Large-scale changes in the abundance of common higher plant species across Britain between 1978, 1990 and 1998 as a consequence of human activity: tests of hypothesised changes in trait representation

Smart, S. M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2750-7832; Bunce, R. G. H.; Marrs, R.; LeDuc, M.; Firbank, L. G.; Maskell, M. C. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4006-7755; Scott, W. A.; Thompson, K.; Walker, K. J.. 2005 Large-scale changes in the abundance of common higher plant species across Britain between 1978, 1990 and 1998 as a consequence of human activity: tests of hypothesised changes in trait representation. Biological Conservation, 124. 355-371. 10.1016/j.biocon.2004.12.013

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2004.12.013

Abstract/Summary

Presence of higher plant species was recorded in 1455 permanently marked quadrats located across Britain in 1978, 1990 and 1998 in a stratified, random sample of 259 1 km squares. Significant increases and decreases in frequency of each species were summarised as changes in the representation of simple traits, each of which had an established relationship with varying levels of fertility or disturbance. By testing the null hypothesis that the trait values represented among increasing or decreasing species were a random draw from the 1978 species pool, we determined the consistency of botanical change with changes in land-use in different vegetation types and landscape locations across Britain. Overall, 63% of significant changes in species occupancy were decreases and 37% increases. Trait changes were largely consistent with the impact of increased nutrient availability across vegetation types associated with inherently low fertility, such as infertile grassland, heath, bog and moorland. Linear habitats in lowland Britain saw trait changes consistent with secondary succession. Although trait changes were highly consistent with eutrophication in upland vegetation, the identity of the changing species left open the possibility that increased N deposition, sheep grazing intensity and local improvement could all have played a part. Recent changes in common plant species across Britain suggest that objectives for large-scale restoration and maintenance of plant communities must address four problems: (a) the increasing scarcity of stress-tolerant species in lowland species pools, (b) exploitation and maintenance of species populations on habitat fragments and linear features in the lowlands, (c) the spread and persistence of generalist species in upland Britain, (d) systemic nutrient enrichment in both lowland and upland environments.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1016/j.biocon.2004.12.013
Programmes:	CEH Programmes pre-2009 publications > Biodiversity
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	_ Ecosystem Assessment & Forecasting _ Ecological Processes & Modelling
ISSN:	0006-3207
Additional Keywords:	common plants, biodiversity, species pool, land-use, surveillance, plant traits, conservation, Countryside Survey
NORA Subject Terms:	Botany Ecology and Environment
Date made live:	04 Mar 2009 14:01 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/6432

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1016/j.biocon.2004.12.013

Programmes:

CEH Programmes pre-2009 publications > Biodiversity

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

_ Ecosystem Assessment & Forecasting
_ Ecological Processes & Modelling

ISSN:

0006-3207

Additional Keywords:

common plants, biodiversity, species pool, land-use, surveillance, plant traits, conservation, Countryside Survey