The state of the sand-steppe vegetation of eastern Scania (Skåne) in early spring 2003

The sand-steppe is a unique vegetation type almost exclusively found in eastern Scania. It is dominated by rare species such as Koeleria glauca, Festuca polesica, Phleum arenarium, Dianthus arenarius, Astragalus arenarius, Anthericum ramosum and Syntrichia ruraliformis. In 1994, the area covered by this vegetation was estimated to be 57 ha but in the present study only 20-30 ha were refound. Prerequisites for the developement of sand-steppe are strongly calcareous sand and regularity re-occuring soil disturbance. Traditionally, disturbances have been caused by wind erosion, ploughing of ambulating fields, sand pits and military activities. During the last decades fallow fields and small sand-pits have become rare and military activity has decreased significantly. This, in combination with the ongoing deposition of ferilizing and acidifying pollutants, is thought to be the main cause of the recent decrease of the sand-steppe. Cost-efficient measures such as ploughing of abolished military training areas, re-opening of owergrown sand-pits and felling of trees are advised to conserve and recover sand-steppe vegetation