Table Of ContentNature Management by Grazing and Cutting
Geobotany 14
Series Editor
M.J.A. WERGER
Nature Management by Grazing and Cutting
On the ecological significance of grazing and cutting regimes
applied to restore former species-rich grassland communities
in the Netherlands
by
JAN POUWEL BAKKER
KLUWER ACADEMIC PUBLISHERS
DORDRECHT I BOSTON I LONDON
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Bakker, Jan Pouwe;,
Nature management by grazing and cutting on the ecological
significance of grazing and cutting regimes appl ied to restore
former species-rich grassland communities in the Netherlands.
p. cm. -- (Geobotany ; 14)
Thesis (doctoral)--Rijksuniverslteit te Groningen, 1989.
Bibliography, p.
1. Range management--Netherlands. 2. Rangelands--Netherlands.
3. Range plants--Netherlands--Ecology. 4. Restoration ecology-
-Netherlands. I. Tltle. II. Sarles.
SB193.3.N4B35 1989
639.9'9--jc19 88-31951
ISBN-13: 978-94-010-7510-7 e-ISBN-13: 978-94-009-2255-6
DOl: 10.1007/978-94-009-2255-6
Published by KIuwer Academic Publishers,
P.O. Box 17, 3300 AA Dordrecht, The Netherlands
KIuwer Academic Publishers incorporates
the publishing programmes of
D. Reidel, Martinus Nijhoff, Dr W. Junk and MTP Press.
Sold and distributed in the U.S.A. and Canada
by KIuwer Academic Publishers,
101 Philip Drive, Norwell, MA 02061, U.S.A.
In all other countries, sold and distributed
by Kluwer Academic Publishers Group,
P.O. Box 322, 3300 AH Dordrecht, The Netherlands.
printed on acid free paper
All Rights Reserved
© 1989 by Kluwer Academic Publishers
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1989
No part of the material protected by this copyright notice may be
reproduced of utilized in any form of by any means, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any
information storage and retrieval system, without written
permission from the copyright owner.
To Prof. Dr. Dingeman Bakker
Prof. Dr. Dik Thalent
Acknowledgements
This study is part of the research programme on grasslands carried out by the Department of Plant Ecology of
the University Groningen in the Netherlands. In 1970 the department decided that some fundamental work
on nature management should take place. I started this work in 1971 on the salt marsh of the island of
Schiermonnikoog. I would like to thank the authorities in charge of the management (Dienst der Domeinen,
recently the State Forestry Commission) P. Harthoorn, R. Nieuwenhuis, A. Talsma and colleagues for their
cooperation and the fact that they allowed me to work in the nature reserve. I also wish to express my
gratitude to the farmers of the island for their kind cooperation.
The study was extended to the inland area of the nature reserve 'Stroomdallandschap Drentsche A' in
1972. I would like to thank the authorities in charge of the management (State Forestry Commission) Alex
Ernst, Hendrik Lanjouw, Henk Post, Bouwe Riemersma and colleagues for both their cooperation and
allowing me to work in their domain. J. Nijwening and J. Reinders kindly provided the sheep for the grazing
experiment.
I am much indebted to my teacher in plant ecology Professor Dingeman Bakker. The memories of the long
excursion we made along the French Atlantic coast in my student period and the many trips we later took in
the Drentsche A area and on Schiermonnikoog will always remain with me. We discussed the plans for the
management experiments and intended to follow them for a period of five years. It soon transpired that such
a period was too short for new equilibria to establish after the imposition of the regimes. The publication of
this study does not mean that such equilibria have now been reached, but it gives the state of the art after 10 to
15 years. Professor Dingeman Bakker did unfortunately not live to see the later phases of it and I, therefore,
dedicate this book to his memory.
Two weeks after the start of my job a letter came from the Research Institute of Nature Management. This
institute started research on nature management by grazing with large herbivores and requested the
cooperation of Dutch universities. I agreed to their proposals and I am much obliged to Piet Oosterveld who
introduced me into the world of grazing.
Yzaak De Vries became my assistent in 1973 and it is certain that but for him only a small part of the work
would have been done. He worked in the field, in the greenhouse and on the computer, he instructed
students and arranged the carrying out of management practices and never lost his temper. Thank you
Yzaak, I hope we will cooperate for many more years.
