Species-specific establishment requirements in calcareous grassland restoration

In a four-year experimental study, the effects of various pre-sowing disturbance treatments (band-spraying with herbicide; soil harrowing; creation of ridge and furrow structures) and of post-establishment sward management regimes on the performance of habitat specialist plant species known to perform poorly in the restoration of lowland calcareous grassland was tested. It was found that as with generalist species, pre-sowing disturbance is key to successful establishment. Ridge and furrow appeared to be a good alternative to more traditional means of pre-sowing disturbance such as soil harrowing in particular for low-statured species of low competitive ability with a known preference in ancient grassland for south-sloping sites and ant hills. It appears that three years of experimental sward management may have been too short a period to allow solid conclusions on the effects of various alternative options.