Using a two-phase sowing approach in restoration: Sowing foundation species to restore, and subordinate species to evaluate restoration success

Applied Vegetation Science

Volumn 15, Issue 2, 2012, Pages 277-289

  Coiffait Gombault, Clémentine ^a   Buisson, Elise ^a   Dutoit, Thierry ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF AVIGNON   (France)

Author keywords

Ex arable fields; Mediterranean grasslands; Native species; Nurse species; Sheep grazing; Steppe

Indexed keywords

ASPHODELUS; BRACHYPODIUM; BRACHYPODIUM RETUSUM; EVAX; LINUM; OVIS ARIES; TAENIATHERUM CAPUT-MEDUSAE; THYMUS VULGARIS; TRIFOLIUM; TRIFOLIUM SUBTERRANEUM;

EID: 84857973578     PISSN: 14022001     EISSN: 1654109X     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1111/j.1654-109X.2012.01182.x     Document Type: Article

References (63)

1. Alard, D., Chabrerie, O., Dutoit, T., Roche, P. & Langlois, E. 2005. Patterns of secondary succession in calcareous grasslands: Can we distinguish the influence of former land uses from present vegetation data? Basic and Applied Ecology 6: 161-173.
2. Al-Ramamneh, E.A.M. 2009. Plant growth strategies of Thymus vulgaris L. in response to population density. Industrial Crops and Products 30: 389-394.
3. Bainbridge, D.A. 2007. A guide for desert and dryland restoration: new hope for arid lands. Island Press, Washington, DC, US.
4. Barberà, G.G., Navarro-Cano, J.A. & Castillo, V.M. 2006. Seedling recruitment in a semi-arid steppe: the role of microsite and post-dispersal seed predation. Journal of Arid Environments 67: 701-714.
5. Bork, E.W., West, N.E. & Walker, J.W. 1998. Cover components on long-term seasonal sheep grazing treatments in three-tip sagebrush steppe. Journal of Range Management 51: 293-300.
6. Bruno, J.F., Stachowicz, J.J. & Bertness, M.D. 2003. Inclusion of facilitation into ecological theory. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 18: 119-125.
7. Buisson, E. 2006. Ecological restoration of Mediterranean grasslands in Provence and California. PhD Thesis. Paul Cézanne University of Marseille, FR, Editions de l'Université d'Avignon, 193 p.
8. Buisson, E. & Dutoit, T. 2006. Creation of the natural reserve of La Crau: implications for the creation and management of protected areas. Journal of Environmental Management 80: 318-326.
9. Buisson, E., Dutoit, T., Torre, F., Römermann, C. & Poschlod, P. 2006. The implications of seed rain and seed bank patterns for plant succession at the edges of abandoned fields in Mediterranean landscapes. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 115: 6-14.
10. Carneiro, M., Fabião, A., Martins, M.C., Fabião, A., Abrantes da Silva, M., Hilário, L., Lousã, M. & Madeira, M. 2008. Effects of harrowing and fertilisation on understorey vegetation and timber production of a Eucalyptus globulus Labill. plantation in Central Portugal. Forest Ecology and Management 255: 591-597.
11. Caturla, R.N., Raventós, J., Guàrdia, R. & Vallejo, V.R. 2000. Early post-fire regeneration dynamics of Brachypodium retusum Pers. (Beauv.) in old fields of the Valencia region (eastern Spain). Acta Oecologica 21: 1-12.
12. Cipriotti, P.A., Flombaum, P., Sala, O.E. & Aguiar, M.R. 2008. Does drought control emergence and survival of grass seedlings in semi-arid rangelands? An example with a Patagonian species. Journal of Arid Environments 72: 162-174.
13. Coiffait-Gombault, C., Buisson, E. & Dutoit, T. 2011. Hay transfer promotes establishment of Mediterranean steppe vegetation on soil disturbed by pipeline construction. Restoration Ecology 19: 214-222.
14. Cramer, V.A., Hobbs, R.J. & Standish, R.J. 2008. What's new about old fields? Land abandonment and ecosystem assembly. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 23: 104-112.
15. Critchley, C.N.R., Fowbert, J.A., Sherwoodb, A.J. & Pywell, R.F. 2006. Vegetation development of sowed grass margins in arable fields under a countrywide agri-environment scheme. Biological Conservation 132: 1-11.
16. Dabney, S.M., Delgado, J.A. & Reeves, D.W. 2001. Using winter cover crops to improve soil and water quality. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 32: 1221-1250.
17. Ehlers, B.K. & Thompson, J. 2004. Do co-occurring plant species adapt to one another? The response of Bromus erectus to the presence of different Thymus vulgaris chemotypes. Oecologia 141: 511-518.
18. Ellison, A.M., Bank, M.S., Clinton, B.D., Colburn, E.A., Elliott, K., Ford, C.R., Foster, D.R., Kloeppel, B.D., Knoepp, J.D., Lovett, G.M., Mohan, J., Orwig, D.A., Rodenhouse, N.L., Sobczak, W.V., Stinson, K.A., Stone, J.K., Swan, C.M., Thompson, J., Von Holle, B. & Webster, J.R. 2005. Loss of foundation species: consequences for the structure and dynamics of forested ecosystems. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 3: 479-486.
