Are Invasive Plant Species Disturbing Plant Diversity of Restored Riparian Areas? | Welchen Einfluss haben invasive Pflanzenarten auf die Phytodiversität von renaturierten Flusslandschaften?
2015
Lapin, Katharina | Bernhardt, K.-G. (Karl-Georg) | Lichtenwöhrer, Peter | Roithmayr, Stefanie
In the past decades, many river restoration projects aiming to improve the ecological situation have been undertaken in central Europe. But the influence of invasive alien plants was insufficiently discussed in this context. The aim of the Life+ Traisen project is to restore the river Traisen in Lower Austria. The vegetation development was examined in the years 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 on 142 plots. Analysises show a significant loss of diversity and an increase in the abundance of invasive plants in the herb layer. The average number of species decreased with the rise in abundance of invasive plants. Already before the start of construction work on the new river course, various anthropogenic disturbances like large-scale forest clearance, earth movement and increased use of forest roads facilitates the spread of invasive plants, which in turn have an impact on the development of plant diversity in restored riparian areas. Since river restoration projects are accompanied by many man-made disturbances, invasive plant species should be taken into consideration from the very beginning of these projects. Reestablishment of natural dynamics in riparian areas is an important tool for the support of native plant diversity.
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