2019/07/08 by Sanchez-Amaya, Ary, Perez, Frida, Weinberger, Jena +1
#historical ecology #land-use #legacy effects #meadows #plant species richness
paper · doi:10.21973/n3195m
Human alteration of landscapes has occurred consistently through actions such as development, tilling, agriculture, and fire management. Human land use can result in a legacy of exotic species dominance and increased competition, with negative impacts on native species richness and soil structure. Meadows within California have been affected by settlement due to their accessibility to humans and soil conditions that are ideal for agriculture. Prior to European settlement, meadows in Angelo Coast Range Reserve (ACRR) were managed with fire by the indigenous Cahto tribe. With the lack of stewardship by the indigenous people and the introduction of European species into the ecosystem, native plant communities experienced invasion by exotic plants. We studied the meadows in ACRR to investigate the impacts of human settlement on plant communities. Our research demonstrated that previous European land use had a lasting effect on the meadows in ACRR. Meadows with no European settlement exhibited higher native and overall species richness. Plant communities are also influenced by soil conditions. In order to eliminate this confounding factor, we measured soil texture in each meadow and found that there was a stronger relationship between land use history and plant communities, than abiotic soil factors. These relationships between soils, plants, and human impacts are necessary to study as we continue to see drastic shifts in plant communities.