Floristické zmeny degradovaného aluviálneho trávneho porastu v Čiernovážskej doline

Floristic Changes of the Degraded Alluvial Grassland in the Černovažska Valley

Ľubomír Hanzes, Martin Boltižiar, Norbert Britaňák, Iveta Ilavská

In: Geografické informácie (Geographical Information), Ročník (Volume) 26, Číslo (Issue) 2, 2022, p. 203-214, ISSN 1337-9453

DOI: 10.17846/GI.2022.26.2.203-214

Abstract

The absence of the grassland use causes the degradation of a number of non-production and production functions as well. The paper is based on several-years-experiment aimed at revitalizing the long-term unused/abandoned grassland. An experiment was carried out in a mountainous region of Slovakia - at site of Liptovská Teplička (990 m a. s. l.). In the experiment we monitored the impact of revitalization interventions on the floristic composition of grasslands. The experimental phase consisted of one control variant (original, abandoned, untreated grassland) and seven treatment variants, where techniques of mowing, mulching and their combinations were applied. There were 8 trial treatments, namely: Treatment (T) 1 - control (non-utilised grassland); T2 - one cut a year; T3 - one cut a year with biomass left on the stand; T4 - two cuts a year; T5 - mulching once a year; T6 - alternating use (1st year mowing, 2nd year mulching, 3rd year mowing, 4th year mulching); T7 - mulching and one mowing per year; T8 - 1st year mulching, 2nd year mowing, 3rd year mowing, 4th year mowing. At the one-cut treatment, cutting was made at the time of maximum accumulation of above-ground phytomass. This procedure was also implemented in Treatment 5 (mulching once a year). At the multiple-cut treatments, the 1st cut was made at the onset of earing and then at full earing of dominant grasses. At the two-cut treatments, the 2nd cut followed ca 60-65 days after the 1st cut. During the research period, a decrease of the grass component as well as an increase of the legumes was recorded on the treated stands. The highest increase of these plants was observed in the variants with mulching treatments. Herbs dominated mainly in the unused grassland (control variant), and a higher frequency of land use contributed to herbs’ reduction.

Keywords: grassland, revitalization, floristic composition, cutting and mulching management

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