scholarly journals Heathland restoration in the Netherlands

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rikjan Vermeulen ◽  
Hans Turin

Lowland heathlands dominated by Calluna vulgaris are a characteristic ecosystem of the sandy soils of Northwestern Europe. Many of these heathlands have been converted to agricultural lands in the 20th century, but because increasing recognition of their nature conservation value has led to an increase in restoration efforts. Since about 2005, several experiments were carried out in a number of former agricultural areas in the Netherlands with the aim of accelerating the succession in vegetation and surface-dwelling fauna towards heathland. We discuss two projects in which the monitoring of the beetle fauna using pitfall traps was carried out. In the new reserve “Reijerscamp”, situated in the Central Netherlands, a 10-year monitoring project was carried out in an abandoned sandy field area of ca 200 ha from 2006-2015. The area consisted of a former grain field and a grass seed nursery, with small wooded areas here and there and the aim is to enlarge the area of dry heathland. In 2006, at four 5-10 ha locations, a few hundred meters apart, the nutrient-rich topsoil layer was removed, and the Pleistocene sand exposed. On a part of each of these sites, heather cuttings were deposited to accelerate the formation of dry heathland. The study consisted of five sampling years spread over the entire study period. In each sampling year, 15-25 series of 5 pitfalls were used to sample the reserve during the period April – October, on the untreated, former agricultural parts and on the four parts with removed top soil, both on the bare sand and on the parts with heather deposition. The results for ground beetles, did not support the hypothesis in all respects. From the results, it became clear that creating environmental heterogeneity, generally contributes to the ground beetle diversity in the reserve. However, the period of ten years was too short to show a clear indication that the faunal succession is moving towards a heathland fauna. The first years showed an interesting fauna with a lot of stenotopic, rare and unexpected species and the local diversity was very high. Halfway through the investigation period, the number of species as well as the numbers of individuals declined. After ten years, in general the character of the fauna was significantly more eurytopic and many of the rare species occurring in the first years vanished. On the four sites with removed topsoil, the carabid fauna differed significantly from the former agricultural land, but there was only a minor difference in the fauna of the parts with only bare sand and those with deposit of heath cuttings, although a clear heathland vegetation was visible in the parts with deposits. Because the area is surrounded by agricultural land and a large forested area, there is hardly direct connection to heathland that can serve as a source for immigration of characteristic heathland species with low dispersal power.. The succession to a typical heathland fauna in this reserve will therefore probably take probably several decades. Immediately adjacent to the National park “Dwingelderveld” (in the north of the Netherlands) the “Noorderveld”, consisting of 200 ha of arable field was acquired for nature restoration. Also here, the aim was to convert this area into heathland by removing the nutrient-rich topsoil layer in 2012-2013, to a depth of more than 60 cm, thus creating a seedless sterile substrate, poor in nutrients. After the topsoil removal, a full factorial experiment of pH manipulation and biotic additions at wet and dry sites was set up to accelerate the process of heathland restoration. Each of 27 plots (9 x 9 meters), received either a liming treatment, acidification or neither, in combination with either heathland sods, heath cuttings, or neither, totaling 9 treatment combinations. From 2013 till 2018 the carabid fauna was monitored frequently by pitfall catches in the plot’s centers. In the first years the highest diversity was observed in the plots with lime and sod cuttings and also the most characteristic heathland ground beetle species were found at these plots. Later on, these differences became less significant, which may be due to the relatively small size of the plots, which hardly can be regarded independent of each other. Conclusion is still that adding lime and sods is the best way for heathland restoration, but the differences with the control treatment were small. The striking result of the present comparison is that the Noorderveld was rather quickly inhabited by characteristic heathland species. This may be due to the fact that latter is directly connected to the vast heathland complex of the national park Dwingelderveld, in contrast to the Reijerscamp, which is isolated from the closest heathlands by a railroad, a highway, large forests and a highly agricultural landscape. connectivity therefore seems to be a crucial condition for characteristic species to colonize new territory, especially for species with low dispersal powers.

