Tussock-forming graminoids play an important role in high-altitude grasslands. In tussocks many other plant species can grow, forming small communities. However, little is known about such small-scale vegetation, especially dur- ing succession. In an abandoned subalpine pasture in the Swiss National Park, we studied population dynamics and within-tussock vegetation of Carex sempervirens in four successional grassland stages (i.e. early, young, mature and se- nescent) distinguished at community level. At population level, we observed a succession process encompassing both di- rectional and cyclic elements. In agreement with a decrease in grazing pressure and tussock vitality, similarity of the vege- tation within tussocks decreased from the early to the senescent stage. Within-tussock vegetation of the early stage was more similar to that of the young stage than to that of the mature and the senescent stage. Fuzzy ordination revealed a similar pathway of succession in C. sempervirens tussocks as observed at community level. We conclude that succes- sional transition from grassland to forest may encompass more than one C. sempervirens cycle and with each cycle floris- tic composition both inside and outside C. sempervirens tussocks will become more similar to the subsequent forest stage.
Landscape research in Switzerland enjoys a high technological and intellectual standard. It is influenced by both region-independent stimuli (e.g. remote sensing, sociology, population biology or statistics), and stimuli that have a strong bounding to the regional context. Region-specific stimuli for Landscape Research in Switzerland are:- the highly heterogeneous topography of the mountains as prerequisite to develop and test landscape-related theories,- the contrasting individualistic lifestyles of a multi-ethnic society that generates contrasting notions towards landscapes and thus contrasting methods in landscape research,- the long tradition of environmental research, monitoring and education and the high public motivation to support landscape-related research, as well as- the direct democracy where Landscape Research finds an ideal experimental ground to test theories and research hypothesis about how public participation or diverse (public) value systems and stakeholder values affect landscapes.Landscape research in Switzerland developed under the institutional umbrella of several public universities and research Institutions, primarily in the disciplines of geography, botany, remote sensing, forestry, agriculture, ethnology and sociology.Modern landscape research in Switzerland is performed as basic as well as applied research. It is well-positioned in the following fields: (1) the interactions between stakeholder values (towards nature & landscapes) and landscape development, (2) integrating spatial aspects of population genetics with landscape ecology, (3) the impact of communications technology on landscape resources, exploring heterogeneity in ecosystem processes across landscapes, relating landscape indicators to ecological processes, landscape historical approaches, and communicating research to the public and to policy makers.
