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The Influence of Forest/Grassland Proportion on the Species Composition, Diversity and Natural Values of an Eastern Austrian Forest-Steppe1 L

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The Influence of Forest/Grassland Proportion on the Species Composition, Diversity and Natural Values of an Eastern Austrian Forest-Steppe1 L ISSN 1067-4136, Russian Journal of Ecology, 2017, Vol. 48, No. 4, pp. 350–357. © Pleiades Publishing, Ltd., 2017. The Influence of Forest/Grassland Proportion on the Species Composition, Diversity and Natural Values of an Eastern Austrian Forest-steppe1 L. Erdősa, b, *, Cs. Tölgyesic, Z. Bátoric, Yu. A. Semenishchenkovd, and M. Magnesa aInstitute of Plant Sciences, University of Graz, 8010, Graz, Austria bInstitute of Ecology and Botany, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, 2163, Vácrátót, Hungary cDepartment of Ecology, University of Szeged, 6726, Szeged, Hungary dDepartment of Biology, Bryansk State University, Bryansk, 241036 Russia *e-mail: [email protected] Received April 4, 2016 Abstract⎯Eastern Austrian forest-steppe remnants are extremey important both from conservation and a sci- entific perspective, yet case studies integrating the examination of the grassland and the forest components are relatively scarce. Consequently, the knowledge on how the pattern of forested vs. non-forested patches influences species composition and diversity remains rather limited. In this study, we compared three sites with different forest/grassland proportions: grassland with a low canopy cover, a mosaic area with alternating forest and grassland habitats, and a forest with some canopy gaps. Our aim was to find out which one of them is the best for conservation purposes. We found that the grassland and the mosaic area had a similar compo- sition, while the forested one was distinct from them. The mosaic vegetation seemed to be the most species rich, also hosting a high number of red-listed species. Beside forest-related and grassland-related species, the mosaic plot also supported some edge-related plants. We conclude that the preservation of mosaic-like for- est-grassland habitats is the most favorable for conservation aims. Nevertheless, several species, among them some red-listed ones, were clearly linked either to the forest or to the grassland plot. Therefore, even though mosaics deserve a special attention, open grasslands and xeric forests should also be preserved. Keywords: habitat heterogeneity, spatial pattern, xeric communities, conservation DOI: 10.1134/S1067413617040063 Forest-steppes form a separate vegetation belt, tion, they have a significant biogeographic impor- ranging from eastern Europe to the easternmost parts tance, since they represent the westernmost zonal of Asia [1]. This zone forms a transition between the Eurasian forest-steppes [1, 8–11], besides some small closed forests and the steppes, and can be character- and isolated remnants in the inner-alpine dry valleys ized by intermittent grassland and forest patches. and Germany [11]. Because of their marginal position, Despite its extremely high conservation value, the for- Austrian forest-steppes should be regarded as particu- est-steppe belt is among the most threatened biomes larly vulnerable communities to environmental on Earth [2]. Consequently, there is an increasing changes [12]. Unfortunately, considerable uncertain- need for studies that may contribute to an improved ties exists regarding (1) their “natural” spatial pattern preservation of these habitats. (i.e. prior to intensive human impact) and (2) the most E.M. Lavrenko [3] divided the forest-steppes into desirable pattern of grassland and forest patches. The five large geobotanical units. The group of European first topic includes questions such as the role of native oak forest-steppes may further be subdivided into a ungulates, fire events, climate and edaphic parameters continental and a submediterranean type [4, 5]. East- in maintaining treeless patches and enabling the exis- ern Austrian forest-steppes should be classified into tence of a mosaic pattern [13–17]. Concerning the this latter type. second topic (which is, of course, not independent of Forest-steppes are among the most unique and the first one), the following questions may emerge: most threatened habitats in eastern Austria [6, 7], thus Which grassland vs. forest proportion is optimal for the their conservation is of primary importance. In addi- overall diversity and for particular species? Should conservation activity counteract successional pro- 1 The article is published in the original. cesses and maintain grasslands? Do variously sized 350 THE INFLUENCE OF FOREST/GRASSLAND PROPORTION 351 forest and grassland patchess have different conserva- individuals of trees and shrubs. Convallaria majalis can tion values? reach high cover values locally. The majority of the earlier studies focused either on In the grassland component, belonging