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Ten Years in Rehabilitation of Spoil: Appearance, Plant Colonists, and the Dominant Herbivore

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 August 2009

David J. Hambler ,
Jean M. Dixon  and
William H.G. Hale
David J. Hambler
Affiliation:
Honorary Senior Lecturer and Lecturers, respectively, Department of Environmental Science, University of Bradford, Bradford BD7 1DP, England, UK.
Jean M. Dixon
Affiliation:
Honorary Senior Lecturer and Lecturers, respectively, Department of Environmental Science, University of Bradford, Bradford BD7 1DP, England, UK.
William H.G. Hale
Affiliation:
Honorary Senior Lecturer and Lecturers, respectively, Department of Environmental Science, University of Bradford, Bradford BD7 1DP, England, UK.
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Extract

Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) have influenced a sown pioneer grassland on limestone quarry spoil from its outset. They have been responsible for middens characterized by a distinct microspatial assemblage of plant species, in which common mesic species are favoured. They have benefited conservation through producing spatial heterogeneity of the spoil surface — thus increasing the number of available ecological niches. They have also mediated an importation of plant nutrients so gradual that competitive ruderal species have (with the exception of Ragwort, Senecio jacobaea) not been encouraged, whilst some desirable ‘rabbit-resistant’ species have become established particularly on the middens.

‘Normal grazing’ is a behavioural pattern which can maintain a sward, even when potentially dominating mesic species become established. However, ‘casual grazing’, and browsing, of conspicuous or rare plants, is likely to be disadvantageous. Manipulation of intrinsically unpredictable seral quarry floras through interference by Rabbit populations, or with Rabbit-access, may be an option on such sites.

Type
Main Papers
Information
Environmental Conservation , Volume 22 , Issue 4 , Winter 1995 , pp. 323 - 334
Copyright
Copyright © Foundation for Environmental Conservation 1995

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