Abstract
Vegetation development in dry heathlands was studied during a six-year period following experimental burning, sod-cutting and cutting in a continental area in the southern part of the Czech Republic (Podyjí National Park). Calluna vulgaris-dominated heathlands in the area were composed of uneven-aged stands and had been unmanaged for several decades. The aim of the study was testing the applicability of Western European management systems to nature conservation in a continental area. Species composition was recorded in 8 permanent plots using 25×25 cm grids, and vegetation recovery following different treatments was analysed. Calluna recovered successfully after burning. Burning dense heathlands, which contained a large amount of woody fuel, resulted in a medium-intensity fire that destroyed moss mats and litter and exposed patches of bare ground to facilitate Calluna regeneration by seed, in addition to vegetative regrowth. On the contrary, in open heathlands with patches of herbaceous vegetation, low-intensity fires which failed to expose mineral soil were more typical. Almost all Calluna regeneration was vegetative in this case, and regrowth was slower. Heathland recovery after sod-cutting to mineral soil depended on whether or not Calluna seed germination occurred in the plot. With germination, the community developed towards heathland; without towards grassland. Cutting promoted a striking increase in grass cover, which was followed by the slow recovery of Calluna. The experiments suggest that of these management systems, burning is perhaps the most appropriate in the study area. A nature conservation management system is proposed, based on sheep grazing combined with rotational burning of restricted patches.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aerts, R. 1993. Competition between dominant plants species in heathlands. Pp. 125-151. In: Aerts, R. & Heil, G. W. (eds.), Heathlands. Patterns and processes in a changing environment. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.
Aerts, R. & Heil, G. W. (eds). 1993. Heathlands. Patterns and processes in a changing environment. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.
Allen, S. E. 1964. Chemical aspects of heather burning. J. Appl. Ecol. 1: 347-367.
Ambrozek, L. & Chytrý, M. 1990. Die Vegetation der Zwergstrauchheiden im xerothermen Bereich am Südostrand des Böhmischen Massivs. Acta Musei Moraviae, Sci. Nat. 75: 169-184.
Bakker, J. P. 1978. Some experiments on heathland conservation and regeneration. Phytocoenosis 7: 351-370.
Barclay-Estrup, P. & Gimingham, C. H. 1969. The description and interpretation of cyclical processes in a heath community. I. Vegetational change in relation to the Calluna cycle. J. Ecol. 57: 737-758.
Bassler, G. 1997. Die Bedeutung der Sukzession für die Entwicklung von Pflegekonzepten für waldfreie Silikat-Trockenstandorte der nördlichen Manhartsberglinie (Retz, Niederösterreich). M.Sc. thesis, Univ. für Bodenkultur, Wien.
Berdowski, J. J. M. 1993. The effect of external stress and disturbance factors on Calluna-dominated heathland vegetation. Pp. 85-124. In: Aerts, R. & Heil, G. W. (eds), Heathlands. Patterns and processes in a changing environment. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.
Böhnert, W. & Hempel, W. 1987. Nutzungs-und Pflegehinweise für die geschützte Vegetation des Graslandes und der Zwergstrauchheiden Sachsens. Naturschutzarbeit in Sachsen 29: 3-14.
Bruggink, M. 1993. Seed bank, germination, and establishment of ericaceous and gramineous species in heathlands. Pp. 153-180. In: Aerts, R. & Heil, G. W. (eds), Heathlands. Patterns and processes in a changing environment. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.
Chytrý, M., Mucina, L., Vicherek, J., Pokorny-Strudl, M., Strudl, M., Koó, A. J. & Maglocký, Š. 1997. Die Pflanzengesellschaften der westpannonischen Zwergstrauchheiden und azidophilen Trockenrasen. Dissertationes Botanicae 277: 1-108.
Clément, B. & Touffet, J. 1990. Plant strategies and secondary succession on Brittany heathlands after severe fire. J. Veg. Sci. 1: 195-202.
de Smidt, J. T. 1979. Origin and destruction of northwest European heath vegetation. Pp. 411-435. In: Wilmanns, O. & Tüxen, R. (eds), Werden und Vergehen von Pflanzengesellschaften. J. Cramer, Vaduz.
