Short-Term Abandonment versus Mowing in a Mediterranean-Temperate Meadow: Effects on Floristic Composition, Plant Functionality, and Soil Properties—A Case Study

Hay meadows are secondary grasslands maintained by mowing, and their ecological importance resides in the inherent biodiversity and carbon stocking. We investigated the plant community and soil properties of a sub humid acid grassland near the Fucecchio marshes (Italy), managed as a hay meadow, mowed once a year, and not fertilized. Part of the meadow had been abandoned for three years. We analysed the soil properties (i.e., organic carbon and total nitrogen content, available phosphorus, pH, cation-exchange capacity, texture, and conductibility) and the plant community structure (composition, functionality, and species richness) of the two sides of the meadow (mowed and abandoned). Our aim was to highlight the changes in soil properties and vegetation community, and to find out to what extent abandonment can affect those dynamics. Our results showed that after short-term abandonment, soil pH, C and N increased; litter biomass and perennial forbs increased; and annual forbs decreased. New species colonising after abandonment, thus enriching the flora, may keep spreading and eventually hinder the growth of the specialists if mowing is not resumed. Certain valuable meadow habitats need constant human intervention to maintain their peculiar vegetation, most especially if they are a buffer zone in the proximity of natural protected areas.

Comparative analysis of grassland habitats of Ukraine in terms of richness and diversity

Using the big dataset (17,687 vegetation plots), a comparative analysis of grassland habitats of Ukraine in terms of species richness, Shannon and Simpson diversity indices and Pielou and Smith-Wilson evenness indices was performed. Leading positions of thermophilous forest fringe and hay meadows, especially mountain ones, in almost all indices were revealed. Instead, halophytic habitats show the lowest rates in the vast majority of analyzes. In addition to these general patterns, the analysis revealed the following trends: in almost all analyzes (except for the values of the Smith- Wilson index) habitats formed on carbonate rocks had greater richness and diversity than those formed on rocks of silicates; in almost all cases (except the Pielou index) oligotrophic wet grasslands were characterized by higher values of richness and diversity than eutrophic ones; in all analyzes, mountain habitats were characterized by higher values of richness and diversity than similar lowland habitats.

Agricultural Intensification and Soil Fertility in Atlantic Spain, 1750–1890

This article describes the intensification process of agriculture and its environmental limits regarding soil fertility in the rural community of Fonsagrada, in the inner region of Galicia in northwestern Spain. It addresses changes in land use, crops, and agricultural productivity between 1750 and 1890, framed within the theory of social metabolism and based on the method of nutrient balances. That technique measures nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium flows across the landscape within a given agro-ecosystem to assess its biophysical functioning and to detect environmental constraints related to management. The intensification of cropland resulted in net losses of potassium in outlying rough grazing land and hay meadows that served as the sources of cropland nutrients. Agricultural intensification was possible due to the close stabling of livestock, which allowed for more manure availability. Doing so, however, deprived pastureland of nutrient recover through manure deposition, which created a metabolic rift in the agro-ecosystem.

Settlement characteristics of The Emerald Network "Khukhra" and "Riabyna" objects in Sumy region

