Dutch ditches, Netherlands
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Summary
In this case study, a dataset of vegetation censuses and water quality from 641 Dutch ditches were analyzed. Vegetation was non-selectively removed from such ditches once or twice a year to see which regime is dominant, a submerged or a floating plant dominated regime. The dataset was divided in a sparsely vegetated subset (total cover of all taxa 50 %) and a very densely vegetated subset (total cover > 80 %).
For high vegetation densities the results of the case study showed that
- Cover by floating plants was negatively correlated to submerged plant abundance.
- Floating plants showed a positive correlation to nutrient levels of the water column.
- Submerged plants were negatively related to nutrient levels.
For low vegetation densities the results showed that
- Correlations between growth forms and nutrient concentrations are less pronounced.
- Abundances of floating and submerged plants are positively correlated in a phase of regrowth after removal of vegetation.
The key driver that is responsible for a shift to the floating plant dominated regime is a drastic harvest of floating plants.
Type of regime shift
Ecosystem type
- Freshwater lakes & rivers
Land uses
- Large-scale commercial crop cultivation
- Intensive livestock production (eg feedlots, dairies)
Spatial scale of the case study
- Local/landscape (e.g. lake, catchment, community)
Continent or Ocean
- Europe
Countries
- Netherlands
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Key References
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Scheffer M, Szabó S, Gragnani A, van Nes EH, Rinaldi S, Kautsky N, Norberg J, Roijackers RMM, Franken RJM. 2003. Floating plant dominance as a stable state. PNAS 100, Issue 7, 4040-4045.