Diemont, W. H. 1994. Effects of removal of organic matter on the productivity of heathlands. J. Veg. Sci. 5: 409-414.
Diemont, W. H. & Linthorst Homan, H. D. M. 1989. Reestablishment of dominance by dwarf shrubs on grass heaths. Vegetatio 85: 13-19.
Eliáš, P. 1986. Vegetácia štátnych prírodných rezervácií Hrdovická a Solčianský háj a projektovanej ŠPR Kovarecká dubina (pohorie Tríbeč). Rosalia 3: 33-79.
Ellenberg, H. 1996. Vegetation Mitteleuropas mit den Alpen. Ed. 5. Ulmer, Stuttgart.
Frey W., Frahm J. P., Fischer E. & Lobin W. 1995. Die Moos-und Farnpflanzen Europas. G. Fischer, Stuttgart.
Gimingham, C. H. 1960. Biological flora of the British Isles. Calluna Salisb. A monotypic genus. Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull. J. Ecol. 40: 455-483.
Gimingham, C. H. 1972. Ecology of heathlands. Chapman & Hall, London.
Gimingham, C. H. 1978. Calluna and its associated species: some aspects of co-existence in communities. Vegetatio 36: 179-186.
Gimingham, C. H. 1981. Conservation: European heathlands. Pp. 249-259. In: Specht, R. L. (ed.), Heathlands and related shrublands of the world, B. Analytical studies. Elsevier, Amsterdam.
Gimingham, C. H. 1994. Lowland heaths of West Europe: Management for conservation. Phytocoenologi 24: 615-626.
Gloaguen, J. C. 1990. Post-burn succession on Brittany heathlands. J. Veg. Sci. 1: 147-152.
Grime, J. P., Hodgson, J. G. & Hunt, R. 1988. Comparative plant ecology. A functional approach to common British species. U. Hyman, Boston.
Grubb, P. J. 1977. The maintanence of species-richness in plant communities: the importance of the regeneration niche. Biol. Rev. 52: 107-145.
Hennekens, S. M. 1995. TURBO(VEG). Software package for input, processing, and presentation of phytosociological data. IBN-DLO, Wageningen & University of Lancaster, Lancaster.
Hill, M. O. 1979. TWINSPAN. A Fortran program for arranging multivariate data in an ordered two-way table by classification of the individuals and attributes. Cornell University, Ithaca.
Hill, M. O. & Stevens, P. A. 1981. The density of viable seed in soils of forest plantations in Upland Britain. J. Ecol. 69: 693-709.
Hobbs, R. J. & Gimingham, C. H. 1984. Studies on fire in Scottish heathland communities II. Post-fire vegetation development. J. Ecol. 69: 693-709.
Hobbs, R. J. & Legg, C. J. 1983. Markov models and initial floristic composition in heathland vegetation dynamics. Vegetatio 56: 31-43.
Hüppe, J. 1993. Entwicklung der Tieflands-Heidelandschaften Mitteleuropas in geobotanisch-vegetationsgeschichtlicher Sicht. Ber. Reinhold-Tüxen-Gesellschaft 5: 49-75.
Kayll, A. J. & Gimingham, C. H. 1965. Vegetative regeneration of Calluna vulgaris after fire. J. Ecol. 53: 729-734.
Korneck, D. 1974. Xerothermvegetation in Rheinland-Pfalz und Nachbargebieten. Schriftenreihe für Vegetationskunde 7: 1-196.
Kubíková, J. 1976. Geobotanické vyhodnocení chráněných Území na severovýchod? Prahy. Bohemia Centralis 5: 61-105.
Kubíková, J. 1987. Prospělo vypálení vřesovišti? Nika 8: 20-21.
