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Carbon addition alters vegetation composition on ex-arable fields

Eschen, R ; Mortimer, SR ; Lawson, CS ; Edwards, AR ; Brook, AJ ; Igual, JM ; Hedlund, Katarina LU orcid and Schaffner, U (2007) In Journal of Applied Ecology 44(1). p.95-104
Abstract
1. Recent changes in European agricultural policy have led to measures to reverse the loss of species-rich grasslands through the creation of new areas on ex-arable land. Ex-arable soils are often characterized by high inorganic nitrogen (N) levels, which lead to the rapid establishment of annual and fast-growing perennial species during the initial phase of habitat creation. The addition of carbon (C) to the soil has been suggested as a countermeasure to reduce plant-available N and alter competitive interactions among plant species.

2. To test the effect of C addition on habitat creation on ex-arable land, an experiment was set up on two recently abandoned fields in Switzerland and on two 6-year-old restoration sites in the UK.... (More)
1. Recent changes in European agricultural policy have led to measures to reverse the loss of species-rich grasslands through the creation of new areas on ex-arable land. Ex-arable soils are often characterized by high inorganic nitrogen (N) levels, which lead to the rapid establishment of annual and fast-growing perennial species during the initial phase of habitat creation. The addition of carbon (C) to the soil has been suggested as a countermeasure to reduce plant-available N and alter competitive interactions among plant species.

2. To test the effect of C addition on habitat creation on ex-arable land, an experiment was set up on two recently abandoned fields in Switzerland and on two 6-year-old restoration sites in the UK. Carbon was added as a mixture of either sugar and sawdust or wood chips and sawdust during a period of 2 years. The effects of C addition on soil parameters and vegetation composition were assessed during the period of C additions and 1 year thereafter.



3. Soil nitrate concentrations were reduced at all sites within weeks of the first C addition, and remained low until cessation of the C additions. The overall effect of C addition on vegetation was a reduction in above-ground biomass and cover. At the Swiss sites, the addition of sugar and sawdust led to a relative increase in legume and forb cover and to a decrease in grass cover. The soil N availability, composition of soil micro-organisms and vegetation characteristics continued to be affected after cessation of C additions.



4. Synthesis and applications. The results suggest that C addition in grassland restoration is a useful management method to reduce N availability on ex-arable land. Carbon addition alters the vegetation composition by creating gaps in the vegetation that facilitates the establishment of late-seral plant species, and is most effective when started immediately after the abandonment of arable fields and applied over several years. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Journal of Applied Ecology
volume
44
issue
1
pages
95 - 104
publisher
John Wiley & Sons Inc.
external identifiers
  • wos:000243023600011
  • scopus:33846000974
ISSN
1365-2664
DOI
10.1111/j.1365-2664.2006.01240.x
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
c25f7568-ce30-4d97-b748-f465a95d3505 (old id 167241)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:06:46
date last changed
2024-04-09 01:33:55
@article{c25f7568-ce30-4d97-b748-f465a95d3505,
  abstract     = {{1. Recent changes in European agricultural policy have led to measures to reverse the loss of species-rich grasslands through the creation of new areas on ex-arable land. Ex-arable soils are often characterized by high inorganic nitrogen (N) levels, which lead to the rapid establishment of annual and fast-growing perennial species during the initial phase of habitat creation. The addition of carbon (C) to the soil has been suggested as a countermeasure to reduce plant-available N and alter competitive interactions among plant species. <br/><br>
2. To test the effect of C addition on habitat creation on ex-arable land, an experiment was set up on two recently abandoned fields in Switzerland and on two 6-year-old restoration sites in the UK. Carbon was added as a mixture of either sugar and sawdust or wood chips and sawdust during a period of 2 years. The effects of C addition on soil parameters and vegetation composition were assessed during the period of C additions and 1 year thereafter.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
3. Soil nitrate concentrations were reduced at all sites within weeks of the first C addition, and remained low until cessation of the C additions. The overall effect of C addition on vegetation was a reduction in above-ground biomass and cover. At the Swiss sites, the addition of sugar and sawdust led to a relative increase in legume and forb cover and to a decrease in grass cover. The soil N availability, composition of soil micro-organisms and vegetation characteristics continued to be affected after cessation of C additions.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
4. Synthesis and applications. The results suggest that C addition in grassland restoration is a useful management method to reduce N availability on ex-arable land. Carbon addition alters the vegetation composition by creating gaps in the vegetation that facilitates the establishment of late-seral plant species, and is most effective when started immediately after the abandonment of arable fields and applied over several years.}},
  author       = {{Eschen, R and Mortimer, SR and Lawson, CS and Edwards, AR and Brook, AJ and Igual, JM and Hedlund, Katarina and Schaffner, U}},
  issn         = {{1365-2664}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{95--104}},
  publisher    = {{John Wiley & Sons Inc.}},
  series       = {{Journal of Applied Ecology}},
  title        = {{Carbon addition alters vegetation composition on ex-arable fields}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2664.2006.01240.x}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/j.1365-2664.2006.01240.x}},
  volume       = {{44}},
  year         = {{2007}},
}