scholarly journals Exploring Assembly Trajectories of Abandoned Grasslands in Response to 10 Years of Mowing in Sub-Mediterranean Context

Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1158
Author(s):  
Alessandro Bricca ◽  
Federico Maria Tardella ◽  
Arianna Ferrara ◽  
Tiziana Panichella ◽  
Andrea Catorci

Abandoned semi-natural grasslands are characterized by lower plant diversity as a consequence of tall grasses spreading. Mowing is a widely used restoration practice, but its effects to maintain the restored diversity over time is poorly investigated in sub-Mediterranean grasslands. Since 2010 in the central Apennines, we fenced a grassland, invaded by Brachypodium rupestre, which was mowed twice a year. Before the experiment started, we recorded species cover in 30 random sampling units (0.5 m × 0.5 m). The sampling was repeated every two years for a total of ten years. We used linear mixed-effect models to investigate the trajectory of functional diversity and community weighted mean for traits related to space occupation, resource exploitation, temporal niche exploitation, and Grime’s CSR strategies. The reduction of the weaker competitor exclusion exerted by B. rupestre affected the functional plant community. In the short term (4–6 years), this fostered space occupation strategies, decreasing convergence of clonal strategies and horizontal space occupation types. In the longer term (8–10 years), mowing filtered ruderal strategies, i.e., species with faster resource acquisition (lower leaf dry matter content, LDMC). LDMC and CSR strategies, initially convergent due to the dominance of B. rupestre, lowered convergence over time due to higher differentiation of strategies.

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
François Vasseur ◽  
Kevin Sartori ◽  
Etienne Baron ◽  
Florian Fort ◽  
Elena Kazakou ◽  
...  

AbstractBackground and aimsThe ‘CSR classification’ categorizes plant species between stress-tolerators, ruderals (R) and competitors (C). Initially proposed as a general framework to describe ecological strategies at the interspecific level, this scheme has recently been used to investigate the variation of strategies within species. For instance, ample variation along the S-R axis was found in Arabidopsis thaliana, with stress-tolerator accessions predominating in hot and dry regions.MethodsIn this study, the range of CSR strategies within A. thaliana was evaluated across 426 accessions originating from North Africa to Scandinavia. A position in the CSR strategy space was allocated for every accession based on three functional traits: leaf area, leaf dry matter content (LDMC) and specific leaf area (SLA). Results were related to climate at origin and compared to a previous study performed on the same species. Furthermore, the role of natural selection in phenotypic differentiation between lineages was investigated with Qst-Fst comparisons, using the large genetic information available for this species.Key resultsSubstantial variation in ecological strategies along the S-R axis was found in A. thaliana. By contrast with previous findings, stress-tolerator accessions predominated in cold climates, notably Scandinavia, where late flowering was associated with traits related to resource conservation such as high LDMC and low SLA. Because of trait plasticity, variations in CSR classification to growth conditions were also observed for the same genotypes.ConclusionsThere is a latitudinal gradient of ecological strategies in A. thaliana as a result of within-species adaptation to climate. Our study also underlines the importance of growth conditions and of the methodology used for trait measurement, notably age versus stage measurement, to infer the strength and direction of trait-environment relationships. Taken together, this highlights the potential and limitations of the CSR classification to explain functional adaptation to the environment.


2009 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 119-125
Author(s):  
G. Hadi

The dry matter and moisture contents of the aboveground vegetative organs and kernels of four maize hybrids were studied in Martonvásár at five harvest dates, with four replications per hybrid. The dry matter yield per hectare of the kernels and other plant organs were investigated in order to obtain data on the optimum date of harvest for the purposes of biogas and silage production.It was found that the dry mass of the aboveground vegetative organs, both individually and in total, did not increase after silking. During the last third of the ripening period, however, a significant reduction in the dry matter content was sometimes observed as a function of the length of the vegetation period. The data suggest that, with the exception of extreme weather conditions or an extremely long vegetation period, the maximum dry matter yield could be expected to range from 22–42%, depending on the vegetation period of the variety. The harvest date should be chosen to give a kernel moisture content of above 35% for biogas production and below 35% for silage production. In this phenophase most varieties mature when the stalks are still green, so it is unlikely that transport costs can be reduced by waiting for the vegetative mass to dry.


