Invasiva växtarter är ett globalt problem som hotar inhemska ekosystem. Blomsterlupinen (Lupinus polyphyllis) är en invasiv flerårig växt som erhåller flera egenskaper som bidrar till dess framgångsrika etablering och spridning. Vägkanter agerar som landskapskorridorer för exotiska arter samtidigt som det är en viktig habitatrefug för många ängsväxter. För att effektivisera bevarandeåtgärder behövs en gedigen kunskap om målarten och dess egenskaper. Syftet med den här studien var att utvärdera två potentiella hanteringsmetoder av blomsterlupin i vägkanter. Slåtter är en redan etablerad strategi, men för att ta reda på om olika skördintensiteter påverkar återväxten av biomassa på olika sätt jämfördes en kontrollgrupp (ej skörd) och tre skördgrupper (1–3 skördar) med avseende på bladbiomassa, stambiomassa, blomställningsbiomassa och plantans totala biomassa. En annan potentiell hanteringsmetod utvärderades med fokus på fröbanken. Frön från blomsterlupin värmebehandlades i 40°C, 50°C och 70°C, och jämfördes mot frön utsatta för kontrolltemperatur (20°C). Varaktigheten för värmebehandlingar var 1, 5 och 15 minuter. Några frön utsattes för vattenbehandling innan värmebehandlingen för att bryta den fysiska vilan. Blomsterlupinfrön jämfördes mot tre andra arter i familjen ärtväxter (Fabaceae); blodklöver (Trifolium incarnatum), blålusern (Medicago sativa) och (Louts corniculatus). Det fanns en signifikant effekt beroende av skördintensitet på återväxt av stambiomassa, blomställningsbiomassa och plantans totala biomassa. Gällande bladbiomassa fanns ingen skillnad mellan grupperna. Faktumet att blomsterlupinen primärt investerar mer resurser på produktion av bladbiomassa kan anses positivt ur ett åtgärdsperspektiv. Återväxten av biomassa var emellertid beroende av plantans ursprungliga storlek, således skulle effekten av slåtter kunna skilja sig mellan individer i en population. Vattenbehandlingen bröt inte den fysiska vilan hos blomsterlupinfrön. Men en ökad temperatur under värmebehandlingen verkade ha en hämmande effekt för antalet grodda frön och MGT. Trots det återfanns ett relativt stort antal levande blomsterlupinfrön efter den sista observationsdagen. Det kan indikera att många frön skulle överleva en värmebehandling av fröbanken om behandlingen skulle implementeras som åtgärdsmetod. Metoden skulle förmodligen vara tidskrävande och dyr i förhållande till den önskade reducerande effekten på levande blomsterlupinfrön. För att utveckla resurseffektiva åtgärder för artens fröbank krävs mer kunskap. Slåtter verkar vara en bättre åtgärdsmetod om det genomförs vid rätt tidpunkt två gånger om året. / Invasive plant species are a global problem that threaten native ecosystems. The garden lupin (Lupinus polyphyllus) is an invasive perennial herb and possesses several traits, which enables successful establishment and dispersal. Road verges serve as landscape corridors for exotic species, as well as being an important refuge habitat for many grassland species. To make conservation managements more efficient, an extensive knowledge of the target species and it’s traits is required. The aim of this study was to evaluate two potential management strategies for garden lupin in road verges. Mowing is an established strategy already, but to find out if different cutting intensities will affect biomass regrowth differently, one control group (no cut) and three harvest groups (1-3 cuts) were compared regarding leaf biomass, stem biomass, inflorescence biomass and total plant biomass. Another potential management strategy was evaluated focusing on the seed bank. Seeds of garden lupin were heat treated at 40 °C, 50 °C, and 70 °C and compared to control seeds (20 °C). Duration of treatments was 1, 5, and 15 minutes. Some seeds were watered before the heat treatment to break physical dormancy. Seeds of garden lupin were compared to three other species in the Fabaceae family: Trifolium incarnatum, Medicago sativa, and Lotus corniculatus. I found a significant effect of cutting frequency on regrowth of stem biomass, inflorescence biomass, and total plant biomass. Regarding leaf biomass, there was no difference between harvest groups. The fact that garden lupin plants primarily invest more resources in leaf biomass regrowth can be regarded as positive from a management point of view. However, biomass regrowth was depended on initial plant size, and the mowing response might differ between individual plants in populations. The water treatment did not break the physical dormancy of garden lupin seeds. Increased temperatures during heat treatments seemed to have an inhibiting effect on both seed germination and mean germination time. However, a high number of vital garden lupin seeds were remaining after the last observation. This might indicate that many seeds would remain vital if seed bank heat treatments were implemented as a management strategy. The strategy would probably be time consuming and expensive in relation to the desired reducing effect on vital garden lupin seeds. To develop resource efficient management actions on the species’ seed bank, more knowledge is needed. Mowing seems like a better management option if it is implemented at the right time twice a year.

