Recreating grasslands in Swedish rural landscapes – effects of seed sowing and management history
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Published source details
Lindborg R. (2006) Recreating grasslands in Swedish rural landscapes – effects of seed sowing and management history. Biodiversity and Conservation, 15, 957-969.
Published source details Lindborg R. (2006) Recreating grasslands in Swedish rural landscapes – effects of seed sowing and management history. Biodiversity and Conservation, 15, 957-969.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Restore/create species-rich, semi-natural grassland Action Link |
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Restore/create species-rich, semi-natural grassland
A replicated controlled seed addition trial in 2000-2001 in four grasslands subject to different management practices in southeastern Sweden (Lindborg 2006 ) found that seedling emergence was higher in grazed grasslands than in an abandoned grassland. Seedling emergence was similar for six plant species favoured by grazing (target species) and six plant species favoured by no grazing (generalist species) in all four grasslands. The proportion of sown seeds emerging differed among species (range: 1.2-12.6%). The highest proportion of seeds germinated at an intermediate sowing density (20-50 seeds/dm²). Target species recruited well in the former arable fields (grazed for 10 or 30 years) and generalists also recruited well at grazed sites. All sown species performed poorly in the abandoned (40 years ago) grassland. The two grasslands with the longest grazing history (continuously grazed grassland and former arable grazed for 30 years) were positively associated with emergence of target species. There were four grassland types: former arable field grazed for 30 years, former arable field grazed for 10 years, continuously grazed (since 17th century) semi-natural grassland, abandoned semi-natural grassland (previously grazed, abandoned 40 years ago). Seed was collected locally in autumn 2000 and sown within two weeks. Each species was sown in ten 10 x 10 cm plots/grassland at four densities: 10, 21, 46, and 100 seeds. Ten plots were left unsown as controls. Seedling emergence was recorded in June 2001 in randomly placed 1 m² quadrats.
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