Estimates of nutrient removal during heathland restoration on successional sites in Dorset, southern England Original Research Article

Lowland heaths are high-profile ecosystems for conservation action in Britain, but many areas have been invaded by successional species. Management to restore heathland on successional sites provides an opportunity to remove nutrients from part of the system and helps maintain the low soil nutrient levels typical of heathland. Estimates were made of the nutrients removed during management on successional sites dominated by Betula spp., Pinus sylvestris, Pteridium aquilinum, Rhododendron ponticum and Ulex europaeus in Dorset. When both the above ground biomass and litter are removed between 12–45 kg P ha−1, 561–2661 kg N ha−1 and 157–776 Ca ha−1 are removed, depending on the successional species. Results are also provided for Mg, K and Na. For Ca, Mg and N the nutrients removed are equivalent to between 41 and 197 years of atmospheric inputs, for P it may be as much as several thousand. Equations are provided to enable predictions of nutrient offtake on other sites to be made. The importance of nutrient removal in relation to heathland re-establishment, successional change, the effects of atmospheric nitrogen deposition and habitat management requirements are discussed.