to the asso- the xeric forests or the dry grasslands of the region [14, ciation Scorzonero austriacae-Caricetum humilis [19, 18–20], without considering the inter-relationships 20], vegetation cover usualy varies between 50 and 80%. between these landscape components. This isolated Main species are Brachypodium pinnatum, Bromus erec- focus on individual components seems to be unsatis- tus, Cervaria rivini, Festuca valesiaca, F. rupicola, Koele- factory for an in-depth understanding of forest-steppe ria macrantha, Melampyrum cristatum, M. nemorosum, characteristics. Forest-steppes are composed of differ- Polygonatum odoratum and Stipa pennata. ently sized forest patches and grassland patches, plus the forest edges between them [21, 22]. The exact role of these components in maintaining species diversity Field Works and supporting species of high conservation value is In the study site, three 20 m × 30 m plots were not fully understood. Although the grassland compo- selected (“large plots”) with different forest/grassland nent is usually considered to be a more threatened proportions. In the first large plot (henceforth the habitat (due to successional processes following the “grassland plot”), canopy cover was only 7%. The area abandonment of grazing), it has been shown for the is grazed by sheep at least every second year (N. Sau- Pannonian biogeographical region that the forest berer personal communication). The second large plot patches and their edges also have an extremely high (henceforth the “mosaic plot”) represents a nearly importance in maintaining diversity on the landscape equal forest/grassland proportion, with a canopy level [23–25]. cover of 45%. It is a typical savanna-like pattern char- As habitat restoration projects and active conserva- acteristic of temperate forest-steppes. The area had tion management activities are being carried out to only a few trees in the 1960s, but tree cover has protect and maintain forest-steppe habitats, the need increased considerably since then [28]. Currently it is for more information on the optimal patterns becomes grazed by sheep each year (N. Sauberer personal com- increasingly important. The aim of this study was to munication). The third large plot (henceforth the contribute to a better understanding of how the spatial “forest plot”) had a canopy cover of ca. 75%, forming pattern of forested and non-forested patches influ- a xeric forest with canopy gaps and openings. The can- ences the species composition and diversity of the for- opy layer of the area was much more open in the 1960s est-steppes. We compared three sites with different [28]. Grazing presumably ended here in the 1940s or forest/grassland proportions, and examined which 1950s; there is no active management here at present arrangement is the best for conservation purposes. (N. Sauberer, personal communication). All of the large plots were situated within the elevation range 310–335 m, with the same exposition and similar MATERIAL AND METHODS slope inclination values. Study Area Within each large plot, twenty 2 m × 2 m plots were established (“small plots”) in a regular arrangement in Our study area was located on the southeastern slopes a grid. We had a total of 60 small plots (3 canopy cover of Glaslauterriegel Hill (N 48°2′8′′, E 16°15′26′′, part of grades × 20 replicates). Coenological relevés were pre- the Anninger Mts) situated between the settlements pared in June 2015, by visually estimating the percent- Pfaffstätten and Gumpoldskirchen. Bedrock is lime- age cover of all vascular plant species of the herb layer. stone, soil is rendzina. Mean annual temperature is Plant species names follow [29]. 9.9°C, mean annual precipitation is 615 mm [26]. The study area belongs to the Natura 2000 network (pro- tected area Nr. 11, Wienerwald-Thermenregion). Data Analyses Traditional land-use of the xeric vegetation mosaic A DCA-ordination (detrended correspondence was grazing; it was abandoned temporarily but has analysis, [30]) was performed to study the coenologi- been restored recently. cal similarity of the 60 relevés. We chose this ordina- In the forest component, which can be classified tion technique because it is able to eliminate the arch- into the association Geranio sanguinei-Quercetum effect, which is expected for data with a gradient-like pubescentis [27], canopy cover varies from very open character (in this case extending form relatively open (20%) to relatively close (80%), and the dominant spe- to more closed sites). The ordination was based on the cies is Quercus pubescens. In the shrub layer, Cornus logarithms of species’ cover values, rare species were mas is by far the most frequent and abundant species. downweighted. For the analysis, we used the software Herb layer cover has a wide range, from almost bare CANOCO 5.0 [31, 32]. patches to 70%. Typical species include Brachypodium To gain more detailed information on the similarity sylvaticum, Carex
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