A study of the influence of desalination on the Juncetum gerardii

The effect of desalination on the Juncetum gerardii was studied by means of permanent quadrats from 1933 up to and including 1966. One of the quadrats has been safeguarded against grazing and mowing, while in the other one this management was continued. In the first quadrat all species of the Asteretea tripolii disappeared within ten years whereas in the latter in 1966 this class was still represented by two species. In the exclosure species of the Angelicion litoralis, the Convolvuletalia sepium and the Filipendulion took an increasing share in the stand of vegetation. Both quadrats showed a period of rapid change during the first few years. Since in the exclosure this period persisted seven years longer than that in the grazed and mown quadrat, its plant cover deviated appreciably more from the original one.