Growth of three meadow species along a salinity gradient in an inland saline habitat: transplant experiment

• Autorzy: Piernik Agnieszka
• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

The mechanisms of vegetation zonation were determined in order to provide an advice for restoration of natural saline habitats. Field experiments were conducted to examine the response of mature plants to different edaphic conditions. Three dominant species Salicornia europaea L., Puccinellia distans (L.) Parl. and Elymus repens (L.) Golud, characteristic of distinct zones along the salinity gradient (EC[e] 28.5 - 2.3 m Scm^-1) were studied. Results from a 2-year reciprocal transplant experiment demonstrated that species were restricted to every zone mostly by a salinity level. The obligatory halophyte S. europaea had optimal growth conditions at its home site. This is an opposite result to the one known from inland salt marshes of North America. A distinct growth limitation of transplants was observed in the P. distans and E. repens zones of lower salinity. Fewer individuals and lower above-ground biomass were recorded in the P. distans zone, whereas in the E. repens zone all sedlings died in the second year of observations. The glycophyte E. repens from the less saline site (ca 2.3 mS cm^-1) was strongly inhibited in the most saline S. europaea zone (15.8-28.5 mS cm^-1). Compared to the control transplants in the S. europaea zone it had shorter new shoots, fewer and shorter shoots, lower above-ground biomass and biomass of rhizomes. The P. distans transplants were markedly limited in the E. repens zone of lower salinity. Fewer and shorter new shoots, flowering shoots, lower above-ground biomass and biomass of grasses. roots were noted in the transplants of this zone. Since P. distans was found in non-saline areas outside the investigated meadow this effect could not result from the salinity level but from E. repens interaction. The obtained results suggest that for restoration of natural saline habitats the most important is to keep or rebuild the original salinity level of soils. As the second point the control of strong competitors by cutting or grazing should be considered.

Słowa kluczowe

EN

halophytes; soil salinity; transplant experiment; zonation

• Wydawca: Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences
• Czasopismo: Polish Journal of Ecology
• Rocznik: 2006
• Tom: Vol. 54, nr 1
• Strony: 117--126

Twórcy

autor

Piernik Agnieszka

• Laboratory of Ecological Modelling, Institute of Ecology and Environment Protection, Nicholas Copernicus University, Gagarina 9, 87-100 Toruń, Poland

• Laboratory of Ecological Modelling, Institute of Ecology and Environment Protection, Nicholas Copernicus University, Gagarina 9, 87-100 Toruń, Poland,

