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Possibilities of restoration of natural or seminatural grasslands: Papers of the „Challenges and Aspects in Grassland Management” conference held on 22-23 May 2008.
19-27Views:69The number of natural grassland restoration projects increased in the last decade in Hungary, and probably the area of restored grasslands will be significantly extended in the next years due to New National Rural Development Program. To contribute to the success of this activity, in this paper we review the most important theoretical and practical aspects of natural grassland restoration methods. In the course of grassland restoration, habitats dominated by grasses and/or sedges have been restored in place of arable lands. In order to perform “natural” restoration, we should consider the ecological conditions of the landscape, and reconstruct natural or seminatural grasslands including of native plant species. Essentially, rehabilitation of natural landscape is supported also by creating new seminatural grassland patches. The basic principles of the natural grassland restoration are:
1. When a spontaneous secondary succession starts to proceed on an abandoned field without invasion of any alien plant species, the re-ploughing of the abandoned field has to be ignored.
2. Generally, the old fields surrounded by species-rich natural or seminatural grassland pathes can succesfully be restorated. Then, as a consequence of newly restored vegetation patches the recovery of the whole landscape can be accelerated. Furthermore, by restoring isolated grassland patches surrounded by arable lands a more diverse landscape pattern could be developed.
3. Spontaneous secondary succession of grasslands should be assisted.
4. The development of typical species composition of a seminatural grassland can be promoted by methods of spreaded hay. For successful process the hay has to be cut in a habitat type similar to ones that will be restored.
5. Applying seed-mix for sowing can be useful to prevent spreading weeds drastically in the early stages of succession.
6. Ideally, the seed-mix is originated from own harvesting or gathering from similar (or the same) habitats. If it is not possible, commercially available seed-mix can be applied, in which the dominant species is the same as in the restored habitat, with similar proportion.
7. Seed-mix consists of alien species has to be avoided.
8. If the composition or structure of the restored grassland is not appropriate after some years, the renewal of the grassland could be necessary. During the improvement process the reploughing of the restored grassland is avoided, but spreading seeds or hay, and direct sowing can be applied.
9. The loading of nutrient is not necessary in any stages of grassland restoration.
10. Applying chemicals is avoided; any herbicides can be used only when extensive invasion of alien plant species occurs.
11. The mechanical intrusions on soil are also avoided.
12. The restored grasslands is required regular or continuous management, which could be a preserving mowing or moderate grazing. The aspects of nature conservation should be considered.
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The Role of Grassland in EU Soil Protection Strategy
3-15Views:59The three most important life quality criteria are: healthy and good-quality food, clean water and pleasant environment. All three are closely related to the sustainable management of natural resources; conservation of soil and water resources; rational land use and landscape preservation. Soils are conditionally renewable natural resources, consequently, their rational use, conservation, and the maintenance of their multipurpose functionality have particular significance both in the national economy and environment protection. The main soil functions are: integrator (transformer) of other natural resources; most important media for biomass production; storage of heat, water, nutrients, pollutants; buffer of various natural and human-induced stresses; huge natural filter (preventing groundwater pollution); detoxication media of various harmful substances; habitat for soil biota, gene-reservoir, media of biodiversity; conservator of the natural and human heritage.
The maintenance of these functions is the key-element of sustainable development on all levels of the decision-making process: Globe → continent → region → country → subregion → settlement → farm → field. The EU Strategy for soil protection focuses attention on 8 environmental threats, for their prevention, elimination or moderation:
– water and wind erosion;
– decrease in organic matter resources;
– compaction and structure destruction;
– soil sealing;
– the increasing frequency, duration and degree of extreme moisture events: flood, waterlogging – drought;
– point and non-point (diffuse) soil pollution;
– salinization/alkalization/sodification;
– decline in biodiversity (decreasing number and activity of soil organisms, narrowing their species spectra).
The EU-conform Soil Conservation Strategy of Hungary was elaborated during the last decades on the basis of long-term soil survey, soil analyses, soil mapping and soil monitoring activities. It comprises three main tasks:
– the prevention, elimination or moderation of soil degradation processes;
– the reduction of the unfavourable economic, ecological, environmental and social consequences of extreme moisture regimes;
– the control of the biogeochemical cycle of elements: optimum nutrient supply of plants; prevention of harmful soil pollution and contamination of the „food chain”.
