Is Calluna vulgaris a suitable bio-monitor of management-mediated nutrient pools in heathland ecosystems?
Publikation: Beiträge in Zeitschriften › Zeitschriftenaufsätze › Forschung › begutachtet
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in: Ecological Indicators, Jahrgang 9, Nr. 6, 11.2009, S. 1049-1055.
Publikation: Beiträge in Zeitschriften › Zeitschriftenaufsätze › Forschung › begutachtet
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T1 - Is Calluna vulgaris a suitable bio-monitor of management-mediated nutrient pools in heathland ecosystems?
AU - von Oheimb, Goddert
AU - Haerdtle, Werner
AU - Falk, Kirsten
AU - Gerke, Anna-Katharina
AU - Meyer, Hartmut
AU - Drees, Claudia
AU - Matern, Andrea
PY - 2009/11
Y1 - 2009/11
N2 - In the face of ongoing atmospheric nutrient loads the employment of management measures to remove nutrients from heathland ecosystems has increased in importance. The present study is the first to analyse whether Calluna vulgaris is a suitable bio-monitor of management-mediated nutrient pools in heathland ecosystems. If Calluna vulgaris proves to be an appropriate indicator, its bio-indicative usage may prove to be a helpful tool for an assessment of management success in heathland ecosystems. In the Luneburger Heide nature reserve (NW Germany) we analysed the impacts of grazing, mowing, prescribed burning, choppering and sod-cutting on the nutritional status of Calluna vulgaris by measuring nutrient contents (N, P, Ca, Mg, K) of current year's shoots I and 5 years after application of management measures. Results were related to management-induced nutrient flows and nutrient pools at the focal heath sites. Our results indicate that the less the physical environment of a heath site was affected by management measures the better the nutrient contents of current year's shoots of Calluna vulgaris mirrored changes in nutrient pools. For low-intensity measures (i.e. grazing, mowing, prescribed burning), shoot nutrient contents were a suitable indicator for changes in nutrient pools, particularly for nutrients with conservative cycles such as P. At grazed and mown sites high output rates of P caused by these measures were well reflected by decreased shoot P content. At burned sites, Calluna vulgaris proved to be a good indicator of changes in nutrient pools of the organic layer, mainly attributable to the deposition of nutrients with ash. In contrast, at sites subjected to high-intensity measures, shoot nutrient contents did not reflect management-mediated shifts in nutrient pools, despite the high nutrient losses caused by choppering and sod-cutting. At these sites, shoot nutrient contents mirrored only the effects of altered mineralisation rates attributable to changes in the physical environment following high-intensity measures. As plant growth and competition in heathlands is considered to be controlled by N or P, shoot N:P ratios are recommended as a tool to indicate whether plant growth tends to be limited by N, by P or by N and P. This, in turn, allows for an assessment of long-term effects of both atmospheric nutrient loads and management-mediated shifts in N and P pools at a focal heath site. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
AB - In the face of ongoing atmospheric nutrient loads the employment of management measures to remove nutrients from heathland ecosystems has increased in importance. The present study is the first to analyse whether Calluna vulgaris is a suitable bio-monitor of management-mediated nutrient pools in heathland ecosystems. If Calluna vulgaris proves to be an appropriate indicator, its bio-indicative usage may prove to be a helpful tool for an assessment of management success in heathland ecosystems. In the Luneburger Heide nature reserve (NW Germany) we analysed the impacts of grazing, mowing, prescribed burning, choppering and sod-cutting on the nutritional status of Calluna vulgaris by measuring nutrient contents (N, P, Ca, Mg, K) of current year's shoots I and 5 years after application of management measures. Results were related to management-induced nutrient flows and nutrient pools at the focal heath sites. Our results indicate that the less the physical environment of a heath site was affected by management measures the better the nutrient contents of current year's shoots of Calluna vulgaris mirrored changes in nutrient pools. For low-intensity measures (i.e. grazing, mowing, prescribed burning), shoot nutrient contents were a suitable indicator for changes in nutrient pools, particularly for nutrients with conservative cycles such as P. At grazed and mown sites high output rates of P caused by these measures were well reflected by decreased shoot P content. At burned sites, Calluna vulgaris proved to be a good indicator of changes in nutrient pools of the organic layer, mainly attributable to the deposition of nutrients with ash. In contrast, at sites subjected to high-intensity measures, shoot nutrient contents did not reflect management-mediated shifts in nutrient pools, despite the high nutrient losses caused by choppering and sod-cutting. At these sites, shoot nutrient contents mirrored only the effects of altered mineralisation rates attributable to changes in the physical environment following high-intensity measures. As plant growth and competition in heathlands is considered to be controlled by N or P, shoot N:P ratios are recommended as a tool to indicate whether plant growth tends to be limited by N, by P or by N and P. This, in turn, allows for an assessment of long-term effects of both atmospheric nutrient loads and management-mediated shifts in N and P pools at a focal heath site. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
KW - Biology
KW - Leaching
KW - Nitrogen deposition
KW - N:P ratio
KW - Nutrient limitation
KW - Phosphorus
KW - Leaching
KW - Nitrogen deposition
KW - N:P ratio
KW - Nutrient limitation
KW - Phosphorus
KW - Ecosystems Research
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=67349255829&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ecolind.2008.12.005
DO - 10.1016/j.ecolind.2008.12.005
M3 - Journal articles
VL - 9
SP - 1049
EP - 1055
JO - Ecological Indicators
JF - Ecological Indicators
SN - 1470-160X
IS - 6
ER -