Long-Term Effects of Reclamation Treatments on Plant Succession in Iceland

The long‐term effects (20–45 years) of reclamation treatments on plant succession are examined at two localities in Iceland that were fertilized and seeded from 1954 to 1979 with perennial grasses or annual grasses, or left untreated. The areas that underwent reclamation treatments had significantly higher total plant cover (7–100%) than the untreated control plots (<5%), and floristic composition was usually significantly different between treated and untreated plots. Dwarf‐shrubs (Calluna vulgaris and Empetrum nigrum), bryophytes, biological soil crust, grasses, and shrubs characterized the vegetation in the treated plots, but low‐growing herbs that have negligible effects on the environment, such as Cardaminopsis petraea and Minuartia rubella, and grasses characterized the control plots. The seeded grass species had declined (<10%, the perennials) or disappeared (the annuals) but acted as nurse species that facilitated the colonization of native plants. It seems that by seeding, some factors that limit plant colonization were overcome. Soil nutrients, vegetation cover, litter, and biological soil crust were greater in the treated areas than the control plots. This may have enhanced colonization through an increase in soil stability and fertility, increased availability of safe microsites, increased moisture, and the capture of wind‐blown seeds. This study demonstrates the importance of looking at the long‐term effects of reclamation treatments to understand their impact on vegetation succession.     

Natural Establishment of Specialist Plant Species after Topsoil Removal and Soil Perturbation in Degraded Calcareous Sandy Grassland

Specialist plant species in calcareous sandy grasslands are threatened by acidification and high nutrient levels in the topsoil. We investigated whether topsoil removal and soil perturbation in degraded sandy grasslands could lead to establishment of specialist species belonging to the threatened xeric sand calcareous grassland habitat. Restoration actions performed in 2006 resulted in increased soil pH and reduced nitrogen availability. We found early colonisztion of the perennial key species Koeleria glauca after both deep perturbation and topsoil removal, and high seedling establishment in topsoil removal plots 5 and 6 years following the restoration treatment (2011–2012). After topsoil removal, overall vegetation composition in 2012 had developed toward the undegraded community, with target species accounting for 20% of the community after topsoil removal, compared to 30% in the undegraded vegetation, and less than 1% in untreated controls. Deep perturbation led to 7% target species, while there were almost no effects of shallow perturbation 6 years following treatment. These results demonstrate that topsoil removal can promote colonization of target species of calcareous sandy grassland and highlights the importance of considering the regeneration niche for target species when implementing restoration measures .     

An experimental study of old-field succession in relation to different environmental factors

From 1984 to 1986, old-field succession on sterilized sand and loam was studied under different water- and nutrient regimes. Within one month, moss and phanerogam species appeared on all experimental plots but further succession was rather varied. Salix species established quickly on loam and formed within 3 years a shrub layer up to 3 m in height. On sand, woody plant species were observed only at a high ground-water level. On loam, the well-known old-field succession from short-living therophytes to long-living phanerophytes of clearings and woodlands proceeded very quickly. In contrast, on sand, therophytes, hemicryptophytes and herbaceous chamaephytes of ruderal- and grassland communities were still dominant after three years. A high ground-water level as well as mineral fertilization had sometimes positive, sometimes negative effects on this succession. Periodic estimates of cover, made during the succession were supplemented at the end of the experiment by the measurements of phytomass and bioelement storage. The highest amount of biomass was measured on the three loamy soils where shrub layers were well developed. In comparison with data published elsewhere, the above-ground biomass of 2.2–2.8 kg dry matter m^-2 and the below-ground biomass up to 7.2 kg dry matter m^-2 were both extraordinarily high. Over the three years, the vegetation on sandy soils accumulated between 1.2 and 5.1 g N m^-2 yr^-1 and on loamy soils between 17.1 and 24.7 g N m^-2 yr^-1.     

