The effect of scattered trees on the plant diversity of species-rich forest-steppe grasslands in the white Carpathians

Kód výsledku v IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00216224%3A14310%2F25%3A00144531" target="_blank" >RIV/00216224:14310/25:00144531 - isvavai.cz</a>

Výsledek na webu

<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11258-025-01531-z" target="_blank" >https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11258-025-01531-z</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11258-025-01531-z" target="_blank" >10.1007/s11258-025-01531-z</a>

Jazyk výsledku

angličtina

Název v původním jazyce

The effect of scattered trees on the plant diversity of species-rich forest-steppe grasslands in the white Carpathians

Popis výsledku v původním jazyce

Forest-steppe grasslands of the White Carpathian Mountains have been intensively studied in terms of edaphic conditions, history, and vegetation as they are, on a fine scale, among the world's richest ecosystems. We investigated how grassland vegetation is influenced by scattered trees, which are thought to enhance plant diversity through ecotonal effects while potentially suppressing other plants due to leaf litter and competition for light and water. We used 80 vegetation plots (1 x 1 m) placed along linear transects through four forest-steppe grasslands and recorded following the Braun-Blanquet approach. Our results show that topsoil potassium, the number of forest species, and ecological indicator values for nutrients and moisture increased with increasing canopy cover. Alpha diversity of vascular plants, representation of tall-forb, forest-steppe and endangered species, moss cover and measured topsoil moisture decreased with canopy cover, i.e. were higher further from trees. While trees are generally recognised for enhancing habitat and landscape heterogeneity, our results suggest that the unique diversity and composition of vascular plant communities are more closely associated with open patches. Apart from the effects of tree transpiration, shading, and litter accumulation, this result could be partially caused by the lack of management of the tree vicinity and eutrophication caused by the overpopulated game that gathers here. We conclude that adjustment of conservation and game management strategies can enhance the benefits provided by trees. A better understanding of how trees, herbs, and soil moisture interact could help plan tree density more effectively during the restoration of wooded grasslands.

Název v anglickém jazyce

The effect of scattered trees on the plant diversity of species-rich forest-steppe grasslands in the white Carpathians

Popis výsledku anglicky

Forest-steppe grasslands of the White Carpathian Mountains have been intensively studied in terms of edaphic conditions, history, and vegetation as they are, on a fine scale, among the world's richest ecosystems. We investigated how grassland vegetation is influenced by scattered trees, which are thought to enhance plant diversity through ecotonal effects while potentially suppressing other plants due to leaf litter and competition for light and water. We used 80 vegetation plots (1 x 1 m) placed along linear transects through four forest-steppe grasslands and recorded following the Braun-Blanquet approach. Our results show that topsoil potassium, the number of forest species, and ecological indicator values for nutrients and moisture increased with increasing canopy cover. Alpha diversity of vascular plants, representation of tall-forb, forest-steppe and endangered species, moss cover and measured topsoil moisture decreased with canopy cover, i.e. were higher further from trees. While trees are generally recognised for enhancing habitat and landscape heterogeneity, our results suggest that the unique diversity and composition of vascular plant communities are more closely associated with open patches. Apart from the effects of tree transpiration, shading, and litter accumulation, this result could be partially caused by the lack of management of the tree vicinity and eutrophication caused by the overpopulated game that gathers here. We conclude that adjustment of conservation and game management strategies can enhance the benefits provided by trees. A better understanding of how trees, herbs, and soil moisture interact could help plan tree density more effectively during the restoration of wooded grasslands.

Druh

J_imp - Článek v periodiku v databázi Web of Science

CEP obor

—

OECD FORD obor

10611 - Plant sciences, botany

Projekt

<a href="/cs/project/GA25-15235S" target="_blank" >GA25-15235S: Evropská ohniska lokálního druhového bohatství rostlinných společenstev: původ a současné změny</a><br>

Návaznosti

P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)

Rok uplatnění

2025

Kód důvěrnosti údajů

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Název periodika

Plant Ecology

ISSN

1385-0237

e-ISSN

1573-5052

Svazek periodika

226

Číslo periodika v rámci svazku

7

Stát vydavatele periodika

NL - Nizozemsko

Počet stran výsledku

15

Strana od-do

803-817

Kód UT WoS článku

001497113300001

EID výsledku v databázi Scopus

2-s2.0-105006702580