I thank Jos De Wiljes, Nellie Eck, Willem Van Hal and Lena Rusthoven, for the chemical analyses, Kor
Beukema, Jouke Franke, Jacob Hogendorf, Sieze Nijdam, the late Menno Robertus and Ebel Top for
technical assistance and Clara Biewenga for her administrative assistance. I also thank Gerda Allersma,
Leendert Brand, Theo De Jong, Marga Dekker, Jan De Leeuw, Jan Leemburg, Ab Masselink, Janke
Schoonewille, Ans Schoorlemmer, Gerard Ter Heerdt, Lodewijk Van Duuren, Arend Van Dijk and Rudi
Zwiers who were appointed to our department for short projects.
Many students were involved in studies on nature management practices from 1971 up to and including
1987. The results of many projects and ideas which were generated, form an important part of this book and
VIII
I, therefore, wish to thank chronologically Feiko Prins, Margje Van Der Duim, Joke De Boer, Niels
Schotsman, Jan Leemburg, Jannie Schokker, Jan Klooster, Rudolf Schwab, Tineke Schwab-Vos, Kees
Canters, Ada Zeevalking-Van Yperen, Ab Grootjans, Steven De Bie, Gerda Allersma, Gretha Hoekstra,
Piet Swierstra, Bram Vreugdenhil, Fons Vos, Sip Van Wieren, Ko De Witt, Ger Boedeltje, Jacob Ruyter,
Jelle Norder, Herman Hofs, Lilli-jan Rohof, Paul Struyck, Hans Dallinga, Peter Tjaden, Jan De Leeuw,
Henk Van Netten, Anneke Pon, Margreet Zijlstra, Mirjam Huisman, Jacob De Vries, Edwin Hoekstra,
Rika Brands, Henk Kasteleijn, Rolf Boersma, Chris Brouwer, Bertus Van Den Hof, Hans Zomer, Rick
Looijen, Joan Looijen, Dick Veltman, Belia Van Den Berg, Ron Fijn, Karin Sjoukes, Aly Schutter, Gerard
Ter Heerdt, Arjan Braaksma, Peter Russchen, Jos Hoogveld, Andre Hendriks, Obe Brandsma, Menno
Dijkstra, Regien Schoemaker, Brigit Van Berkel, Hendrik Jan Muller, Erik Quene, Johannes Tonckens,
Marc 't Hart, Marion Brongers, Jacob Vogel, Janine Van Den Bos, Dick Bekker, Robert Hofstede and Han
Olff. It is a pleasure to know that several of them now have jobs in nature conservation.
Professors Jelte Van Andel and Jan Barkman became involved in a late phase of this study, namely, the
setting up of the book and its writing. I wish to thank them for their constructive criticism. Jelte, thank you for
the opportunity of being able to go my own way during the writing of the book and other activities in the
department. I would like to thank Professor H. T. Waterbolk for his comments on the chapter concerning the
Drenthe Plateau. The promotor Professor Dik Thalen and the referent Dr. Ger Londo were already
involved in the early stages of the study. I thank them for the discussions on the plans of the experiments and
in the field and their comments on the manuscript. Unfortunately Professor Dik Thalen died when I was
correcting the proofs, and I, therefore, dedicate this book to his memory.
I learned a lot about toponymes and former land utilization in Drenthe from Bart Van Heuveln and Jan
Wieringa and in Schiermonnikoog from Durk Reitsma. The literature study, the personal communications
with colleagues, during symposia and field visits in the Netherlands and other countries, working on similar
problems have been of great importance for the analysis, interpretation and final presentation of the data. I
gratefully acknowledge the different contributions of my present and former colleagues in the Department of
Plant Ecology.
I would like to thank those involved in producing the book, namely, Evert Leeuwinga, Chris Steenmeijer
and Dik Visser who made the figures, Clara Biewenga who typed the tables, Joan Purdell-Lewis for the
correction of the English text and Wil Peters and Professor Marinus Werger for their activities on behalf of
Kluwer Academic Publishers. Suus Geluk, my wife, typed various versions of the manuscript and our
children Liesbeth and Chris often accompanied me in the field and did some boring jobs in the laboratory.
Thank you all.
I had initially intended to present the results of this study in a Dutch book, since the Dutch authorities in
charge of the management should be able to read it. Later I changed my mind for two reasons. The first was
the publication of many articles in Dutch journals and the opportunity of writing in the series of Dutch books
on nature conservation 'Handboek Natuurbeheer'. The second was the increasing pressure for scientists to
publish on the international scene. This has the advantage of demonstrating some of the Dutch knowledge on
the conversion of grassland from agricultural production to nature reserves, which is much needed in the
EEC. My wish is that this book contributes to the increase of such knowledge and its extension in other
countries.
