Sow seeds of nurse plants

Overall effectiveness category Evidence not assessed
Number of studies: 1
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Effectiveness

not assessed
Certainty

not assessed
Harms

not assessed

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Background information and definitions

Nurse plants are plants which are thought to aid the growth of other species by providing relatively benign conditions below their canopy. Examples of these altered conditions may include increases in moisture and nutrients, and decreases in temperature and damage from herbivores (de Toledo Castanho & Prado 2014). Sowing the seeds of nurse plants may facilitate the colonisation of grassland species.

This action involves sowing the seeds of nurse plants only. For studies that sow or plant both nurse plants and grassland plant species, see ‘Sow or plant nurse plants (alongside seeding/planting of grassland species)’.

_{de Toledo Castanho, C. & Prado, P.I. (2014) Benefit of shading by nurse plant does not change along a stress gradient in a coastal dune. PLOS ONE, 9, e105082.}

Study locations

Key messages

One study examined the effects of sowing seeds of nurse plants on grassland vegetation. The study was in France.

VEGETATION COMMUNITY (1 STUDY)

Community composition (1 study): One replicated, controlled study in France found that sowing seeds of nurse plants reduced the similarity of the plant community to that of nearby intact steppe compared to areas where no seeds were sown.
Overall richness/diversity (1 study): One replicated, controlled study in France found that sowing seeds of nurse plants did not change plant species richness and richness was lower than in nearby intact steppe.

VEGETATION ABUNDANCE (1 STUDY)

Overall abundance (1 study): One replicated, controlled study in France found that sowing seeds of nurse plants did not change vegetation cover compared to areas where no seeds were sown.

VEGETATION STRUCTURE (0 STUDIES)

About key messages

Key messages provide a descriptive index to studies we have found that test this intervention.

Studies are not directly comparable or of equal value. When making decisions based on this evidence, you should consider factors such as study size, study design, reported metrics and relevance of the study to your situation, rather than simply counting the number of studies that support a particular interpretation.

Supporting evidence from individual studies

A replicated, controlled study in 2009–2012 in a former orchard in the south of France (Jaunatre et al. 2014) found that sowing seeds of nurse plants did not alter plant species richness or vegetation cover and reduced the similarity of the plant community to that of intact steppe. Plant species richness did not differ significantly between areas where seeds of nurse plants were sown (10 species/plot) and areas where no seeds were sown (16 species/plot), but both were lower than species richness in an intact steppe site (33 species/plot). The similarity of the plant community to that of the intact steppe site was lower in areas where seeds of nurse plants were sown than in areas where they were not sown (presented as Bray-Curtis similarity). Vegetation cover was not significantly different in areas where the seeds of nurse plants were sown (66%) and areas where they were not (67%). In 2009, all trees were removed from the former orchard and soils were levelled. Sheep were introduced in 2010. Seeds of nurse plants were sown in two 30-ha areas, while no seeds were sown in a 270-ha area. In May 2012, cover of each plant species was recorded in each area in eighteen 2 x 2 m quadrats.
Study and other actions tested
Referenced paper
Jaunatre R., Buisson E. & Dutoit T. (2014) Topsoil removal improves various restoration treatments of a Mediterranean steppe (La Crau, southeast France). Applied Vegetation Science, 17, 236-245.

Please cite as:

Martin, P.A., Ockendon, N., Berthinussen, A, Smith, R.K. and Sutherland W.J. (2021) Grassland Conservation: Global evidence for the effects of selected interventions. Conservation Evidence Series Synopses. University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.

Where has this evidence come from?

List of journals searched by synopsis

All the journals searched for all synopses

This Action forms part of the Action Synopsis:

Grassland Conservation

Related Actions

Actions	Effectiveness	Studies	Category
Disturb soil before seeding/planting Action Link	Evidence not assessed	7	Synopsis Link
Add fertilizer to soil before or after seeding/planting Action Link	Evidence not assessed	17	Synopsis Link
Spray slurry of seed, mulch and water (‘hydroseeding’) Action Link	Evidence not assessed	4	Synopsis Link