scholarly journals Vegetation Cover and Tumuli’s Shape as Affecting Factors of Microclimate and Biodeterioration Risk for the Conservation of Etruscan Tombs (Tarquinia, Italy)

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 3393
Author(s):  
Giulia Caneva ◽  
Simone Langone ◽  
Flavia Bartoli ◽  
Adele Cecchini ◽  
Carlo Meneghini

The conservation of underground tombs is affected by several physical-chemical and biological factors, which could be reduced by insulating systems able to maintain the microclimatic stability also decreasing the biodeterioration risk. In Mediterranean areas, wild ephemeral plants, which reduce their cover during the hot season, seem unsuitable for reducing summer overheating. In this study, we wish to assess the influence of vegetation cover and of overlaying soil, after the establishment of an evergreen turf of a cultivar of Cynodon dactylon, on two tombs in the Etruscan Necropolis of Monterozzi, covered by linear-shaped tumuli. Therefore, we evaluated for 10 months the thermo-hygrometric values of these tombs, together with two tombs as controls. We also evaluated the different tumuli’s morphologies and the related received solar radiation. Results confirmed that late summer and early autumn as critical microclimatic periods for the risk factors of hypogeal paintings when peaks of superficial temperature occur. A positive influence of vegetation cover on maintaining constant humidity and internal temperatures was detected, but the mounds orientation, as well as soil depth, seems to have a relevant role. Considering the naturalistic features of the area and the related cultural ecosystem services, a careful selection of wild plants is suggested.

Weed Science ◽  
1984 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 138-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Baruch Rubin ◽  
Abraham Benjamin

Solar heating (SH) of wet soil by mulching it with transparent polyethylene (PE) during the hot season increased soil temperature in a typical daily course which varied with soil depth. Annual weed species responded to soil heating in the laboratory with the same pattern as under SH conditions in the field. Rhizomes of bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylonL. Pers. ♯3CYNDA) and johnsongrass (Sorghum halepenseL. Pers. ♯ SORHA) were very sensitive to heat treatment, but purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundusL. ♯ CYPRO) tubers were able to survive temperatures as high as 80 C for 30 min. Species having big and heavy seeds or vegetative propagules were able to emerge from deep layers of soil, thus practically escaping the lethal temperature prevailing in the upper layer. Transparent and black PE mulching effectively prevented water loss from soil, as compared with perforated PE and nonmulched control. CO2concentration in the soil atmosphere under transparent PE mulching increased rapidly during the first week and reached a maximal level which was 20-fold higher than that formed in nonmulched soil. Ethylene at 0.2 ppm was detected only in a mulched soil environment. No differences in levels of CH4or CO were detected.


Author(s):  
М. А. Babaeva ◽  
S. V. Osipova

The regularities of changes in the resistance of different groups of fodder plants to adverse conditions were studied. This is due to the physiological properties that allow them to overcome the harmful effects of the environment. As a result of research species - plant groups with great adaptive potential to the harsh continental semi-desert conditions were identified. Monitoring observation and experimental studies showed too thin vegetation cover as a mosaic, consisting of perennial xerophytic herbs and semishrubs, sod grasses, saltwort and wormwood, as well as ephemera and ephemeroids under the same environmental conditions, depending on various climatic and anthropogenic factors. This is due to the inability or instability of plant species to aggressive living environment. It results in horizontal heterogeneity of the grass stand, division into smaller structures, and mosaic in the vegetation cover of the Kochubey biosphere station. The relative resistance to moderate stress was identified in the following species from fodder plants Agropyron cristatum, A. desertorum, Festuca valesiaca, Cynodon dactylon, Avena fatua; as for strong increasing their abundance these are poorly eaten plant species Artemisia taurica, Atriplex tatarica, Falcaria vulgaris, Veronica arvensis, Arabidopsis thaliana and other. On the site with an increasing pressure in the herbage of phytocenoses the number of xerophytes of ruderal species increases and the spatial structure of the vegetation cover is simplified. In plant communities indigenous species are replaced by adventive plant species. The mosaic of the plant cover of phytocenoses arises due to the uneven distribution in the space of environmental formation, i.e. an edificatory: Salsola orientalis, S. dendroides, Avena fatua, Cynodon dactylon, Artemisia taurica, A. lercheanum, Xanthium spinosum, Carex pachystyli, under which the remaining components of the community adapt. Based on the phytocenotic indicators of pasture phytocenoses it can be concluded that the vegetation cover is in the stage of ecological stress and a decrease in the share of fodder crops and an increase in the number of herbs indicates this fact.


