Exploring Assembly Trajectories of Abandoned Grasslands in Response to 10 Years of Mowing in Sub-Mediterranean Context

Alessandro Bricca, Federico Maria Tardella, Arianna Ferrara, Tiziana Panichella and Andrea Catorci
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Alessandro Bricca: School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy
Federico Maria Tardella: School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, Herbarium Universitatis Camerinensis, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy
Arianna Ferrara: School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy
Tiziana Panichella: School of Advanced Studies, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy
Andrea Catorci: School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy

Land, 2021, vol. 10, issue 11, 1-20

Abstract: Abandoned semi-natural grasslands are characterized by lower plant diversity as a consequence of tall grasses spreading. Mowing is a widely used restoration practice, but its effects to maintain the restored diversity over time is poorly investigated in sub-Mediterranean grasslands. Since 2010 in the central Apennines, we fenced a grassland, invaded by Brachypodium rupestre , which was mowed twice a year. Before the experiment started, we recorded species cover in 30 random sampling units (0.5 m × 0.5 m). The sampling was repeated every two years for a total of ten years. We used linear mixed-effect models to investigate the trajectory of functional diversity and community weighted mean for traits related to space occupation, resource exploitation, temporal niche exploitation, and Grime’s CSR strategies. The reduction of the weaker competitor exclusion exerted by B. rupestre affected the functional plant community. In the short term (4–6 years), this fostered space occupation strategies, decreasing convergence of clonal strategies and horizontal space occupation types. In the longer term (8–10 years), mowing filtered ruderal strategies, i.e., species with faster resource acquisition (lower leaf dry matter content, LDMC). LDMC and CSR strategies, initially convergent due to the dominance of B. rupestre , lowered convergence over time due to higher differentiation of strategies.

Keywords: restoration; assembly rules; weaker competitor exclusion; competition; functional traits; habitat filtering; CSR strategies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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