The aim of this thesis was to create the botanic snap of the chosen locations, which were meadows, grasslands, pastures and also fallow grass areas, to determine the area coverage of three main agrobotanic species i.e. grass, herbs and clover, to process it with the statistcal software and determine the method and intensity of use and fertilization of individual locations and suggest the suitable prato-technical methods. The cenological structure of the locations has been observed and described using botanic snaps. The prato-technic method used were documented for each of the locations and evaluated the influence on the cenological structure. The research was performed in locations Vřeskovice, Čeletice, Městiště in the region Pilsen, former district of Klatovy. In each location the botanic snaps were taken from 3 areas of about 5 x 6 meters each. There were determined the area coverage of grass, herbs and clovers and calculated the mean indication value of humidity. Mean indication value of humidity is the parameter usable for determination of permanent grassland management and utilization. The data from the research was elaborated in software MS Excel. I recommend to manage the analyzed permanent grasslands as follows: 1. The meadow Vřeskovice behind the sewage cleaning station - additional sow of perennial rye grass, meadow clover and white clover. 2. The meadow Mstice - total recovery alternatively conservative prato-technic measures - manure fertilization for about 20t/ha and additional sow of meadow and white clover and grass - red fescue, blue grass and perennial ryegrass. 3. The meadow above the transformer station Vřeskovice - keep on current management od additional clovers sow. 4. The pasture Čeletice grazed by horses - keep on current management or additional sow of red fescue, tall fescue and timothy grass. 5. The meadow Městiště with combined utilization by cattle pasture and mowing - keep on current way of use. 6. The pasture Vřeskovice grazed by cattle - keep on current utilization or additional sow meadow and white clover. 7. The pasture Vřeskovice grazed by sheep - keep on the current utilization, in future after the reduction of dangerous knapweed to decrease the amount of pastured animals. 8. The fallow meadow Vřeskovice behind Petrovický neither mowed nor pastured - proposed mulching twice a year for about 1 or 2 years, then pasture or pasture of extensive cattle breed (Galloway) or sheep or periodical mowing once or twice a year. 9. The fallow meadow Vřeskovice trench at the farmhouse - leave as a fallow meadow improves the biodivesity, optionally to mow once or twice a year from estetical reasons.

Die vorliegende Dissertation behandelt die Ökologie von Cnidium dubium (Schkuhr) Thell. (Sumpf-Brenndolde), Gratiola officinalis L. (Gottes-Gnadenkraut) und Juncus atratus Krocker (Schwarze Binse), drei gefährdeten Arten, die als sogenannte Stromtalpflanzen in Mitteleuropa in ihrem Vorkommen eng an die Flussauen gebunden sind. Die Arbeit basiert auf verschiedenen Simulationsexperimenten und Feldstudien in der Unteren Havelniederung, einem „Feuchtgebiet von internationaler Bedeutung“. Sie behandelt Themenkomplexe wie das Samenbankverhalten, die Samenkeimung, die Stickstofflimitierung, die Konkurrenzkraft, das Verhalten der Pflanzen nach einer Sommertrockenheit und nach einer Winter/Frühjahrsüberflutung. Ferner widmet sie sich der Populationsbiologie der Arten und dem Verhalten der Pflanzen nach besonderen Störungsereignissen wie Mahd, Herbivorie und der Sommerflut 2002. Der Leser erfährt, wie die Pflanzen in verschiedenen Lebensphasen auf die auentypische Umwelt reagieren und erhält umfassende Einblicke in physiologische Mechanismen, die der Anpassung an die typischen Bedingungen einer mitteleuropäischen Flussaue dienen. Eine Interpretation der Ergebnisse zeigt auf, welche der spezifischen Eigenschaften zur Gefährdung der drei Stromtalarten beitragen. Die Arbeit ist für den Arten-, Biotop- und Landschaftsschutz interessant. Darüber hinaus bietet sie zahlreiche Anknüpfungspunkte zur ökophysiologischen Grundlagenforschung. Die verstärkte Nutzung physiologischer Methoden bei der Klärung ökologischer Fragestellungen wird angeregt. / The thesis deals with the ecology of three endangered European river corridor angiosperms Cnidium dubium (Schkuhr) Thell., Gratiola officinalis L. und Juncus atratus Krocker. The study is based on different experimental approaches and field surveys in a wetland along the Lower Havel River, a designated German Ramsar-site (Wetland of International Importance). This involves the examination of aspects of seed bank dynamics, germination, nitrogen limitation, competitive ability, and the response of plants to summer drought and/or winter/spring flooding. The thesis continues with a detailed study of the population biology of the species at natural sites and the response of these plants to specific disturbances like mowing, herbivory and the severe summer flooding in 2002. The reader learns about the traits of the three plant species to tolerate the typical conditions their natural sites are exposed to in different phases of their life cycle. He gets a comprehensive look at physiological means by which plants can adapt to the prevailing conditions of European river lowlands. The interpretation of the results is used to reveal specific plant traits, which may contribute to the endangerment of the three river corridor plants. As such, this thesis is interesting for protection of species, biotopes and landscapes. Furthermore, it provides numerous close connections to fundamental research from an ecophysiological perspective. The increased use of physiological methods is recommended in order to be able to adequately resolve ecological problems.