2019 ◽  
pp. 233
Author(s):  
Dian Kartika Santoso ◽  
Antariksa Antariksa ◽  
Sri Utami

A review of cultivation changes in agricultural landscapes in the enclave village of Bromo TenggerSemeru National Park, Ngadas, Malang Regency Ngadas village is one example of an agricultural villagelocated in the mountains. Ngadas village is located in the enclave of Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park(TNBTS) in the Malang Regency, East Java. The dependence of the community on agricultural land makesNgadas have a strong agrarian image. Ngadas people do more activities in the fields than in the house. Asbasic landscape units in the form of mountains, they have a vulnerability if not used wisely. The problem ofvulnerability to erosion in the agricultural landscape, makes Ngadas Village interesting to study. Primarily,regarding the relationship of landscapes and land conservation efforts that must be made to a complexagricultural landscape. Therefore, there is a need for research that focuses on efforts to conserve land, especially in an agricultural landscape. Research is conducted through qualitative methods with spatial andqualitative descriptive comparative analysis. The results of the study show that changes in farming methodshave several disadvantages that can cause land degradation and reduced productivity in each period, includingthe shifting cultivation system to reduce nutrients, upper slopes planted with tubers and monoculture agriculture.Therefore, it is necessary to have the right recommendations, namely planting upper slopes with hard woodplants, planting with polyculture systems, and agroforestry systems applied on the upper slopes.


Oryx ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Kyana N. Pike ◽  
Stephen Blake ◽  
Freddy Cabrera ◽  
Iain J. Gordon ◽  
Lin Schwarzkopf

Abstract As agricultural areas expand, interactions between wild animals and farmland are increasing. Understanding the nature of such interactions is vital to inform the management of human–wildlife coexistence. We investigated patterns of space use of two Critically Endangered Galapagos tortoise species, Chelonoidis porteri and Chelonoidis donfaustoi, on privately owned and agricultural land (hereafter farms) on Santa Cruz Island, where a human–wildlife conflict is emerging. We used GPS data from 45 tortoises tracked for up to 9 years, and data on farm characteristics, to identify factors that influence tortoise movement and habitat use in the agricultural zone. Sixty-nine per cent of tagged tortoises used the agricultural zone, where they remained for a mean of 150 days before returning to the national park. Large male tortoises were more likely to use farms for longer periods than female and smaller individuals. Tortoises were philopatric (mean overlap of farmland visits = 88.7 ± SE 2.9%), on average visiting four farms and occupying a mean seasonal range of 2.9 ± SE 0.3 ha. We discuss the characteristics of farm use by tortoises, and its implications for tortoise conservation and coexistence with people.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (24) ◽  
pp. 8953
Author(s):  
Toby Adjuik ◽  
Abbey M. Rodjom ◽  
Kimberley E. Miller ◽  
M. Toufiq M. Reza ◽  
Sarah C. Davis

Miscanthus x giganteus (miscanthus), a perennial biomass crop, allocates more carbon belowground and typically has lower soil greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than conventional feedstock crops, but best practices for nutrient management that maximize yield while minimizing soil GHG emissions are still debated. This study evaluated the effects of four different fertilization treatments (digestate from a biodigester, synthetic fertilizer (urea), hydrochar from the hydrothermal carbonization of digestate, and a control) on soil GHG emissions and biomass yield of an established miscanthus stand grown on abandoned agricultural land. Soil GHG fluxes (including CH4, CO2, and N2O) were sampled in all treatments using the static chamber methodology. Average biomass yield varied from 20.2 Mg ha−1 to 23.5 Mg ha−1, but there were no significant differences among the four treatments (p > 0.05). The hydrochar treatment reduced mean CO2 emissions by 34% compared to the control treatment, but this difference was only statistically significant in one of the two sites tested. Applying digestate to miscanthus resulted in a CH4 efflux from the soil in one of two sites, while soils treated with urea and hydrochar acted as CH4 sinks in both sites. Overall, fertilization did not significantly improve biomass yield, but hydrochar as a soil amendment has potential for reducing soil GHG fluxes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 699 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joy R. Petway ◽  
Yu-Pin Lin ◽  
Rainer F. Wunderlich

Though agricultural landscape biodiversity and ecosystem service (ES) conservation is crucial to sustainability, agricultural land is often underrepresented in ES studies, while cultural ES associated with agricultural land is often limited to aesthetic and tourism recreation value only. This study mapped 7 nonmaterial-intangible cultural ES (NICE) valuations of 34 rural farmers in western Taiwan using the Social Values for Ecosystem Services (SolVES) methodology, to show the effect of farming practices on NICE valuations. However, rather than a direct causal relationship between the environmental characteristics that underpin ES, and respondents’ ES valuations, we found that environmental data is not explanatory enough for causality within a socio-ecological production landscape where one type of land cover type (a micro mosaic of agricultural land cover) predominates. To compensate, we used a place-based approach with Google Maps data to create context-specific data to inform our assessment of NICE valuations. Based on 338 mapped points of 7 NICE valuations distributed among 6 areas within the landscape, we compared 2 groups of farmers and found that farmers’ valuations about their landscape were better understood when accounting for both the landscape’s cultural places and environmental characteristics, rather than environmental characteristics alone. Further, farmers’ experience and knowledge influenced their NICE valuations such that farm areas were found to be sources of multiple NICE benefits demonstrating that farming practices may influence ES valuation in general.


Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 1562
Author(s):  
Iveta Varnagirytė-Kabašinskienė ◽  
Povilas Žemaitis ◽  
Kęstutis Armolaitis ◽  
Vidas Stakėnas ◽  
Gintautas Urbaitis

In the context of the specificity of soil organic carbon (SOC) storage in afforested land, nutrient-poor Arenosols and nutrient-rich Luvisols after afforestation with coniferous and deciduous tree species were studied in comparison to the same soils of croplands and grasslands. This study analysed the changes in SOC stock up to 30 years after afforestation of agricultural land in Lithuania, representing the cool temperate moist climate region of Europe. The SOC stocks were evaluated by applying the paired-site design. The mean mass and SOC stocks of the forest floor in afforested Arenosols increased more than in Luvisols. Almost twice as much forest floor mass was observed in coniferous than in deciduous stands 2–3 decades after afforestation. The mean bulk density of fine (<2 mm) soil in the 0–30 cm mineral topsoil layer of croplands was higher than in afforested sites and grasslands. The clear decreasing trend in mean bulk density due to forest stand age with the lowest values in the 21–30-year-old stands was found in afforested Luvisols. In contrast, the SOC concentrations in the 0–30 cm mineral topsoil layer, especially in Luvisols afforested with coniferous species, showed an increasing trend due to the influence of stand age. The mean SOC values in the 0–30 cm mineral topsoil layer of Arenosols and Luvisols during the 30 years after afforestation did not significantly differ from the adjacent croplands or grasslands. The mean SOC stock slightly increased with the forest stand age in Luvisols; however, the highest mean SOC stock was detected in the grasslands. In the Arenosols, there was higher SOC accumulation in the forest floor with increasing stand age than in the Luvisols, while the proportion of SOC stocks in mineral topsoil layers was similar and more comparable to grasslands. These findings suggest encouragement of afforestation of former agricultural land under the current climate and soil characteristics in the region, but the conversion of perennial grasslands to forest land should be done with caution.


Author(s):  
Matt McGee ◽  
Stan Anderson ◽  
Doug Wachob

A study of coyote (Canis latrans) habitat use and mortality in Grand Teton National Park and the suburban-agricultural land surrounding Jackson, WY was conducted between September 1999 and August 2000. This research focused on the influence of human development, habitat type, topography, and simulated wolf presence on coyote habitat use and on coyote mortality patterns in undeveloped and suburban-agricultural land. The overall goal of this project was to provide baseline information on the coyote population in Jackson Hole that can be used in the future to determine what, if any, impact wolves and human developments may have on coyotes. There were a total of fifteen radio-collared coyotes in the suburban-agricultural area and fourteen radio collared coyotes in Grand Teton National Park and adjacent areas in the National Elk Refuge and Bridger-Teton National Forest. Marked coyotes were tracked weekly using short interval telemetry relocations and triangulation to determine habitat use patterns. During the winter, track transects were skied weekly and coyote trails were backtracked and mapped using hand held GPS units to determine fine scale habitat use patterns. Coyote mortality was determined via telemetry and direct observation. Preliminary data analyses suggest that coyotes use mainly sagebrush-grasslands or forest-shrub-grass edge areas and avoid forest interior areas. Coyotes frequently use trails and roads in the undeveloped area when moving long distances. Preliminary analysis also indicates that roads and trails are used in a greater proportion than their abundance on the landscape. Coyotes were frequently observed using riparian corridors to move between open meadows in the suburban-agricultural area. There is some evidence that suggests coyotes selectively travel fences and irrigation ditches for long distances in agricultural areas. The movement data also suggests that coyotes avoid developed areas during the day and travel in these developed areas at night. The data on coyote locations suggests some avoidance of wolf urine scent grids in the undeveloped area, but not in the developed area. Coyote mortality was primarily human caused, and coyotes that were male, transient, and lived in the suburban-agricultural area were the most commonly killed animals.


Plant Disease ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 96 (5) ◽  
pp. 759-759 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. N. A. Tjou-Tam-Sin ◽  
J. L. J. van de Bilt ◽  
M. Bergsma-Vlami ◽  
H. Koenraadt ◽  
J. Westerhof Naktuinbouw ◽  
...  