2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 12-13
Author(s):  
Jordan Adams ◽  
Rodney Farris ◽  
Scott Clawson ◽  
Earl Ward ◽  
Paul Beck

Abstract We evaluated the effects of supplementing dried distillers’ grains cubes (DDGS) and re-implantation of steers (n = 149; BW = 238 ± 13.8 kg) grazing tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea)/bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) pastures (n = 9 pastures, 7.2 ± 2.90 ha) from 14 April to 17 September 2020 (n = 155 d) in a split-plot design on steer performance and forage production. Main plot supplemental treatments (n = 3 pastures/treatment) included 1) Fertilized Control (FC), no supplementation on fertilized pastures (112 kg N/ha); 2) Fertilized Supplement (FS), supplemental DDGS fed at 2.9 kg 3-d/wk on fertilized pastures; and 3) Supplement (S), supplemented DDGS at 0.75% BW/d on unfertilized pastures prorated for 5-d/wk feeding. Steers were previously implanted during receiving with 40 mg trenbolone acetate and 8 mg estradiol (REV-G; Revalor G, Merck Animal Health). On July 7, steers in each pasture were randomly assigned to one of three re-implant treatments: 1) no re-implant; 2) REV-G; or 3) 200 mg progesterone and 20 mg estradiol (Synovex S, Zoetis Animal Health). Steers in FS and S gained more (P < 0.01) than FC throughout the trial and final BW was greater (P < 0.01) for FS and S compared with FC. Unexpectedly, re-implanting had no effect on ADG (P = 0.57) or BW (P = 0.34), but statistical power may be lacking. Supplemental efficiency was greater in the late summer for FS (P = 0.05) compared to S. Fertilizing pastures in FS and FC did not affect biomass (P = 0.39), however, CP was increased (P = 0.01) and acid and neutral detergent fibers tended to decrease (P = 0.06) relative to S in the early summer (April, May, June, and July), but did not differ in late summer (August and September). Based upon our analysis, DDGS is a suitable supplement and can replace N fertilizer for steers grazing introduced pastures.


2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 539 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Beck ◽  
T. Hess ◽  
D. Hubbell ◽  
M. S. Gadberry ◽  
J. Jennings ◽  
...  

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of including alfalfa (ALF, Medicago sativa L.) or a combination of white (Trifolium repens L.) and red (Trifolium pretense L.) clovers (CLVR) inter-seeded into bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L. Pers.) on herbage nutritive value compared with monocultures of bermudagrass fertilised with 0 (0N), 56 (56N), or 112 (112N) kg nitrogen (N)/ha over four grazing seasons. In autumn, at the end of the fourth year and in the spring before the fifth grazing season, alfalfa and clover plants were killed and the carryover N benefit of CLVR or ALF was compared with N fertilisation rates during the fifth year. Across years, N fertilisation rate increased herbage mass and carrying capacity linearly; whereas herbage production from CLVR and ALF swards was equivalent to 56N, were greater than 0N and less than 112N. Herbage mass in CLVR and ALF swards was greater than fertilised bermudagrass swards in the spring and did not differ from fertilised bermudagrass in the early summer. In late summer herbage accumulation of CLVR and ALF swards appeared to decrease, limiting the herbage mass in the legume pastures compared with 56N and 112N. Carrying capacity of CLVR and ALF swards was greater than fertilised bermudagrass in the spring and early summer, but did not differ from fertilised swards in the late summer. The N benefit of including legumes in bermudagrass swards can alleviate the reliance on synthetic N fertilisation with little overall effect on pasture carrying capacity.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 157-162
Author(s):  
Vera Valentinovna Solovieva

