Scientific Project Z1 - Monitoring and site
management
Botany
Staff
Our research is focussed on two sites:
(1) Continuous documentation and analysis of vegetation succession (including
the biomass development) in the “Hühnerwasser” catchment area.
(2) Succession experiment at the test area close to the catchment area.
Hypotheses
H1: The ongoing medium-term pathways of vegetation succession are mainly
determined by the plant individuals and plant species that establish
immediately after the construction of the catchment.
H2: The development of vegetation stands is interrupted by small scale (<1
m2) disturbances, which enables the growth of individuals and species from
either past or future developmental phases. Therefore, disturbances are
essential for the structure and the succession of the vegetation.
(1) Continuous analyses of the vegetation succession in the
“Hühnerwasser” catchment area
|
1. Seed rain: Invasion of diaspores (seeds, fruits) from outside
into the catchment area |
2. Seed bank analyses of viable
diaspores in the soil of the constructed catchment are |
 |
 |
| 3. Vegetation succession: Analyses of
the sample plots in a 20 m by 20 m grid starting in autumn 2005 |
4.Analyses of the biomass development
|
 |
|
(2) Carrying out of a succession experiment at the test area close to
the catchment area (Experimental site)
Parallel to the observation of the spontaneous vegetation succession without
any regulating impact of man (catchment area), a succession experiment is to
be carried out.
It aims to analyse the influence of the following processes in the course of
vegetation succession (plots 9 m x 9 m, 5 replications each):
• Introduction of plant species of later succession phases:
(a) Calamagoistis epigejos as a dominating species of a later succession
phase but still without trees.
(b) Brachypodium sylvaticum as a forest species.
The two species (25 individuals each) will be planted:
- either in the central part of the 9m x 9m plot to test the impact of
spreading of the species
- or dispersed over the whole plot to test the competition of a dense and
increasing population density
• Vegetation development with and without Festuca rubra as additional
competitor species forming dense turves
• Vegetation development with and without mechanical disturbances (creation
of entrance possibilities for new species in the stock)
|