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Degradation degree evolution under different grassland management
35-44Views:96The 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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Impact of a change of use on extensive grassland yields
29-34Views:84The impact of converting overgrazed extensive grassland to mowing was investigated in Karcag between 2017 and 2020. At the beginning of the experiment, the plant composition of the overgrazed grassland community, which had been overgrazed for 3 years, showed a high and continuously increasing cover of unconditionally weeds avoided by sheep, which presented clearly higher quantitative indicators in terms of yield values. However, in the grassland communities that were converted to mowing, the cover of unconditioned weeds decreased steadily at the end of the experimental period and the cover value of grassland components valuable for animals increased, thus stopping degradation and recultivation by conversion was successful.
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Conservation survey of horse pastures and hayfields in an equestrian centre near Sukoro
37-46Views:40The test was carried out in Sukoró, on the lawns of the Sukoró Equestrian Center in May 2023. The purpose of the survey was to present the natural state and economic value of grasslands with different uses. The ceenological surveys were carried out using the Braun-Blanquet method, during which we recorded the data using 2x2 meter squares and gave the cover values in %. The squares were placed randomly in the given areas. During the survey, we analyzed five sample areas in three units. Our sample area I. is degraded fresh grassland, which was a horse pasture that was overgrazed in 2023, II. the sample area was a meadow dominated by sedge, which is utilized by mowing. The III. the sample area is Siki lawn dominated by Festuca pseudovina, which was also mowed. The IV. the deepest part of the mowing area, marsh meadow-fen, which is also used as a mowing area. Sample area V is silicate rock grassland, which is also grazed by horses, but was left alone in 2023.
With the exception of sample area I, which was intensively grazed in 2023, and therefore overgrazed by trampling, based on the tests, the natural state of the lawns remained valuable even after treatments, mowing and grazing. In the lawns, the largest proportion of elements of the native flora can be found. In the deeper spot on the mowing field, bog elements and the protected species Anacampts pyramidalis also appeared. A protected species, Allium sphaerocephalon, also occurred in the silicate rock lawn. The lawn management methods carried out by the riding center are suitable for maintaining the area's vegetation in a close-to-nature and long-term manner.
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Changes in forage values of differently managed grasslands in the Trans-Danubian Mountain Range, Hungary
26-33Views:110In this study a comparative relevé was conducted in the Transdanubian Central Mountains (Tihany Peninsula, Bakony, Keszthely hills). We evaluated the changes of species composition and ground cover, the measure of possible regeneration or degradation, and we evaluated the changes of these factors in the point of view of feeding value. We surveyed that how extent the main grasses and the papilionaceae appeared or disappeared, how changed the proportion of those species which can tolerate overgrazing, and what is the composition of the weeds on grazed and ungrazed areas. Accordig to results, the grasslands under survey have unfavourable species composition due to the bad management practices and insufficient technological conditions. The distribution of the nature protection value categories of the plant association’s species varies with the associations. The period under survey the closed grassland association near Lake Belső turned more valuable, where the meadow was converted into pasturing lands for Hungarian Grey Cows by changing cultivation methods. The quality of former (over)grazed grasslands near Sóly and pasturing lands near Vad parlag, where grazing was finished also turned more valuable. However the ground cover of species with best feeding value reduced, but feedig value of grasses increased due to the increasing of the cover ground of grasslands. In those grasslands, where the cultivation was finished, after initial increasing of number of species many shrubs appeared on the area, and this process will accelerate in the future. Because of this grazing is necessary with appropriate animal density.