The study covered 10 small rivers in the North-Eastern part of the Samara Volga region. The author studied the vegetation cover, which is understood as a set of phytocoenoses and their constituent plant species. On the territory of Pokhvistnevsky District, there are two groups of river valleys that are heterogeneous in geobotanical terms. The first group includes the rivers with forested valleys (Kutlugush, Murakla, Karmalka). Their slopes are more or less symmetrical and steep. The vegetation cover of an undeveloped floodplain is usually uniform, and there is usually no belt. The valleys of the second group are treeless; their slopes are sharply asymmetrical (Amanak, Tergala, Talkish). The right-bank tributary of the Maly Kinel River the Lozovka River with its length of 20 km and the left tributary Kuvayka River with its length of 16 km were studied on the territory of Kinel-Cherkassky District. The Padovka and Zaprudka rivers and the right tributaries of the Bolshoi Kinel River (Kinelsky District) were also studied. The most common associations are (Salix fragilis heteroherbosa, Scirpus sylvaticus purum, Agrostis stolonifera Amoria repens, Elytrigia repens + Poa angustifolia heteroherbosa). In total, 19 types of phytocoenoses were noted, 4 of them are found in half of the studied rivers. In the plant communities of small river valleys there are 232 species of higher wild plants, which belong to 139 genera from 48 families. This is 60% of the total number of higher plants registered in the flora of small river valleys of the Samara Region. Rare protected plant species are registered here: Adonis volgensis Steven ex DC., Cacalia hastata L., Delphinium cuneatum Stev. ex DC., Globularia punctata Lapeyr.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Bingqin Zhao ◽  
Lun Zhang ◽  
Zhenyao Xia ◽  
Wennian Xu ◽  
Lu Xia ◽  
...  

Rainfall events coupled with shallow and gravelly sloping farmland have led to serious soil erosion and associated problems in the Three Gorges reservoir. Previous studies have shown that the use of vegetation is an effective way to control soil erosion. Therefore, an artificial, simulated rainfall experiment study is conducted to determine the effect of rainfall intensity and vegetation cover on runoff volume, sediment load, and runoff hydraulics characteristics. The experiment consists of seven vegetation treatments subjected to three rainfall intensities on a soil that contains rock fragments on a slope of 30°. The results indicate that the runoff volume and sediment load of the bare plot were greater than those of vegetation-covered plots under three different rainfall intensities. When Cynodon dactylon and Indigofera amblyantha were applied together, the plot displayed the best performance for soil loss control, with a reduction of 87.88%–99.11%. According to a redundancy analysis, the change in rainfall intensity had the least impact on the Reynolds number and the runoff volume of the herb-shrub mixed plot in this study. These findings suggest that the effect of combining Cynodon dactylon and Indigofera amblyantha and increasing the vegetation coverage is an effective solution for soil and water loss conservation. The application of this method can alleviate environmental stress on the Three Gorges reservoir.


HortScience ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 28 (10) ◽  
pp. 1015-1016 ◽  
Author(s):  
B.J. Johnson

Pendimethalin and oxadiazon are used commonly to control crabgrasses (Digitaria spp.) in tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) and common bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.]. A field experiment was conducted for 2 years to determine if reduced pendimethalin and oxadiazon application rates would control large crabgrass [D. sanguinalis (L.) Sco.] effectively in tall fescue and common bermudagrass. Oxadiazon applied at 1.1 kg a.i./ha in each of two applications at a 60-day interval (less than recommended rate) effectively controlled large crabgrass (≥93%), regardless of turfgrass species. Pendimethalin applied at 1.1 kg a.i./ha in each of two applications controlled large crabgrass in common bermudagrass effectively (≥90%) but not large crabgrass in tall fescue (47%). The difference in pendimethalin performance between the two species was attributed to the ability of common bermudagrass to compete more successfully than tall fescue with large crabgrass during late summer. Chemical names used: 3-[2,4-dichloro-5-(1-methylethoxy)phenyl]-5-(1,1-dimethylethy1)-l,3,4-oxadiazol-2-(3 H)-one (oxadiazon); N-(1-ethylpropyl)-3,4-dimethyl-2,6-dinitrobenzenamine (pendimethalin).


