Inland dunes

1
Restoration of inland dunes under high nitrogen
deposition - research outline -
Laurens B. Sparrius
30 March 2006
2
Contents

• Introduction
• Problem
• Research team
• Approach

3
Introduction

• Inland dunes are human-made, calcium-poor,
  secondary wind-blown sands
• Created in the Middle Ages by excessive
  sod-cutting of heathlands
• Pioneer environment grasses, mosses, lichens,
  algae
• Impressive landscape

4
Problem

• Change of land use vs. maintenance
• Decrease of cover of bare sand
• Rapid succession
• Conservation status
• Nitrogen deposition
• Invasive species

5
Inland dune surface

• 1850 800 km2 of inland dunes
• tree planting to prevent soil erosion
• 1960 60 km2
• faster succession by acid rain, nitrogen
• 2000 15 km2
• deforestation for conservation
• nitrogen deposition

6
Inland dune areas
Remaining localities (red) in three different
zones. North loamy sand deposits with low base
saturation. Low N-deposition. Middle coarse sand
deposits pushed up in the Ice Age. High
N-deposition. Low base saturation. South loamy
sand deposits, with higher base saturation.
Partly alluvial. High N-deposition.
Source BLWG (2001)
7
Nitrogen deposition
Total N-deposition in 2000 In 2000, the
N-deposition reached its highest values
ever. The N-input in nature reserves is now
substantially falling (c. 30 less than in 2000).
Source MNP _at_ http//milieucondities.wur.nl/
(2006)
8
Characteristic fauna
Source Dutch Butterfly Conservation, in Riksen
et al. (2006)
9
Characteristic fauna
Tawny Pipit
10
Characteristic flora
Iceland Moss (a lichen)
11
Research group

• Multidisciplinary team
• UvA soil chemistry and vegetation (PhD)
• WUR soil erosion
• RU/Bargerveen Foundation fauna (PhD)
• Alterra landscape ecology
• and others

12
Approach

• Research questions
• Methods
• Translate results into conservation measurements

13
Research questions
Soil
Vegetation
Fauna
How can wind erosion be promoted? How does
soil chemistry change during succesion?
How does soil affect vegetation? How
does extra nitrogen affect vegetation?
What typical species occur in each vegetation
type? Food webs
14
Methods

• Base line inventory of 25 inland dune areas
• soil sampling in different habitat types /
  reserves all over the country
• vegetation N/P/C analysis
• using reindeer moss as active N-sampler
• ... to be used later in GIS analysis with aerial
  photographs, deposition data,old vegetation
  maps, etc.

15
Methods
16
Methods

• Invasive moss species Campylopus introflexus
• Strong increase since 1960s and destroying the
  existing vegetation
• Invasive or dependent on N-deposition or organic
  matter?
• Mapping of Campylopusdominated areas and
  combining with soil data

http//www.kulak.be/nl/KULAKAlgemeen/Natuur/
17
Methods

• Field and lab experiments with N-deposition and
  sand deposit
• Kootwijkerzand and Hiiumaa (Estonia)
• Adding nitrogen, phosphor in various
  combinations. Also sand.
• Measuring soil and plant N/P and vegetation change

18
Conservation measurements

• Measurements are carried out too infrequent and
  on a too large scale, which is cheaper, but
  results in biodiversity loss.
• Choosing the right measurements based on a field
  survey and consulting a decision model.

19
Restoration of inland dunes under high nitrogen
deposition
Laurens B. Sparriussparrius_at_science.uva.nlREC B
2.36