In 2008, Dutch ornamental plant growers observed a leaf spot of cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) at a greater incidence (5 to 50%) than the usual sporadic level (<1%). For advice on disease control, ~5 to 10% of these growers contacted Dutch regulatory officials. In November and December 2008, six symptomatic samples from northern and southern parts of the Netherlands were submitted for diagnosis. Leaf spots were chlorotic, most had a necrotic brown center with a distinct margin, and the spots readily abscised, resulting in a “shot-hole” appearance. Leaf spots from the samples were surface sterilized (2 s in 70% vol/vol alcohol), blotted dry on tissue paper, chopped into pieces (1 to 2 mm in diameter), and incubated for 30 min in 10 mM phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) (1). A 20-μl aliquot of extract per sample was streaked by dilution plating on four plates of yeast peptone glucose agar medium (1), and the plates were incubated for 2 to 3 days at 28°C. Isolations from all six samples yielded Xanthomonas-like colonies. After purification, characterization of all six isolates revealed oxidative, nonfermentative metabolism of glucose by rod-shaped, gram-negative bacterial cells. All six isolates were identified as Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni based on biochemical tests (1), fatty acid analysis (4), and immunofluorescence (IF) using polyclonal antibodies (Plant Research International, the Netherlands). Pathogenicity was tested on potted peach plants (cvs. Peregrine and Vaes Oogst) and on detached leaves of P. laurocerasus (cv. Novita) (1). The six field isolates from 2008 were each inoculated (108 CFU/ml) onto four leaves per plant of each of two peach plants (replicates). As positive control treatments, two reference strains (ATCC 19312 and PD740) were each inoculated onto the same number of leaves and plants, and as a noninoculated negative control treatment, leaves of two peach plants were treated with sterile 10 mM PBS buffer (1). All leaves inoculated with the six field isolates and the two reference strains developed typical bacterial spot symptoms in 3 to 4 weeks. Negative control plants showed no symptoms. The detached leaf assay performed with the same treatments on each of two leaves (replicates) showed identical results. The bacterium was reisolated from leaf spots associated with each of the eight symptomatic treatments and identity of the reisolates was confirmed by IF. Additionally, genotypic variation of 35 Dutch isolates of X. arboricola pv. pruni was assessed by BOX-PCR assay with the BOX A1R primer set (3), and Gyrase B gene sequencing (2). Both methods revealed 100% homology among the 35 isolates, suggesting a single, recent introduction of X. arboricola pv. pruni into the Netherlands. In a 2009 survey to assess distribution of the disease in the Netherlands, X. arboricola pv. pruni was found in 41 fields. Infected hosts included P. laurocerasus cvs. Otto Luyken, Rotundifolia, Novita, Etna, Anbri, Herbergii, Mischeana, and Caucasia. X. arboricola pv. pruni is a quarantine organism in countries affiliated under the EPPO (European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization). Phytosanitary measures were taken to prevent movement of infested plants from nurseries where X. arboricola pv. pruni was detected. References: (1) Anonymous. EPPO Bull. 36:129, 2006. (2) N. Parkinson et al. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 59:264, 2009. (3) J. Versalovic et al. Methods Mol. Cell. Biol. 5:25, 1994. (4) S. A. Weller et al. EPPO Bull. 30:375, 2000.


2019 ◽  
pp. 51-66
Author(s):  
Halemah M. Amhamed ◽  
Ahmed. I. Sharaf ◽  
Salaheddin B. Elbelazi ◽  
Moftah A. Assofal ◽  
Amal E. Alhishni

The experiment was carried out in agricultural land in Sorman between 4 - 2017 to 7 - 2017, in the design of Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) to study the response of vegetative traits and chemical properties in the tomato plant of Tariz for organic fertilization, by 6 treatments and 3 replicates, For SPSS statistical analysis at a significant level of LSD 0.05). The experiment included four types of semi-decomposed organic fertilizer (sheep manure, cattle manure, camel manure, horse manure) in 6 treatments, in addition to the control treatment, which included four treatments for each type of organic fertilizer as: fertilizer: soil by ratio (1: 3) that is 5Kg of fertilizer : 15 kg of soil, mixed treatment of fertilizer : soil (1: 1) (10 kg of fertilizer: 10 kg of soil), and double treatment (3: 1) (15 kg of fertilizer: 5 kg soil). The seedlings were planted in experimental units of 7.20 m2. The seedlings were treated in biological control using the garlic extract for insect protection after 15 days of planting, as well as the addition of simple proportions of hay as a cover to reduce the growth of herbs. The experiment showed that the treatment of cattle manure significantly increased most of the studied morphological traits (length of root, plant length, number of flowers, number of leafy branches), as well as significant increase in fresh and dry weight of leaves and average weight of five fruits.. There were significant differences in the content of the N, P in leaves and NPK elements in the fruits, while there was a significant increase in vitamin C content in fruits for all treatments.


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