Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

The Influence Of Fertiliser Application To Strip-Sown Grasslands On Herbage Production And Quality, A. Kohoutek, P. Komárek, V. Odstrčilová, P. Nerušil

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

To increase the productivity of dairy cattle in the Czech Republic requires an improvement in herbage quality and an increase in the net energy of herbage. The decrease in cattle numbers by 50 % and the expansion of the grassland area both result in a surplus of feedstuffs of low quality. Introduction of strip-seeding of legumes and grasses into grasslands in interaction with fertilisation provides a possible solution to this problem.

Rangeland Ecological Management Counter-Measures Study Of Xinjiang, H. X. Cui, J. Li, S. Asiya, J. L. Zhang, Jialin

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Xinjiang is located in the hinterland of the Asian-Euro continental area and far from the ocean. It is surrounded by mountains and forms a physiognomic landscape of two basins located in three mountains. This results in an extremely droughty continental climate and a harsh environment in the Temperate Zone. However, the geographical environment is diverse in the Xinjiang Autonomous region, the three high mountains and complicated geographical structure results in changes in ecological conditions with altitude and a diverse ecological environment. Because of the drought characteristics the desert area has developed different types of vegetation, and the complexity of the …

Phosphorus Transfer To River Water From Grassland Catchments In Ireland, H. Tunney, P. Jordan, G. Kiely, R. Moles, G. Morgan, P. Byrne, W. Menary, K. Daly

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

In Ireland it is estimated that at least half of phosphorus (P) loss to water is from agricultural sources and National and European Union policy and legislation aim at reducing phosphorus (P) loss to water in order to reduce eutrophication. In Ireland, the average soil test P (STP) levels increased ten-fold, from less than 1 to over 8 mg Morgan P per l soil over the past 50 years, reflecting increased P inputs in fertiliser and animal feed. One of the main objectives of this three-year research programme, started in 2001, was to investigate P loss to water in grassland …

Improving Nutrient Supply Of Grassland Soil, G. Füleky, M. Orbán

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

In the Southern corner of the Eastern Carpathian Mountains is located the hilly region of Barcaság. The total agricultural area is 180 thousand ha of which 90 thousand ha is grassland. The maximum yield of natural grassland does not exceed 1.2 t ha^-1 hay. The aim of this work is to find appropriate fertiliser and liming rates to increase the hay yield and improve the soil nutrient supply.

Benomyl Effects On Plant Productivity Through Arbuscular Mycorrhiza Restriction In A Greek Upland Grassland, M. Orfanoudakis, A. P. Mamolos, F. Karanika, D. S. Veresoglou

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Interactions between plants and microbes are important for plant community structure. Many plants establish symbioses with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, which play a central role in soil fertility, plant nutrition and the maintenance of stability and biodiversity within plant communities by improving uptake of nutrients and water. AM fungi can improve growth/performance in a variety of plant species by influencing intra- and interspecific competition of neighbouring plants and thus regulate coexistence and diversity in mixed communities. The aim was to study AMF effects on plant productivity and diversity in Greek upland grasslands.

Chemical Components And Effects On Soil Quality In Temperate Grazed Pasture Systems, M. H. Beare, D. Curtin, S. Thomas, P. M. Fraser, G. S. Francis

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Key points

1. Legume/grass pastures retain feedbacks on N supply that may help to reduce losses of N to the wider environment.

2. Intensive use of N fertilisers tends to increase SOM turnover and increase losses of N to the environment.

3. Increased use of fertilisers has contributed little to soil organic matter storage in grazed pastoral systems.

The Potential Of Grassland And Associated Forages To Produce Fibre, Biomass, Energy Or Other Feedstocks For Non-Food And Other Sectors: New Uses For A Global Resource, M. F. Askew

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Key points

1. In developed countries increased areas of land will become available for non-food production. Recent reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy will further intensify this trend in Europe.

2. There is potential for grassland and associated species to contribute to large tonnage markets of energy and bulk fibres, to the supply of fermentation products and to speciality markets, but processes and approaches to the market are not as yet developed.

