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The Role of Grassland in EU Soil Protection Strategy
3-15Views:65The 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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Földalatti ökoszisztéma-mérnök fajok szerepe a gyepek fenntartásában
49-55Views:100In this review we would like to analyze the effects of the subterranean rodents on vegetation using results from research of several taxons in different vegetation types and climate. Ecosystem engineers are organisms that modify, maintain, and create habitats. Subterranean rodents belong to this group. These species have an impact on the vegetation the microtopographical features of the soil and bulk density, they can change the structure, organic matter and moisture content of the soil they reduce the proportion of nitrogen. The fossorial rodents occur almost all over the world (expect Australia and Antarctica). These herbivorous species burrow tunnels under the ground and with this they have an impact on the floral diversity and dominance relations, the structure and composition of the association, the amount of biomass production as well as the distribution of plants and seeds. They can take effect directly with consumption of plants and indirectly with affect the plant-soil relations. At the basis of the results the activity of the subterranean rodents enhanced the diversity in most of the cases (of course there were also negative results and some researcher didn't find any differences between the mounds and the plots with no mounds). Their effect on the biomass was usually negative but they changed the species composition of their habitat at all times.
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Global challenges and demands for grassland use
81-93Views:59The purpose of this review is to outline the status quo regarding multifunctional and social demands on grasslands. The products and services that grassland ecosystems can provide society are detailed. Existing agro-policies are reviewed as to how they reflect social demands on grasslands. A farm level analysis considers many factors that may influence the fulfilment of social demands. Conclusions are drawn on the future of grassland use under different socio-economic conditions. Traditional (meat, milk, fibre, medicinal plants, fuel, power) and non-traditional (branded products, biodiversity as gene pool, biomass for energy) products are identified. Services of grasslands are summarized at three different levels viz. globally (regulation of climate, air quality, water resources, soil health, carbon sequestration, maintaining biodiversity), regionally (aesthetic and landscape values) and locally (preservation of cultural heritage, maintenance of the significance of religion for pastoralism). Targeted policies are emerging that assist in sustaining healthy grassland ecosystems and fulfilling multifunctional demands at different social levels. In spite of these policies, the future of the world's grasslands seems to vary by country, according to the level of development. In poor countries, production from grassland will remain of vital importance (in some cases, with the threat of ecosystem degradation), whilst at the same time, ecological and amenity uses of grassland appear to be ignored. Trends in the function of grassland ecosystems in developed countries seem to be just the opposite. The importance of production is declining, while ecological and amenity functions receive increasing attention in response to multifunctional and social demands. Due to the national conditions the future of grassland use in Hungary will differ from these patterns. The production from grassland is going to be negligible. The ecological role (landscape, biodiversity) will remain very important. Remarkable increase is predicted in the amenity role of grasslands following the overall economic development in the country.
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Comparative investigations of biomass composition in differently managed grasslands of the Balaton Uplands National Park, Hungary
49-56.Views:97Phytosociological and biomass samples were collected in two territories of the Balaton Uplands National Park (Hungary) dominated by grassland habitats. Samples in the Tihany Peninsula had been taken in a pasture of Hungarian Grey Cattle. Studies were broadened to four areas of the Tapolcai Basin, Badacsonytördemic (undergrazed and overgrazed pastures, hayfield, control area). The areas were suitable for following up the changes of vegetation and production in every grazing season of a year. We evaluated the changes of species composition and ground cover, the measure of possible regeneration or degradation, and the changes of these factors from the viewpoint of feeding value. Covering rates of the grassland associations have doubled and species composition has improved in the Tihany Peninsula, however, forage value has not increased, due to the change in land use in favour of the natural area that is converting into grazing field. In case of the Taplocai Basin, low number of species (20 to 30) was detected in the undergrazed pasture and the control area. About one month per year grazing time in the undergrazed area was not enough to achieve a better state for species diversity, and the amount of forage remained high. The overgrazed pasture carries a low forage value and contains a high number of weed species, despite the spectacularly high total number of plant species (38 to 39), consequently, grazing pressure has to be decreased. Although the number of species is lower in the hayfield (26 to 28), species composition and ability for forage supply is much better, showing that the proper management of the area is taken here.
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Monthly changes in the production and content values of wet Hungarian gray cattle pasture and the relationship with species richness
19-28Views:119Grassland management tests were performed on different grazing loaded gray cattle pasture and hayland areas 4 times (April, May, June, September) during the grazing season in Tapolca-basin. 5-5 pieces of 2×2 m samples were examined on each sample area, prepared according to the Braun-Blanquet method (1964) in April, May, June and September and with this, we also measured the amount of biomass and its content.
Based on results additional pasture had the largest gazing livestock carrying capacity but it had the weakest feed quality as well. During grazing season due to ongoing livestock grazing, species composition has changed the most in case of pasture and the number of species was the greatest here as well. Proportion of grasses declined in parallel with the amount of legumes, which grown till late summer.
Nutrient content of pasture forage was the most appropriate because of high crude protein and less crude fiber content. Grazing for 34 days/year was not enough in case of additional pasture where Festuca arundinacea had the largest coverage. This is reflected in low number of species richness and small nutritional values of sample areas. For sedge rich low-lying areas mowing utilization is the most effective. -
Comparison of vegetation of Hungarian Grey Cattle and Hungarian water buffalo pastures in a sample area of the Danube-Tisza Interfluve
59-64Views:102In 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.