Colonization and early succession on anthropogenic soils

Abstract. This paper reports on vegetation development on permanent experimental plots during five years of succession. Nine (1 m²) plots were filled with three typical substrates from man-made habitats of urban and industrial areas in the region of Berlin. The three substrates (a commercial ‘topsoil’, a ruderal ‘landfill’ soil and a sandy soil), differ in organic matter and nutrient contents. Relevés of species composition and percent cover of each species present were made monthly during the growing season from the start of vegetation development. This paper describes the different successional pathways on topsoil and ruderal soil and the colonization process on sandy soil. On topsoil, ruderal annuals are dominant in the first year and are replaced by short-lived perennials from the second year. Those species were replaced by long-lived perennial herbs (Ballota nigra or Urtica dioica) from the third year of succession onwards. On the ruderal land-fill soil the early successional stages are less sharp and the perennial Solidago canadensis is able to dominate within one year after the succession was initiated. On sandy soil there is still an ongoing colonization process, where pioneer tree species like Betula pendula and Populus nigra play a main role. The importance of ‘initial floristic composition’, the role of substrate for community structure and the peculiarities of successional sequences on anthropogenic soils in the context of primary and secondary successions are discussed.     

基于功能性状的毛乌素沙地不同演替阶段适生植物筛选

沙地生态系统修复是恢复生态学研究的热点问题,适生植物筛选是修复的关键。植物功能性状反映了植物在不同环境中的生存策略,探究沙地植物功能性状及其与环境之间的关系,有助于筛选用于植被恢复的物种,为保护沙地生态系统提供理论依据。以毛乌素沙地为研究区,分析了1983-2015年间沙地典型飞播样地群落演替特征及其对环境因子的响应,建立基于10个植物功能性状的毛乌素沙地潜在种库,进一步筛选飞播恢复下沙地不同演替阶段的适生植物。研究表明:(1)飞播恢复下的毛乌素沙地植物群落分为三个演替阶段:固沙先锋物种群落、沙生植物为主的杂类草群落、中生植物为主的杂类草群落。(2)土壤因子是群落演替的主要驱动力,其中土壤全氮、土壤总有机碳、土壤硝态氮是影响群落演替的关键因素。(3)基于功能性状筛选出29种适生物种用于植被恢复,演替第一阶段可用雾冰藜、猪毛菜等,演替第二阶段可用拂子茅、无芒隐子草等,演替第三阶段可用草地风毛菊、猪毛蒿等。通过物种功能性状特征可以快速选择适合沙地退化生态系统修复的候选物种,为植被恢复提供了一定的理论支持。     

放牧方式对浑善达克沙地榆树疏林退化的影响

浑善达克沙地榆树疏林是分布于草原地带的隐域植被类型,相较周边的典型草原区,其植被更加茂密,乔灌丛生,水草丰美,千百年来一直是牧民的优质冬季牧场。近半个世纪以来,因人类的过度开垦以及不合理的放牧管理,浑善达克沙地植被遭到空前的破坏,沙丘活化,载畜能力降低,生态价值和经济价值严重受损。近年来,随着国家草畜平衡以及禁牧政策的推广落实,放牧的牲畜总量得到一定程度的遏制,然而大面积草场还在继续退化。在牧民对生产生活的基本需求下,牲畜总量不可能无限制的压制。另外,适度的放牧对草原生态系统健康是有益的。因此,如何改良放牧方式,合理利用草场,在保持生态良好的基础上合理发挥草场的畜牧价值,是我们亟待探索的问题。以浑善达克沙地的典型天然植被榆树疏林为例,对不同放牧方式下的植被进行调查,基于沙地特殊的基质和植被特征,探讨适合沙地的放牧利用方式。研究表明,在相似的放牧强度下,把沙地作为冬营地,其榆树种群更新正常,植被覆盖度以及植物种类等均能保持良好,而把沙地作为夏季营地,榆树疏林植被退化严重,具体表现为:(1)榆树种群自然更新受阻;(2)灌木群落大量死亡或消失;(3)草本覆盖度显著降低,植物种类减少,多年生草本比例减少,一、二年生草本比例增加;(4)裸沙面积增加,沙丘趋于活化。本研究认为目前沙地植被的退化主要由不合理的放牧引起,并非气候因素所致。沙地适合于冬季放牧而不适合其他季节放牧。借鉴牧民的传统放牧方式,建议配合周边的典型草原区实行季节性倒场放牧,仅将沙地作为冬季营地使用,既能有效保护沙地植被又能充分发挥其畜牧价值。     

Plant Succession on the Braided Bed of the Orongorongo River, Wellington, New Zealand, 1973-1990

Vegetation on 5 km (c. 100 ha) of the braided bed of the Orongorongo River, Wellington, was sampled in March from 1973 to 1990. The riverbed has become aggraded since an earthquake in 1855. Surface water covered little of the riverbed; Callitriche stagnalis was the only common vascular aquatic plant. Most grasses and dicot herbs were adventive. The scabweed Raoulia tenuicaulis was the commonest dicot. The extent of plant cover was measured on 300 circular plots (radius 1.5 m); it ranged between years from 5% to 22%, depending on the severity of floods. The number of plots with little vegetation varied widely, independently of plant cover. Plots with a sandy substrate had most plant cover. Much wind- blown sand accumulated beneath established vegetation. Patterns of early succession, which relied on available seed, were largely dictated by floods and droughts. If not disturbed for 20-25 years, succession invariably led to a temporary dominance of kanuka (Kunzea ericoides), with or without manuka (Leptospermum scoparium).     