3. There is potential for the establishment of Graminaceous species - specifically for nonfood use. For European conditions particular attention is being given to Miscanthus sinensis (Miscanthus), Arundo …

Analysis Of The Attitude Of Farmers Towards Innovations In The Management Of Grasslands In Poland, P. Goliński, A. Van Den Pol-Van Dasselaar, A. Paszkowski, B. Golińska

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Innovations in the management of grasslands in Poland are important to preserve them as a source of different ecosystem services. In the farmers point of view the most promising is forage production for herbivores, particularly dairy cows. Individual farmers have different opinions about innovations. To stimulate innovations in grassland-based farming systems in Poland, it is important to determine the drivers for their promotion and to define the barriers to overcome problems by their implementation. Analysis of the attitude of Polish farmers towards innovations on grasslands were conducted within the H2020 Inno4Grass project. The majority of respondents were young and had …

Elevated Co2 And Extreme Climatic Events Modify Nitrogen Content And Ruminal Protein Digestion Of Temperate Grassland, V. Niderkorn, C. Picon-Cochard

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

This study was aimed at analyzing changes in nitrogen (N) content and in vitro protein rumen digestion of an upland grassland exposed to climate changes in controlled conditions. Monoliths of grassland were inserted in 12 macrocosms in which climatic conditions for the 2050s were simulated (i.e., +2.3°C and 33 mm less precipitation compared to the current climatic conditions). Six of them were subjected to ambient CO₂ (390 ppm) while the other six were subjected to elevated CO₂ (520 ppm). After four months, an extreme climatic event (ECE) consisting of four weeks of reducted precipitation (-50%) followed by two …

The Type And Quantity Of Plant Litter Influences The Plant Functional Group Growth In An Alpine Meadow, Zhouwen Ma, Fujiang Hou

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Plant functional group (PFG) diversity in a grassland is an important measure of productivity and health. Litter is known to be major driving factors of soil-grass feedbacks in natural grassland. The shift in PFG composition is a significant change that can result many ecological consequences such as litter composition and dynamics (Dong et al., 2019). Decomposition of litter can affect the nutrient and allelochemicals cycling of soil, which affects seed germination and establishment of seedlings (Yuan et al., 2015). Furthermore, PFG characteristics can vary via inputs of the quality or quantity of litter (Galvánek & Lepš, 2012). These compositional changes …

Productivity Of Grasslands In Wielkopolska In Conditions Of Weather Variables Changes In The Last 34 Years, B. Golińska, M. Czerwiński, P. Goliński

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The purpose of this study was the assessment of the effect of climatic changes since 1985 on the productivity of grasslands in Wielkopolska region (Poland). The weather data (precipitation sum, mean, maximum and minimum air temperature, insolation, relative air humidity and wind speed) were collected from 1985 to 2018 at five weather stations located in the region that belong to the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management. Using this data, trends of Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) were determined. Grassland productivity was estimated from data collected by the Central Statistical Office, that refer to meadow hay production for each commune …

Technology Transfer And Education Training And Extension In Grassland Farming, K. G. Rickert

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Stakeholders in grassland farming, including farmers, rural communities, urban consumers, politicians, educators, and service agencies, widely agree that the goal for grassland farming is the triple bottom line: farming systems that are ecologically sustainable, profitable and socially acceptable. This paper considers how extension and training might contribute to that worthy goal by encouraging practitioners to better manage their management environment. The notion of a management environment refers to a holistic consideration of those factors that impact on farmers, farm advisors or educators, that subset of grassland farming ‘practitioners’ within the wider range of stakeholders.

The difficulty faced by these practitioners …

Grassland Landscape Design: Working With Land-Managers, C. J. Pearson, R. K. Mann, I. G. Mann

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

We are entering an era of landscape design in order to simultaneously tackle largescale issues such as salinity and rising water tables, whole-farm profitability and the maintenance or enhancement of rural communities. In Australia, an important element of landscape design will be the reintroduction or broadening of the base of perennial grasses within farm systems. The goal of this project was to accelerate awareness and adoption of perennial grasses in a large but ecologically-specific area, namely the already-cleared steep uplands in the high rainfall recharge areas of the Murray-Darling Basin. We used a participatory model, in which land-managers made monthly …

Modelling Grassland Ecosystems, J. H. M. Thornley

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

In this contribution a view of the promise and difficulties of modelling grassland is given. This is largely centred around work with a grassland ecosystem simulator known as the Hurley Pasture Model.

A brief introduction sets forth possible reasons for building a large ecosystem model, and stresses the importance of modelling objectives. It is suggested that a model is de rigeur for any research programme which aims to take a firm grasp of the complex responses of grassland. Mechanistic models are required to provide the understanding needed for intelligent and flexible management of grassland, whatever the prevailing environmental or economic …