Biodiversity management of fens and fen meadows by grazing,cutting and burning

Question: Can the biodiversity of fens in Europe and North America be maintained through the use of grazing (especially cattle grazing), fire, and/or cutting? Location: European and North American fens. Methods: This paper is a review of the literature on the effects of grazing, fire and cutting on fens, to explore the relationship between management and biodiversity in fens. Results: A reduction of cattle grazing, mowing and burning in fens has led to a reduction in biodiversity in fens. The vegetation of abandoned fens shifts to trees and shrubs after 10–15 years, which shade the smaller and rarer species of these wetlands. While careful use of fire is used to manage fens in North America, it is not widely used in European fens, perhaps because the peat of drained fens may catch fire. Cattle grazing cannot be considered a natural disturbance in North America, since cattle did not evolve on that continent. In Europe, cattle do not generally graze in unaltered fens, but they do use slightly drained fen meadows. Conclusions: Three approaches have been used to control the dominance of tall woody and herbaceous species in abandoned fens, including the re‐introduction of cattle, mowing, and burning. Overgrazing results in a permanent reduction in biodiversity, therefore cattle re‐introduction must be approached cautiously. In Europe, but not in North America, mowing has been an important management tool, and mowing has been successful in maintaining species richness, particularly in fens that have been mowed annually for centuries. Fire has been the most common and successful management tool in North America although it is not effective in removing shrubs that have become large. Because the problems and solutions are similar, the literature of both European and North American fen management can be analyzed to better assess the management of fens on both continents. Many management questions require further study and these are listed in the paper.     

Isolation and characterization of 11 microsatellite loci from Carex macrocephala (Cyperaceae)

Carex macrocephala (Cyperaceae) is a species of great conservation concern along the northwest coast of North America. Using a biotinylated-streptavidin bead protocol, we successfully isolated and characterized 11 microsatellite loci from a C. macrocephala genomic library. Although these loci are polymorphic, the scored populations exhibit a significant deficiency in heterozygosity. Carex macrocephala is a self-pollinating rhizomatously spreading sedge, consequently this may contribute to the observed patterns.     

A change from phalanx to guerrilla growth form is an effective strategy to acclimate to sedimentation in a wetland sedge species Carex brevicuspis (Cyperaceae)

The rhizomatous sedge Carex brevicuspis can produce clumping ramets from shortened rhizomes (phalanx) and spreading ramets from elongated rhizomes (guerrilla) to form a combined clonal growth form. In this paper, changes in clonal growth and biomass allocation pattern of C. brevicuspis in response to sedimentation were studied. Four sedimentation depths (0, 3, 6, and 9 cm) were applied to 48 ramets in a randomized block design. Plants were harvested after 20 weeks. With increasing sedimentation depth, the proportion of spreading ramets to total ramets increased from 19.6% in 0 cm to 92.9% in 9 cm sedimentation treatments, whereas that of clumping ramets decreased from 80.4% to 7.1%, indicating a change of clonal growth form from phalanx to guerrilla as a response to sedimentation. With increasing sedimentation depth, biomass allocation to shoots and roots did not change, but rhizome mass ratio increased from 2.7% in 0 cm to 7.2% in 9 cm sedimentation treatments, suggesting that production of long rhizomes changes biomass allocation pattern. The results show that plasticity of clonal growth forms, by which more spreading ramets are produced, is an effective strategy to avoid sedimentation stress under our experimental conditions.     

Effect of light and simulated herbivory on growth of endangered northeastern bulrush,shape Scirpus ancistrochaetus Schuyler

