Restoration of Calluna vulgaris on grass-dominated moorlands: The importance of disturbance, grazing and seeding

• Published in: Biological conservation Vol. 141; no. 8; pp. 2100 - 2111
• Main Authors: Mitchell, Ruth J., Rose, Robert J., Palmer, Stephen C.F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2008; Kidlington, Oxford: Elsevier Science Ltd; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Bare ground; Biological and medical sciences; buried seeds; Calluna; Calluna vulgaris; Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife; Degraded; ecological restoration; Environmental degradation: ecosystems survey and restoration; field experimentation; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; grazing; grazing intensity; habitats; Molinia; Molinia caerulea; Nardus; Nardus stricta; Parks, reserves, wildlife conservation. Endangered species: population survey and restocking; plant ecology; plant growth; Rotavation; seed germination; Trampling; trampling damage; England; Trampling; Rotavation; Degraded; Molinia caerulea; Bare ground; Nardus stricta; Monocotyledones; Perturbation; Calluna vulgaris; Seeding; Gramineae; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Spermatophyta; Herbaceous plant; Ecological recovery; Ericaceae; Environmental protection
• ISSN: 0006-3207; 1873-2917
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2008.06.006

Calluna vulgaris-dominated heaths and moorlands are habitats of international conservation importance. Degradation has occurred throughout their range with Calluna typically being replaced by grass species. The cessation of grazing is often impractical and rarely results in the recovery of Calluna abundance when it is initially present at low cover. Thus the development of restoration methods is required; these should be practical at a large-scale, in remote areas and create suitable conditions for Calluna germination and establishment, whilst still allowing grazing to occur. A replicated field experiment was established on Nardus stricta and Molinia caerulea-dominated moorlands to test the efficacy of different grazing regimes and intervention techniques aimed at establishing Calluna. Disturbance (rotavation and trampling by animals) to create bare ground increased Calluna establishment. On the Nardus site, Calluna establishment was equally successful on rotavated and trampled plots, but rotavation was more successful on the Molinia site. Seeding with Calluna increased Calluna establishment irrespective of whether a seed-bank was present. At the Nardus site, 0.5 cow/ha for two months in summer led to Calluna establishment and growth similar to that of ungrazed plots and was more successful than a mixed grazing regime (1 ewe/ha plus 0.5 cow/ha for 2 months) or a sheep only regime (1.5 ewes/ha). The creation of small patches of bare ground, seed addition and low intensity grazing enabled the rapid establishment of Calluna on grass-dominated moorlands; such techniques may also be applicable in other habitats where restoration requires the addition of a single/few species and minimal intervention.