Appendix A. A description of the plant community types involved.
The table below provides a brief description of the plant community types involved in the study, including the number of sites, the average number of species, habitual vegetation height, an abridged species composition, a short ecological description, and the typical form of management. Names of the vegetation-types follow the Dutch national vegetation classification (Schaminée et al. 1995–1999). Species characteristic of the community type are underlined. Bold typeface indicates species with relatively high abundance. Normal typeface indicates constant species, i.e. species encountered in at least 70% of the sites belonging to the vegetation type. Nomenclature for plants and bryophytes according to Dutch standard flora’s (van der Meijden 1996, Margadant and During 1982).
Calthion palustris, 5 sites [25 species, 60–100(140) cm].
Hay-meadow on moderately fertile, continuously wet soils. Species: Carex disticha, Lychnis flos-cuculi, Lotus pedunculatus, Cirsium palustre, Cardamine pratensis, Calliergonella cuspidata, Carex acutiformis, Ranunculus acris, Filipendula ulmaria. Management: cutting (typically with removal) once per yr.
Molinietalia / Lolio-Potentillion, 3 sites [34 species, 70–100 cm].
Hay-meadow on relatively fertile, wet soils. Species: Agrostis stolonifera, Juncus effusus, Poa trivialis, Equisetum palustre, Cirsium palustre, Holcus lanatus, Ranunculus acris, Cardamine pratensis, Rumex acetosa, Plantago lanceolata, Phragmites australis, Festuca rubra, Anthoxantum odoratum. Management: cutting (with or without removal) once per yr.
Alopecurion / Valeriano-Filipenduletum, 2 sites [24 species, 70–120 cm].
Hay-meadow with a tendency toward tall-herb grassland on moist to wet, moderately fertile soils. Species: Alopecurus pratensis, Sanguisorba officinalis, Valeriana officinalis, Filipendula ulmaria, Thalictrum flavum, Rumex acetosa, Holcus lanatus, Ranunculus acris, Silene dioica, Festuca rubra, Poa trivialis, Glechoma hederacea, Heracleum sphondylium, Phalaris arundinacea, Brachythecium rutabulum. Management: cutting (with or without removal), once or twice per yr.
Arrhenatheretum / Galio-Urticetea, 4 sites [15 species, 90–200 cm].
Ruderalized hay-meadow on nutrient-rich, moist to slightly wet soils. Species: Arrhenatherum elatius, Anthriscus sylvestris, Heracleum sphondylium, Dactylus glomerata, Poa trivialis, Urtica dioica, Galium aparine, Glechoma hederacea, Phalaris arundinacea, Symphytum officinale, Cirsium arvense. Management: cutting (sometimes without removal) once per yr.
Arrhenatheretum elatioris, 5 sites [30 species, 50–90(120) cm].
Hay-meadow on moderately nutrient-rich, relatively moist soils. Species: Arrhenatherum elatius, Crepis biennis, Trisetum flavescens, Centaurea jacea, Cerastium fontanum, Anthriscus sylvestris, Heracleum sphondylium, Ranunculus bulbosus, Trifolium dubium, Achillea millefolium, Poa trivialis, Bromus hordeaceus, Festuca rubra. Management: cutting with removal once or twice per yr.
Arrhenatheretum / Koelerio-Corynephoretea, 4 sites [39 species, 50–80 cm].
Species-rich hay-meadow on moderately nutrient-poor, relatively dry soils. Species: Arrhenatherum elatius, Avenula pubescens, Festuca rubra, Ranunculus bulbosus, Plantago lanceolata, Achillea millefolium, Senecio jacobea, Lotus corniculatus, Poa pratensis, Pimpinella saxifraga, Sanguisorba minor, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Cerastium arvense, Galium verum, Luzula campestris. Management: cutting with removal once or twice per yr.
Arrhenatheretalia / Artemisietea, 5 sites [23 species, 80–140 cm].
Ruderalized dry hay-meadow. Species: Tanacetum vulgare, Dactylus glomerata, Agrostis capillaris, Plantago lanceolata, Arrhenatherum elatius, Artemisia vulgaris, Cirsium arvense, Rumex obtusifolius, Leucanthemum vulgare, Poa pratensis, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Brachythecium rutabulum. Management: mowing (sometimes without removal) once per yr, or no management.
Molinio-Arrhenetheretea trunk community with Koelerio-Corynephoretea aspect, 3 sites [14 species, 40–50 cm].
Species-poor, dry hay-meadow. Species: Agrostis capillaris, Festuca rubra, Plantago lanceolata, Poa pratensis, Hypochaeris radicata, Achillea millefolium, Holcus lanatus, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Brachythecium rutabulum. Management: mowing once per yr (occasionally twice) with removal.
Thero-Airion, 7 sites [17 species, 15–40(60) cm].
Late-stage pioneer community on dry, nutrient-poor, relatively acid sandy soils. Species: Aira praecox, Teesdalia nudicaulis, Ornithopus perpusillus, Jasione montana, Hypochaeris radicata, Agrostis capillaris, Festuca ovina, Rumex acetosella, Leontodon saxatilis, Polytrichum juniperinum, Plantago lanceolata, Achillea millefolium. Management: No management, or mowing once per yr.
Spergulo-Corynephoretum, 4 sites [16 species, 15–30 cm].
Early-stage pioneer community on dry, nutrient-poor, humus-poor, acid sandy soils. Species: Corynephorus canescens, Spergula morisonii, Polytrichum piliferum, various Cladonia spp., Cetraria aculeata, Agrostis vinealis, Rumex acetosella, Festuca ovina, Campylopus introflexus. No management.
Genisto-Callunetum, 5 sites [12 species, 30–60 cm].
Heath vegetation on relatively dry, nutrient-poor, very acid soils. Species: Calluna vulgaris, Genista anglica, Hypnum jutlandicum, Dicranum scoparium, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca ovina, Carex pilulifera. No management.
LITERATURE CITED
Margadant, W. D., and H. During. 1982. Beknopte flora van Nederlandse blad- en levermossen (Concise flora of Dutch mosses and hepatics). KNNV/Thieme, Zutphen.
Schaminée, J. H. J,, A. H. F. Stortelder, and V. Westhoff. 1995–1999. De vegetatie van Nederland (Vegetation classification of the Netherlands). Five volumes. Opulus Press, Leiden.
van der Meijden, R. 1996. Heukels’ flora van Nederland (Heukels’ flora of the Netherlands), 22nd edition. Wolters Noordhoff, Groningen.