Restoration prospects of abandoned species‐rich sandy grassland in Hungary

Abstract. Secondary succession and seed bank formation was studied in a formerly grazed, abandoned, eastern Hungarian sandy steppe‐meadow (Pulsatillo‐Festucetum). The vegetation was sampled at different elevations of a sand dune which became partly invaded by the tree Robinia pseudo‐acacia ca. 10 yr ago. Pre‐abandonment vegetation records were used as historic references. Though composition of the non‐invaded grassland only changed moderately, dominance of tall grasses (Elymus hispidus, Poa angustifolia) increased significantly at the cost of annuals and low stature perennials. In the stand invaded by Robinia most grassland species were lost and replaced by nitrophytes. Vertical position influenced species abundance, but affected the composition only moderately. Fine‐scale zonation of the vegetation also changed with time. Species richness of the above‐ground vegetation and the seed density of soil samples at the lower elevation were slightly greater than at the higher sites. Seed banks of sensitive grassland specialists (e.g. Pulsatilla pratensis subsp. hungarica) disappeared during grass encroachment. Following extinction from above‐ground vegetation, restoration must rely on dispersal from adjacent areas. In contrast, several annuals and perennials, which survived this degradation stage in the above‐ground vegetation, possessed seed banks. Many of these species became extinct from the vegetation during the Robinia invasion but left viable persistent seeds. This fact is promising for restoration of the Potentillo‐Festucetum sandy pasture. Competitive weedy species and sprouting Robinia can, however, limit seedling establishment.     

Effects of topography on tropical lower montane forests under different geological conditions on Mount Kinabalu,Borneo

Species composition and forest structure change with topography.However, mechanisms for topographical vegetation changes are still not wellunderstood, because a topographical gradient is a complex environmentalgradientinclusive of many factors. The foot of Mt. Kinabalu is covered with three typesof geological substrates, i.e. Quaternary and Tertiary sedimentary rocks andultrabasic (serpentine) rock. Quaternary and Tertiary sedimentaryrocks are different in site age, but controlled in primary minerals. Tertiarysedimentary and ultrabasic rocks are contrasting in primary minerals, but arecomparable in age. This setting provides an opportunity to examine thevegetation differentiation along topographical gradients that are contrastinginmajor-nutrient supply due to the difference in site age and parent rock.We established a total of nine study plots by choosing three topographicalunits(ridge, middle- and lower-slope) on each substrate inthe tropical lower montane forest. Pool size and supply of soil N and Pdecreased upslope on each substrate, and the magnitude of the reduction fromslope to ridge decreased in the order of Quaternary sedimentary > Tertiarysedimentary > ultrabasic rock. Between-substrate difference in soilnutrient condition was greater on the lower-slopes than the ridges.Maximum tree size decreased and stem density increased upslope on eachsubstrate. Detrended correspondence analysis demonstrated that speciescomposition also changed along topographical gradients on all substrates.However, the magnitude of topographical changes in forest structure and speciescomposition varied with substrate and decreased from Quaternary sedimentary>Tertiary sedimentary > ultrabasic rock. The greatest between-substratedifference in vegetation occurred on the lower-slopes. Accordingly, ourresults suggest that the magnitude of vegetation changes due to topographybecomes smaller with decreasing pool size and supply of nutrients.     