Grassland management has to play a significant role in these actions. In addition to fodder production, rational grassland management can considerably contribute to the storage, buffer, filter and gene-reservoir functions of soil, to the improvement of soil moisture regime, to the moderation of extreme moisture conditions, and to the reduction of soil losses caused by water or wind erosion. In spite of these favourable impacts grasslands (covering about 12% of Hungary) have never been in the focus of Hungarian agriculture.
Grasslands were always restricted to marginal lands (sands, salt affected soils, peatlands, floddplains) with low and risky (highly weather-dependent) biomass production and low animal carrying capacity. Relatively productive grasslands were upturned for corn in large hilly areas (resulting serious erosion losses and landscape deterioration); the huge floodplain grasslands were used for other agricultural crops after flood control and river regulation; peatland grasslands were also considerably reduced by the drainage of these areas and used (not always successfully and efficiently) for arable crops. Huge areas became seriously degraded wastelands or „weedlnds” due to irregular grazing, lack of weed control, plant nutrition, water management. Under improper management not only the biomass production decreased considerably but the soil conservation functions of grassland were also deteriorated, sometimes dramatically. The poor and degraded grassland vegetation were not able to prevent (or at least moderate) water erosion losses in hilly areas, wind erosion losses in the dry sand regions or „over-drained” ameliorated peatlands, and even their gene-reservoir functions are sometimes threatened seriously.
Rational grassland management is an important element of both the European and Hungarian Soil Conservation Strategy. Its scientific bases are well-known. The details have to be determined by further research and scientific programs. The existing knowledge should be broadcast using all available information channels: teaching and education on various levels; demonstrations; media programs, etc. A proper system of stimulating economy regulations should be developed and formulated in various-level legal documents. But first of all an environment-friendly moral must be developed accepting the concept of sustainable grassland management.
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Habitat management on agrar-landscape, with special regard to grassland management: Papers presented at the „Timely questions in grassland and game management” scientific conference (Hungarian Academy of Sciences – Kaposvár University, 18-19 May 2006)
13-24Views:96The invariably unfavorable agrarian environment can be neutralized only through a change paradigm change. This would mean the adoption of the practice of "wise use”, which implies the introduction of small game management supported with habitat management. Habitat management concerns 5-10% of the areas and predator management/control according to need result also in the increase of the target species; in this case, small game populations, by increasing the diversity of the habitat structure. The preservation of grasslands, their small game-friendly management, and the development and maintenance of a durable, undisturbed grassland structure primarily in the habitat margins play an essential role in this work.
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Long-term mowing on biomass composition in Pannonian dry grasslands in the Western-Cserhát
35-38Views:46This study is focusing on the vegetation of seminatural dry grasslands. Those loess grasslands are valuable with large biodiversity; however their long-term preservation requires regular conservation management. The report demonstrates the results of mowing experiment, designed to suppress the spread of unpalatable grass species, Calamagrostis epigeios. The study site is located in mid-successional loss grasslands, in the Western-Cserhát, near Rád, northern Hungary.
The study aims to the investigate the followings: Can the unpalatable Calamagrostis epigejos be suppressed by mowing? Are there possibilities to increase the diversity of sward by this? The study aims, to measure potential value-increasing effect of mowing, and to determine the carrying capacity in the aspect of grassland management.
In 2001, Camagrostis epigeios was the species with the highest coverage rate according to the both treatment types, with an average cover value of 63%. However, as a result of mowing, a significant difference was detected in the amount of litter and legumes species as well. The number of species showed a slight increase in both types of treatment, from 15 to 37 in the mowed plots, but also from 18 to 27 in the control plots. We concluded that mowing twice a year was beneficial to modify botanical composition of a grassland. In a way it was suited well for agricultural usage, in particular grazing which can replace the expensive and time-consuming scythe. It is also a suitable management measure for controlling the native invader species as a Calamagrostis epigeios, and can significantly increase the proportion of species with higher forage values.
Mowing has significantly increased the density of Calamagrostis epigeios, the species richness, and the diversity in the course of secondary succession. Therefore, mowing twice a year proved to be a successful management measure for controlling Calamagrostis epigeios, and for obtaining a sward composition. The treatment was effective in restoring grassland composition, although the achievement and maintenance of favourable conservation status for the grassland habitat require long-term management planning and regular treatment. According to the objectives, mowing not only promotes the control of the invasive species, but also the economic utilization of the area.
