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The Role of Grassland in EU Soil Protection Strategy
3-15Views:63The 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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Comparing of soil and rhizoplane of grasses
13-17Views:50The aims of this paper were to determine and compare the most important physical, chemical and microbial characteristics of seven grassland areas near Debrecen.
Physical properties: moisture content (t%), clay and silt contents (Li%), soil plasticity according to Arany (KA), were measured.As were the chemical characteristics: pH, salt content (%). lime content (it depends on pH), humus content, organic nitrogen and mineral materials (nitrate nitrogen, ammonium lactate soluble phosphorous and potassium).
The total viable number of bacteria, the amount of cellulose decomposing and nitrifying bacteria and the quantity of microscopic fungi were studied. Additionally, some soil enzyme activities, such as phosphatase and catalase as well as carbon-dioxide production were determined.
The number of microbes and the microbiological activity of the soils were higher in autumn than in summer. The lowest number of bacteria was determined in solonchak-solonetz soil. The phosphatase enzyme activity and the CO2 production are connected with the higher organic matter content of the soils. The increasing sodification decreased the phosphatase activity and the intensity of CO2 production. Meadow soil type led to an increase in catalase activity.
During the examination zhe rhizoplane of two test plants per grassland was also studied. The umber of microorganisms in the rhizoplane of test plants was usually higher than the values obtained in soil samples.
Within one soil types there were differences between two test plants including the same or different family.
There were no considerable differences among the number of fungi genera isolated from the soil samples and the rhizoplane or among the results obtained in summer and autumn. Independent of the soil types and plant species, Fusarium, Mucor and Penicillium genera were found in large percentages promoted by the rainy summer and autumn season. -
Investigation of carbon dioxide emissions from underutilized grassland
15-25Views:250Climate change-induced extreme changes are making phytomass yields of extensive grasslands in continental areas increasingly dependent on the season. This situation is exacerbated, inter alia, by the decline in grazing livestock production due to a lack of quality labour, and thus by an increase in the proportion of unused or under-utilised grassland. In our experiments, we have refined the effects of a decade of zero, mulch, mowing and meadow utilisation on carbon emissions, soil moisture and soil temperature during two different types of years. We found that zero tillage with accumulated duff in the absence of utilization had the highest carbon dioxide emission values in different years, even at lower soil moisture values. Our results confirm the fact that fallow grasslands can be considered a source of risk due to their increased greenhouse gas emissions.
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Impact of mole migration on soil factor indicators of extensive grassland
25-29Views:27We investigated the effects of mole walks in extensive grassland soil, focusing on changes in soil factor indicators, 3-3 times per year, in 2022-2023, in Karcag. Based on our results, we found that the drier year 2022 had verifiably higher carbon emission values, only on an annual average, than the wetter year 2023. We found no verifiable differences in soil temperature and soil moisture conditions. Based on our data, it can be concluded that the mammal of choice for the year 2023, the mole, does not have a significant impact on the carbon dioxide emissions of the grassland soil. Further studies in other habitat conditions are definitely warranted.
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Clarifying the effect of season on the early crop development of unconditionally grazed sheep
17-22Views:41The feasibility of first grazing of extensive sheep pastures was investigated by monitoring the height of grassland in the spring of 2022 and 2023 at the Karcag Research Institute, focusing on the effect of vintage in this manuscript. For 6 grassland plots with different parameters, potentially suitable for early spring sheep grazing, in a meadow on solonyec soil with no level of inputs due to environmental subsidies, we refined soil temperature, soil moisture and height of grassland vegetation at the same time of year. For both years, it was concluded that it is justified to start grazing sheep on the fallow grassland and the pasture forest.
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Effect of organic fertilisation on yield and soil factor values of extensive grassland
23-28Views:44The effect of different rates of organic fertilizer was investigated on a natural grassland with solonyec soil conditions at the Karcag Research Institute in the second year after application. Of the mature sheep manure treatments applied at 0-10-15-20 t/ha, the 20 t/ha dose was shown to result in higher dry matter yields. In addition, the 20 t/ha dose of organic manure was shown to stimulate soil life, as supported by measurements of carbon dioxide emissions, and to help better conserve soil moisture.
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Különböző komposztadagok hatása az extenzív gyep talajának néhány tulajdonságára
9-14Views:66After the millennium the utilization of the Hungarian grasslands is particularly important. We considered the priorities of the Darányi Ignácz Plan where the efficient utilization of the agricultural areas - including grasslands, pastures- by increasing the number of ruminants is the part of the rural strategy. The effective utilization of the by-product, the manure in croplands or pastures is particularly important, taking the increasing fertilizer prices within the continuously opening price scissor of the industrial-agricultural products into account. The patent of the Karcag Research Institute of CAAES RISF UD, the TERRASOL compost is a good alternative for farmers. We have already published the primary results of our grassland fertilization experiment, where we investigated the utilization of different compost doses and evaluated these from economic point of view. In this paper we examined the changes of the properties of the soil in the different treatments. We visualized our results by using GIS methods. We measured the moisture content, the penetration resistance and the CO2 emission of the soil of the four treatments. We determined that the 20 t/ha of compost dose is considered as sufficient to improve the investigated properties of the grassland soils under the droughty conditions of 2012.