Disturbance is an important phenomenon affecting plant lives and shaping plant strategies in disturbed habitats. A variety of ecological concepts on individual plant response to injury has been proposed for specific natural ecosystems or growth forms. In central Europe, man-made habitats are often cases of disturbed places, so the aim of the thesis was to apply four chosen concepts on them. The thesis is composed of four original studies performed in two model ecosystems: recurrently disturbed ruderal place and regularly mown central European meadow. The occupying of the aboveground space after a disturbance event was studied here either as renovation of biomass or architecture. Regenerative strategies in herbs occupying disturbed habitats were described and confronted with concepts proposed originally for ecosystems subjected to natural disturbance regimes.

Semi-natural grasslands with traditional management are known to be very species-rich, with many plant species strongly associated with the habitat. The last century’s decline of semi-natural grasslands, as a result of land use change and abandonment, has made the remaining semi-natural grassland a high concern for conservation. Since management can be costly and the available resources often are limited, it is important to use the most beneficial management method for preserving and enhancing the biodiversity. One semi-natural grassland type of certain interest around the Baltic region are coastal grasslands. In this study, I investigated vascular plant species occurrence in ten managed coastal grasslands located in the Stockholm archipelago. The effect of recent land-uplift and future sea level rise on the ten coastal grasslands were analyzed as well. A major part of all ten grasslands had been subjected to the process of isostatic land-uplift the past 100 years. Five of the grasslands were currently managed by grazing and the other five were managed by traditional mowing. There was no significant difference in alpha and gamma diversity between the two management types. Though, higher biodiversity values, such as more different species found in total, higher amount of species typically linked to meadows and pastures, less succession species and more red-listed species, were found in the traditionally mowed grasslands. Furthermore, a sea level rise with 40 cm the next 100 years in the region would lead to loss of plant species diversity in the investigated coastal grasslands. One major concern is the limited areas upwards on the coastal grasslands for species to migrate to in the future, which is expected to primarily affect species associated with meadows and pastures. The study highlights the importance of open and managed grassland areas further up the coastal grasslands for local species to migrate to, if the sea level would rise as predicted by future climate scenarios. Albeit weak the results of this study indicate that traditional mowing generates higher biodiversity values compared to grazing, hence it should be the preferred management method in coastal grasslands in the Stockholm archipelago.

