Large-scale changes in the abundance of common higher plant species across Britain between 1978, 1990 and 1998 as a consequence of human activity: Tests of hypothesised changes in trait representation

Recent changes in common plant species across Britain suggest that objectives for large-scale restoration and maintenance of plant communities must address four problems: (a) the increasing scarcity of stress-tolerant species in lowland species pools, (b) exploitation and maintenance of species populations on habitat fragments and linear features in the lowlands, (c) the spread and persistence of generalist species in upland Britain, (d) systemic nutrient enrichment in both lowland and upland environments.