The independent and interactive effects of light and simulated herbivory on growth and biomass allocation in the endangered emergent sedge, Scirpus ancistrochaetus Schuyler, were examined in a 15-week common garden experiment. Light level was manipulated through the use of shade cloth to attain shading levels of 0%, 30%, 63% and 90%, while herbivory was simulated by reducing plant height by 50% six weeks into the experiment. Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) of final total (shoot + root) plant mass, leaf width and root to shoot ratio (R:S) indicated overall significant effects of both light and the interaction of light and clipping. Means of these variables decreased with decreasing light level. Furthermore, means of these variables were generally higher for clipped plants than unclipped plants in 0% shade, while they tended to be lower in clipped plants in all other levels of shade. Maximum leaf height was also significantly affected by light. Leaf height was similar in all treatments for the first 11 weeks. For the last four weeks of the experiment, however, leaf height was lowest in plants grown in 0% shade, highest in plants grown in 63 and 90% shade, and intermediate in plants grown in 30% shade. Clipped plants tended to be taller than unclipped plants at lower levels of shade, while the opposite was true at higher levels of shade, although effects were marginally significant. Both light and the interactive effect of light and clipping were important determinants of growth of S. ancistrochaetus in this experiment and therefore may be important influences on its distribution within and among pond habitats.     

Tools for <Emphasis Type="Italic">Carex</Emphasis> revegetation in freshwater wetlands: understanding dormancy loss and germination temperature requirements

Carex is a globally distributed genus with more than 2000 species worldwide and Carex species are the characteristic vegetation of sedge meadow wetlands. In the mid-continental United States, Carex species are dominant in natural freshwater wetlands yet are slow to recolonize hydrologically restored wetlands. To aid in Carex revegetation efforts, we determined the dormancy breaking and temperature germination requirements of 12 Carex species. Seeds were cold stratified at 5/1°C for 0–6 months and then incubated in light at 5/1°C, 14/1°C, 22/8°C, 27/15°C, or 35/30°C. We found that all Carex species produced conditionally dormant seeds. The optimal temperature for germination for all but three species was 27/15°C. As is the case in other species with physiological dormancy, cold stratification increased germination percentages, broadened the temperature range suitable for germination, and increased germination rates for most species, but the magnitude of the effects varied among species. Many species germinated to 80% at 27/15°C without cold stratification and at 22/8°C with ≤1 month of stratification but required much longer stratification (up to 6 months depending on the species) to germinate to 80% at 14/1°C and 35/30°C. Our findings illustrate how a stratification pretreatment can greatly benefit Carex seed sowing efforts by triggering rapid germination to higher percentages. We recommend that cold stratification be targeted towards species with strong dormancy or used across a wider range of species when seed supplies for restoration are limiting. For Carex revegetation, establishing Carex canopies rapidly may help to prevent the invasion of undesirable species such as Phalaris arundinacea.     

Vegetation during UMBI and deposition of Tuff IF at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania (ca. 1.8 Ma) based on phytoliths and plant remains

As part of ongoing research at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, to determine the detailed paleoenvironmental setting during Bed I and Bed II times and occupation of the basin by early hominins, we present the results of phytolith analyses of Tuff IF which is the uppermost unit of Bed I. Phytoliths were identified in most of the levels and localities on the eastern paleolake margin, but there are not always sufficient numbers of identifiable morphologies to infer the specific type of vegetation due to dissolution. Some surge surfaces and reworked tuff surfaces were vegetated between successive ash falls, as indicated by root-markings and the presence of a variety of phytolith morphotypes. Dicotyledonous wood/bark types were dominant except at the FLK N site just above Tuff IF when monocots are dominant and for the palm-dominated sample from the reworked channel cutting down into Tuff IF at FLK N. The area between the two fault scarps bounding the HWK Compartment, approximately 1 km wide, was vegetated at various time intervals between some of the surges and during the reworking of the Tuff. By lowermost Bed II times the eastern margin was fully vegetated again. Climate and tectonic activity probably controlled the fluctuating lake levels but locally the paleorelief and drainage were probably the controlling factors for the vegetation changes. These data support a scenario of small groups of hominins making brief visits to the paleolake during uppermost Bed I times, followed by a more desirable vegetative environment during lowermost Bed II times.     

