Abstract
Red list species densities of birds (maximally 22 km−2), and angiosperms (maximally 39 km−2) were used as biodiversity indicators in 21 larger complexes of wetlands across the Netherlands. Their covariability with a range of indicators of human land use was assessed, including population, road and visitor density, area covered by agriculture, open water, forest and residential housing. Data were collected on the wetland complexes as well as for a perimeter with 10 km radius. In a principal components analysis (PCA) with all land use variables, it was found that the population-density-related complex of urbanisation, fragmentation (by roads), and intensity of fertilizer use together explained most of the variability present (i.e. the first PCA axis explained 50%), whilst land use within these complexes was second with an additional 19% and waterside recreation third with 12%. Red list bird species density did not correlate with that of angiosperms, nor with any of the indicators used. For the 13 complexes on organic peatland, we observed an increase in maximum red list angiosperm species density with the proportion of open marshland (P < 0.01, r 2 > 0.55), which, in turn, was negatively and closely correlated with the first PCA axis reflecting an urbanisation gradient across the Netherlands.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Andelman SJ, Fagan WF (2000) Umbrellas and flagships: efficient conservation surrogates or expensive mistakes? Proc Natl Acad Sci 97:5954–5959
Balmford A, Bruner A, Cooper P et al (2002) Economic reasons for conserving wild nature. Science 297:950–953
Barendregt A, Wassen MJ, Schot PP (1995) Hydrological systems beyond a nature reserve, the major problem in wetland conservation of Naardermeer (The Netherlands). Biol Conserv 72:393–405
Bailey SA, Haines-Young RH, Watkins RC (2002) Species presence in fragmented landscapes: modelling of species requirements at the national level. Biol Conserv 108:307–316
Bakker SA, Van den Berg NJ, Speleers BP (1994) Vegetation transitions of floating wetlands in a complex of turbaries between 1937 and 1989 as determined from aerial photographs with GIS. Vegetatio 114:161–167
Beltman B, Van den Broek T, Bloemen S, Witsel C (1996) Effects of restoration measures on nutrient availability in a formerly nutrient poor floating fen after acidification and eutropication. Biol Conserv 62:59–65
Blomqvist MM, Vos P, Klinkhamer PGL, Ter Keurs WJ (2003) Declining plant species richness of grassland ditch banks – a problem of colonisation or extinction? Biol Conserv 109:391–406
Brander L, Vermaat JE, Florax RJGM (2006). The empirics of wetland valuation, a meta-analysis. Envn Resour Econ 33:223–250
Brose U (2001) Relative importance of isolation, area and habitat heterogeneity for vascular plant species richness of temporary wetlands in east-German farmland. Ecography 24:722–730
CBS (2000) Bestand bodemgebruik/Netherlands digital land use map. Netherlands Statistics Service, Voorburg
CBS (2005) Statline, online data depository. Netherlands Statistics Service. www.cbs.nl. Accessed in August 2005
Cornwell WK, Grubb PJ (2003) Regional and local patterns in plant species richness with respect to resource availability. Oikos 100:417–428
Dobson AJP, Rodrigue JP, Roberts WM, Wilcove DS (1997) Geographic distribution of endangered species in the United States. Science 275:550–553
Gibbs JP (2000) Wetland loss and biodiversity conservation. Conserv Biol 14:314–317
Graveland J (1998) Reed die-back, water level management and the decline of the Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus in The Netherlands. Ardea 86:187–201
Hein L, De Groot R, Van Ierland E (2005) Spatial scales, stakeholders and the valuation of ecosystem services. In: Hein L, Optimizing the management of complex dynamic ecosystems, an ecological-economic modelling approach, Thesis Wageningen University, pp 73–92
Hough RE, Fornwall HD, Negele BJ et al (1989) Plant community dynamics in a chain of lakes, principal factors in the decline of rooted macrophytes with eutrophication. Hydrobiologia 173:199–217
Hurlbert SH (1984) Pseudoreplication and the design of ecological field experiments. Ecol Monogr 54:187–211
Kati V, Devillers P, Dufrene M et al (2004) Testing the value of six taxonomic groups as biodiversity indicators at a local scale. Conserv Biol 18:667–675
Lamers LPM, Smolders AJP, Roelofs JGM (2002) The restoration of fens in the Netherlands. Hydrobiologia 478:107–130
Møller TR, Rørdam CP (1985) Species number of vascular plants in relation to area, isolation and age of ponds in Denmark. Oikos 45:8–16
Natuurloket (2004) Natuurloket, online biomonitoring data depository, www.natuurloket.nl, accessed in November 2004
Ozinga WA, Schaminée JHJ, Bekker RM et al (2005) Predictability of plant species composition from environmental conditions is constrained by dispersal limitation. Oikos 108:555–561
Pellet J, Guisan A, Perrin N (2004) A concentric analysis of the impact of urbanisation on the threatened European tree frog in an agricultural landscape. Conserv Biol 18:1599–1606
Phillips GL, Eminson DF, Moss B (1978) A mechanism to account for macrophyte decline in progressively eutrophicated waters. Aquat Bot 4:103–125
Soons MB, Messelink JH, Jongejans E, Heil GW (2005) Habitat fragmentation reduces grassland connectivity for both short-distance and long-distance wind-dispersed forbs. J Ecol 93:1214–1225
Van der Molen DT, Portielje R (1999). Multi-lake studies in The Netherlands, trends in eutrophication. Hydrobiologia 408/409:359–365
Van Diggelen R, Molenaar WJ, Kooijman AM (1996) Vegetation succession in a floating mire in relation to management. J Veg Sci 7:809–820
Verboom J, Foppen R, Chardon P et al (2001) Introducing the key patch approach for habitat networks with persistent populations: an example for marshland birds. Biol Conserv 100:89–101
Vereniging Natuurmonumenten (1998) Omkijken naar laagveen. Resultaten van beheer en wensen voor de toekomst van de laagvenen van Natuurmonumenten. ‘s-Graveland, 84 pp (in Dutch, policy document on the management of Dutch fenlands)
Verhoeven JTA (ed) (1992) Fens and bogs in The Netherlands, vegetation, history, nutrient dynamics and conservation. Kluwer, Dordrecht. Geobotany 18
Vermaat JE, De Bruyne RJ (1993) Factors limiting the distribution of submerged waterplants in the lowland river Vecht (The Netherlands). Freshw Biol 30:147–157
Vos CC, Chardon JP (1998) Effects of habitat fragmentation and road density on the distribution pattern of the moor frog Rana arvalis. J Appl Ecol 35:44–56
Wheeler BD (1988) Species richness, species rarity and conservation evaluation of rich-fen vegetation in lowland England and Wales. J Appl Ecol 25:331–352
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2006 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Vermaat, J.E., Goosen, H., Omtzigt, N. (2006). Do biodiversity patterns in Dutch wetland complexes relate to variation in urbanisation, intensity of agricultural land use or fragmentation?. In: Hawksworth, D.L., Bull, A.T. (eds) Biodiversity and Conservation in Europe. Topics in Biodiversity and Conservation, vol 7. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6865-2_24
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6865-2_24
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-6864-5
Online ISBN: 978-1-4020-6865-2
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)