Vegetation Dynamics in a Loess Grassland: Plant Traits Indicate Stability Based on Species Presence, but Directional Change When Cover Is Considered

Abstract

This article evaluates the three-year vegetation dynamics of a species rich, protected steppe grassland on loess where no grazing occurred for decades at Bicske, Central Hungary. A detailed coenological survey of vascular vegetation was conducted in four permanent plots of 16 m2 each from 2018 to 2020. Raunkiaer’s life-forms, distribution range, and thousand-seed weight of species were evaluated. Shannon diversity and turnover rates for the species and the vegetation were also determined for each plot. In total, 108 vascular plant species were detected. The results indicate grassland stability when plant traits spectra were based on species presence data, but directional change if species cover values were used to weight trait categories. During the three years of the study, chamaephytes decreased and woody species increased their contribution for the Raunkiaer’s life-forms, while the cosmopolitan group has steadily lost its significance for distribution range types. Shannon diversity varied between 2.46 and 3.18 among plots (based on natural logarithm) and remained statistically unchanged through time. Average species turnover rates were 14.18% for 2018/19 and 17.52% for 2019/20, whereas corresponding values for vegetation turnover rates were 25.83% and 23.28%. Vegetation turnover rate was significantly higher than the species turnover rate.