Scrub encroachment promotes biodiversity in temperate European wetlands under eutrophic conditions

Ane Kirstine Brunbjerg; Camilla Fløjgaard; Tobias Guldberg Frøslev; Dagmar Kappel Andersen; Hans Henrik Bruun; Lars Dalby; Irina Goldberg; Louise Juhl Lehmann; Jesper Erenskjold Moeslund; Rasmus Ejrnæs

doi:10.1002/ece3.9445

Scrub encroachment promotes biodiversity in temperate European wetlands under eutrophic conditions

Ane Kirstine Brunbjerg^*, Camilla Fløjgaard, Tobias Guldberg Frøslev, Dagmar Kappel Andersen, Hans Henrik Bruun, Lars Dalby, Irina Goldberg, Louise Juhl Lehmann, Jesper Erenskjold Moeslund, Rasmus Ejrnæs

^*Corresponding author af dette arbejde

Institut for Biologi - Økoinformatik og biodiversitet

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift/Konferencebidrag i tidsskrift /Bidrag til avis › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › peer review

2 Citationer (Scopus)

Abstract

Wetlands are important habitats, often threatened by drainage, eutrophication, and suppression of grazing. In many countries, considerable resources are spent combatting scrub encroachment. Here, we hypothesize that encroachment may benefit biodiversity-especially under eutrophic conditions where asymmetric competition among plants compromises conservation targets. We studied the effects of scrub cover, nutrient levels, and soil moisture on the richness of vascular plants, bryophytes, soil fungi, and microbes in open and overgrown wetlands. We also tested the effect of encroachment, eutrophication, and soil moisture on indicators of conservation value (red-listed species, indicator species, and uniqueness). Plant and bryophyte species richness peaked at low soil fertility, whereas soil fertility promoted soil microbes. Soil fungi responded negatively to increasing soil moisture. Lidar-derived variables reflecting the degree of scrub cover had predominantly positive effects on species richness measures. Conservation value indicators had a negative relationship to soil fertility and a positive to encroachment. For plant indicator species, the negative effect of high nutrient levels was offset by encroachment, supporting our hypothesis of competitive release under shade. The positive effect of soil moisture on indicator species was strong in open habitats only. Nutrient-poor mires and meadows host many rare species and require conservation management by grazing and natural hydrology. On former agricultural lands, where restoration of infertile conditions is unfeasible, we recommend rewilding with opportunities for encroachment toward semi-open willow scrub and swamp forest, with the prospect of high species richness in bryophytes, fungi, and soil microbes and competitive release in the herb layer.

Originalsprog	Engelsk
Artikelnummer	e9445
Tidsskrift	Ecology and Evolution
Vol/bind	12
Nummer	11
Antal sider	19
ISSN	2045-7758
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.9445
Status	Udgivet - nov. 2022

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10.1002/ece3.9445Licens: CC BY

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title = "Scrub encroachment promotes biodiversity in temperate European wetlands under eutrophic conditions",

abstract = "Wetlands are important habitats, often threatened by drainage, eutrophication, and suppression of grazing. In many countries, considerable resources are spent combatting scrub encroachment. Here, we hypothesize that encroachment may benefit biodiversity-especially under eutrophic conditions where asymmetric competition among plants compromises conservation targets. We studied the effects of scrub cover, nutrient levels, and soil moisture on the richness of vascular plants, bryophytes, soil fungi, and microbes in open and overgrown wetlands. We also tested the effect of encroachment, eutrophication, and soil moisture on indicators of conservation value (red-listed species, indicator species, and uniqueness). Plant and bryophyte species richness peaked at low soil fertility, whereas soil fertility promoted soil microbes. Soil fungi responded negatively to increasing soil moisture. Lidar-derived variables reflecting the degree of scrub cover had predominantly positive effects on species richness measures. Conservation value indicators had a negative relationship to soil fertility and a positive to encroachment. For plant indicator species, the negative effect of high nutrient levels was offset by encroachment, supporting our hypothesis of competitive release under shade. The positive effect of soil moisture on indicator species was strong in open habitats only. Nutrient-poor mires and meadows host many rare species and require conservation management by grazing and natural hydrology. On former agricultural lands, where restoration of infertile conditions is unfeasible, we recommend rewilding with opportunities for encroachment toward semi-open willow scrub and swamp forest, with the prospect of high species richness in bryophytes, fungi, and soil microbes and competitive release in the herb layer.",

keywords = "biodiversity conservation, eDNA, fen, meadow, nutrients, succession",

author = "Brunbjerg, {Ane Kirstine} and Camilla Fl{\o}jgaard and Fr{\o}slev, {Tobias Guldberg} and Andersen, {Dagmar Kappel} and Bruun, {Hans Henrik} and Lars Dalby and Irina Goldberg and {Juhl Lehmann}, Louise and Moeslund, {Jesper Erenskjold} and Rasmus Ejrn{\ae}s",

