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Effects of grazing as anthropogenic environmental factor of natural grasslands in the Hungarian Great Plain, near Bugac
39-41Views:59The coenological quadrats were made in 1997, 2005, 2010 and 2021 in a sandy grassland which is used as cattle pasture. The quadrats can be sort in three groups. The first group of quadrats was made close to the cattle pen (Zone A: 0-50 m). The second group was made farther (Zone B: 50-150), where the grazing is not so intensive. The third group contains the quadrats which were made farther than 150m (Zone C). The animals use this area rarely, therefor this part of the pasture is undergrazed (Penksza et al., 2010a). The coenological survey was carried out with 2×2 meter squares, recording the cover value. The species names follow the nomenclature of Király (2009) and Engloner et al. (2001).
The rate of species which indicate degradation is the highest near to the cattle pen (0-50m). But farther than 50m the rate of species which indicates naturalness is higher. Lower nature conservation value can be observed near to the cattle pen. In this area weeds and degradation tolerant species can be found in the highest amount. Their ratio grew in the second zone (50-150m) too in the past few years, but the species which compose the natural vegetation also survived, so the species composition is able for regeneration. With the decreasing of grazing intensity the sample area could meet the requirements of nature conservation.
Data evaluation was made with considering naturalness state in case of habitats; and on the other hand, according to relative ecological factors of occurring species. A significant change in species composition could be detected. Particularly, deterioration of areas could be experienced. These negative processes are extremely heavy inside and near the animal husbandry farm. Even aggressive, invasive plant species occurred. Among dominant grass species, dominance relations and covering rate of disturbance tolerant Cynodon dactylon and Lolium perenne species have increased, caused partly by overgrazing and trampling as well. A new species, Poa humilis, appeared in the zone “A” in 2020, which is a degradation indicator species and tolerates overgrazing and trampling (Penksza and Böcker, 1999/200; Penksza, 2009). Farther from the farm, rate of degradation showed by vegetation has decreased compared to the areas closer to the farm, however, it has increased even on the farther area between the two time periods. During the preparation of management plans for the grasslands, these data should be considered at a higher rate in favor of preserving natural values,
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Long-term mowing on biomass composition in Pannonian dry grasslands in the Western-Cserhát
35-38Views:83This 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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Effects of ceasing mowing and grazing on the vegetation of wet grasslands of Badacsonytördemic
23-32Views:165During the work we examined the vegetation of a wet area near Badacsonytördemic. The grassland has been mowed and grazed intensively by Hungarian grey cattle until 2010, and it was abandoned afterwards. We surveyed three sample areas: the continuously grazed pasture, the mowed grassland and the additional pasture, which was grazed for one month each year.
Records were made in June 2010 and 2020. We utilized 4×4 m quadrats, and gave the cover of species in percent. Relative nitrogen values (NB), soil moisture values (WB), Social Behaviour Types according to Borhidi, nature conservation values (TVK) according to Simon were also used.
Based on the results, the vegetation of the area degraded greatly in ten years, its diverse nature disappeared, weeds and invasive species became dominant and species with good foraging value declined. No aggressive competitors were found in 2007, but Solidago gigantea appeared with great cover by 2020. In addition, many weed species appeared, and the ones which were already present in 2010, have increased their cover. Cirsium arvense was a newly appearing weed. Dead biomass also increased greatly.
To avoid further degradation, we suggest to reintroduce the management to these areas again. To set back weeds and invasive species, regular mowing would be efficient. It would be important to carefully set the date of mowing so that it prevents the spreading of seeds. Mowed plants must be removed from the area as soon as possible. -
Domestic water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) grazing as a habitat management and application option against invasive species
47-53Views:172In 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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Pannonian grazed sandy grasslands in the Ipoly Valley
49-51Views:77The results of global climate change can be observed in climate of Hungary. In the last couple of decades significant have been observed extremes in the climate of Europe due to global climate change (IPCC, 2014), which the irregular alternation of droughts and floods could be traced in the Carpathian Basin (Bartholy et al., 2009, 2014). The river floodplains and adjacent wetlands were outstanding from a nature conservation point of view due to the increasingly exposed to this change (Capon et al., 2013). Because of climatic effects, floodplain areas are even more exposed to the spread of invasive species (Szollát and Schmotzer, 2004; Schmotzer, 2008; Füri 2000; Füri and Kelemen 1997; Čížková-Končalová et al. 2013), and changes in land use also aggravate this problem (Mosner, 2015; Penksza et al., 2012). The aim of this study is to present the impact of extreme climatic situations on vegetation in grazed grasslands. The question was, which Festuca species occurs in addition to this? Can Festuca javorkae or Festuca pseudovina be found. The Festuca javorkae, which was related to Festuca rupicola, could also be problematic, although this species was clarified (Penksza, 2000, 2009a; Penksza et al., 2020, 2021; Markgraf-Dannenberg, 1980) and its species differentiation was shown using molecular studies by Bnauer et al. (2003) and Galli et al. (2006). According to the description of association Salvio nemorosae-Festucetum rupicolae, Festuca rupicola is one of the species of the association that appeared in the present study.
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Sandy grasslands regeneration results of the conservation management on the Homoktövis Conservation Area in Budapest (2009 2021)
33-35Views:177In Budapest, despite the density of the population, precious plant communities still remain in a lot of, mostly isolated fragments of habitats which,are outstanding in the diversity of species and are rare inhabitants of endemic species. On the examined territory, since 2006 long term reconstructions of the habitats have been ongoing which strive for the decrease of the invasive woody species on the territory and the insurance of the habitat of the sandy lawn, as well as the long term conservation of the fragments of the lawn and the creation of the natural sandy lawn. This activity is conducted by the volunteers of the MME and with the help of the students of educational institutions in parallel requesting for the permits of the Municipality of the Capital. During these interventions, the shoots were mechanically beat down and they were wiped dried as well. Besides these interventions, it was fundamental to preserve the sensitive, rare or legally protected species and to increase their volume as much as possible.