Primary forest succession on poor sandy soilsas related to site factors

Three main succession lines are found to occur on poor sandy soils in a blown drift sand landscape in the Netherlands. Site factors – organic matter, parent material, soil moisture regime and relief – were determined. Site types, specific combinations of these site factors, are defined. For five site types succession was studied. The primary criterion for separating succession lines and for delineating the successional stages, was the site factor organic matter and the second criterion, groundwater level. Influence of organic matter on succession was significant on site types with a buried podzol. Species composition on these site types indicated richer sites than the species composition on the site types without a buried podzol. Groundwater level of about 1m with gleyzone was critical for species requiring moist sites. Within a succession line vegetation stages are characterized and the potential forest type is presumed. The stages were related to humus form and soil development. Litter of dominant species was suggested to be the main criterion for the humus form. Initial and older vegetation stages were linked to development of soil horizons. The defined site types, their soil development and relationships with the succession lines clarify spatial and temporal structure and diversity of vegetation, and herewith is the basic information for clarifying the heterogeneity and potential biodiversity of this blown drift sand landscape.     

Restored meadow harvestman communities (Opiliones) in the Bílé Karpaty Protected Landscape Area, Czech Republic

Harvestman communities inhabiting plots treated differently for grassland restoration were investigated at the Vyzkum site near Malá Vrbka village (Bílé Karpaty Protected Landscape Area). Harvestman were sampled by pitfall trapping from 1999 to 2003 on plots sown with native haymeadow seed mixture, also on plots where narrow strips of regional seed mixtures were sown either within a matrix of commercial grass mixture or within vegetation cover in natural regeneration state and on plots in a natural regeneration state. Additionally, harvestman were collected in a field under permanent crop rotation and in a neighbouring xerothermic deciduous forest. In total, 5,086 individuals of harvestman representing 15 species from three families were obtained. Phalangium opilio was dominant (78%) and P. opilio, Rilaena triangularis and Zachaeus crista were the most frequent species. The results confirmed colonisation and subsequent development of harvestman communities on meadows in various state of restoration, including plots with spontaneous plant succession. Nevertheless, biotope character and successive formation of plant cover evidently influenced the structure of harvestman communities. The highest number of taxa (12) was recorded on plots with natural regeneration; the lowest one (9) was recorded in the field with permanent crop rotation. The highest values of diversity and equitability indices of harvestman communities were found in neighbouring forest habitats representing possible sources of harvestman migration.     

Soil chemistry of local vegetation gradients in sandy calcareous grasslands

Acidification and N-deposition are continuous processes that alter the composition of plant communities. We investigated vegetation transitions in sandy grasslands and tested two hypotheses: (1) a shift from vegetation dominated by Koeleria glauca to one dominated by Corynephorus canescens is due to acidification and (2) a shift from vegetation dominated by K. glauca to one dominated by Arrhenatherum elatius is due to increased mineral-N. The occurrence of K. glauca and C. canescens followed pH shifts strikingly well. However, the pH varied considerably between sites, and we found that differences in preference for bare sand may be important for the coexistence of these two species at both high and low pH. In 75% of the gradients, the dominance of A. elatius was related to high content of mineral-N. Most species preferred lime-rich soils and we concluded that both N-enrichment and acidification may lead to loss of species in calcareous sandy grasslands.     

Immediate responses in soil chemistry,vegetation and ground beetles to soil perturbation when implemented as a restoration measure in decalcified sandy grassland

The species-rich calcareous grassland communities in Europe are gradually disappearing due to lack of management such as grazing or cultivation, resulting in decalcification and reduction of gaps in the vegetation. In this study, experimental soil perturbation (deep and shallow) was performed in degenerated sandy grassland in plots with a size of 8 × 8 m, using a randomised block design. The hypothesis that soil perturbation that inverts the soil layers decreases nutrient availability, creates vegetation gaps and thereby selects for desirable species was tested through comparisons with untreated controls as well as with nearby target habitats. The deep perturbation was designed to bring CaCO₃ up to the surface, whereas the shallow perturbation tested the effect of disturbance alone. The effects of soil perturbation on soil chemistry, vegetation and beetle communities were analysed for the 2 years following the treatments. Increased pH and calcium concentration, and decreased nitrogen and phosphorus availability, showed that deep perturbation was successful in restoring the soil chemistry to levels similar to those of the target habitat. Perturbated plots were rapidly colonised by the acid tolerant grass Corynephorus canescens, but the slow colonisation of the threatened calcicole species Koeleria glauca was an indication that the vegetation could be evolving towards the target vegetation. Six red-listed beetle species associated with open, dry grasslands were found, out of which four were found only in perturbated plots, although this could not be statistically tested. In conclusion, it may take many years or even decades for the establishment of desirable flora, and seeding could therefore be a suitable method of increasing the rate of succession.     