19. Fadda, S., Henry, F., Orgeas, J., Ponel, P., Buisson, E. & Dutoit, T. 2008. Consequences of the cessation of 3000 years of grazing on dry Mediterranean grassland ground-active beetle assemblages. Comptes Rendus Biologies 331: 532-546.
20. Funk, J.L., Cleland, E.E., Suding, K.N. & Zavaleta, E.S. 2008. Restoration through reassembly: plant traits and invasion resistance. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 23: 695-703.
21. García-Palacios, G., Soliveres, S., Maestre, F.T., Escudero, A., Castillo-Monroy, A.P. & Valladares, F. 2010. Dominant plant species modulate responses to hydroseeding, irrigation and fertilization during the restoration of semiarid motorway slopes. Ecological Engineering 36: 1290-1298.
22. Grime, J.P. 1998. Benefits of plant diversity to ecosystems: immediate filter and founder effects. Journal of Ecology 86: 902-910.
23. Hayes, G.F. & Holl, K.D. 2003. Site-specific responses of native and exotic species to disturbances in a mesic grassland community. Applied Vegetation Science 6: 235-244.
24. Hellström, K., Huhta, A.P., Rautio, P., Tuomi, J., Oksanen, J. & Laine, K. 2003. Use of sheep grazing in the restoration of semi-natural meadows in northern Finland. Applied Vegetation Science 6: 45-52.
25. Hellström, K., Huhta, A.P., Rautio, P. & Tuomi, J. 2009. Seed introduction and gap creation facilitate restoration of meadow species richness. Journal for Nature Conservation 17: 236-244.
26. Henry, F., Talon, B. & Dutoit, T. 2010. The age and the history of the French Mediterranean steppe revisited by soil wood charcoal analysis. The Holocene 20: 25-34.
27. Herben, T., Krahulec, F., Hadincova, V. & Kovarova, M. 1993. Small-scale spatial dynamics of plant species in a grassland community over six years. Journal of Vegetation Science 4: 171-178.
28. Heywood, V.H. & Dulloo, M.E. 2005. In situ conservation of wild plant species: a critical global review of best practices. IPGRI Technical Bulletin 11. International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, Rome, IT.
29. den Hollander, N.G., Bastiaans, L. & Kropff, M.J. 2007. Clover as a cover crop for weed suppression in an intercropping design: I. Characteristics of several clover species. European Journal of Agronomy 26: 92-103.
30. Hoshino, A., Tamura, K., Fujimaki, H., Asano, M., Ose, K. & Higashi, T. 2009. Effects of crop abandonment and grazing exclusion on available soil water and other soil properties in a semi-arid Mongolian grassland. Soil and Tillage Research 105: 228-235.
31. Hutchings, M.J. & Booth, K.D. 1996. Studies of the feasibility of re-creating chalk grassland vegetation on ex-arable land. II. Germination and early survivorship of seedlings under different management regimes. Journal of Applied Ecology 33: 1182-1190.
32. Kardol, P., Van der Wal, A., Bezemer, T.M., de Boer, W., Duyts, H., Holtkamp, R. & Van der Putten, W.H. 2008. Restoration of species-rich grasslands on ex-arable land: seed addition outweighs soil fertility reduction. Biological Conservation 141: 2208-2217.
33. Keddy, P.A. 2007. Plants and vegetation: origins, processes, consequences. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.
34. Kiehl, K., Kirmer, A., Donath, T., Rasrand, L. & Hölzel, N. 2010. Species introduction in restoration projects. Evaluation of different techniques for the establishment of semi-natural grasslands in Central and Northwestern Europe. Basic and Applied Ecology 11: 285-299.
35. Kleijn, D., Joenje, W., Le Coeur, D. & Marshall, E.J.P. 1998. Similarities in vegetation development of newly established herbaceous strips along contrasting European field boundaries. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 68: 13-26.
36. Lawson, C.S., Ford, M.A. & Mitchley, J. 2004. The influence of seed addition and cutting regime on the success of grassland restoration on former arable land. Applied Vegetation Science 7: 259-266.
37. Martin, L.M. & Wilsey, B.J. 2006. Assessing grassland restoration success: relative roles of seed additions and native ungulate activities. Journal of Applied Ecology 43: 1098-1109.
38. Martínez-Duro, E., Ferrandis, P. & Herranz, J.M. 2009. Factors controlling the regenerative cycle of Thymus funkii subsp. Funkii in a semi-arid gypsum steppe: a seed bank dynamics perspective. Journal of Arid Environments 73: 252-259.
39. Navarro, T., Alados, C.L. & Cabezudo, B. 2006. Changes in plant functional types in response to goat and sheep grazing in two semi-arid shrublands of SE Spain. Journal of Arid Environments 64: 298-322.
