Recently, a study has been published on Species Composition and Diversity of Non-Forest Woody Vegetation along Roads in the Agricultural Landscape. We have studied linear woodland structures in the plains of the Danube Lowland (Slovakia) and found out, that mostly non-native tree species (especially Robinia pseudoacacia L.) dominate, while among shrub species, mainly native species prevail.
Have you done a related research in Europe or other world regions and what findings were gained by the study? Are they similar or completely different?
A comparative study using a unified methodology could be interesting.
Article Species Composition and Diversity of Non-Forest Woody Vegeta...
Hi Attila
In the UK agricultural landscapes include both native and non-native - they are a mix of planted and naturally grown trees and of course hedges, which are a feature of the British landscape. Roadsides, especially motorways, were planted with trees of native origin usually and the department of transport did a lot of work in the 1970s in particular when the motorway programme was at its height, designing planing projects along motorways and trunk roads. The UK countryside survey collects data on trees and vegetation hedgerows etc every so many years and provides a great analysis of the changes taking place. Here is a link http://www.countrysidesurvey.org.uk/
Concerning black locust, it used to be a common tree planted in soil restoration projects years back. It fixed nitrogen. It was intentionally planted. My guess is that it was brought over to address some of the soil issues there. We do have several non native shrubs and trees that are invasive species that are problems. Unfortunately the word on non native invasive species has not gotten out to all the plant nurseries and road and other stabilization activities. We should prefer native species, but some non native species are not invasive or persist beyond the individual planting, and they are accepted and sometimes desired for there specific characteristics. Most people are not planting shrubs along roads or in revegetating agriculture areas, so that may be why there are more native shrub species. If you remember POGO cartoon, we have found the enemy and it is us. Mistakes were made in agriculture (gullies, etc.), and then more mistakes were made in trying to repair the damage (like planting non native species when native species should have been preferred).
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