Effect of cattle slurry on soil and herbage chemical properties, yield, nutrient balance and plant species composition of moderately dry Arrhenatherion grassland

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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Effects of Soil Physico-Chemical Properties on Plant Species Composition and Diversity Along an Elevation Gradient Over Alpine Grassland on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China

10.21203/rs.3.rs-756909/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Wangya Han ◽

Li Chen ◽

Xukun Su ◽

Dan Liu ◽

Tiantian Jin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Species Composition ◽

Nitrogen Content ◽

Plant Species ◽

Chemical Properties ◽

Alpine Grassland ◽

Plant Species Composition ◽

Available Nitrogen ◽

Physico Chemical ◽

Soil Available Nitrogen

Abstract Background and aims Alpine grassland on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) is sensitive and fragile, and it is subject to serious degradation. It is essential to determine the effects of soil parameters on plant species to explain grassland degradation. Methods We classified plant communities into six types based on hierarchical clustering. Then we analyzed the effects of soil physico-chemical properties on plant species composition and diversity by canonical ordination and spatial regression from an elevation perspective. Results Elevation class had significant effects on soil moisture content, soil pH, and soil available nitrogen content. The primary soil parameter affecting plant species composition and diversity in alpine grassland was soil available nitrogen content. The effect of soil available nitrogen content on plant species richness varied at different elevations. For Gramineae plants (G), plant species richness declined with the increase in soil available nitrogen content at low elevation, but rose at middle elevation. Soil available nitrogen content had a more significant limiting effect on species richness at high elevation. Conclusion Analyzing the relationship between plant species and soil physico-chemical properties increases our understanding of grassland degradation, and will improve grassland restoration programs and responses to climate change.

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Long-term dynamics of biomass production, soil chemical properties and plant species composition of alluvial grassland after the cessation of fertilizer application in the Czech Republic

Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment ◽

10.1016/j.agee.2008.12.008 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 130 (3-4) ◽

pp. 123-130 ◽

Cited By ~ 38

Author(s):

Zuzana Hrevušová ◽

Michal Hejcman ◽

Vilém V. Pavlů ◽

Josef Hakl ◽

Michaela Klaudisová ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Czech Republic ◽

Species Composition ◽

Plant Species ◽

Biomass Production ◽

Chemical Properties ◽

Fertilizer Application ◽

Soil Chemical Properties ◽

Plant Species Composition ◽

The Czech Republic

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Effect of fertiliser application and cutting regime on temporal differentiation of mesic semi-natural grassland vegetation

Italian Journal of Agronomy ◽

10.4081/ija.2019.1405 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 14 (3) ◽

pp. 153-161

Author(s):

Jure Čop ◽

Klemen Eler

Keyword(s):

Species Composition ◽

Functional Groups ◽

Plant Species ◽

Shannon Index ◽

Distinct Pattern ◽

Plant Species Composition ◽

Cattle Slurry ◽

Grassland Vegetation ◽

Mineral N ◽

Cutting Regimes

To address biodiversity and agronomic value of grasslands, we attempted to determine the effect of management regimes on temporal plant species diversity of Arrhenatherion grassland vegetation over a 7-year period. In a split-plot experiment, three cutting regimes (traditional 2-cut system, modified and regular 4-cut systems) and five fertilisation regimes [i) zero; ii) phosphoruspotassium (PK); iii) cattle slurry; iv) nitrogen-PK (NPK) plus cattle slurry; v) NPK] were assigned to the main plots and the subplots, respectively. Significant temporal changes in plant species composition, abundance of functional groups, plant richness and Shannon index were found for most investigated regimes. The effects of fertilisation regimes on all investigated parameters were much stronger than cutting regimes. Generally, two distinct pathways of sward compositional development were found, depending on whether the mineral N was added or not. Differentiation in the plant species composition and abundance of functional groups started in the second year and continued with the progress of the experiment. A quite distinct pattern of change in the plant species composition was found for PK where initially higher abundance of legumes triggered the sward development similar to the slurryfertilisation regime. The fertilisation with high N rates caused temporal decrease in species richness and Shannon index. Other fertilisation treatments did not affect these two diversity parameters in a seven-year period. The cutting regimes did not temporally differentiate the sward regarding plant species composition and abundance of functional groups. They affected only plant species composition in the seventh year and indicated some effect on the temporal change of Shannon index.

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