Changes of the vegetation of wet meadows depending on management

Mgr. Jan HORNÍK

Doctoral thesis

Abstract:

Central Europe wet meadows are characterized by considerable species richness. The biodiversity maintenance of the wet meadows is connected with regular management (i.e. grazing or mowing). As their area drastically decreased due to changes in land use in the last century, they have become the object of interest among scientists, conservation biologists. This thesis is composed of three original studies which are focused on escribing diversity patterns of the whole spectra of wet meadows at landscape level and dynamic of their changes depending on different management regimes (mowing/abandonment,fertilizing/unfertilizing). The synthesis of these studies reveals the description of the processes underlying the wet meadows species loss depending on land use changes and proposes the principles for sustainable conservation management.

Abstract:

Central Europe wet meadows are characterized by considerable species richness. The biodiversity maintenance of the wet meadows is connected with regular management (i.e. grazing or mowing). As their area drastically decreased due to changes in land use in the last century, they have become the object of interest among scientists, conservation biologists. This thesis is composed of three original studies which are focused on escribing diversity patterns of the whole spectra of wet meadows at landscape level and dynamic of their changes depending on different management regimes (mowing/abandonment,fertilizing/unfertilizing). The synthesis of these studies reveals the description of the processes underlying the wet meadows species loss depending on land use changes and proposes the principles for sustainable conservation management.

Keywords

wet meadows, management, abandonment, eutrophication, biodiversity, species-area relationship, plant functional traits

Language used: Czech

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 9. 11. 2015

Accessible from:: 9. 11. 2015

Thesis defence

• Date of defence: 4. 12. 2015
• Supervisor: doc. RNDr. Jitka Klimešová, CSc.

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH BOHEMIA IN ČESKÉ BUDĚJOVICE

Faculty of Science

Doctoral programme / field:
Botany / Botany