Research site
The research urban area include c. 2 km dos out-of kinds-steeped deceased calcareous grassland inside western Estonia (°N, °E). The new grasslands establish over the years because of long-name comprehensive administration, somewhat grazing of the home-based animals, event existe and cutting shrubs and you may trees to have power. , 1999 ). The newest grasslands typically got an optimum juniper (Juniperus communis) cover of 30%, however they are now even more overgrown having Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris; to 80% cover).
Sampling construction
Sampling try presented during the on sites where consistently handled (mown) unlock grassland stands (GR) had been surrounded by really stands away from varying levels of over growing: transformation grasslands (TR) and more youthful oak forests (FO). The 3 successional values (GR, TR, FO) mode a temporal series of regeneration sequence covering c. 60 year, and are generally characterised by a gradual overgrowth out-of unlock grasslands by the bushes and you will woods, that is regular for abandoned calcareous grasslands from the research region (Neuenkamp ainsi que al., 2016 ; Support Pointers Fig.