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Botanical and natural conservation comparison of seminatural and man-made grasslands in Paskom near Csakvar
3-14Views:262During the survey, the vegetation, botanical composition and grassland management values of a grassland were studied. The study site was originally a pasture, then was transformed into an arable land and finally back to pasture. The 160-ha-sized area is called „Szűzföld” and is located in the Zámoly Basin, West Hungary. In 1998, grazing of Hungarian grey cattle has begun on the grassland. The changes in the vegetation were followed from 1998, making records in every 6th year (1998, 2015, 2021). 6 coenological records were made in each type of grasslands, by recording the list of the occurring taxa and their cover values. During the survey the main questions were the following: considering nature conservation, coenology and grassland management, in which direction does the vegetation evolve with the grazing? Was the grazing with Hungarian grey cattle successful?
Based on the results, the grasslands became much more mosaic-like; drier and wetter vegetation patches could be separated (2015, 2021). As the grazing continued, species richness and diversity increased, especially in the wet areas.
The number and the cover of economically important grass taxa and legumes have increased. The following taxa became dominant: Festuca pseudovina in the drier parts, Agrostis tenuis and A. stolonifera in the wet ones. Based on the life form system of Pignatti, the area is not overgrazed, as rosette and reptant taxa did not became dominant. Based on nature conservation values, cover of the taxa of natural grasslands increased.
During the grazing, the meadow was universally covered mainly by weeds in 1998, and became much more valuable by 23 years later by means of nature conversation and grassland management. Moreover, this state has been stabilized according to the diversity values.
Based on the results, the grazing with Hungarian grey cattle was successful by both nature conservational and economical means. -
Analysis of the management of game feeding grounds based on the data of the Hungarian National Game Management Database: Papers presented at the „Timely questions in grassland and game management” scientific conference (Hungarian Academy of Sciences – Kaposvár University, 18-19 May 2006)
51-61Views:95One effect of the intensive management of forest and agricultural lands is the disappearance of the natural habitats of game species. The purpose of the management of game crop fields and meadows, as well as the feeding of game, is to compensate the shortage of food supply and to reduce game damage on cultivated lands.
Game managers expect to increase the density and the harvestable game through the systematic and professional cultivation of food plantings and game feeding. Furthermore, it is hoped that these parctices result in higher incomes for game management.
This study is based on the data of the Hungarian National Game Management Database for the period from 1997 to 2004. The paper shows the changes of the areas of game crop fields and the amounts of game feed used in Hungary. Furthermore, the correlations between game feeding parameters and the estimated and harvested numbers of the game species were investigated.
Our results show relatively low statistical relation between the game feeding and the density of the game. -
Domestic water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) grazing as a habitat management and application option against invasive species
47-53Views:86In nature conservation, the aggressive expansion of invasive plant species and the preservation of valuable grasslands are a global problem. Based on this, the following question can be formulated: which animal species and breeds are suitable for habitat management? Is the water buffalo suitable for lawn care and to what extent? With the overview work, we review the results so far, highlighting domestic areas where we already have preliminary results and where previous data have already been produced. Based on this, the invasive Solidago was completely suppressed in the marshes of the Zámolyi basin, the pasture was completely transformed, and the dominant species became Sesleria uliginosa. Also in the area of the Zámolyi basin, there were significant floristic and physiognomic differences in the vegetation. You may find that buffalo grazing is a suitable habitat management method in both dry grassland and wet grassland. Therefore, in addition to being effective in the control of Solidago gigantea, grazing with buffaloes is successful both in terms of nature conservation and grassland vegetation from an economic point of view. The first stage of the long-term planned work is an overview of the work on the water buffalo. The research is supported by the creation of Innovation operational groups and the investment necessary for the implementation of the innovative project. call for tenders (VP3-16.1.1-4.1.5-4.2.1-4.2.2-8.1.1-8.2.1-8.3.1-8.5.1-8.5.2-8.6.1-17) and the Innovation and the New National Excellence Program of the Ministry of Technology code number ÚNKP-22-3-I-MATE/2 was supported by the grant funded by the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund and grant AKGF-119-1-202.
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Expectable changes in the utilization of pastures: Papers of the „Challenges and Aspects in Grassland Management” conference held on 22-23 May 2008.
9-12Views:34Analysing the past and the future facts and figures of the Hungarian pasture management the authors has been found the following: − In the period between 1993 and 2003 it was generally believed, that the total area of pasture will be increasing in the future. This forecasting comes not be true. − In the period between 2004 and 2008 the Hungarian pasture area decreased with 13%. We can realise decreasing in the total yield and the yield to/ha too. At the same time in the National Parks and on other protected pastures the grassland management was improved. − Analysing the estimated stock of grazing animal and the necessary pasture area the authors give the main features of the Hungarian pasture utilization in the period after 2008.