Abstract The area of traditionally managed semi-natural meadows is declining throughout Europe. Knowledge of how to restore their species richness is urgently needed. Community manipulations by means of grazing and mowing and, on the other hand, knowledge of species-level responses as well as the responses of functional plant groups to management may help in planning appropriate restoration tools. The restoration of species richness was studied in two community-level experiments: in a sheep grazing experiment and in a mowing experiment. Three species-level studies were conducted to test the compensatory capacity of monocarpic, herbaceous plants (Gentianella amarella, Erysimum strictum, Euphrasia stricta) to simulated herbivory (10–50% of stem being cut). The perennial Linaria vulgaris was used to study whether there is any benefit of clonal integration in the tolerance of simulated herbivory. This topic was studied in a growth experiment and a 13C tracer study. In both grazing and mowing experiments, small herbs gained more space, while the dominant tall herbs subsided. The species number increased by 30% on the grazed plots, but mowing did not affect species richness, probably indicating seed limitation. At sites of this kind, seed addition could be used to promote restoration. Functional plant groups appeared to be useful in predicting the effects of grazing on plant communities. Early season grazing and mowing seem to be proper management tools in overgrown/degraded meadows. In species-level studies, all the species had relatively good compensatory capacity to repair small damage. Overcompensation was observed in response to apical damage, especially when the growing conditions were favourable, supporting the compensatory continuum hypothesis. The studied monocarpic plant species may share a common unbranched growth form where incidental apical damage leads to activation of uninitialized meristems and slight overcompensation. These responses may represent consequences of adaptation to above-ground competition, rather than adaptation to predictable herbivory. In Linaria, damaged ramets were not supported, but the neighbouring ramets seemed to compete with each other for root resources. While growing in disturbed habitats, it is more profitable for this species to invest in new ramets. The present studies showed that, while the appearance and structure of a traditional grassland rich in small-growing herbs can be restored in five years, it is more difficult to increase species diversity by mere mowing or grazing. Knowledge of the tolerance of individual species for herbivory could provide useful information for planning management practices. More studies on the effects of different management tools on different meadow types are urgently needed for the maintenance of the diversity of these valuable environments. / Tiivistelmä Perinteisellä tavalla hoidettujen luonnonniittyjen pinta-ala vähenee kaikkialla Euroopassa. Tarvitsemme enemmän tietoa siitä, miten näiden elinympäristöjen lajiston monimuotoisuus voitaisiin turvata. Tietämys laidunnuksen ja niiton vaikutuksesta kasviyhteisöihin ja toisaalta yksittäisiin kasvilajeihin tai toiminnallisiin kasviryhmiin voi auttaa tehokkaiden hoito- ja ennallistamistapojen löytämisessä. Tässä työssä tutkittiin niittyjen lajirikkauden palauttamista kahdessa yhteisötason kokeessa: lammaslaidunkokeessa ja kokeessa, jossa eri niittotapojen vaikutuksia selvitettiin. Kolmessa lajitason kokeessa testattiin monokarppisten ruohokasvien (rantaukonnauris, horkkakatkero, ketosilmäruoho) kompensaatiokykyä simuloituun herbivoriaan (10–50 % varresta poistettiin). Monivuotista kannusruohoa käytettiin tutkittaessa onko klonaalisesta integraatiosta hyötyä herbivorian siedossa. Tätä selvitettiin kasvukokeella ja hiili-13-merkkiainekokeella. Sekä laidun- että niittokokeessa matalat ruohokasvit saivat kasvutilaa korkeiden ruohojen valta-aseman vähentyessä. Laidunnus lisäsi lajimäärää 30 % koealaa kohti, mutta niitto ei vaikuttanut lajirikkauteen. Molemmissa kokeissa kasviyhteisö oli luultavasti siemenrajoitteinen. Tällaisissa kohteissa siementen lisäystä voitaisiin käyttää ennallistamiskeinona. Toiminnalliset kasviryhmät olivat käyttökelpoisia ennustettaessa laidunnuksen vaikutuksia kasviyhteisöön. Aikaisin kasvukaudella tapahtuva niitto/laidunnus näyttää sopivalta hoitokeinolta umpeenkasvaneilla niityillä. Lajitason kokeissa kaikki tutkitut kasvilajit kykenivät melko hyvin kompensoimaan vähäisiä vaurioita. Ylikompensaatiota havaittiin vasteena kärkivaurioihin erityisesti, kun kasvuolot olivat edulliset. Tämä tuki ns. kompensaatiojatkumohypoteesiä. Tutkituilla lajeilla voi olla yhtenäinen haaraton kasvumuoto, jossa ajoittaiset kärkivauriot johtavat lepotilassa olevien silmujen aktivoitumiseen ja lievään ylikompensaatioon. Nämä vasteet voivat olla seurausta sopeutumisesta valokilpailuun pikemmin kuin sopeutumisesta ennustettavissa olevaan herbivoriaan. Kannusruoholla vaurioituneita versoja ei autettu, vaan kloonin sisällä versot näyttävät kilpailevan keskenään juuriresursseista. Koska laji kasvaa häirityillä paikoilla, sille näyttää olevan edullisempaa investoida uusiin versoihin. Tämä työ osoitti, että vaikka perinteisen matalakasvuisen lajirikkaan niityn ulkonäkö ja rakenne voidaan palauttaa viidessä vuodessa, on vaikeampaa lisätä lajirikkautta pelkän niiton tai laidunnuksen avulla. Tietämys yksittäisten kasvilajien vasteista biomassan menetykseen voi auttaa sopivien hoitotapojen suunnittelussa. Lisää kokeita eri hoitotapojen vaikutuksista ja eri niittytyypeillä tarvitaan pikaisesti näiden arvokkaiden elinympäristöjen monimuotoisuuden ylläpitämiseksi.

