Judith's Hedge: changes in the botanical diversity of a species-rich ancient hedgerow over 40 years

Mountford, J.O.; Sparks, T.H.; Garbutt, R.A.

Judith's Hedge: changes in the botanical diversity of a species-rich ancient hedgerow over 40 years

Mountford, J.O.; Sparks, T.H.; Garbutt, R.A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9145-9786. 2012 Judith's Hedge: changes in the botanical diversity of a species-rich ancient hedgerow over 40 years. In: Dover, John W., (ed.) Hedgerow futures. London, Tree Council, 16-26.

Full text not available from this repository. (Request a copy)

Abstract/Summary

Judith’s Hedge in Cambridgeshire is believed to be a relic of woodland formed by clearance and field creation in the 11th century and marks both a parish and a hundred boundary. It has sections that differ in their history and in their recent management. The entire length of the hedge (> 1 km) was surveyed in contiguous 5 m plots in 1971, 1998 and 2011, recording the presence of woody species in the hedge and of three ground flora species (Anemone nemorosa, Mercurialis perennis and Hyacinthoides non-scripta). This paper reports the results of this exceptional resurvey. Between 1971 and 1998 there was a decline in species richness in all sections of the hedge, particularly in the woodland ground flora. However, following control of deer numbers and the re-introduction of hedge laying, by 2011 there had been a marked recovery in the ground flora species, whilst the hedgerow composition remained largely stable.

Item Type:

Publication - Book Section

Programmes:

CEH Topics & Objectives 2009 - 2012 > Biodiversity > BD Topic 1 - Observations, Patterns, and Predictions for Biodiversity > BD - 1.3 - Long-term/large-scale monitoring and experiments ...
CEH Topics & Objectives 2009 - 2012 > Biodiversity > BD Topic 2 - Ecological Processes in the Environment > BD - 2.1 - Interactions ... structure ecosystems and their functioning

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

Emmett
Pywell

NORA Subject Terms:

Ecology and Environment

Date made live:

10 Jan 2013 14:03 +0 (UTC)

URI:

https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/21018