<p>Rich fens are an important, but threatened, habitat type in the boreal landscape. In this thesis I have examined responses of rich fen vascular plants and bryophytes after drainage and restoration. </p><p>The effects of drainage on the rich fen flora were observed in a long time study and the responses were rapid and drastic. During an initial stage a rapid loss of brown mosses was observed, followed by increases of sedges and early successional bryophytes, and later by an expansion of dominants. Initial effects of hydrological restoration showed that rewetting can promote re-establishment of an ecologically functional rich fen flora, but has to be combined with other treatments, such as mowing or surface disturbance. </p><p>After restoration, re-establishment of locally extinct species may be hampered by dispersal limitations. To test if reintroductions could help to overcome dispersal limitations I performed transplantation studies with four common rich fens bryophytes to a rewetted site. The results showed that the species were able to establish, and that survival and growth were promoted by desiccation protection and liming. </p><p>I further examined competition among three of the most common bryophytes in natural boreal rich fens that usually occur mixed in a mosaic pattern but show small but important microtopographical niche separation. The results indicate similar competitive abilities among the species, and no case of competitative exclusion occurred. The results help to explain the coexistence of these species under natural conditions with microtopographic variation and repeated small scale natural disturbances. </p><p>Restoring a functional flora in drained rich fens is a complex task, which requires understanding of underlying causes of substrate degradation in combination with suitable restoration measures. The thesis suggests how the results can be used in practical restoration work, and also stresses the need for monitoring of restoration experiments over longer time. </p>

Rich fens are an important, but threatened, habitat type in the boreal landscape. In this thesis I have examined responses of rich fen vascular plants and bryophytes after drainage and restoration. The effects of drainage on the rich fen flora were observed in a long time study and the responses were rapid and drastic. During an initial stage a rapid loss of brown mosses was observed, followed by increases of sedges and early successional bryophytes, and later by an expansion of dominants. Initial effects of hydrological restoration showed that rewetting can promote re-establishment of an ecologically functional rich fen flora, but has to be combined with other treatments, such as mowing or surface disturbance. After restoration, re-establishment of locally extinct species may be hampered by dispersal limitations. To test if reintroductions could help to overcome dispersal limitations I performed transplantation studies with four common rich fens bryophytes to a rewetted site. The results showed that the species were able to establish, and that survival and growth were promoted by desiccation protection and liming. I further examined competition among three of the most common bryophytes in natural boreal rich fens that usually occur mixed in a mosaic pattern but show small but important microtopographical niche separation. The results indicate similar competitive abilities among the species, and no case of competitative exclusion occurred. The results help to explain the coexistence of these species under natural conditions with microtopographic variation and repeated small scale natural disturbances. Restoring a functional flora in drained rich fens is a complex task, which requires understanding of underlying causes of substrate degradation in combination with suitable restoration measures. The thesis suggests how the results can be used in practical restoration work, and also stresses the need for monitoring of restoration experiments over longer time.

The aim of this diploma thesis was to elaborate a literature survey and especially to conduct an experimental study of ecological demands of the critically endangered species Sedum villosum. The localities, on which S. villosum formely occurred, disappeared largely because of habitat destruction by draining and plowing of wet meadows, or by the abandonment followed by development of high vegetation and biomass accumulation. Therefore, this work could contribute to the knowledge of shadow influence and surrounding vegetation concurency on seed germination and flowering of this species. Retrieved knowledge can be later used for rescue program realization (repatriation options, strengthening populations, habitat requirements). The experiments showed a significant negative effect of the shading and the presence of surrounding vegetation (sedges, brown mosses and peat mosses) on germination and flowering of S. villosum. Furthermore, it was found that S. villosum is able to germinate directly on water surface, with seed germination even higher than on wet soil. The experimental sowing, planting and subsequent monitoring of germination, growth and survival of S. villosum at the rehabilitated area of Knížecí Pláně (NP Šumava) showed that it is possible to strengthen S. villosum population by sowing and planting autochthonous material on prepared areas with a torn down turf. As an acceptable tools seems to be using mulch from mown in the area of the original population. Similar process can be used in the future for restoring historical localities of this species.