<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>This study is focused on the evaluation of the values of the diversity indices of semi-natural dry calcareous grasslands of the <italic>Festuco-Brometea</italic> class in the area of Devínska Kobyla National Nature Reserve 50 years after abandonment of traditional management (grazing and mowing). The values of the species richness, the Shannon–Wiener index of diversity, the Simpson index, and Pielou’s measure of species evenness in the communities in the old and recent data, and the values of the environmental variables based on the Ellenberg indicator values of species were analyzed. For most of these analyses, we used Kruskal–Wallis in R 3.5.1. Compared to the past, we have recorded a significant lower values of the species richness, biodiversity, and species evenness in some communities. In some communities, no significant changes were recorded. Only in one community—<italic>Poo badensis</italic>-<italic>Festucetum pallentis</italic>, the higher values of Shannon–Wiener index was recorded compared to the past. The analysis of the Ellenberg indicator values revealed a statistically significant higher Ellenberg indicator values for moisture and nutrients and lower values for light in more recent period compared to the old period. The recorded results could be caused by the changes in the management after the year 1965, after abandonment of grazing and the gradual overgrowing by woody species took place in the area. The frequency of occurrence of some woody species (e.g., <italic>Populus alba</italic>, <italic>P. nigra</italic>, and <italic>Robinia pseudoacacia</italic>) in some communities increased compared to the past.</p></abstract>

This study is focused on the evaluation of the values of the diversity indices of semi-natural dry calcareous grasslands of the Festuco-Brometea class in the area of Devínska Kobyla National Nature Reserve 50 years after abandonment of traditional management (grazing and mowing). The values of the species richness, the Shannon–Wiener index of diversity, the Simpson index, and Pielou’s measure of species evenness in the communities in the old and recent data, and the values of the environmental variables based on the Ellenberg indicator values of species were analyzed. For most of these analyses, we used Kruskal–Wallis in R 3.5.1. Compared to the past, we have recorded a significant lower values of the species richness, biodiversity, and species evenness in some communities. In some communities, no significant changes were recorded. Only in one community—Poo badensis-Festucetum pallentis, the higher values of Shannon–Wiener index was recorded compared to the past. The analysis of the Ellenberg indicator values revealed a statistically significant higher Ellenberg indicator values for moisture and nutrients and lower values for light in more recent period compared to the old period. The recorded results could be caused by the changes in the management after the year 1965, after abandonment of grazing and the gradual overgrowing by woody species took place in the area. The frequency of occurrence of some woody species (e.g., Populus alba, P. nigra, and Robinia pseudoacacia) in some communities increased compared to the past.

Changes in the Diversity of Dry Calcareous Grasslands After Abandonment of Traditional Management in Devínska Kobyla National Nature Reserve (Southwestern Slovakia, Central Europe)

Department of Botany, Faculty of Natural Sciences

Department of Mathematics and Descriptive Geometry, Faculty of Civil Engineering

Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava

Ekológia (Bratislava)

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

This study is focused on the evaluation of the values of the diversity indices of semi-natural dry calcareous grasslands of the Festuco-Brometea class in the...

Changes in the Diversity of Dry Calcareous Grasslands After Abandonment of Traditional Management in Devínska Kobyla National Nature Reserve (Southwestern Slovakia, Central Europe)

Published Online: Jun 08, 2020

Page range: 101 - 115

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/eko-2020-0008

Keywords
Devínska Kobyla Mts, -, succession, vegetation biodiversity conservation

© 2020 Alena Rendeková et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Changes in the Diversity of Dry Calcareous Grasslands After Abandonment of Traditional Management in Devínska Kobyla National Nature Reserve (Southwestern Slovakia, Central Europe)

Published Online: Jun 08, 2020

Page range: 101 - 115

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/eko-2020-0008

KeywordsDevínska Kobyla Mts, -, succession, vegetation biodiversity conservation

© 2020 Alena Rendeková et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
Devínska Kobyla Mts, -, succession, vegetation biodiversity conservation