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Spontaneous winter fire effects on semi-natural grassland
9-14Views:157The effect of uncontrolled turf fire was investigated on the meadow grassland of the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Karcag Research Institute. The fire in January 2022, which was very dry, resulted in an increase in the proportion of bunchgrass and uncovered area in the burned area, based on our cenological recordings. We measured higher carbon dioxide emissions in the burned area at all measurement times using an infrared gas analyser. Soil moisture values recorded with soil probes were higher in the control grassland with intact grassland cover. Since we had the opportunity to carry out studies in a drought year, it is absolutely justified to investigate the effects of grass fires in other growing areas and under other precipitation conditions, because their more frequent occurrence in our country can be predicted.
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Comparison of vegetation of Hungarian Grey Cattle and Domestic water buffalo pastures in a sample area of the Danube-Tisza Interfluve
15-31Views:64We made a coenological study on the Kelemen-szék in the Kiskunság National Park. The coenological studies were carried out twice, in 2014 and 2015. During these two surveys, we examined in total 90 quadrats of mixed grazed and fenced control areas by domestic water buffalo and Hungarian Grey Cattle. 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.
The studied areas were assessed based on the Borhidi relative plant ecological indicators NB (relative nitrogen values) and WB (relative groundwater and soil moisture indicator values). The distribution of nature conservation value categories (TVK) and social behavior types (SzMT) were used to assess the areas. Cluster analysis and detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) were used to evaluate the data.
The data were assessed based on both habitat condition in terms of naturalness condition. On the other hand, relative ecological indicators of the occurred species. Our objectives were to provide a detailed description of the vegetation composition of the study areas, to assess the changes in grassland composition and their conservation impacts as a result of grazing and its abandonment, to assess the impact of grazing on the occurrence of protected species and weed species, and to assess grazing as a conservation habitat management practice.
The examination of the species composition showed that the loess and saline soil areas grazed by domestic water buffalos and Hungarian Grey Cattle provided a better composition of grassland in terms of natural condition compared to the control areas. In the dense and tall Puccinellia swards vegetation type, grazing requires more attention, because it is more vulnerable to grazing, has fewer species and is more damageable.
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Investigation of early season phytoproduction in sheep pastures
3-7Views:119In the droughty spring of 2021, we investigated the rate of phytoproduction development in extensive grassland plots with solonyec soil conditions from the perspective of sheep grazing. During the empirical time interval of the start of potential sheep grazing, data were recorded on a total of 7 occasions at 6 different sites registered under one parcel number. Our results showed that the highest soil moisture values during the study period were measured in the fallow grassland, while the highest soil temperature values were measured in the grassland used as enclosed pasture. Plant height values were highest in the fallow grassland and in the grassland of the pasture forest. The lowest plant height was recorded in the enclosed pasture, although the highest nutrient availability was also measured here.
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Effects of ceasing mowing and grazing on the vegetation of wet grasslands of Badacsonytördemic
23-32Views:146During 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. -
Different agrotechnical mesures on the ecology and conservation in a wet meadow
3-15Views:46In 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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The seasonal effect on the vegetation of Hungarian grey cattle pasture in 2022 and 2023 - A case study
29-36Views:44The "Szűzföld" area, managed by the Pro Vértes Public Foundation, has been managed for nature conservation and economic grazing since 1998 with Hungarian grey cattle. In the present work the vegetation data of the pasture were analysed for the years 2022-2023, in order to investigate the effect of the weather conditions in an extremely dry year (2022) and an extremely wet year (2023) using 2 × 2 m coenological records. To analyse the ecological indicators of species, we used Borhidi's relative plant ecological indicators: relative nitrogen demand (NB) and relative soil water and soil moisture (WB) scores. We also assessed the data according to Simon's conservation value categories (TVK) and Borhidi's social behaviour types (SBT). The grassland management assessment of the vegetation was based on the forage value scores of the species used by Klapp et al.
The results showed no significant differences in species in the two years, but significant differences in cover values. In the year with rainfall, the proportion of accompanying species decreased, while the proportion of weeds and natural disturbance tolerant species increased. The amount of grasses and legumes increased, which are important for grassland management.
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Földalatti ökoszisztéma-mérnök fajok szerepe a gyepek fenntartásában
49-55Views:90In 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.