Study

Conservation management in fens: do large tracked mowers impact functional plant diversity?

  • Published source details Kotowski W., Jabłońska E. & Bartoszuk H. (2013) Conservation management in fens: do large tracked mowers impact functional plant diversity?. Biological Conservation, 167, 292-297.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Cut/mow herbaceous plants to maintain or restore disturbance

Action Link
Peatland Conservation
  1. Cut/mow herbaceous plants to maintain or restore disturbance

    A replicated, randomized, paired, controlled study in 2009­–2011 in a degraded fen in Poland (Kotowski et al. 2013) found that mown and unmown plots had a similar total number of plant species, vegetation height, shrub cover and hollow-adapted moss cover after 1–2 years, but that mown plots had less cover of sedges Carex spp. (all data reported as standardised scores). Twelve pairs of plots were established in a historically drained, abandoned fen. In late summer 2009 or 2010, one random plot in each pair was mown using a modified snow groomer. The other plots were not disturbed. In 2011, cover of every plant species was estimated in 4 m2 quadrats (number not reported).

    (Summarised by: Nigel Taylor)

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