Kubíková, J. & Molíková, M. 1981. Vegetace a kv?tena Tichého Údolí, Roztockého háje a Sedleckých skal na severozápadním okraji Prahy. Bohemia Centralis 10: 129-206.
Legg, C. J., Maltby, E. & Proctor, M. C. F. 1992. The ecology of severe moorland fire on the North York moors: seed distribution and seedling establishment of Calluna vulgaris. J. Ecol. 80: 737-752.
Lippe, E., de Smidt, J. T. & Glenn-Lewin, D. C. 1985. Markov models and succession: a test from a heathland in the Netherlands. J. Ecol. 73: 775-791.
Mallik, A. U. & Gimingham, C. H. 1983. Regeneration of heathland plants following burning. Vegetatio 53: 45-58.
Mallik, A. U., Hobbs, R. J. & Legg, C. J. 1984. Seed dynamics in Calluna-Arctostaphylos heath in north-eastern Scotland. J. Ecol. 72: 855-871.
Marrs, R. H. 1993. An assessment of change in Calluna heathlands in Breckland, eastern England, between 1983 and 1991. Biol. Conserv. 65: 133-139.
Pickett, S. T. A. & White, P. S. 1985. The ecology of natural disturbance and patch dynamics. Academic Press, Orlando.
Poelt J. 1969. Bestimmungsschlüssel europäischer Flechten. J. Cramer, Lehre.
Rosén, E. 1995. Periodic droughts and long-term dynamics of alvar grassland vegetation on Öland, Sweden. Folia Geobot. Phytotax. 30: 131-140.
Rothmaler W., Schubert R., Vent W. & Bäßler M. (eds.). 1982. Exkursionsflora für die Gebiete der DDR und der BRD. Band 4. Kritischer Band. 5th ed. Volk und Wissen, Berlin.
Schubert, R. 1960. Die zwergstrauchreichen azidophilen Pflanzengesellschaften Mitteldeutschlands. Pflanzensoziologie 11: 1-235.
Sedláková, I. 1995. Ekologická studie o vegetaci teplomilných věresovišt' v Národním parku Podyjí. M.Sc. thesis, Masaryk University, Brno.
Steubing, L. 1993. Der Eintrag von Schad-und Nährstoffen und deren Wirkung auf die Vergrasung der Heide. Ber. Reinhold-Tüxen-Gesellschaft 5: 113-133.
van der Maarel, E. 1996. Pattern and process in the plant community: Fifty years after A.S. Watt. J. Veg. Sci. 7: 19-28.
van Rheenen, J. W., Werger, M. J. A., Bobbink, R., Daniels, F. J. A. & Mulders, W. H. M. 1995. Short-term accumulation of organic matter and nutrient contents in two dry sand ecosystems. Vegetatio 120: 161-171.
Vesecký, A. (ed.) 1961. Podnebí Československé socialistické republiky. Tabulky. Hydrometeorologický Ústav, Praha. Vozárová, M. 1986. Xerotermné trávovo-bylinné spoločenstvá Zoborskej skupiny Tríbeča. Zborník Slovenského Národného MÚzea, Prír. Vedy 32: 3-31.
Watt, A. S. 1947. Pattern and process in the plant community. J. Ecol. 35: 1-22.
Wegener, U. 1991. Schutz und Pflege von Lebensräumen. G. Fischer, Jena.
Werger, M. J. A., Prentice, I. C. & Helsper, H. P. A. 1985. The effect of sod-cutting to different depths on Calluna heathland regeneration. J. Env. Manag. 20: 181-188.
Whittaker, E. & Gimingham, C. H. 1962. The effects of fire on regeneration of Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull from seed. J. Ecol. 50: 815-822.
Willems, J. H. 1988. Soil seed bank and regeneration of a Calluna vulgaris community after forest clearing. Acta Bot. Neerl. 37: 313-320.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sedláková, I., Chytrý, M. Regeneration patterns in a Central European dry heathland: effects of burning, sod-cutting and cutting. Plant Ecology 143, 77–87 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009807411654
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009807411654