Role of topography and soils in grassland structuring at the landscape and community scales

Sebastià, M. T.

doi:10.1016/j.baae.2003.10.001

Cited by 136 publications

(127 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…The plant composition and species richness of permanent grasslands are determined by management practices and site characteristics such as topography, water and nutrient availability, and light conditions (Sebastiá 2004;Tzialla et al 2006;Wellstein et al 2007). As a result, high variability is seen in floristic composition of the vegetation and hence the productivity and quality of forage pro-duced from these categories of agricultural land (Criste et al 2013).…”

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confidence: 99%

Effect of Organic Fertilizers on Botanical Composition of Grassland, Herbage Yield and Quality

Štýbnarová¹,

Mičová²,

Fiala³

et al. 2014

Agriculture (Pol'nohospodárstvo)

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The aim of this study was to assess the effects of organicfertilizers (cow manure + dung water; cattle slurry) applied in different annual doses of nitrogen (54, 84 and 120 kg/ha) by different intensities of grassland utilization (extensive – two cuts per year, medium intensive – three cuts per year, intensive – four cuts per year) on percentage of plant functional groups, dry matter yield, and forage quality. The study was performed on small-plot trial over 7 years on moderately moist grassland in the Czech Republic. The proportion of legumes was significantly higher in the treatments fertilized with cow manure + dung-water combined with medium intensive utilization and intensive utilization (10.2% and 10.3%, respectively). Fertilization significantly increased dry matter yields by 51.9% (cow manure + dung water) and 56% (cattle slurry) compared with unfertilized controls (4.81 t/ha). Grasslands fertilized with cattle slurry showed significantly higher concentration of crude protein (142.9 g/kg) compared with unfertilized (126.4 g/kg). Extensive grassland utilization significantly affected the increase of crude fibre concentration (up to 282.1 g/kg), and decrease of the energy value (up to 4.68 MJ g/kg of NEL). Organic matter digestibility was also negatively influenced by extensive grassland utilization (61.0%, 65.42% and 67.44% for the extensive, medium intensive and intensive utilization, respectively). Our findings suggested that medium intensive and intensive grassland utilization by the organic fertilization, which corresponded to annual doses of nitrogen of 84 and 120 kg/ha were the most suitable from the viewpoint of animal nutrition.

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confidence: 99%

Effect of Organic Fertilizers on Botanical Composition of Grassland, Herbage Yield and Quality

Štýbnarová¹,

Mičová²,

Fiala³

et al. 2014

Agriculture (Pol'nohospodárstvo)

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“…Complex interactions among conflicting processes such as competition for space, optimization 405 of space utilization or demand for similar resources can facilitate exclusion (Sebastiá, 2004).…”

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confidence: 99%

“…A significant amount of studies on grassland ecosystems are focused 69 on the influence of soil characteristics on plant community composition (Wellstein et al, 2007), 70 which, together with water, wind and sunlight, represents the bulk of abiotic influences on a 71 plant community (Callaway, 1997;Parfitt et al, 2010). Soil characteristics can be strong 72 predictors of plant community composition (Gough et al, 2000;Tilman and Olff, 1991), 73 although the scale of the studies influences the predictive power of soil parameters like pH, 74 carbon, nitrogen or phosphorus content (Sebastiá, 2004). But not only abiotic factors are 75 influenced by the scale of a study; positive and negative species-species associations can occur 76 at small scales and disappear with increasing scale (Wiegand et al, 2012).…”

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Plant community assembly at small scales: Spatial vs. environmental factors in a European grassland

Horn¹,

Hempel²,

Ristow³

et al. 2015

Acta Oecologica

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24Dispersal limitation and environmental conditions are crucial drivers of plant species 25 distribution and establishment. As these factors operate at different spatial scales, we asked: Do 26 the environmental factors known to determine community assembly at broad scales operate at 27 fine scales (few meters)? How much do these factors account for community variation at fine 28 scales? In which way do biotic and abiotic interactions drive changes in species composition? 29We surveyed the plant community within a dry grassland along a very steep gradient of soil 30 characteristics like pH and nutrients. We used a spatially explicit sampling design, based on 31 three replicated macroplots of 15x15, 12x12 and 12x12 meters in extent. Soil samples were 32 taken to quantify several soil properties (carbon, nitrogen, plant available phosphorus, pH, 33water content and dehydrogenase activity as a proxy for overall microbial activity). We 34 performed variance partitioning to assess the effect of these variables on plant composition and 35 statistically controlled for spatial autocorrelation via eigenvector mapping. We also applied null 36 model analysis to test for non-random patterns in species co-occurrence using randomization 37 schemes that account for patterns expected under species interactions. 38At a fine spatial scale, environmental factors explained 18% of variation when controlling for 39 spatial autocorrelation in the distribution of plant species, whereas purely spatial processes 40 accounted for 14% variation. Null model analysis showed that species spatially segregated in a 41 non-random way and these spatial patterns could be due to a combination of environmental 42 filtering and biotic interactions. Our grassland study suggests that environmental factors found 43 to be directly relevant in broad scale studies are present also at small scales, but are 44 supplemented by spatial processes and more direct interactions like competition.

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“…The plant composition and species richness of permanent grasslands are determined by management practices and site characteristics such as topography, water and nutrient availability, and light conditions (Sebastiá 2004, Tzialla et al 2006, Wellstein et al 2007, Araya et al 2013. Nitrogen (N) is the element most strongly affecting species richness in a grassland sward (Janssens et al 1998), with its impact dependent on soil phosphorus (P) availability.…”

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Effects of cattle slurry application on plant species composition of moderately moist Arrhenatherion grassland

Duffková¹,

Libichová²

2013

PLANT SOIL ENVIRON

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Cattle slurry is frequently used fertilizer on grasslands, but little is known about its effect on plant species composition. The aim of this study was therefore to assess effect of different application rates of cattle slurry (S0 -0, S1 -60, S2 -120, S3 -180, S4 -240 kg N/ha/year) on the plant species composition of three-cut grassland. The study was performed over 6 years on moderately moist upland Arrhenatherion grassland in the Czech Republic dominated by Alopecurus pratensis, Trisetum flavescens, and Poa spp. Species composition recorded in treatments with application of cattle slurry in rate up to 120 kg N/ha/year was similar to the unfertilized control. During first three years, species richness was similar in all treatments and then decreased the most in S4 followed by S3 treatment. Cover of short forbs increased in S0 and decreased with an increase in slurry application rate which supported tall grasses. Application of cattle slurry up to 120 kg N/ha/year can be considered as suitable compromise between maintenance of species rich grasslands and requirements of farmers for sufficient forage production.

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Role of topography and soils in grassland structuring at the landscape and community scales

Cited by 136 publications

References 25 publications

Effect of Organic Fertilizers on Botanical Composition of Grassland, Herbage Yield and Quality

Effect of Organic Fertilizers on Botanical Composition of Grassland, Herbage Yield and Quality

Plant community assembly at small scales: Spatial vs. environmental factors in a European grassland

Effects of cattle slurry application on plant species composition of moderately moist Arrhenatherion grassland

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