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Global challenges and demands for grassland use
81-93Views:73The 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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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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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:97The 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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Studies on botany, forage and soils with aspects of nature conservation on grey cattle and water buffalo pastures of the Tapolcai and Káli basins: Papers of the „Challenges and Aspects in Grassland Management” conference held on 22-23 May 2008.
47-53Views:154In the present work we introduce the coenological and pedological results of examination on the Balaton Upland (Badacsonytördemic, Csobánc, Káptalantóti and Kővágóőrs). Grass management plays an important role in nature conservation, rural development thus in the viability of rural population. Soil and water suffer from extreme degradation and pollution, partly because of agricultural activities, growing settlements and mining activity. We evaluated the changes in species composition and coverage, the possibly occurring regeneration or degradation and the effects of botanical composition changes on forage values, especially in case of economically valuable species. Investigations show strengths and weaknesses of having animals on grasslands. Sample sites were in Balaton Upland National Park, Hungary. Results proved that among the plants there are either weeds and/or poisonous and/or prickly species, too. We examined how important grasses and pulses appeared or disappeared, how did the number of overgrazing tolerant species changed and how did the species composition of the grazed and non-grazed land differed. Based on the results the characteristics of the examined pastures show the effects of overgrazing. With the decrease of the number of the animals, nature conservation and economical values could be increased. The examined areas had totally different soil characteristics, pH, soil thickness and nutrient content varied greatly. In the Gyulakeszi area even a small catena was found on a single pasture. The high soil organic matter and nutrient content ensure the good grass yield thus the areas are suitable for grazing and for grass cutting, too.
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Analysing of yield and nutritional value of Zselic pastures and its evaluation by D-e-Meter system
33-38Views:56The 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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Comparison of the production of fenugreek (Trichonella foenum-graecum) experiments in 2018-2020
11-14Views:135The aim of our study is to compare the results (content values, yield) of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) experiments in 2018-2020. Fenugreek is an annual herbaceous plant belonging to the legumes (Fabaceae) family. It is a multifunctional crop for use in domestic and farm animal feeds, wild fodder, herbs and spices. During the study period, nutrient supply treatments were applied to increase the production values of the plant. The weed suppressing ability of fenugreek in the post-emergence period (1-3 weeks) is very poor, so we had to use chemical weed control. During the experiment, the T. foenum-graecum stock was irrigated. The plant was harvested 80-90 days after sowing. The study was carried out in Kecskemét in 2018-2019, at the Demonstration Garden of John von Neumann University, Faculty of Horticulture and Rural Development. The 2020 experiment was set up at the University of Szeged, Faculty of Agriculture.