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashraf Tubeileh ◽  
Francis Turkelboom ◽  
Anwar Al-Ibrahem ◽  
Richard Thomas ◽  
Kholoud Sultan-Tubeileh

The majority of olive (Olea europaeaL.) production in Mediterranean environments is characterized by low external inputs and is practiced in hilly areas with shallow soils. This study aimed to study the yield and nutritional status for olive (cv. “Zeiti”) trees in northwestern Syria and establish correlations between yield, on the one hand, and soil/land factors and tree nutrition, on the other hand, to determine the most yield-affecting factors. Land and soil fertility parameters (field slope, soil depth, and soil nutrients) and concentrations of leaf minerals were determined. As olive roots can go deep in the soil profile to extract nutrients, the total available nutrients per tree (over the whole profile) were estimated. Multiple regression analyses were performed to determine the model that best accounts for yield variability. Total available soil potassium amount (R2=0.68), soil total N amount (R2=0.59), and soil depth (R2=0.56) had the highest correlations with olive fruit yields. Available soil potassium amount and soil depth explained together 77% of the yield variability observed. In addition to these two factors, adding leaf B and Fe concentrations to the model increased the variability explained to 83%.


2006 ◽  
Vol 36 (11) ◽  
pp. 2943-2954 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina M Rumbaitis del Rio

Catastrophic windthrow and postdisturbance salvage logging each have the potential to profoundly influence understory vegetation communities. This study compared understory vegetation cover, composition, and diversity in Routt National Forest, a subalpine forest in northwestern Colorado that sustained a 10 000 ha blowdown in 1997 and was partially salvage logged in 1999. Understory and edaphic variables were measured in five heavily wind-disturbed Picea–Abies stands, five stands salvage logged 20 months after the blowdown, and five intact stands. Understory species cover and diversity were greater in blown down areas than in salvage-logged or control areas. Community composition of each treatment area was distinct and related to a gradient in organic soil depth, which reflected the severity of understory disturbance. Composition and diversity in blowdown areas relative to control areas stabilized in the 5 years following the blowdown, but vegetation cover continued to increase. Blowdown areas contained early and late successional species. Salvage-logged areas exhibited a shift towards graminoid dominance. This structural change could delay future conifer seedling establishment. The interaction among disturbance severity, understory vegetation composition, and regeneration dynamics should be considered in future decisions to salvage log similar areas because the long-term effects of salvage logging are unknown.


Weed Science ◽  
1975 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 349-353 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. J. Johnson

Field and greenhouse experiments were conducted on bentazon [3-isopropyl-1H-2,1,3-benzothiadiazin-4(3H)one 2,2-dioxide] at 2.2 and 4.4 kg/ha and perfluidone {1,1,1-trifluoro-N-[2-methyl-4-(phenylsulfonyl) phenyl] methanesulfonamide} at 4.5 and 9.0 kg/ha for purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundusL.) control and tolerance of five turfgrasses. A single application of each herbicide was applied to purple nutsedge, but single and repeated applications were applied to turfgrasses. Purple nutsedge control during the initial year of treatment was 98 to 100% when bentazon was applied in late spring, but the control was only 28 to 68% when applied in mid or late summer. Perfluidone controlled 76 to 87% of purple nutsedge when applied in late spring and 95 to 100% when applied in late summer. Bentazon treatments generally did not cause turf injury. In the field, perfluidone treatments injured St. Augustinegrass [Stenotaphrum secundatum(Walt.) Kuntze], zoysia grass (Zoysia japonica×Z. teniuflolia‘Emerald’), centipedegrass [Erenoehloa ophiuroides(Munro) Hack.], and common bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon(L.) Pers.]. ‘Tifway’ bermudagrass was generally tolerant to perfluidone treatments. In the greenhouse, perfluidone reduced the root growth of all turfgrasses except centipedegrass when compared with untreated checks.


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