Establishment of Carex stricta Lam. seedlings in experimental wetlands with implications for restoration

The loss of Carex dominated meadows due to agricultural drainage in the previously glaciated midcontinent of North America has been extensive. The lack of natural Carex recruitment in wetland restorations and the failures of revegetation attempts underscore the need for information on the establishment requirements of wetland sedges. In this study, seedlings of Carex stricta Lam. were planted in three experimental wetlands in east-central Minnesota, USA to investigate the biotic and abiotic environmental limitations to establishment. Seedlings were planted along an elevational water depth gradient to assess the effects of water depth and water level fluctuation on seedling survival and growth. A different water level fluctuation regime was assigned to each of the experimental wetlands to assess seedling tolerance for seasonal water level changes. The effects of seedling planting density and the presence or absence of non-sedge colonizers on seedling survival and growth were also studied. The experiment was followed for three growing seasons. The results of this study indicate that C. stricta seedlings were sensitive to the timing and duration of inundation during the first growing season. Once established, plants tolerated a broad range of seasonal drying and flooding conditions. Seedling and juvenile growth was slowed by non-sedge colonizers during the first two growing seasons, but by the third growing season, C. stricta was able to out-grow all annual and perennial weeds, except the aggressive perennial, Phalaris arundinacea L. The rapid growth of C. stricta plants, once established, indicates that the use of seedlings is a successful method for (re) introducing this tussock sedge into wetland restorations under a variety of environmental conditions. Comparison with other studies performed under similar conditions suggests that planting of seedlings is a more appropriate method of establishing this species than the use of transplanted rhizomes. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Competition as a factor structuring species zonation in riparian fens ‐ a transplantation experiment

Question: What is the relative importance of competition and physical factors in restricting the occurrence of different fen species to certain zones of the riparian landscape? Location: Biebrza National Park, NE Poland. Methods: We carried out a two‐season reciprocal transplantation experiment: sod‐blocks were replaced between a low‐productive groundwater‐fed small‐sedge fen and a high‐productive fluviogenous tall‐sedge fen. Five treatments were applied to the transplanted sods: (1) no manipulation; (2) fertilization with NPK to exclude the effect of nutrient limitation; (3) clipping vegetation around the transplant to exclude competition for light; (4) clipping + fertilizing; (5) sods were also transplanted within their own environment. Results: After two seasons, the small‐sedge sods transplanted into the high‐productive zone had a biomass two times lower than that of the control transplants, mainly due to a decrease in small sedges and bryophytes. Tall sedges of the high‐productive zone did not respond significantly to transplantation in the low‐productive zone. Removal of the surrounding vegetation largely enhanced the growth of small sedges and bryophytes and, to a lesser degree, of tall sedges. Fertilization, on the other hand, resulted in increased growth of tall sedges, grasses and non‐graminoid herbs. Conclusion: Species characteristic of low‐productive fen communities are competitively excluded from the high‐productive zone through light competition. In contrast, the performance of tall sedges in the low‐productive zone is lowered by nutrient limitation. In the long run this may lead to a complete disappearance of these species from this zone. We did not find evidence that the physical stress of flooding has a direct effect on the performance and distribution of species. Results from the experiment suggest that productivity gradients and their influence on competition intensity are of primary importance for structuring vegetation patterns in lowland riparian fens.     

The transition from invasive species control to native species promotion and its dependence on seed density thresholds

Question: Does the seed density of invasive species affect establishment by native species in a bare ground context (following invasive species control efforts), and is it possible to promote transition to a native species dominated state by manipulating sowing density of the native community? Location: Experimental wetland basin in Chanhassen, Minnesota, USA. Methods: A mesocosm experiment investigated the influence of Phalaris arundinacea (invasive species) propagule pressure on establishment of native wet meadow species in the context of a newly restored wetland. Mesocosms were sown with P. arundinacea (0, 10, 50, 100, or 500 seeds/m²) and a mix of native species (3000 or 15000 seeds/m²). Results: When planted at densities > 100 seeds/m², P. arundinacea increased suppression of native species. Also, high native seed density suppressed P. arundinacea biomass production. This effect was more pronounced when P. arundinacea seed density was high (> 100 seeds/m²), but high native seed density (15000 seeds/m²) did not suppress recruitment of P. arundinacea from seed. Conclusions: The transition from post‐control bare ground (a common result of efforts to control invasive species) to native species establishment depends on both native species and invader seed density. These results suggest that a threshold of P. arundinacea propagule pressure exists, beyond which transition to a native community is less likely without management intervention. P. arundinacea can establish in the presence of a newly developing native plant community, even at very low densities of P. arundinacea seed. Invader control (following initial site clearing efforts) is essential to native species establishment.