Influence of a parking area on soils and vegetation in an urban nature reserve |
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Authors: | Peter Shaw Nigel Reeve |
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Institution: | (1) Centre for Research in Ecology and Environment, School of Human and Life Sciences, Whitelands College, Roehampton University, Holybourne Avenue, London, SW15 4JD, UK;(2) Holly Lodge, Richmond Park, Richmond, TW10 5HS, UK |
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Abstract: | We studied the influence of a car park on soil and vegetation within Richmond Park, UK, before and after imposition of fenced
boundaries restricted public access. Soil and vegetation samples were taken before (once) and after (twice) access restrictions
were enforced. The over-riding trend in all the data was for soil adjacent to the car park to be less acidic and more fertile
than pristine local soils, accompanied by a more eutrophic grassland community (Lolium perenne/Trifolium repens, compared with Agrostis/Festuca grassland away from the car park). The chemical influence of the car park extended at least 50 m from its boundary. A common
acidophilic collembole Folsomia quadrioculata was replaced by Cryptopygus thermophilus adjacent to the car park. There was little evidence from the vegetation data that car park closure benefitted the ecosystem,
but chemical data showed signs of progressive recovery in the 2 years following restrictions. Possible explanations for the
car park's influence on the local landscape are suggested to include calcareous chippings and canine faecal deposits. |
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Keywords: | Roadside Parking Acid grassland Soil eutrophication Canine faeces Collembola |
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