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Recovery of grasslands in former croplands using the combination of seed sowing and hay transfer
5-11Views:48In accordance with general trends in agricultural and natureőconservation practice in Europe, grassland restoration and traditional grassland management has gained increased importance in Hungary. In grassland restoration using of low rates of seed (less than 30kg/ha) and hay cover is suggested. In the present paper the effect of hay cover combined with low rate of seed (25 kg/ha) is studied in early grassland recovery. We aimed at to answer the question whether or not the speed of grassland recovery can be increased with a combined use of seed sowing and hay cover. The establishment of Festuca species was favoured by hay cover combined whit seed sowing. The emergence of shortlived weeds was significantly lower on most of the fields treated with hay cover and seed sowing. The species richness and diversity of early weeds did not differ significantly in fields sown only and fields treated both with seed sowing and hay cover. Our results suggest that the combination of seed sowing and hay cover is successful in fields, where high rate of weed invasion is possible, thus intensive post-restoration management is necessary.
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Conflicts between farming and nature reservation in grassland managements
31-34Views:97In the last few years important changes occurred in the grassland usage and in the grassland framing, which changes revised the farming circumstances of the grassland farmers. These changes come to the fore leading in the environment friendly, agricultural environment friendly programs, and drove farmers into a corner. The unfavorable economic conditions impressed the whole agriculture, because the grass hay user ruminant stock depressed drastically, farms with small animal stock and the herds ended countryside. The economic process did not serve animal husbandry recovery. Farmers see way out for the grassland sector, but on the marked factors we saw the impresses of the negative effects. We say this because they marked complementary seeding and reseeding as primary factors. Aims of the agricultural environment protection programs and the farmer’s cost-of-living will generate more conflicts. On these conflicts could ease rethinking the aims of the agricultural environment protecting programs, with lighten the strict directions of the nature conservation provisions and with ecological grassland farming.
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Botanical and grassland investigations in a pasture grazed by Hungarian grey catte in Badacsonytördemic in 2008
73-78Views:35Sample areas can be found in the Tapolcai Basins. Phytosociological samples were collected: 32 ha grassland stand with low intensity grazing (under-grazed pasture), 38 ha overgrazed pasture, 34 ha meadow (hayfield) and the stand where animals drank. The areas were suitable for following up the changes of vegetation and production during the grazing season of the year. 5 replicates of 2×2 m phytosociological samples plots were examined on each grasslands according to the Braun- Blanquet method (1964) in April, May, June, August and September 2008. 118 Hungarian Grey Cattle were grazed on the pastures. 14 species were common in each saple areas, wich are dominant species of natural grassland associations (Agrostis stolonifera, Festuca arundinacea, Deschampsia aespitose) in the region. The overgrazed pasture had only low nutritive value and contained high number of weed species. About one month per year grazing time in the undergrazed area was not enough to achieve a better state of species diversity, although the forage production of the area remained high. The number of species and the 32 ha grassland was high (58) weeds was due to the high number of weeds, however the nutritive value of this grassland was poor. The species number of the hayfield was lower (31) than and grassland, however species composition was better and the nutritive was higher. It seemed that management was suitable and the hayfield.
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The economic questions concerning the game management of hunting parks: Papers presented at the „Timely questions in grassland and game management” scientific conference (Hungarian Academy of Sciences – Kaposvár University, 18-19 May 2006)
47-50Views:62In the last twenty years, there has been a major change in Hungarian game management, and it became a profit-oriented activity.
This is especially true in game parks, where we would like to have very high quality stock. This is only insured through a proper level of feeding. Although many hunting areas have pasture land, they are uncultivated lands with very low production.
At the Bőszénfa hunting park, we studied the economy of normal feed production (maize, sorghum, cabbage), and realised that pasture management can be a valuable possibility for feed production.
With pasture, we could save up to 20% of our costs, and the entire management became simpler to organise. -
The big game unit (BGU) as an economic index for comparing big game management in different habitas: Papers presented at the „Timely questions in grassland and game management” scientific conference (Hungarian Academy of Sciences – Kaposvár University, 18-19 May 2006)
39-46Views:44This article presents a comparative examination of the financial data found in a report on game management concerning the counties of the South-Transdanubian Region. The most healthy cost structure was found in Tolna County, even though the 2003/2004 hunting year showed a deficit. In Somogy and Baranya counties, the damage caused by game was so great that management could not compensate for it.