The current state of biotope’s vegetation cover by natural and spontaneous origin of the Khukhra and Riabyna river valleys was researched, which are left-bank tributaries of the Vorskla river, as fragments of the preserved landscape within one of the western spurs of the Central Russian Upland. They are listed as perspective objects of the Emerald Network — Riabyna river valley in Sumy region (UA0000427) and Khukhra river valley in Sumy region (UA0000429). The obtained new data on environmental significance are data for the primary database formation in the monitoring organization of these territorial objects. The researched areas are mainly floodplains, small segments of pine terraces and slope’s fragments of these rivers native banks. The presence numbers of biotopes from Resolution 4 of the Berne Convention (C1.222; C1.223; C1.224, C1.32; C1.33; C1.4; C2.33; C2.34; C3.51; D5.2; E2.2; E5.4; F9.1; G1.11; G1.21; G1.22; G1.A4; G1.A1) are given for both explored objects, in addition, for the valley of the Riabyna river are indicated E1.3; E3.4, and for the Khukhra river — C3.4; E1.2. We have not confirmed the existence of such biotopes as C3.4, E1.3, C1.4 for these objects. Also, the presence of Sarmatian-type pine forests (G3.4232) was noted, which are timed to the elevations of pine terraces. Biotopes with constant excessive moisture are ubiquitous in the waters of low-flow artificial ponds. Eutrophic and mesotrophic vegetation of slow-flowing waters often occurs in shallow water along riverbeds. Biotopes groups of dwarf annual amphibious plants were observed only in fragments. Lowland swamps with sedge thickets without stagnant water are widespread in the floodplain, although they occupy small areas. Biotopes flooded pasture and hay meadows are a variety of options coenotic (herbaceous and cereal, wet and moist high-grass meadows). Biotopes of riparian shrubs, willow and willow-poplar floodplain forests are distributed in small fragments in the riverbed of floodplains. Mixed riparian floodplain and gallery forests occur in low-lying areas at the transition from the floodplain to the pine terrace. In general, shrub and forest vegetation on the terraces of these rivers are currently quite limited and fragmentary. Due to the reduction in the use of hayfields, in the floodplain the presence of indigenous forest remnants is quite relevant, which should be a source for their restoration in large areas. Important environmental object in these areas, as part of the Emerald Network is the local population of Ostericum palustre, and in the valley of the Khukhra river discovered a large population.

An unknown hotspot of plant diversity in the heart of the Central Apennine: flora and vegetation outline of Mt. Pozzoni-St. Rufo valley (Cittareale, Rieti)

Surprisingly enough, Italy still has some botanically unexplored areas; among these there are some territories between Lazio, Umbria and Abruzzo not included in any protected area. The study area, ranging for 340 ha, includes the mountainous area of Mt. Pozzoni-Mt. Prato-St. Rufo valley, which forms the upper part of the river Velino basin, located in the territory of the municipality of Cittareale (Rieti, Lazio), at an elevation from 1150 to 1903 m a.s.l. The substrate is mainly made of marly limestone of the Meso-Cenozoic Umbria-Marche sedimentary succession. The climate is Temperate and comprises vegetation belts from the montane to sub-alpine. Land cover is dominated by pastures and deciduous forests, with only a few hay meadows. 794 entities have been detected: 16% are considered rare or very rare for the regional territory with several floristic novelties for the regional flora, 6% of the total was found to be endemic to Italy and only eight taxa were aliens. Four taxa are new for the regional flora of Lazio: Arum cylindraceum, Alopecurus pratensis subsp. pratensis, Hieracium bupleuroides and Trinia glauca subsp. glauca. Forest vegetation is represented by beech forests, while dry grasslands are the most widespread vegetation type. The greatest phytocoenotic diversity was found within the secondary pastures. Particularly interesting is the plant community with Iris marsica, which suggests that limestone mountain ledges can represent a primary habitat for this endemic species of the Central Apennine. The presence of several habitats listed in the EU Habitat Directive indicates how the lack of detailed territorial knowledge can lead to the non-designation of conservation sites in areas of high naturalistic value. These findings showed that botanical explorations in territories which are still not known could contribute significantly to the identification of areas of high interest in conserving plant diversity.

Effects of Management Practices on Soil Properties and Plant Nutrition in Hay Meadows in Picos de Europa

Fertilization and mowing affects the physico-chemical properties of soils, as well as the characteristics of the plants growing on them. Changes in the management techniques are causing semi-natural grasslands to disappear all over Europe. These grasslands host a great amount of diversity, thus their conservation is a top priority. This work studies whether the kind of management has an influence on the soil properties and the foliar content in macronutrients in 25 hay meadows located in Picos de Europa (10 in Asturias, 10 in Castilla y León and 5 in Cantabria). Soils at a 0–20 cm depth showed a high content of organic matter and a low C/N ratio. Effective cation exchange capacity was adequate for a texture, which varied from sandy clay loam to loam, with an average clay content of 17%. Mean values of foliar nutrient concentrations showed a deficiency in K. In this study, management practices were shown to affect some properties of the soils, namely pH, sand percentage and exchangeable K and Ca, to different extents. The highest values of pH and exchangeable Ca were significantly correlated with the least intensive management.