40. Nordbakken, J.-F., Rydgren, K., Auestad, I. & Austad, I. 2010. Successful creation of species-rich grassland on road verges depends on various methods for seed transfer. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 9: 43-47.
41. Onaindia, M., Dominguez, I., Albizu, I., Garbisu, C. & Amezaga, I. 2004. Vegetation diversity and vertical structure as indicators of forest disturbance. Forest Ecology and Management 195: 341-354.
42. Öster, M., Ask, K., Römermann, C., Tackenberg, O. & Eriksson, O. 2009. Plant colonization of ex-arable fields from adjacent species-rich grasslands: the importance of dispersal vs. recruitment ability. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 130: 93-99.
43. Padilla, F.M. & Pugnaire, F.I. 2006. The role of nurse plants in the restoration of degraded environments. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 4: 196-202.
44. Padilla, F.M., Ortega, R., Sánchez, J. & Pugnaire, F.I. 2009. Rethinking species selection for restoration of arid shrublands. Basic and Applied Ecology 1: 640-647.
45. Prach, K. & Pyšek, P. 2001. Using spontaneous succession for restoration of human-disturbed habitats: experience from Central Europe. Ecological Engineering 17: 55-62.
46. Pugnaire, F.I., Luque, M.T., Armas, C. & Gutiérrez, L. 2006. Colonization processes in semi-arid Mediterranean old-fields. Journal of Arid Environments 65: 591-603.
47. Römermann, C., Dutoit, T., Poschlod, P. & Buisson, E. 2005. Influence of former cultivation on the unique Mediterranean steppe of France and consequences for conservation management. Biological Conservation 121: 21-33.
48. Ruprecht, E., Enyedi, M.Z., Eckstein, R.L. & Donath, T.W. 2010. Restorative removal of plant litter and vegetation 40 years after abandonment enhances re-emergence of steppe grassland vegetation. Biological Conservation 143: 449-456.
49. Schulze, P.C., Wilcox, K.J., Swift, A. & Beckert, J.L. 2009. Fast, easy measurements for assessing vital signs of tall grassland. Ecological Indicators 9: 445-454.
50. Schumann, M.E., White, A.S. & Witham, J.W. 2003. The effects of harvest-created gaps on plant species diversity, composition, and abundance in a Maine oak-pine forest. Forest Ecology and Management 176: 543-561.
51. Smetham, M.L. 2003. A review of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.): its ecology, and use as a pasture legume in Austral Asia. Advances in Agronomy 79: 303-350.
52. Tarayre, M., Thompson, J.D., Escarré, J. & Linhart, Y.B. 1995. Intra-specific variation in the inhibitory effects of Thymus vulgaris (Labiatae) monoterpenes on seed germination. Oecologia 101: 110-118.
53. Tarrega, R., Calvo, L., Taboada, A., Garciá -Tejero, S. & Marcos, E. 2009. Abandonment and management in Spanish dehesa systems: effects on soil features and plant species richness and composition. Forest Ecology and Management 257: 731-738.
54. Tela-Botanica. 2011. Base de Données Nomenclaturale de la Flore de France (BDNFF, 4.02). Available at: (accessed Jan 2012).
55. Thompson, K., Bakker, J.P. & Bekker, R.M. 1997. Soil seed banks of North West Europe: methodology, density and longevity. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.
56. Török, P., Deák, B., Vida, O., Lengyel, S. & Tóthmérész, B. 2010. Restoring grassland biodiversity: sowing low-diversity seed mixtures can lead to rapid favourable changes. Biological Conservation 143: 806-812.
57. Villagra, P.E., Defossé, G.E., del Valle, H.F., Tabeni, S., Rostagno, M., Cesca, E. & Abraham, E. 2009. Land use and disturbance effects on the dynamics of natural ecosystems of the Monte Desert: implications for their management. Journal of Arid Environments 73: 202-211.
58. Walker, K.J., Stevens, P.A., Stevens, D.P., Mountford, J.O., Manchester, S.J. & Pywell, R.F. 2004. The restoration and re-creation of species-rich lowland grassland on land formerly managed for intensive agriculture in the UK. Biological Conservation 119: 1-18.
59. Walker, L.R., Walker, J. & del Moral, R. 2007. Forging a new alliance between succession and restoration. In: Walker, L.R., Walker, J. & Hobbs, R. (eds.) Linking restoration and ecological succession. pp. 1-18. Springer, New York, NY, US.
60. Wassmuth, B.E. 2008. Spatial aggregations in annual wild plant communities: competition, performance, and coexistence. PhD Thesis. University of Göttingen, Göttingen, DE, 154 p.
61. Watt, T.A. & Gibson, C.W.D. 1988. The effects of sheep grazing on seedling establishment and survival in grassland. Vegetatio 78: 91-98.
62. Zhu, J.J., Matsuzaki, T., Lee, F. & Gonda, Y. 2003. Effect of gap size created by thinning on seedling emergency, survival and establishment in a coastal pine forest. Forest Ecology and Management 182: 339-354.
63. Zimdahl, R.L. 2007. Fundamentals of weed science. Academic Press, San Diego, CA, US.