Meadows, as an integral part of the Giant Mountains, depend on regular management, without it they can get degraded. The aim of this thesis was to evaluate the impact of different types of management (mulching, mowing with or without fertilization) on change in coverage, biomass and establishment of plants. The experiment took place in years 1997-2011 on the site called Sněžné Domky in Giant Mountains on 3 sites which differ in humidity and trophy. The effect of management on vegetation change was statistically conclusive. Mulching was preffered the most by Geranium sylvaticum, mulching and fertilization was preffered especially by these species: Holcus mollis, Alopecurus pratensis and Crepis conyzifolia. Mulching and no fertilization: Achillea millefolium. Avenella flexuosa preferred particularly mowing. Mowing and fertilization was preffered by Festuca rubra, Luzula luzuloides, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Agrostis capillaris, Veronica officinalis and Hieracium lachenalii. Mowing without fertilizazion was preffered by Potentilla erecta. The effect of management on the amount of biomass appeared statistically inconclusive (except for amount of old biomass). Biomass is more correlated by the weather and the trophy of the site than the type of management. The effect of management on establishment of plant...

The aim of my study is to determine the influence of historical management practices on the camposition of vascular species in hilly country forests on the Vysoká stráň hill in the Bohemian Karst Protected Landscape Area in the Czech Republic. My thesis is divided into two parts. The first part of my thesis describes influences of forest management on the herb diversity from different scientific studies. There is some information about the influence of herbivorous grazing, pollarding, litter raking and fire. Secondly provides a case study dealing with the influence of historical management on the vascular species composition in the forest understory. My experimental area was divided into 32 treatments, where three different ways of historical management were used - mowing of the understory vegetation, litter raking and the combination of mowing and litter raking. The fourth area was a control treatment. Change in the herb diversity depending on a time is statistically significant but changes in the herb diversity depending on different ways of historical management are statistically insignificant. We detected a distinct decline in the herb diversity during our experiment, also on the control treatments. The main gradient of vegetation points from mesophilous acidophytes to species characteristic...

Les bords de route constituent un des principaux habitats herbacés et linéaires des paysages agricoles, ils jouent le rôle de refuge pour différentes espèces et constituent aussi un habitat favorable pour des espèces adventices jugées problématiques. L’objectif de cette thèse est de mesurer les effets de la structure du paysage et des pratiques de gestion sur la flore de l’interface route – champ cultivé. Nos résultats suggèrent que les communautés végétales de l’interface ont une réponse temporellement décalée vis-à-vis des changements paysagers. L’étude de la végétation exprimée et de la dispersion des graines montre que la fauche tardive n’est pas le levier de gestion optimal pour favoriser la diversité végétale du bord de route, et que les pratiques de fauche influencent aussi la flore de la bordure intérieure du champ. Afin de limiter les influences croisées des pratiques de gestion, nous suggérons des stratégies réfléchies à l’échelle de l’interface route – champ. / Road verges constitute the main herbaceous and linear habitats of arable landscapes. They represent a refuge for different species, but also constitute a habitat for weeds considered problematic. The aim of this thesis was to measure the effects of landscape structure and management practices on the flora of the road-field boundary. Our results suggest that plant communities of road-field boundary have a time lagged response to landscape changes. The study of the vegetation and of seed dispersal showed that late mowing was not the optimal method to promote plant diversity on road verges and that mowing practices also influenced the flora of the inner field margin. To limit the cross-influence of management practices, we recommend well thought out strategies at the scale of the road-field boundary.

The aim of this study is to assess the effect of different management practises on submontane meadow plant diversity, species richness and biomass production. The experiment was carried out in the submontane region Šumava (Kaplicko, Velký Chuchelec, Údolí Velenovského potoka). There were applied four types of management {--} continual grazing, mulching, fallow (Velký Chuchelec) and mowing (Údolí Velenovského potoka). Plant diverzity and hay production has been observing for three years. Obtained data were used for calculation Simpson and Hill index diverzity, value of fodder quality and nutritive and water regime (condition) of site. Values were used for statistical computing (ANOVA, Fischer LSD test). The plant species diverzity and biomass production are significantly affected by grassland management (treatment). Mulching and fallow lead to lower species richness and increases the coverage of grasses. Hay production is higher on mulching and fallow stands and on mowed stands than on continuously grazed stands. Mowing leads to higher species richness. Is necessary to conserve this status by mowing or the better way is to intesify contemporary management.