Site specific factors have an overriding impact on Baltic dune vegetation change under low to moderate N-deposition—a case study from Hiddensee island |
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Authors: | Eva Stefanie Remke Irmgard Blindow |
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Institution: | (1) Biological Station Hiddensee, Ernst-Moritz Arndt University Greifswald, Biologenweg 15, 18565 Kloster/Hiddensee, Germany;(2) Bargerveen Foundation, Department of Animal Ecology, Radboud University Nijmegen, Toernooiveld 1, 6525 ED Nijmegen, The Netherlands |
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Abstract: | At three coastal dune sites at the island of Hiddensee, north-east Germany, vegetation cover was mapped during 2002 and compared
to vegetation surveys from the late 1980s and 1930s. Abiotic and biotic factors, which have been identified as being critical
for coastal dunes in former studies such as disturbance, salt spray or nutrient availability, were measured. Grazing and land-use
history were reviewed by literature and interviews. Tall graminoid communities, mainly Carex arenaria, are a common vegetation unit today. Development, distribution of these dominances and possible causes for its occurrence
have not been analysed. Generally, older successional vegetation units increased and pioneer stages decreased from the 1930s
until 2002. At the geologically youngest site, the southern dunes, grass encroachment by Carex arenaria was highest (ca. 50% cover in 2002), and age and density of trees lower than at the older, central dunes. Land-use changes
such as decrease in grazing pressure, additional feeding of livestock, increase in coastal protection measures and subsequent
decrease in shifting sands as well as varying availability of groundwater and amount of salt spray are relevant factors for
vegetation changes in coastal dunes over the past 70 years. Site-specific land-use differences such as livestock density and
land-use history have a stronger influence than atmospheric N-pollution on the vegetation composition of these acidic, coastal
dunes under low to moderate N-deposition loads of 6–8 kg N ha−1 yr−1. |
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