Sam Provoost

Restoration of dune grassland in Belgium

What is dune grasslandor ‘grey dune’ ?

Salix repens2170Quercus

robur… 2180

Pioneer vegetation(Festuca juncifolia,

Carex arenaria)

Marramdune 2120

Embryo dune 2110

Calcareousgrassland

Calcareousmoss dune

Decalcifiedgrassland

Decalcifiedmoss dune

Upper saltmarsh

(Saginion) 1330

Poo-Lolietum

Poo-Lolietum

Calcareousbasic

grassland

Rough grasslandRosa pimpinellifolia

Decalcified basic grassland

(Trifolium spec.)

Scrub 2160 (Hippophae, Ligustrum, Crataegus)

Scrub 2160(Ulex)

Blow out

Pioneervegetation

(Corynephorus)

Decalcified slack2190

Calcareous slack2190

Decalcifiedmoist

grassland

Calcareousmoist

grassland

Quercus robur2180

Rough grassland(Carex arenaria)

2130 Grey dune

Callunaheath(2140)

Salt marsh1330

Salix repens2170Quercus

robur2180

Pioneer vegetation(Festuca juncifolia,

Carex arenaria)

Marramdune 2120

Embryo dune 2110

Calcareousgrassland

Calcareousmoss dune

Decalcifiedgrassland

Decalcifiedmoss dune

Upper saltmarsh

(Saginion) 1330

Poo-Lolietum

Poo-Lolietum

Calcareousbasic

grassland

Rough grasslandRosa pimpinellifolia

Decalcified basic grassland

(Trifolium spec.)

Scrub 2160 (Hippophae, Ligustrum,

Crataegus)

Scrub 2160(Ulex)

Blow out

Pioneervegetation

(Corynephorus)

Decalcified slack2190

Calcareous slack2190

Decalcifiedmoist

grassland

Calcareousmoist

grassland

Quercus robur2180

Rough grassland(Carex arenaria)

Callunaheath(2140)

Salt marsh1330

Fixation

Succession

Succession

Moisture gradient

Disturbance gradientNutrientgradient

Nutrientgradient

Salinitygradient

Decalcification

Sand accumulation

Conservation status

Priority type Habitat Directive (2130*)

Belgium: ‘officially’ 670 ha

‘Very unfavourable’ condition

Asparagus prostratus

Viola curtisii

Erodium lebelii

International value

Phytophagous insects

Epirrhoe galiata

Phibalapteryxvirgata

Lampropteryxsuffumatavirgata

Deilephila porcellus

Threats

Habitat loss (nearly 50% urbanisation)

Succession: grass & scrub encroachment

Recreational pressure

Intensification of agriculture (P-problem)

Atmospheric deposition (N-problem)

Dune fixation (senescence)

Invasive alien species (Rosa rugosa, mahonia aquifolia, Iberis umbellata…)

Climate change ??

HerbaceousSand Scrub Woodland

198919681948

201020041999

1

2

Biodiversity decline

Anthyllis vulnerariaLeucanthemum vulgareSuccissa pratensisBriza mediaAsperula cynanchicaViola curtisiiNardus strictaFilago minima

Argynnis niobe, aglajaMonacha carthusianaHelicella italaOenanthe oenanthe (Wheatear)Lanius collurio (Red-backed shrike)

Restoration

Natura 2000 Conservation goals: + 100-150 ha

LIFE projects (ICCI – FEYDRA – ZENO)

Management plans (Flemish policy)

Scrub ↓

Tall grass ↓

Nutrients ↓

Removal of scrub & woodland

Mainly dune slack restoration

130 ha along Belgian coast

Livestock grazing

‘Basic’ dune management

First re-introduction 1996

1400 ha along Belgian coast

Mowing

Often as additional measure

Max. 190 ha (nature reserves)

Golf courses

Sod cutting

Rather small scale (max. some ha)

Mostly for slack restoration

After scrub/woodland removal

Removal of P- enriched topsoil

Results

Monitoring: ‘Permanent Inventory of Coastal Dune Reserves’

Vegetation maps

Permanent plots

Flora inventory

Fauna …

1989 2004

Artificial scrub clearing

Spontaneous scrub decay

Further scrub expansion

Impact of grazing ??

12 36 %

3 17 %

No management (t0)

No management (t1)

Grazing (t0)

Grazing (t1)

Scrub cover (%)

Permanent plots

(Grazing) pressure

Scru

bco

ver

Flora

Mapping of rare (indicator/target) species

Entire population

e.g. Thesium humifusum

- Trifolium scabrum- Medicago minima- Vulpia ciliata- V. membranacea- V. fasciculata- Lagurus ovatus

Fauna

Birds: Anthus trivialis (Tree pipet); Emberiza citrinella (Yellowhammer)

Invertebrates: ● Issoria lathonia ● Oedipoda caerulescens

Bembix rostrata

Bonte & Maes 2008. Basic and Applied Ecology

Restoration in former agricultural land

N content ↓ within decade

Hardly any change in P

Deep ploughing? P mining … ??

Conclusions & prospects

Good results with scrub removal & grazing at large sites

Relic populations (no seed bank)

Scrub dynamics: work with nature

‘Precision’ management measures

Monitoring

Nutrients (P!)

Challenge of dune fixation

Climate change ?

Thank you