Linking Restoration and Ecological Succession (Springer ... - Inecol

96 Joachim Schrautzer et al.
Table 5.3 Site factors and vegetation parameters of successional (retrogressive) stages of the land-use
intensification sere. For ecosystem types and codes, see Fig. 5.1. Values (means) were used to
parameterize the simulation model (WASMOD) n.i. = not investigated.
Ecosystem types
Site factors 1A 1B 2A 2B 3 4A 4B 5
Soil parameter (0–20cm):
C/N-ratio 20 14 23 17 27 18 14 12
pH (H2O) 3.9 5.7 5.6 5.5 5.0 5.3 5.5 5.9
Org. matter (%) 81 65 66 49 74 48 31 42
Bulk density (g cm −3 ) 0.15 0.25 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.4 0.5 0.7
Hydrological parameter:
Mean GW-table (cm) a −1 −4 −6 2 −0.5 −4.5 −14 −22 −35
Mean GW-amplitude a −1 17 22 13 23 14 42 52 69
Mean flooding duration (%) a −1 13 11 47 43 16 3 4 12
Vegetation parameter:
Max. standing crop (g m −2 ) n.i. n.i. 509 765 105 289 437 550
Max. LAI 6 6 4 5 2.5 3.5 4.5 4
Land use:
Fertilization (kg N ha −1 a −1 ) 0 0 0 0 0 0 80 140
Mowing — — — — 1 cut 1 cut 2 cuts 1 cut
Grazing — — — — — — — 2–3 cattle ha −1
5.2.3 Characterization of the Successional Seres
The successional sequences in the fens of northwestern Europe following landuse
intensification (retrogressive succession) or abandonment (progressive succession)
are presented in Fig. 5.1. The site factors and vegetation parameters
associated with these seres are given in Table 5.3 (land-use intensification) and
Table 5.4 (abandonment). The number of sites used in the tabulations varied
from 8 to 80 (mean = 30).
5.2.3.1 Land-Use Intensification Sere
Human use of undrained alder carrs is usually low, because the mean groundwater
tables at sites with these plant communities vary between 4 and 6 cm
Table 5.4 Site factors and vegetation parameters of successional (progressive) stages of the
abandonment seres. Values (means) were used to parameterize the simulation model (WASMOD)
n.i. = not investigated.
Sere:
A A A A B B B B C C C C
Successional stage:
Soil parameter (0–20cm):
I II III IV I II III IV I II III IV
C/N-ratio 27 23 22 20 18 20 17 16 14 15 14 14
pH (H2O) 5.0 5.6 5.5 3.9 5.3 5.4 5.2 3.5 5.5 6.1 5.8 4.8
Org. matter (%) 74 66 63 81 48 44 43 53 31 40 25 48
Bulk density (g cm−3 )
Hydrological parameter:
0.2 0.2 0.2 0.15 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.6
Mean GW-table (cm) a−1 −4.5 2 1 −4 −14 −7 −10 −39 −22 −10 −14 −22
Mean GW-amplitude a−1 14 13 15 17 42 17 20 57 52 23 31 41
Mean flooding duration (%) a−1 Vegetation parameter:
16 47 37 13 3 20 3 0 4 11 4 0
Max. standing crop (g m −2 ) 105 509 771 n.i. 289 411 505 n.i. 437 611 853 n.i.
Max. LAI 2.5 3.5 6 6 3.5 4 6 6 4.5 5 7 6