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JenaTron - An Experimental Approach to Study the Effects of Plant History and Soil History on Grassland Ecosystem Functioning
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To what extent does urbanisation affect fragmented grassland functioning?

L van der Walt1, S S Cilliers1, K Kellner1

  • 1Unit of Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, Potchefstroom, South Africa.

Journal of Environmental Management
|January 25, 2015
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Urbanisation impacts grassland function, but management practices like mowing can enhance soil health in urban fragments. These urban grasslands are as conservable as exurban ones for soil processes.

Keywords:
Grassland fragmentsLandscape functionLandscape metricsSoil surface indicesUrbanisation gradient

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Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Environmental Science
  • Conservation Biology

Background:

  • Urbanisation transforms natural landscapes, impacting biodiversity and ecosystem functions.
  • Grassland fragments in urban areas are often perceived as less valuable for conservation than rural counterparts.
  • Management practices in urban green spaces, such as mowing, can differ significantly from exurban areas.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the effects of urbanisation and management on the fine-scale biophysical landscape function of grassland fragments.
  • To compare the landscape function of urban and exurban grassland fragments.
  • To evaluate the utility of Landscape Function Analysis (LFA) for grassland conservation decision-making.

Main Methods:

  • Quantified urbanisation levels using four indicators to classify grassland fragments as 'urban' or 'exurban'.
  • Applied Landscape Function Analysis (LFA) to assess fine-scale biophysical properties, including stability, infiltration, and nutrient cycling.
  • Recorded management practices (grazing, mowing) and landscape characteristics (vegetation patchiness, litter abundance).

Main Results:

  • Vegetated patch characteristics and litter abundance were key drivers of differences in LFA indices.
  • Mowing in urban grassland fragments resulted in higher overall fine-scale biophysical indices.
  • Grassland fragments in urban areas, when managed, showed comparable biophysical function to exurban fragments.

Conclusions:

  • Management practices, rather than urbanisation intensity alone, significantly influence grassland biophysical function.
  • Urban grassland fragments possess comparable conservable biophysical value to exurban fragments, particularly concerning soil processes.
  • LFA is a valuable tool for assessing and informing conservation strategies for urban and exurban grassland fragments.