Hedgerow age affects the species richness of herbaceous forest plants

Prepared by Kathrin Litza & Martin Diekmann

Hedgerows of different ages in the agricultural landscape of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Photo credit: Kathrin Litza.

Hedgerows are narrow strips of wooded habitats that are known to provide refuge habitat for forest species, such as herbaceous forest plants, in agricultural landscapes.…

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Grazing exclusion and vegetation change in an upland grassland with patches of tall herbs

Prepared by Sarah H. Watts, Anna Griffith & Lindsay Mackinlay

The tall herb community thriving below a section of crags within the fence at Creag an Lochain, Ben Lawers NNR, Scotland. Photo credit: Sarah Watts.

In 2000, an electric deer fence was erected around 180 ha at Creag an Lochain in the Ben Lawers Natural Nature Reserve, Scotland.…

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Geese are overlooked dispersal vectors for vascular plants in archipelago environments

Prepared by Dirk Hattermann, Markus Bernhardt-Römermann, Annette Otte & Rolf Lutz Eckstein

Species rich vegetation of a rocky shore with geese droppings in the foreground. Photo credit: Dirk Hattermann.

Since plants do not move, they have to adapt to changing environmental conditions on the spot or disperse their seeds by means of wind, water or animals to escape unfavourable conditions.…

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Cushion and shrub ecosystem engineers contribute differently to diversity and functions in alpine ecosystems

Prepared by Jian-Guo Chen, Xiao-Fang He, Song-Wei Wang, Yang Yang & Hang Sun

Cushion engineers in the alpine ecosystem in south-western China. The two cushion species shown here (Arenaria polytrichoides and Potentilla articulata) can modify the microenvironment and facilitate the colonization and survival of other species.
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