The recently introduced big game unit (BGU) as an economic index clearly shows the difference among big game management in Hungary's counties. The produciton of a big game unit caused a 20% loss in Somogy, 10% in Baranya, 2% in Tolna County in the financial balance for the 2003/2004 hunting year. -
The role of grasslands in natural and farm-like game management: Papers presented at the „Timely questions in grassland and game management” scientific conference (Hungarian Academy of Sciences – Kaposvár University, 18-19 May 2006)
25-33Views:66This paper investigates the relationship between grasslands and game management. It focuses on three questions:
- grasslands as habitats for game,
- grasslands as sites for prolification,
- grasslands as sources of nutrition.
Five so-called big, and five so-called small game species were considered, based on my own research and a literature review. Main results and consequences:
- grasslands as ecosystems are more important in game management than as solely resources of nutrients,
- compared to their territorial proportions, grasslands play a 2-3 time grates role in game management,
- grasslands are more preferred on areas where vegetation types are frequently changing (a given vegetation occupies only a small area),
- there is a remarkable seasonality in grassland use of small game, spring being the peak season,
- classification of game considering grasslands as sources of nutrients:
I. grasslands are hardly eaten by: red deer, wild pig, wild ducks
II. grass is consumed, but it is not a main source of nutrients: for fallow deer
III. grass is consumed as frequently as other forages by roe deer, wild sheep
IV. grasslands are important feeding sites for pheasants, partridges
V. grass is the main forage for hares, wild ducks -
Relationship between the diversity and mowing in cleared grassland areas in the Börzsöny mountains
3-13Views:63Nowadays, mowing has an increasing role in the management of semi-natural and nature conservation areas. Semi-dry grasslands have been formed on cleared areas of forest in the Pannon mountains, which would be reclaimed by forest without use of the areas by humans. In our work we analysed cleared grasslands. The questions we aimed to answer were the following:
(i) What kind of vegetation changes were caused by different land use types?
(ii) Is mowing a proper method for grassland management and nature protection in the studied system?
(iii) Do the species composition and the diversity vary within two years when conditions of precipitation are different?
In four sampling areas situted in Börzsöny mountains (North-Hungary), we registered the plant species and their cover values in ten quadrats per sampling area. We performed a site assessment in April, June and October, 2013-2014. We analysed the data by using cluster and ordination processes and we compared the sampling areas on the basis of the humidity preference and Shannon’s index of diversity. From nature conservation’s point of view, it is favourable that the cover of Potentilla alba occurring in the area was high. It is a specialist plant species with low stress resistance. However, due to tourism, it occured less frequently in the area and Bromus erectus became dominant instead. The species whose cover was more extensive in areas not affected by tourism – for example Alopecurus pratensis, Galium verum, Carex praecox, Trisetum flavescens – occurred less frequently in areas affected by tourism. On the short run, species did not completely disappear due to the changing conditions but their abundance decreased, as has been already supported by other surveys. The ordination analysis showed that the composition of species considerably differed with the portions of land cultivated in different ways. The change of the cover values was apparent not only in the case of the dominant species but of also in case of species with smaller cover. The decrease of diversity, the change of plant cover, the decrease of number of sensitive species as a result of tourism are typical phenomena all over the world. The Shannon’s diversity records showed that due to human presence and trampling the diversity declined. It was considerably lower in the year with less rain. In the year with more rain the diversity of species was considerably higher, however, the difference in between the surveyed areas was large. All these examples draw attention to the important role of environmental factors alongside the human factors. The water reserve also influences the productivity of grasslands and water has primary importance in the structure of plant communities. According to the survey, in the two areas not affected by tourism, in the rainier year the difference between the humidity preference of the species of the dry and the less dry patches became similar. On these areas, there were more species with higher humidity preferences in the rainier year, however, this tendency could not be observed in the rainier year on areas affected by tourism. The areas affected by tourism may react in a less flexible manner to the change in precipitation conditions. Based on our analysis, we can conclude that the surveyed semi-dry grasslands are extremely rich in species and therefore proper grassland management plans are needed. To preserve grasslands of high natural value, the impacts of the environmental factors should also be considered in addition to becoming acquainted with the history and the present conditions of landscape use.
