Vittoz Pascal
Evolutionary dynamics of small-sedge fens and wet meadows in Swiss and French Haut-Jura on a temporal scale of few decades
Dynamique des bas-marais et prairies marécageuses dans le Haut-Jura (Suisse et France) durant ces dernières décennies
Project Number: CH-4954
| Project Type: |
Dissertation |
| Project Duration: |
04/01/2012 - 10/31/2014 |
| Funding Source: |
other , |
| Leading Institution: |
Université de Lausanne |
| Project Leader: |
Dr. Pascal Vittoz
Maître d'enseignement et de recherche
Institut des dynamiques de la surface terrestre, IDYST
Université de Lausanne
Géopolis
1015 Lausanne
Phone: +41 (0) 24 692 43 67 ; +41 (0) 21 692 35 30
FAX: +41 (0) 21 692 35 05
e-Mail: pascal.vittoz(at)unil.ch
http://www.unil.ch/idyst |
Research Areas:
Disciplines:
Keywords:
wetland, Caricion davallianae, Caricion fuscae, Calthion, Filipendulion, Molinion, Switzerland, France, dynamics, management, phytosociology, climate change, eutrophication, nitrogen
Abstract:
Wetlands are ecosystems of high conservation value. They are a great source of vegetation types and biodiversity and contain plant species specialized and adapted to permanently or temporary water-saturated soils. In order to maintain their species richness and their quality, these fragile ecosystems must be conserved.
However, several studies have demonstrated that some wetlands decreased in area and in quality in many parts of the world since several years, although these biotopes are managed and legally protected. Most of them are threatened by various factors linked to climate change and surrounding human activities, such as nutrient enrichment, desiccation and land-use change. These factors have a negative impact on the ecology, the functioning and the quality of these wet ecosystems, altering the hydrological conditions and causing consequently dramatic transformations of the plant communities and a loss of many specialist species.
The aim of this study is to identify the evolutionary dynamics on a temporal scale of few decades of some types of wetland in the Swiss and the French Haut-Jura, and more precisely in the Vallée de Joux (Switzerland) and in Chapelle-des-Bois (France).
Firstly, we try to detect vegetation changes in five types of wetlands (Caricion fuscae, Caricion davallianae, Calthion, Filipendulion, Molinion). For this, former phytosociological relevés made around 1980 are relocated and resurveyed in 2012 and 2013. Current and past vegetation will be compared. Then, we describe soil and humus in each relevés in order to identify the factors that could be the causes of the observed vegetation changes.
The first results regarding the evolution of the vegetation are not comforting. In some studied sites, Caricion fuscae and Caricion davallianae were invaded by Filipendula ulmaria, leading to a transformation of the community to the more eutrophic and less humid alliance Filipendulion. Now, it remains to understand the precise causes of these changes.
Leading questions:
Importance and causes of vegetation changes in wetlands of the Jura Mountains
Last update: 5/18/18
Source of data: ProClim- Research InfoSystem (1993-2024)
Update the data of project: CH-4954
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