The effect of nutrient level on plant structure and production in a wet grassland: a field study

Since the 1950s, agricultural intensification has affected the structure and functioning of ecological systems including wet grasslands. Our study site, a wet grassland near Třeboň, Czech Republic, was historically a sedge meadow, but increased nutrient additions, a long-lasting flood in 2002 and ch...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Plant ecology 2011-05, Vol.212 (5), p.809-819
Main Authors: Káplová, Miroslava, Edwards, Keith R., Květ, Jan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aboveground biomass
Applied Ecology
Biodiversity
Biomass
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Carex
Community & Population Ecology
Ecology
Eutrophication
Floodplains
Floods
Grasses
Grasslands
Growing seasons
Hay
Intensive farming
Life Sciences
Meadows
Mowing
Nutrients
Phalaris arundinacea
Plant Ecology
Plant structures
Plants
Primary production
Soil nutrients
Species composition
Species diversity
Structure-function relationships
Terrestial Ecology
Toy industry
Vegetation
Water levels
Wetlands
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Summary:Since the 1950s, agricultural intensification has affected the structure and functioning of ecological systems including wet grasslands. Our study site, a wet grassland near Třeboň, Czech Republic, was historically a sedge meadow, but increased nutrient additions, a long-lasting flood in 2002 and changed mowing patterns resulted in domination by Phalaris arundinacea. The aim of the study was to determine how different nutrient conditions may affect plant structure and production in a wet grassland used for hay production. Species composition and percent cover were determined from line intercepts. Aboveground biomass was harvested six times each in 2007 and 2008 and primary production then calculated. Ingrowth core bags were used to determine belowground production. Aboveground production was two times greater in the high nutrient versus the low nutrient area in both years, while belowground production was very similar. The high nutrient area was still dominated by P. arundinacea, but Carex gracilis was now a co-dominant in the low nutrient area. However, other factors, such as water level and mowing regime, may interact with nutrient level to govern wet grassland structure and function.
ISSN:1385-0237
1573-5052
DOI:10.1007/s11258-010-9865-z