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Degradation degree evolution under different grassland management
35-44Views:69The objective of this manuscript is to clarify the changes in vegetation structure of an extensively managed grassland association under different land use practices. In the grasslands of the Hungarian Great Plain, the westernmost part of the Eurasian steppe, the largely decreasing grazing livestock numbers and the almost disappearing pastoral grazing make the topic very topical. We analysed the last 4 years of the study period 2009-2020 and found that the lowest degradation rates were measured in the meadow utilisation management, with values ranging from 0.277-0.463 in the 11th year of the experiment. And the highest degradation values were measured in the treatment with the overgrazing mode, with degradation degrees 3.43-5.0 in the 11th year of the experiment. In the treatment demonstrating the effect of overgrazing, we measured a high increase in the cover value of the weed Hordenum murinum, which is very dangerous for sheep, between 2017 and 2020, with an average of 107.6%.
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Change of perspective in grassland analysis, three-dimensional crop estimation and qualification method
47-58Views:41From the point of view of the lawns' current existence, use and their existence for the future, but the tasks, goals and challenges of grassland management have changed, and in line with this, we have carried out surveys and developed and modified a method for fast and efficient application.
In practice, it is very important to know the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the forage found in the pasture, as well as the exact economic value of the pasture. The purpose of this study is to present a cheap, fast, reliable and easy-to-apply estimation method.
We took the previous methods into account and corrected and further developed them with the help of recent lawn management research results. Based on our tests, the corrected Balázs method can be used well to estimate the yield of grasslands and to determine the fodder value of the grassland. This method is cheap and requires no technical background. It also has the advantage, based on experience, that it takes into account the preference of species by animals.
The data from the cenological survey and the height measurement of the plant stock can be used to estimate the yield, fodder value and economic value. Being a non-destructive method involving minimal trampling, it is also particularly suitable for monitoring the grassland habitat of protected plants and animals. The method is also presented on a sample example, which proves its applicability.
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14th International occasional Symposium of the European Grassland Federation
49-50Views:392007. szeptember 3-6. között rendezte az Európai Gyepgazdálkodási Szövetség (European Grassland Federation) 14. szimpóziumát (14th Symposium of the EGF) a belgiumi Gentben. A szimpózium témájául a rendező szervezetek (a Belga Gyep- és szálastakarmány Társaság – Belgian Society for Grassland and Forage Crops; a Ghenti Egyetem; a Mezőgazdasági és Halászati Kutató Intézet – Institute of Agricultural and Fisheries Research) a Szövetség Végrehajtó Bizottságának (EGF Executive Committee) jóváhagyásával az „Állandó és időszakos gyepek – növény, környezet és ökonómia” (Permanent and temporary Grassland – Plant, Environment and Economy) témát választották.
A tudományos program a szövetség alapszabályában rögzített módon bonyolódott. Hétfőn egész nap, valamint kedden és szerdán délelőtt zajlottak a szekcióülések, kedden délután pedig a szakmai tanulmányút (mid-conference tour) tette kerekké a programot.
A szimpózium címéhez és a várható érdeklődéshez igazodva a rendezvény tudományos bizottsága 3 szekcióra bontotta a programot.
1. A gyep termése és annak minősége
(Production and quality)
2. A gyepgazdálkodási mód hatása a környezetre
(Impact of grassland management systems on environment)
3. A gyepgazdálkodás társadalmi-gazdasági következményei
(Socio-economical consequences) -
Recent points of fertilization, plant protection, grazing and food safety on grasslands
71-76Views:67The purpose of Hungarian rangelands is looked upon in many different ways in our changing world. Environmentalists view the problem from an ecology centered point of view, while economists from an economy centered one. The third approach prefers a kind of rangeland management which can meet all expectations. Grassland and pasture management should be carried out in accordance with operative veterinary, phytosanitary, human and food safety regulations. An internationally acknowledged code includes all principles associated with these regulations. Food production will certainly gain greater significance, resulting in growing interest in rangeland management in the near future. Thus methods listed in this article should be kept in sight.
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The impact of production factors on the yield formation of grasses of various exploitation
13-18Views:99The lawn – following the forest – is the best manner of land use. 10.75 percent of Hungarian territory is grassland. 90-95 percent of the grass’s root system can be found in the upper 10 cm layer of the soil therefore and because of the large evaporating surface the grasses have a great water demand and weather sensitivity. Beside the nutritional ability and some extreme properties of soil (for ex. great salinity) there is an influence on formation of the grass-type and the yield. In our experiments the sites were utilised 2, 3 and 4 times yearly. At two sites for four years (2006-2009) and at one site for two years (2009-2010) the quantity and the distribution of the yield as well as other parameters were examined, which are not reported in this paper. This experiment is a part of a climate research project run at 27 sites in Austria. The laboratory analyses were carried out uniformly in the LFZ Raumberg- Gumpenstein Research Institute. The most important results of this study are the following: The productivity of the grass type formed on the Little Cumania lowland is very limited. In case of drought there was the highest yield decrease and at the same time in case of good precipitation there was the smallest increase of yield. The effect of grass utilization by late first cut at the poorestsoil site was very unfavourable. At the grass sites of better quality, the utilization manner of 3 or 4 growth, resulted in a better adaptation to the climatic extremities.