Response of Grassland Birds in Sand Shinnery Oak Communities Restored Using Tebuthiuron and Grazing in Eastern New Mexico

Sand shinnery oak (Quercus havardii) communities are a unique component of grassland bird habitat in eastern New Mexico and have been impacted by human activities for decades. These communities are frequently managed with livestock grazing and herbicide application for shrub control, strategies that potentially can be used to restore the historical shrub–grass composition of this plant community. During spring migration and the breeding seasons of 2004 and 2005, we compared density and community structure of grassland bird species among four combinations of tebuthiuron application and grazing treatments that were being evaluated for restoration of shinnery oak communities. We performed biweekly point transects on sixteen 65‐ha study plots in these communities. Density of all avian species combined did not differ between grazed and ungrazed plots. Tebuthiuron‐treated plots had a 40% higher average density for combined species than untreated plots. There was a 41% higher average density of all species during spring 2005 than 2004, but density was similar during the breeding season of both years. These trends were predominantly influenced by densities of migratory Cassin’s Sparrow (Aimophila cassinii), which were greater in tebuthiuron‐treated plots in both years. Densities of resident Meadowlarks (Sturnella spp.) exhibited little response to tebuthiuron or grazing treatments. Avian species richness, evenness, and diversity were only minimally affected by the tebuthiuron and grazing treatments. This study occurred over a period of highly variable precipitation, so future assessments, spanning longer wet–dry cycles and maturing plant communities, may be necessary to completely determine avian response to these restoration efforts.     

Wetland development in early stages of volcanic succession

Abstract. Wetland vegetation developed in the crater of Mount Usu, northern Japan, soon after the 1977–1978 eruptions which destroyed the vegetation. The cover of each species was measured in 1994 in 118 50 cm × 50 cm plots situated in transects and related to environmental factors (elevation, water depth, soil texture, soil compaction, soil organic matter, and soil pH) to clarify vegetation development. Five vegetation types were recognized dominated by Eleocharis kamtschatica, Equisetum arvense, Lythrum salicaria, Juncus fauriensis and Phragmites australis respectively. Sedge/grass marsh and reed swamp dominated deep-water sites; willow swamp and wet meadow vegetation characterized shallow-water sites, indicating that vegetation zonation developed soon after the eruption. Since those wetland plants were derived neither from seed banks nor from vegetative propagules, they had to immigrate from outside the summit areas. However, except for willows, most species lack the ability for long-distance dispersal. Late successional species, such as P. australis established in the early stages of the primary succession. The water depth varied by 27.5 cm among the plots. Coarse soil particles accumulated, and pH (5.22–6.55) was low on the elevated sites. Organic matter ranged from 2.8 % to 19.1 %, and was high on the elevated sites. Water depth was responsible for the establishment of large-scale vegetation patterns, while edaphic factors, i.e. soil compaction, pH, and organic matter, were determinants of small-scale vegetation patterns. Among the edaphic factors, soil compaction appeared to have a strong influence on vegetation development.     

Restoration of a Landfill Site in Berlin, Germany by Spontaneous and Directed Succession

We report on spontaneous and directed succession on a dry sandy landfill site of low fertility at Berlin‐Malchow, Germany. Changes in species composition and cover were followed on unmown and mown permanent plots of 2 × 2 m size through 5 years of vegetation development. Species richness on unmown plots was relatively constant during the time of observation, with 20 to 25 species per 4 m². Total cover of unmown plots continuously increased from approximately 10% in the first year to 80% in the fifth year. There are no clearly discernible sequential successional stages until present. The species composition includes species of all life forms, which colonized the site immediately after the initiation of the succession process representing the initial floristic composition type of vegetation development. However, perennial grasses and herbs gradually increased in cover up to approximately 40%. Woody plants were also present from the first year of succession and increased up to more than 20% cover in the fifth year, forming a shrub layer (>0.5 m) after the second year. Mowing significantly increased species richness, which was evident from the third year onward. This effect was mainly due to the reduction of the tall perennial grass Calamagrostis epigejos. Solidago canadensis and woody species were also significantly affected (lower cover and height), whereas short perennial herbs like Plantago lanceolata and Trifolium repens benefited from mowing.     

Can mobile sandy land be vegetated in the cold and dry Tibetan Plateau in China?

