo, Reserva Biológica Municipal da Serra do Japi, and Parque Estadual Porto Ferreira) and savanna (Estação Ecológica de Santa Bárbara, Estação Ecológica de Itirapina, and Parque Estadual Juquery) in southeastern Brazil.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We conducted replicated multistrata surveys in 180 plots and 60 patches (groups of plots), distributed across protected areas of forest and savanna, in two treatments: edge of the road and core (50 m from the road). We analyzed diversity metrics—species richness, abundance, and evenness—at two spatial scales (plots and patches), along with β-diversity.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We found facilitative effects of road edges for invasive plant species in both vegetation types and at both spatial scales. Savannas, however, also have considerable invasion even in core areas. The abundance of invasive species was related to an increase in native species evenness, a decrease in native species abundance, and changes in relative abundances of dominant native species.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We recommend prioritizing non-invaded forest and savanna edges for invasive species prevention and early detection, and continued management of invaded areas, as they still support valuable native diversity. Finally, new roads in protected areas should be avoided, or if unavoidable, carefully planned and closely monitored.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55494,"journal":{"name":"Applied Vegetation Science","volume":"29 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148282239","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":"Pervasive Effects of Roadside Plant Invasions on Native Vegetation in Tropical Forests and Savannas","authors":"Juliano Zardetto,&nbsp;Alessandra Fidelis","doi":"10.1111/avsc.70081","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.70081","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Aims</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Edge effects and biological invasions are among the major threats in protected areas. Invasive plant species are often found alongside roads in protected areas, facilitated by local edge effects. Although structurally distinct, both forests and savannas seem to be under strong invasion along roadsides. In this study, we investigated how edge effects of roads facilitate plant invasions in protected areas of forest and savanna, and how they affect native vegetation.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Location</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Protected areas of forest (Parque Estadual do Morro do Diabo, Reserva Biológica Municipal da Serra do Japi, and Parque Estadual Porto Ferreira) and savanna (Estação Ecológica de Santa Bárbara, Estação Ecológica de Itirapina, and Parque Estadual Juquery) in southeastern Brazil.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We conducted replicated multistrata surveys in 180 plots and 60 patches (groups of plots), distributed across protected areas of forest and savanna, in two treatments: edge of the road and core (50 m from the road). We analyzed diversity metrics—species richness, abundance, and evenness—at two spatial scales (plots and patches), along with β-diversity.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We found facilitative effects of road edges for invasive plant species in both vegetation types and at both spatial scales. Savannas, however, also have considerable invasion even in core areas. The abundance of invasive species was related to an increase in native species evenness, a decrease in native species abundance, and changes in relative abundances of dominant native species.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We recommend prioritizing non-invaded forest and savanna edges for invasive species prevention and early detection, and continued management of invaded areas, as they still support valuable native diversity. Finally, new roads in protected areas should be avoided, or if unavoidable, carefully planned and closely monitored.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55494,"journal":{"name":"Applied Vegetation Science","volume":"29 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148282240","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":"How Well Is the Conservation Status of Alluvial and Lowland Hay Meadows Reflected in Their Plant Functional Composition?","authors":"Karina Engst,&nbsp;Annett Baasch,&nbsp;Sandra Dullau,&nbsp;Ute Jandt,&nbsp;Helge Bruelheide","doi":"10.1111/avsc.70082","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.70082","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Questions&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;Species-rich grasslands in floodplain landscapes, particularly alluvial and lowland hay meadows, are of high conservation value and are protected under the European Habitats Directive as habitat types 6440 and 6510. Despite being protected, these grasslands often face an unfavourable conservation status. While the conservation status is commonly based on the number of characteristic and habitat-specific species, an unfavourable state might also have functional consequences. Thus, we asked how functional traits at the community scale are related to the community's conservation status and whether they can enhance habitat assessments beyond traditional species-based criteria. We hypothesised that community mean traits and functional diversity can reflect the conservation status, and thus, might complement the traditional assessment criteria based on characteristic species.&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;River floodplains in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.&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 compiled vegetation plot records from river floodplains in Saxony-Anhalt from databases, classified them into habitat types and assigned the conservation status to each plot record based on the prevalence of characteristic species. We then linked the grassland's conservation status to its functional identity and diversity, structural variables and Ellenberg indicator values using community-weighted mean values as well as species diversity metrics. From those, we predicted the conservation status, employing multinomial logistic regressions. Furthermore, we used linear discriminant analysis to identify the variables that best differentiate the different levels of conservation status.