Bibliografia

• Adam P. 1990 – Saltmarsh ecology – Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
• Abramski K., Sobolewski J. 1977 – Ochrona środowiska przed skażeniem ściekami przemysłu sodowego w zbiornikach [Environment protection against waste of soda production collected in sediment traps] – Gosp. wodna, 4: 107–110 (in Polish).
• Bakker J. P. 1989 – Nature management by grazing and cutting – Geobotanica 14 – Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht/Boston/London.
• Bakker J. P., de Vries Y. 1992 – Germination and early establishment of lower salt-marsh species in grazed and mown salt marsh – J. Veg. Sci. 3: 247–252.
• Bertness M. D., Ellison A. M. 1987 – Determinations of pattern in a New England salt marsh plant community – Ecol. Monographs, 57: 129–147.
• Beyschlag W., Ryel R., Ullmann I., Eckstein J. 1996 – Experimental studies on the competitive balance between two central European roadside grasses with different growth forms. 2. Controlled experiments on the influence of soil depth, salinity and allelopathy - Bot. Acta, 109: 449–455.
• Brandes D. (Ed.) 1999 – Vegetation salzbeeinflusster Habitate im Binnenland – Braunschweiger Geobotanische Arbeiten, Band 6, Braunschweig.
• Chapman V. J. 1974 – Salt marshes and salt deserts of the world – Interscience, New York.
• Cieśla W., Dąbkowska-Naskręt H. 1984 – Właściwości zasolonych gleb w sąsiedztwie Janikowskich Zakładów Sodowych na Kujawach [Salinity of soils in the vicinity of Janikowo Soda Factory in the Kujawy region] - Rocz. glebozn. 35: 139–150 (in Polish with English summary).
• Czerwiński Z., Pracz J., Piątek A. 1984 – Wpływ odpadów z Janikowskich Zakładów Sodowych na tereny rolnicze [Influence of refuses from Janikowo Soda factory on agricultural areas] – Rocz. glebozn. 35: 87–105 (in Polish with English summary).
• Dixon W. J. (Ed.) 1992 – BMDP Statistical Software Manual. Vol. 1–3. – University of California Press, Berkley–Los Angeles–Oxford.
• Ellison A.M. 1987 – Effects of competition, disturbance and herbivory on Salicornia europaea Ecology, 68: 576–586.
• Hutchinson G. E. 1957 – Concluding remarks. Cold Spring Harbor Symposium – Quan. Biology, 22: 415–427.
• Jackson M. L. 1958 – Soil chemical analysis - Constable Ltd., London.
• Keiffer C. H., McCarthy B. C., Ungar I. A.1994 – Effect of salinity and waterlogging on growth and survival of Salicornia europaea, an inland halophyte – Ohio J. Sci. 94: 70–73.
• Kenkel N. C., McIlraith A. L., Burchill C. A., Jones G. 1991 – Competition and the response of three plant species to salinity gradient – Can. J. Bot. 69: 2497–2502.
• Kiehl K., Eischeid I., Gettner S., Walter J. 1996 – Impact of different sheep grazing intensities on salt marsh vegetation in northern Germany – J. Veg. Sci. 7: 99–106.
• Miller D. L, Smeins F. E., Webb J. W. 1996 – Mid-Texas coastal marsh change (1939–1991) as influenced by lesser snow goose herbivory – J. Coast. Res. 12: 462–476.
• Pennings S. C., Callaway R. M. 1996 – Impact of a parasitic plant on the structure and dynamics of salt marsh vegetation – Ecology, 77: 1410–1419.
• Piernik A., Kazmierczak E., Rutkowski L. 1996 – Differentiation of vegetation in a saline grassland in the vicinity of Inowrocław Soda Plants at Mątwy – Acta Soc. Bot. Poloniae, 65: 349–356.
• Ryel R. J., Beyschlag W., Heindl B., Ullmann I. 1996 – Experimental studies on the competitive balance between two central European roadside grasses with different growth forms. 1. Field experiments on the effects of mowing and maximum leaf temperatures on competitive abilitym – Bot. Acta, 109: 441–448.
• Snow A. A., Vince S. W. 1984 – Plant zonation in an Alaskan salt marsh. II. An experimental study of the role of edaphic conditions – J. Ecol. 72: 669–684.
• Szulczewski J. W. 1954 – Solnisko słonawskie dawniej a dziś [Saline meadows of Słonawy the past and at the present] – Ochrona Przyrody, 22: 195–200 (in Polish with French summary).
• Tutin T. G., Heywood V. H., Moore D. M. Valentine D. H., Walters S. M., Weeb D. A. (1964–1980). Flora Europaea. Vols.1–5 - Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
• Ungar I. A. 1974 – Inland halophytes of the United States (In: Ecology of halophytes, Eds. R. J. Reimold, W. H. Queen) – Academic Press, INC, New York–London, pp.235–306.
• Ungar I. A., Benner D. K., McGraw D. C. 1979 – The distribution and growth of Salicornia europaea on an inland salt pan – Ecology, 60: 329–336.
• Ungar I. A. 1987 – Population characteristics, growth, and survival of the halophyte Salicornia europaea – Ecology, 68: 569–575.
• Ungar I. A. 1998 – Are biotic factors significant in influencing the distribution of halophytes in saline habitats ? – Bot. Reviews, 64: 176–199.
• Westhus W., Fritzlar F., Pusch J., van Elsen T., Andres C., Grossmann M., Pfützenreuter S., Sparmberg H., Barthel K. J. 1997 – Binnensalzstellen in Thüringen – Situation, Gefährdung und Schutz – Naturschutz Report, Heft 12, Jena.
• Whittaker R. H. 1956 – Vegetation of the Great Smoky Mountains – Ecol. Monographs, 26: 1–80.
• Wilkoń-Michalska J. 1963 – Halofity Kujaw [The halophytes from Kujawy] – Studia Societatis Scientiarum Torunensis D, Botanica, 7: 3–122 (in Polish with English summary).
• Wilkoń-Michalska J. 1970 – Zmiany sukcesyjne w rezerwacie halofitów w Ciechocinku w latach 1954–65 [Plant succession in the halophyte reserve in Ciechocinek between 1954 and 1965] – Ochrona Przyrody, 35: 25–51 (in Polish with English summary).
• Wilkoń-Michalska J. 1976 – Struktura i dynamika populacji Salicornia patula Duval-Jouve [The structure and dynamics of the Salicornia patula Duval-Jouve populations] - Rozprawy UMK, Toruń (in Polish with English summary).