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Comparison of vegetation of Hungarian Grey Cattle and Hungarian water buffalo pastures in a sample area of the Danube-Tisza Interfluve
59-64Views:56In the present study, we aimed to investigate the coenology of the Kelemen-szék in the Kiskunság National Park. The coenological studies were carried out twice. We compared areas with different vegetation types. During these two surveys, we examined in total 90 quadrats of mixed grazed and fenced control areas. Ones were grazed by Hungarian domestic buffalo and Hungarian grey cattle and others were no grazed. Based on these surveys, it is possible to conclude about spatial and temporal changes in vegetation as a result of livestock husbandry in the area. Due to the size and heterogeneity of the studied area, we intended to investigate small homogeneous areas and respective control areas. Coenological surveys were done on lower and higher lying pastures, saline soil areas and loess areas.
In the study plots, grazing led to stability in the species composition of loess grassland and saline grassland, so that they also satisfy the requirements moof nature conservation. The dominant and character species of the associations, and the typical species of the genus Festuca have a significant cover value. The dense and tall Puccinellia swards require more attention, because they are more vulnerable against grazing. Grazing and extensive livestock husbandry, which can be applied in the future, is a suitable method for the management of lowland areas. In order to conserve the associations, preservation of grazing is necessary. To provide amount of biomass of areas, the grazing has a significant role. The conservation of native loess grasslands, even in the form of fragments, plays an outstanding function. Hence, based on the initial surveys, the combination of Hungarian grey cattle and water buffalo is beneficial in terms of nature conservation.
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The effect of mowing and pasturing on grassland vegetation in Mátra Mauntains (Parádóhuta)
19-23.Views:50We carried out our surveys on grasslands near Parádóhuta. The sample area was a mountain grassland (Festucetum rubrae-Cynosuretum Tx. 1940, Soó 1957), which was mowed until 2013, then foraged with borzderes and racka cattle within the framework of nature conservation management for two years, and after that it became mowed again. We analysed the effects of foraging and mowing between 2013 and 2019.
Our goals were the following: to disclose the vegetation of the sample areas (i), surveying the natural regeneration of the grassland and analysing, valuing the effect of mowing and foraging on grasslands (ii); analysing the vegetation in terms of nature conservation and valuing its life form spectrum (iii).
The analysed grassland was very diverse in 2013, we noticed well differentiated Nardus stricta patches. In 2015 the vegetation became more mosaic-like because of heavy pasturing: animals have grazed arboreals and Nardus in lesser amount, but species diversity declined and coverage of shrub remained the same. In the last years of the survey foraging stopped, and mowing began, which increased the coverage of herbaceous plants, which approximated the values of the first years. According to our results, on these habitats systematic mowing has a much more positive effect on biodiversity and coverage of species marking naturalness.