Table of contents
Acknowledgements ..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. VII PART FOUR: ECOSYSTEM DYNAMICS
Table of contents ................................ " IX Causes of observed changes: mineral
removal/increasing soil salinity or structure of
the sward?
PART ONE: INTRODUCTION
The need for nature management
VIII Grazing.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 239
IX Cutting regimes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 269
I Introduction ............................... . 3 X Changing soil conditions and stand structure as
II Research approach and methods ............. . 19 causes of floristic changes: conclusions and
synthesis .................................. 285
PART TWO: LAND USE DYNAMICS
From agricultural practices to nature PART FIVE: POPULATION DYNAMICS
management Where do the new species come from?
III The Drenthe Plateau 37 XI Seed dispersal and seed bank ................. 317
IV The Schiermonnikoog salt marsh ............. . 75 XII Re-introduction of seeds ..................... 335
PART THREE: VEGETATION PART SIX: MANAGEMENT
DYNAMICS Evaluation of the obtained knowledge
Restoration management creates species
richer plant communities: three cases XIII Management... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 357
V The heathland and reclaimed grassland
vegetation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 373
VI The valley grassland vegetation ............... 121 References ....................................... 379
VII The salt marsh vegetation .................... 185 Subject index ..................................... 399
PART ONE
Introduction
CHAPTER I
Introduction
A. Background and scope of the study .............. . 3 1. General .................. " ,-, ........... 11
B. Abandoned and marginal agricultural grasslands ... . 5 2. Some equilibrium models explaining species di-
1. Definition ............................... . 5 versity ., ....... , ,-.... , .................. 11
2. Inland areas in western Europe ............. . 6 3. Change of the steady state .. , .. , ............ 14
3. Ca. stal areas in western Europe ............ . 8 4. Dispersal of plant species ................ , ,- 14
C. Nature mc.nagement practices ................... . 10 5. 'Ecotypic' diversity .. , ..................... 15
D. Theoretical considerations on nature management 6. Patterns in plant communities ............... 15
with special reference to diversity ............... . 11 7. Implications for management ............. ,. 16
LA. Background and scope of the study (Klapp, 1965), Belgium (Van Hecke, Impens &
Behaeghe, 1981) and the Netherlands (Oomes &
The degradation of flora and vegetation in natural Mooi, 1981; Elberse, Van Den Bergh & Dirven,
and semi-natural landscapes has become a matter 1983; Willems, 1983A).
of great concern. The problem affects the whole of A 'feed-back' against the degradation of flora
Western Europe as well as many other parts of the and vegetation has been developed. Again the
temperate world, but the Netherlands seem de Netherlands seem to occupy a top position. From
pressingly to occupy the top position. This may be 1906 onwards, areas have been acquired by private
attributed to the dense population and the high organizations for landscape and nature conserva
level of technological development resulting in ex tion purposes, more recently also by the State. Due
panding towns, villages and industrial areas con to the low intensity of human impact early this
nected by a vast network of roads. The rural areas century the main conservation practices implied
outside the population concentrations have a pre complete non-interference, effectuated by fencing
dominantly agricultural land use. Agricultural in the nature reserves. During the Second World
practices have, however, had the greatest detri War both British (Anon., 1943; Gabrielson, 1947,
mental influence on the country side, at least with in Westhoff, 1983) and Dutch conservation work
respect to the area under study. These practices ers (Westhoff, 1945; Westhoff & Van Dijk, 1952)
included reclamation of 'waste' areas during the developed the idea of necessary intervention in
1920's and 1930's, and reallotment programmes semi-natural landscapes to preserve communities
after the Second World War. The increase in agri of nature conservation interest. Reduction of spe
cultural production and quality of the crop was the cies diversity in abandoned grassland is well known
result of drainage and the application of fertilizers from the comparison of managed and unmanaged
(Fig. 1.1). The reduction of species diversity in grassland, cf. Wells (1980) for the United King
trials, as a result of the application of fertilizers as dom, Schiefer (1981) for Germany, Zoller et al.
compared with zero-plots, has been described in (1984) for Switzerland, Persson (1984) and Tyler
the United Kingdom (Williams, 1978). Germany (1984) for Sweden, Willems (1983A) and During &
