Effects of management on vegetation change in wet meadows (Molinietalia caeruleae) and sedge-bed marsh (Magnocaricetalid) in south-western Lithuania: a case study from Zuvintas Biosphere Reserve

Abstract

Background: The abandonment of wet meadows and sedge-bed marsh is taking place widely in Europe. These processes of vegetation dynamics are typical in all protected wetland areas of Lithuania, where, due to Soviet nature conservation practice, farming activity was prohibited. Methods: To monitor vegetation dynamics in 2011, we distinguished 94 botanical monitoring plots and carried out phytocoenological releves every two years. Also, we employed data of vegetation inventory gathered during our investigations in the biosphere reserve in 1996-1998 as well as the monograph of Zuvintas Biosphere Reserve published in 1968. Results: Literature data and monitoring plot analysis show that the main changes occurred due to the hay meadows and sedge-bed marsh falling into neglect. Orthophotos taken on 1951 show that a major part of the territory was mowed by hand. Many areas were abandoned around 1965. Scrubs were removed between 2003 and 2011, and regular mowing was started in the territory in 2013. Because of the absence of farming activities, the meadows from the alliance of the Molinion caeruleae became extinct - in most cases, Selino carvifoliae-Molinietum caeruleae replaced by Carex disticha phytocoenon (Calthion palustris) and Galio veri-Molinietum caeruleae occupied by forbs phyto-coenoses {Lysimachio vulgaris-Filipenduletum ulmariae and Cirsietum rivularis). Areas of meadows from the Calthion palustris alliance increased because they were patchily overgrown by reeds or in other cases, Filipendulo ulmariae-Geranietum palustris and Caricetum cespitosae replaced by Lysimachio vulgaris-Filipenduletum ulmariae or Cirsietum rivularis (in few cases by Carex disticha phytocoenon). Since 1960, the area of the Magno-Caricion elatae in the reserve has decreased by more than one third. [...]