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Analysing of yield and nutritional value of Zselic pastures and its evaluation by D-e-Meter system
33-38Views:37The future way of grassland management is greatly influenced by the new functions of the grasslands relative to the environment. This means that the role of raising nutrition will be expand by the role of keeping the natural resources. In the EU the price of the arable lands are controlled by the supply and demand, so the quality of the arable and the value of it come asunder. The market economy has to evaluate the arable reliable and accurate. In according to these sentences it is necessary to show the real value of soil quality, of arable in the register of estate. An important part of the sustainable developing is to find the adaptation to the local area and the nature. This aspect could be found in the multifunctional European Agricultural model and in the rural development too. Nowadays we use the way of the land evaluation known as the “aranykorona”, which is an obstacle to the way of the sustainability. The evaluation of grasslands in Hungary is not solved, the details we have are disused, so it is hard to plan the yields of the grasslands, we can estimate them a posteriori. In the D-e-Meter grassland module we start the evaluation with the DM yield of the characteristic grass. This starting point is modified with the factors proper to the area. The measured and the estimated DM yield were compared to each other at 3 grassland at Bőszénfa. To evolve an up-to-date evaluating system we analysed grasslands at the University of Kaposvár Deer Farm at Bőszénfa to find answers to the followings:
• Soil analysis of the humus, the N, P, K levels and the pH of the grasslands
• Describe the botanical composition by the Balázs-method
• The quality and the nutrition value of the grasslands
• Yearly yields of grasslands
• Analyzing of the results by the D-e-Meter system
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Different agrotechnical mesures on the ecology and conservation in a wet meadow
3-15Views:33In grassland management systems, the various agrotechnical elements have to be used in many cases on "primitive grasslands", where the coordination of agricultural and nature conservation tasks is necessary. Here, animal husbandry is the main aspect, which includes the long-term preservation of the quality of the pasture, as well as the most economical use of the pasture and keeping the animals as cheap as possible. The tests were carried out on a grassy area on the border of the settlement of Aba. We examined the vegetation of 8 plots of the same size in the area and the quantitative and qualitative composition of the biomass produced there. In this thesis, we provide data on the vegetation composition and evaluation of the following treatments. The plots and treatments were as follows: I. plot-ventilated; II. parcel-relaxed; III. plot loosened and ventilated; ARC. parcel control; V. plot-ventilated and 15 t/ha manure; VI. plot loosened and 15 t/ha manure; VII. plot loosened, ventilated and 15 t/ha manure; VIII. plot loosened, ventilated and 30 t/ha manure. In each plot, 5 ceenological recordings were made using 4 x 4 m quadrats. The estimated coverage of each species was given in %, taking into account the proportion of grasslands and other species. Among Borhidi's plant ecological indicators, the species were evaluated based on the NB (relative values of nitrogen demand) and WB (relative soil water and soil moisture indicator numbers). The social behavior types (SZMT) were also defined based on Borhidi's work, and the nature conservation value categories (TVK) were defined according to Simon. The lifestyle analysis was performed based on Pignatti's lifestyle types.
Based on the data, the composition of the vegetation of each plot changed significantly compared to the data of the control plot IV. A direct proportionality can be discovered between the increase in the cover value of the dominant lawn grasses, primarily Festuca arundinacea, Dactylis glomerata, Alopecurus pratensis, and Fabaeceae species (e.g. Lathyrus tuberosus, Lotus corniculatus) and the amount of applied nutrients. Based on the coenological survey of the eight examined areas, the control area (IV.) showed the most natural state, which was confirmed by the species composition and number of species. The IV. plots are close to I., II. and III. for plot recordings, which proves that aeration and loosening do not worsen the condition of the lawn, but rather promote the preservation of its natural state. The VII-VIII. plots have the smallest number of species, but based on the life form spectrum, naturalness indicators, nature conservation value categories and social behavior types, they are not very disturbed habitats.
No significant difference can be detected between the effect of lawn loosening and lawn aeration, but III. plot, where both treatments were carried out, was closer to the control area. Regarding the effect of the lawn management methods, it was possible to produce a starting data set in the long term (with the same environmental conditions). Overall, the study gave valuable results regarding the age of change occurring during the application of different lawn management methods, and was also effective from an economic point of view.
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Kaszálás felhagyás hatása helyreállított szikes és löszgyepek vegetációjára
21-29Views:62Grasslands recovered by sowing of low diversity seed mixtures are frequently managed by mowing. However only a few studies focused on the direct effects of post-restoration mowing on recovered grassland vegetation. In this study we followed vegetation changes in 13 recovered grasslands, in 5×5-m-sized exclosures with continuous and ceased mowing in Hortobágy, East-Hungary. We asked the following study questions:
(i) What are the effects of cessation of mowing on the vegetation structure of recovered grasslands?
(ii) What are the effects of cessation of mowing on the abundance of sown grasses, target and weed species?
(iii) Is yearly mowing an appropriate management for the maintenance of recovered grasslands?
Our results showed that the cessation of mowing caused litter accumulation, decrease in total cover and decrease in the cover of sown grasses compared to the continuously mown exclosures. The cover of perennial weeds was significantly higher in unmown exclosures compared to the mown ones. The species composition in mown exclosures remained more similar to reference grasslands than to the unmown ones. Our results suggest that without a regular post-restoration mowing the favourable stage of recovered grasslands can be rapidly vanished caused by litter accumulation and/or by the expansion of undesirable weedy species. We also stress that yearly mowing is solely enough to maintain grasslands recovered by low-diversity seed sowing, but cannot be considered to be enough to recover target vegetation composition.