%0 Research Notes
%T Vegetation patterns in a cut-away peatland in relation to abiotic and biotic factors: a case study from the Sumava Mts., Czech Rebuplic
%A Lanta, Vojtěch
%A Doležal, Jiří
%A Samata, Jan
%D 2004
%J Suo - Mires and peat
%V 55
%N 2
%U http://suo.fi/article/9834
%X We studied the natural regeneration of a cut-over peat bog in the Sumava Mountains,
Czech Republic. The spontaneous revegetation by vascular plants has been limited by
extreme abiotic conditions left after peat mining. Only 1-2% of the total area was
recolonized by Sphagnum mosses. This was mainly because drainage channels are still
drying out the bog. Only plants tolerant to water stress such as Juncus effusus, Molinia
caerulea, Eriophorum angustifolium and E. vaginatum were able to establish there. A
key species colonizing bare surface is a clonal plant E. angustifolium. It forms circular
polycormons of densely aggregated ramets. As in other radially spreading phalanx plants,
the oldest (central) part of the system gradually dies, previously connected ramets become
separated, and ring polycormon becomes open to recolonization by other plant
species. We analyzed the relationships between species richness of the ring and their
size, percentage litter cover, distance to seed sources, and soil fertility. The number of
plant species was higher in the middle of the polycormons. The soil was more fertile in
the central area than in the surroundings. We conclude that the restoration of highly
disturbed habitats can be facilitated by clonal behavior of pioneer populations.