year = "2022",

month = nov,

doi = "10.1002/ece3.9445",

language = "English",

volume = "12",

journal = "Ecology and Evolution",

issn = "2045-7758",

publisher = "John Wiley and Sons Ltd",

number = "11",

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Scrub encroachment promotes biodiversity in temperate European wetlands under eutrophic conditions. / Brunbjerg, Ane Kirstine ; Fløjgaard, Camilla; Frøslev, Tobias Guldberg et al.
I: Ecology and Evolution, Bind 12, Nr. 11, e9445, 11.2022.

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift/Konferencebidrag i tidsskrift /Bidrag til avis › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › peer review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Scrub encroachment promotes biodiversity in temperate European wetlands under eutrophic conditions

AU - Brunbjerg, Ane Kirstine

AU - Fløjgaard, Camilla

AU - Frøslev, Tobias Guldberg

AU - Andersen, Dagmar Kappel

AU - Bruun, Hans Henrik

AU - Dalby, Lars

AU - Goldberg, Irina

AU - Juhl Lehmann, Louise

AU - Moeslund, Jesper Erenskjold

AU - Ejrnæs, Rasmus

PY - 2022/11

Y1 - 2022/11

N2 - Wetlands are important habitats, often threatened by drainage, eutrophication, and suppression of grazing. In many countries, considerable resources are spent combatting scrub encroachment. Here, we hypothesize that encroachment may benefit biodiversity-especially under eutrophic conditions where asymmetric competition among plants compromises conservation targets. We studied the effects of scrub cover, nutrient levels, and soil moisture on the richness of vascular plants, bryophytes, soil fungi, and microbes in open and overgrown wetlands. We also tested the effect of encroachment, eutrophication, and soil moisture on indicators of conservation value (red-listed species, indicator species, and uniqueness). Plant and bryophyte species richness peaked at low soil fertility, whereas soil fertility promoted soil microbes. Soil fungi responded negatively to increasing soil moisture. Lidar-derived variables reflecting the degree of scrub cover had predominantly positive effects on species richness measures. Conservation value indicators had a negative relationship to soil fertility and a positive to encroachment. For plant indicator species, the negative effect of high nutrient levels was offset by encroachment, supporting our hypothesis of competitive release under shade. The positive effect of soil moisture on indicator species was strong in open habitats only. Nutrient-poor mires and meadows host many rare species and require conservation management by grazing and natural hydrology. On former agricultural lands, where restoration of infertile conditions is unfeasible, we recommend rewilding with opportunities for encroachment toward semi-open willow scrub and swamp forest, with the prospect of high species richness in bryophytes, fungi, and soil microbes and competitive release in the herb layer.

AB - Wetlands are important habitats, often threatened by drainage, eutrophication, and suppression of grazing. In many countries, considerable resources are spent combatting scrub encroachment. Here, we hypothesize that encroachment may benefit biodiversity-especially under eutrophic conditions where asymmetric competition among plants compromises conservation targets. We studied the effects of scrub cover, nutrient levels, and soil moisture on the richness of vascular plants, bryophytes, soil fungi, and microbes in open and overgrown wetlands. We also tested the effect of encroachment, eutrophication, and soil moisture on indicators of conservation value (red-listed species, indicator species, and uniqueness). Plant and bryophyte species richness peaked at low soil fertility, whereas soil fertility promoted soil microbes. Soil fungi responded negatively to increasing soil moisture. Lidar-derived variables reflecting the degree of scrub cover had predominantly positive effects on species richness measures. Conservation value indicators had a negative relationship to soil fertility and a positive to encroachment. For plant indicator species, the negative effect of high nutrient levels was offset by encroachment, supporting our hypothesis of competitive release under shade. The positive effect of soil moisture on indicator species was strong in open habitats only. Nutrient-poor mires and meadows host many rare species and require conservation management by grazing and natural hydrology. On former agricultural lands, where restoration of infertile conditions is unfeasible, we recommend rewilding with opportunities for encroachment toward semi-open willow scrub and swamp forest, with the prospect of high species richness in bryophytes, fungi, and soil microbes and competitive release in the herb layer.

KW - biodiversity conservation

KW - eDNA

KW - fen

KW - meadow

KW - nutrients

KW - succession

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U2 - 10.1002/ece3.9445

DO - 10.1002/ece3.9445

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 36340817

SN - 2045-7758

VL - 12

JO - Ecology and Evolution

JF - Ecology and Evolution

IS - 11

M1 - e9445

ER -

Scrub encroachment promotes biodiversity in temperate European wetlands under eutrophic conditions

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