&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;Communities with a favourable conservation status displayed a high species richness, a significant presence of endangered species and a low Ellenberg indicator value for nutrient supply. In a multi-criteria approach, dispersal traits, such as ‘Diaspore type: infructescence’ and Ellenberg indicator values for nutrient supply were key discriminators of conservation status, indicating an unfavourable conservation status when these traits attained high values. Although models of both habitat types were insufficiently robust to reliably distinguish between good, poor and bad conservation status, functional diversity clearly tended to increase with better conservation status. We have shown that habitat conservation status can principally be derived from existing vegetation records, origina","PeriodicalId":55494,"journal":{"name":"Applied Vegetation Science","volume":"29 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/avsc.70082","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148282234","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":"Beyond Climate and Grazing: Impact of Herder Mobility on Steppe Vegetation","authors":"Yun Jäschke,&nbsp;Khurelpurev Oyundelger,&nbsp;Oyunbileg Munkhzul,&nbsp;Uuganjargal Khaliun,&nbsp;Batlai Oyuntsetseg,&nbsp;Thanh Noi Phan,&nbsp;Lukas Lehnert,&nbsp;Jonas Van Laere,&nbsp;Ganzorig Gonchigsumlaa,&nbsp;Sugar Damdindorj,&nbsp;Ulan Kasymov,&nbsp;Lukas Drees,&nbsp;Nandintsetseg Dejid,&nbsp;Marion Mehring,&nbsp;Christiane M. Ritz,&nbsp;Karsten Wesche","doi":"10.1111/avsc.70077","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.70077","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;The Mongolian steppes, the world's largest intact grassland, have long supported nomadic pastoralism. Yet in recent decades, increasing livestock grazing and reduced herder mobility have driven pasture degradation, but its extent differs between major climate regimes and levels of human disturbance. The relative importance of abiotic factors versus land use impacts on plant diversity and palatability remains debated. Specifically, few studies have addressed the impact of herder mobility on vegetation patterns. We thus coupled vegetation and quantitative social survey data to examine how abiotic drivers, disturbance and herder household mobility relate to vegetation integrity.&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;Eastern Mongolian steppe.&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 conducted vegetation and herder household surveys at 11 study sites in the Eastern Mongolian steppe (275 vegetation plots and 249 herder households). These sites are classified into two groups with high and low human disturbance levels in terms of herder and livestock density, respectively. We (1) employed multivariate variation partitioning to investigate the relative importance of predictor groups macroclimate, soil chemistry, human disturbance and herder household mobility on plant species composition; (2) subsequently fitted generalized linear mixed models for evaluating effects of precipitation, grazing and herder household mobility on plant richness, vegetation cover and representation of palatable species. Moreover, we conducted indicator species analysis to identify plants indicating higher disturbance level.&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;In terms of species composition, macroclimate played the most important role, followed by human disturbance and mobility, then soil chemistry. Importantly, mobility and its overlapping effect with macroclimate explained the most variance of plant community for sites with higher disturbance levels, while soil chemistry was more important at sites with lower disturbance levels. Between-season moving frequency was positively related to richness, diversity and the richness of palatable species. Locally intensified grazing reduced the share of palatable species cover. Overall, the negative impact of intensified grazing on total vegetation cover and the cover of palatable species was only pronounced at drier sites. Additionally, five common plant species were identified as reliable indicators of varying disturbance levels.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 ","PeriodicalId":55494,"journal":{"name":"Applied Vegetation Science","volume":"29 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/avsc.70077","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148237925","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":"Beyond Climate and Grazing: Impact of Herder Mobility on Steppe Vegetation","authors":"Yun Jäschke,&nbsp;Khurelpurev Oyundelger,&nbsp;Oyunbileg Munkhzul,&nbsp;Uuganjargal Khaliun,&nbsp;Batlai Oyuntsetseg,&nbsp;Thanh Noi Phan,&nbsp;Lukas Lehnert,&nbsp;Jonas Van Laere,&nbsp;Ganzorig Gonchigsumlaa,&nbsp;Sugar Damdindorj,&nbsp;Ulan Kasymov,&nbsp;Lukas Drees,&nbsp;Nandintsetseg Dejid,&nbsp;Marion Mehring,&nbsp;Christiane M. Ritz,&nbsp;Karsten Wesche","doi":"10.1111/avsc.70077","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.70077","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;The Mongolian steppes, the world's largest intact grassland, have long supported nomadic pastoralism. Yet in recent decades, increasing livestock grazing and reduced herder mobility have driven pasture degradation, but its extent differs between major climate regimes and levels of human disturbance. The relative importance of abiotic factors versus land use impacts on plant diversity and palatability remains debated. Specifically, few studies have addressed the impact of herder mobility on vegetation patterns. We thus coupled vegetation and quantitative social survey data to examine how abiotic drivers, disturbance and herder household mobility relate to vegetation integrity.&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;Eastern Mongolian steppe.&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 conducted vegetation and herder household surveys at 11 study sites in the Eastern Mongolian steppe (275 vegetation plots and 249 herder households). These sites are classified into two groups with high and low human disturbance levels in terms of herder and livestock density, respectively. We (1) employed multivariate variation partitioning to investigate the relative importance of predictor groups macroclimate, soil chemistry, human disturbance and herder household mobility on plant species composition; (2) subsequently fitted generalized linear mixed models for evaluating effects of precipitation, grazing and herder household mobility on plant richness, vegetation cover and representation of palatable species. Moreover, we conducted indicator species analysis to identify plants indicating higher disturbance level.&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;In terms of species composition, macroclimate played the most important role, followed by human disturbance and mobility, then soil chemistry. Importantly, mobility and its overlapping effect with macroclimate explained the most variance of plant community for sites with higher disturbance levels, while soil chemistry was more important at sites with lower disturbance levels. Between-season moving frequency was positively related to richness, diversity and the richness of palatable species. Locally intensified grazing reduced the share of palatable species cover. Overall, the negative impact of intensified grazing on total vegetation cover and the cover of palatable species was only pronounced at drier sites. Additionally, five common plant species were identified as reliable indicators of varying disturbance levels.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 ","PeriodicalId":55494,"journal":{"name":"Applied Vegetation Science","volume":"29 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/avsc.70077","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148237926","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}