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Recent changes in flora and vegetation 289Fig. l. An old-fashioned rural environment still surviving in the contemporary landscape: a little homestead surroundedby fenced pasture with scattered old ash trees, two years ago cut for leaf-fodder. To the right Prunus avium and to the lefttall juniper trees. North Sma,land, Pelarne, Valklev. March 14, 1961. Photo Bengt Pettersson.Also the vegetation along streams and ditcheshas been greatly influenced by the new supply ofnutrients, washed down from the fields. Due tothis, and because the stock of domestic animalsno longer graze the vegetation and the formermowing on the margins of watercourses has ceased,the vegetation in such habitats has changed. Tallgrowingspecies which partially have immigratedrecently have become predominant. In the samemanner the margins of the lakes have changed.For instance, the tall grass Glyceria maxima hasinvaded many shores of lake MaJaren and adjacentregions, having been introduced to the neighbourhoodat the beginning of the past century (cf..ALMQUIST 1929, p. 516, 8ERNANDER 1948, p. 78).Because this species competes successfully withother species the vegetation has become more uniformand poorer than formerly.The common reed (Phragmites communis) wasformerly to a large extent suppressed or completelykept away by mowing and grazing along the shoresof lakes and of the sea. This species now plays agreater role than ever.The extensive meadowland which had playedan important role in the ancient landscape waseither turned into arable land or used for pastureand in our days is even largely invaded by denseforest. Instead of the former natural hay and leaffodderthe hay -crop was increasingly and is nownearly exclusively produced by ley-farming. Thiscaused great changes in the flora as was pointedout by H.A!m AV 8EGERSTAD (1924, pp. 213-15).It is remarkable that the fundamental role ofancient rural practice for the maintenance ofpastures and meadows had to be rediscovered inthe 20th century, although the old procedures andtheir necessity must have been familiar to everyfarmer. This occurred at the time when theseancient influences were on the point of vanishing.The me!tdowland comprised ecologically differentActa PhytogeogT. Stec. 50