2020 ◽  
pp. 16-19
Author(s):  
Е.В. Янченко

Цель исследований – дать оценку сохраняемости и болезнеустойчивости современных сортов и гибридов моркови столовой и определить корреляционные зависимости влияния биохимических показателей качества на сохраняемость и степень поражения моркови столовой различными видами болезней в процессе хранения. Исследования проводились в 2011–2016 годах во ВНИИО – филиале ФГБНУ ФНЦО по общепринятым методикам. В биохимической лаборатории отдела земледелия и агрохимии содержание сухого вещества определяли высушиванием до абсолютно сухого веса, общего сахара – по Бертрану, аскорбиновой кислоты – по Мурри, нитраты – ионоселективным методом. При характеристике моркови столовой важнейший показатель, определяющий его качество – количество сухого вещества и сахаров. В процессе хранения были выявлены следующие болезни моркови: серая гниль (Botrytis cinerea Pers. ex Fr.), белая гниль (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.)), белая парша (Rhizoctonia carotae Rad.), альтернариоз (Alternaria radicina M., Dr. et E.). В большей степени сортообразцы моркови столовой поражались серой гнилью. Лучшими по сохраняемости сортообразцами были Корсар (94,6%), F1Берлин (94,5%), Берликум Роял (94,1%) и F1 Звезда (94%). Сохраняемость у зарубежных сортов и гибридов моркови столовой была немного выше, чем у отечественных (на 0,4%) как за счет меньшей величины убыли массы (6,3% против 6,4%), так и потерь от болезней (1,6% против 1,9%). Сохраняемость корнеплодов моркови находится в прямой корреляционной зависимости от содержания сухого вещества (r=+0,41), каротиноидов (r=+0,39), моносахаров (r­=+0,30) и суммы сахаров (r=+0,27). Проявление серой гнили находится в обратной корреляционной связи с содержанием сухого вещества и каротиноидов (r=-0,37 и r=-0,35 соответственно), белой парши – в прямой корреляции с содержанием сухого вещества , моносахаров и дисахаров (r= +0,21; r= +0,39; r= -0,41 соответственно), белой гнили в обратной корреляционной связи с содержанием сухого вещества, моносахаров и дисахаров. The purpose of the research is to assess the persistence and disease resistance of modern varieties and hybrids of carrots and to determine the correlation between the influence of biochemical quality indicators on the persistence and degree of damage to carrots by various types of diseases during storage. The research was conducted in 2011–2016 at ARRIVG – branch of FSBSI FSVC, according to generally accepted methods. In the biochemical laboratory of the Department of Agriculture and Agrochemistry, the dry matter content was determined by drying to absolutely dry weight, total sugar – by Bertran, ascorbic acid – by Murri, nitrates – by the ion-selective method. When describing carrots, the most important indicator that determines its quality is the amount of dry matter and sugars. During storage, the following diseases of carrots were detected: gray rot (Botrytis cinerea Pers. ex Fr.), white rot (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.), white scab (Rhizoctonia carotae Rad.), alternariasis (Alternaria radicina M., Dr. et E.). To a greater extent, varieties of table carrots were affected by gray rot. The best preserved varieties were Corsar (94.6%), F1 Berlin (94.5%), Berlicum Royal (94.1%) and F1 Zvezda (94%). The persistence of foreign varieties and hybrids of table carrots was slightly higher than that of domestic ones by 0.4%. both due to a smaller amount of weight loss (6.3% vs. 6.4%) and losses from diseases (1.6% vs. 1.9%). The persistence of carrot root crops is directly correlated with the content of dry matter (r=+0.41), carotenoids (r=+0.39), monosaccharides (r=+0.30) and the amount of sugars (r=+0.27). The manifestation of gray rot is in inverse correlation with the content of dry matter and carotenoids (r=-0.37 and r=-0.35, respectively), white scab is in direct correlation with the content of dry matter (r= +0.21; r= +0.39; r= –0.41, respectively), white rot is in inverse correlation with the content of dry matter, monosaccharides and disaccharides.


2017 ◽  
Vol 43 (8) ◽  
pp. 1234
Author(s):  
Dao-Bin TANG ◽  
Jian-Gang AN ◽  
Yi DING ◽  
Hui BAI ◽  
Kai ZHANG ◽  
...  

1992 ◽  
Vol 25 (7) ◽  
pp. 319-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Wellinger ◽  
U. Baserga ◽  
K. Egger

Two new systems for the digestion of solid wastes at thermophilic temperatures were developped and are currently being investigated at our research institute. The first system (ANCOM) was designed to process straw-rich cattle manure with a natural dry matter content of 18% to 22%. First results demonstrated a good specific gas production of 1.2 m3 biogas per m3 digester volume and day (54% methane) corresponding to a gas yield of 400 l per kg VS. A second digester system was developed to treat fruit, garden and vegetable (FGV-) waste. Because FGV-waste tends to float, a stirred tank reactor was designed in cooperation with an engineering firm. The reactor includes a distinguished new stirring system taking up strong shear forces and a hydraulic feeding system which guarantees that even during recirculation of the material, the hygenized digested substrate leaving the digester is not brought in contact with the fresh incoming material. First results measured at an HRT of 40 days demonstrated a specific gas production of 2.7 m3 per m3 fermenter and day.


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