Desertification has taken place in the overgrazed grassland of the Tibetan Plateau, China, and the area of mobile sandy land has increased in recent decades. The challenging problem about desertification control is how to restore the vegetation of mobile sandy lands caused by severe desertification. Sand drifting is now regarded as the limiting factor of vegetation restoration in such lands. The initial phase of vegetation restoration is plant colonization, but it is often aborted due to sand drifting, and then vegetation restoration fails to proceed. For the sake of revegetation, the first step is to stop sand drifting to ensure plant colonization. In the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, China, feasible approaches have been found through long-term experiments, and the vegetation is being restored satisfactorily with these approaches in experimental sandy lands. The approaches comprise three types: enclosure, mechanical barriers and biological barriers. Different sandy lands require dissimilar combinations of these approaches. Enclosures may be adequate to revegetate inter-dunes or degraded grassland even in cold regions like the Tibetan Plateau, China, but it is deficient for revegetation of the shifting sand dunes unless mechanical and biological barriers are established simultaneously.     

Soil Disturbance as a Grassland Restoration Measure—Effects on Plant Species Composition and Plant Functional Traits

Soil disturbance is recognized as an important driver of biodiversity in dry grasslands, and can therefore be implemented as a restoration measure. However, because community re-assembly following disturbance includes stochastic processes, a focus only on species richness or establishment success of particular species will not inform on how plant communities respond ecologically to disturbance. We therefore evaluated vegetation development following disturbance by quantifying species richness, species composition and functional trait composition. Degraded calcareous sandy grassland was subjected to experimental disturbance treatments (ploughing or rotavation), and the vegetation was surveyed during four subsequent years of succession. Treated plots were compared with control plots representing untreated grassland, as well as nearby plots characterized by plant communities representing the restoration target.Species richness and functional diversity both increased in response to soil disturbance, and rotavation, but not ploughing, had a persistent positive effect on the occurrence of specialist species of calcareous sandy grassland. However, no type of soil disturbance caused the plant species composition to develop towards the target vegetation. The disturbance had an immediate and large impact on the vegetation, but the vegetation developed rapidly back towards the control sites. Plant functional composition analysis indicated that the treatments created habitats different both from control sites and target sites. Community-weighted mean Ellenberg indicator values suggested that the observed plant community response was at least partially due to an increase in nitrogen and water availability following disturbance. This study shows that a mild type of disturbance, such as rotavation, may be most successful in promoting specialist species in calcareous sandy grassland, but that further treatments are needed to reduce nutrient availability. We conclude that a functional trait based analysis provides additional information of the vegetation response and the abiotic conditions created, complementing the information from the species composition.     

The role of cattle in maintaining plant species diversity in wet dune valleys

The succession of species-rich wetland vegetation in dune valleys into species-poor dwarf shrub vegetation was followed by means of permanent vegetation plots, in which the cover of vascular plant, moss and lichen species were recorded over a period of up to 33 years. Low density cattle grazing is an effective substitute for rabbits in stalling this succession, thus preserving the local plant species diversity. The influence of direct rabbit grazing pressure on the vegetation was studied in exclosures. The differences were significant, but not long-lasting after the exclosures had been opened again to the rabbits. Cladina lichen-rich Empetrum-heathland in the dunes is a stage in a probably cyclic succession that might be triggered by grazing. The total vascular plant, moss and lichen diversity of the dune ecosystem can be maintained by a combination of extensive cattle grazing and a regular but limited re-creation of pioneer situations.     

Assigning plant communities to a successional phase: Time trends in abandoned limestone quarries

We investigated spontaneous vegetation succession and the relationship between time and vegetation patterns in several abandoned quarries of the Botticino extraction basin (Lombardy, Italy) and then assigned plant assemblages to a predetermined theoretical successional phase using an original procedure. To recognise and validate the gradient due to time, an ordination approach of vegetation plots linked to constant variables and time since last mining Canonical Correspondence Analysis was conducted first. Then, to determine the durations of the vegetation succession phases and trends between the colonisers and late successional species, we used an original six-step procedure based primarily on the regression curve of the percent relative abundance of life forms (RALFs) over time. The results demonstrated that time is the primary factor that significantly affects life form turnover during succession. Vegetation establishment and development in the “pioneer phase” (0–6 years) were affected by abiotic filters, which determined the dominance of a few ruderal and annual/alien species, mostly therophytes. The successive phases were characterised by an increasing presence of perennial species (mostly phanerophytes) with a consequent influence of biotic filters. The RALF procedure may be applied to other environments to investigate the time trends of plant communities during successions.