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Impacts of Landscape Treatments on Plant Species Richness within Road Corridors and Adjacent Ecosystems. Rosalyn Thompson University College Cork SIMBIOSYS FINAL CONFERENCE Dublin: 28 th June 2012. Road Verges: 3 Research Areas. Species richness: (a) Road Verge vs. Adjacent Land. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Impacts of Landscape Treatments on Plant Species Richness within Road Corridors and
Adjacent Ecosystems
Rosalyn Thompson University College Cork
SIMBIOSYS FINAL CONFERENCEDublin: 28th June 2012.
Road Verges: 3 Research Areas
1. Species richness: (a) Road Verge vs. Adjacent Land.
(b) Pre-guidelines vs. Post-guidelines2. Contribution of Soil Seed Bank3. Nutrient status of Soil in Road Schemes Preliminary Conclusions
Research in Context - Background
• 2006 NRA Produced Guidelines• Landscaping of Verge area: Move away from a high input/horticultural approach to one following an Ecological Landscape Design approach.• Opportunity in 2009 to study Pre- and Post-
guidelines sites.
Research in Context - How slopes were landscaped
Traditionally, this involved: • finishing engineering aspects• covering with topsoil • treating with herbicide• applying fertilizer • planting….
Glenealy Landscaping
image: Lego
Ecowitch
A.C.E.S.
New Approach
• Use subsoil (soil slopes) or NO soil (rock/scree)• Avoid Herbicides and fertilizer• Create Open Habitat Mosaics (OHM) incorporating
native species of local provenance: Soil Slopes. Allow Natural Recolonisation (NR): Rock/scree Slopes.
Soil Slope (OHM) Rock/scree Slope (NR)
Species Richness: Road Verge vs. Adjacent Land Use
Rock/Scree Slope Soil Slope Wider verge
Margin Centre-improved grassland Centre-tillage
Road Verges
Adjacent Fields
Reference Points along Transect
Improved grassland Semi-natural grassland
310km Transect west-east
Species Richness: All Road Sites
0 6 8.8 19 27.4 38 55 78 10
213
2.5 135
168
180
185
20821
3.5 257
273
300
02468
1012141618
KM west from Wexford
Mea
n no
. of S
peci
es
Road Verge Field Margin Field Centre
Species Richness on Road Verges: Soil Slopes – All Species – Comparison of Treatments
Mean species richness in semi-natural grasslands
Includingall species
Treatments are different (P> 0.05)
Species Richness on Road Verges:Soil Slopes (II) - Comparison of Treatments
Post Treatments are different to Both Pre treatments (P> 0.05)
Native species only
Mean species richness in semi-natural grasslands
Species Richness Road Verges Rock/scree (native species)
Early Summer only Early & Late Summer
Treatments are not sig. different (P < 0.05)
2010: Soil collected spring followingplant survey.
Outdoor germination
Below-ground plant community:the contribution of the Soil Seed Bank
Below-ground Plant Community
• Plants were removed upon germination and identification
• ..or potted on until they could be identified• 2 seasons – original seed trays overwintered outside allowing a 2nd chilling period.
Species Q SSB Species Q SSB Species Q SSB
Aegopodium podagria.
Geranium robertianum.
Epilobium parviflorum
Angelica sylvestris
Lythrum salicaria
Hypericum humifusum
Athyrium filix lemina
Rubus fruticosa
Juncus effusus
Elytrigia repens
Teucrium scorodonia
Plantago major
HederaUlex europaeus
Poa pratensis
Juncus conglomeratus Cardamine
flexuosa
Scirpus setaceus
Lonicera periclymenum
Carex pendula Veronica persica
Rubus idaeus Epilobium ciliatum
Viola riviniana
Species recorded Rock face Glebe Co. Kerry (NR):2009: Quadrats (Q); 2010: Soil Seed Bank Trial (SSB)
Species Richness: Q = 8; Both = 5; SSB = 11; TOT = 24
Soil Fertility
Subsoil
Topsoil
Grasslands with higher numbers of native plant species require LOW soil fertility.
Soil Slopes: Soil Nutrient Status [P]Pre-guidelines Post-guidelines
R10R23R20R13 R5 R17R11R14 R9 R4 R8 R19 R3 R1 R16 R00
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
R26 R7 R12 R25 R24 R27 R21 R22 R28 R60
5
10
15
20
25
= [P] mg/kg; = Mean Species Richness.
Preliminary Conclusions
• Higher mean species richness in Road Verge than either Margin or Centre of the adjacent field.
• Seed bank data important – particularly to NR.
• Topsoil nutrient status should be determined: (low nutrient status may costs/effort involved in its alternative disposal/incorporation)
• If POST-GUIDELINES treatments are producing results ≥ PRE-G then POST is to be adopted as the more sustainable approach.
Acknowledgements
• SIMBIOSYS project (2007-B-CD-1-S1) is part of the Science, Technology, Research & Innovation for the Environment (STRIVE) Programme 2007 – 2013, funded by the Irish Government under the National Development Plan 2007-2013 and administered by the Environmental Protection Agency
With thanks to….• Dr Pádraig Whelan (UCC), Professor Mark Emmerson
(QUB) - Supervisors• Lisa Dolan (UCC) – Research Assistant• Dr Nova Sharkey (TCD) – Research Assistant• Máiread Kiely (UCC) Senior Technical Officer Plant Science• Paul Green (Botanical Society of the British Isles)• Steven Darby (Chemistry)• Louise Russell, Jovanna Arndt, Dearbhail McKenna, Simon Mills
– Field Assistants• Mary Hamilton, Aisling O’Shea, Eimear Egan – Greenhouse Assistants • Dr Sonia Monteiro, Aisling O’Shea – Lab Assistants• All our landowners• Kerry, Cork, Waterford and Wexford City and County Councils