|
|
Supporting grassland biodiversity through small-scale fallows
Fabšičová, Martina ; Frei, I. ; Jiroušek, M. ; Smetanová, S. ; Šipoš, Jan ; Trnka, F. ; Vymyslický, T. ; Winkler, J. ; Zdražílková, M.
The main goal of the methodology presented here is to propose a system of recommendations for applying fallow in nature conservation based on our experiments. Due to the independence of agricultural land outside specially protected areas with direct payments from the Ministry of Agriculture, it is currently important to apply the methodology, especially in large protected areas where the primary objective is to preserve natural and cultural heritage. Annual and perennial fallows, i.e. biotopes adapted toregular soil disturbance, offer suitable habitats for a number of now-threatened plant and animal species. This is a technically and economically easy solution, but it is challenging to select a suitable location to achieve maximum efficiency. Ploughing must not be used in species-rich grasslands which would lead to ruderalization and degradation of the native vegetation. Furthermore, it must not be carried out on land at risk of erosion. Linear grassland margins, which have been ploughed in the past, recently grassed fields, fallows, and field margins should be selected for fallow management. Nearby populations of invasive plant species can be a problem. Our recommendations for the use of fallow management relate primarily to land in lowland and upland areas with a lower soil nutrient supply.
|
|
|
Fallow management on grasslands and pastures
Fabšičová, Martina ; Frei, I. ; Jiroušek, M. ; Smetanová, S. ; Šipoš, Jan ; Trnka, F. ; Vymyslický, T. ; Winkler, J. ; Zdražílková, M.
The presented methodology summarizes the results of long-term research of fallows and provides important information for a large spectrum of users. We present here thepossibilities, of how small-scale fallow management can practically adapt into the current meadow and pasture management system. The methodology is aimed primarily at theagricultural public. The users will find here the tested methodological procedures and recommendations for practical inclusion of fallows into the management plans. It isrecommended here to create fallows on the edges of meadows and pastures adjacent to other habitats, such as steppes, balks, bushes, forests, or arable land. Fallows then play the role of ecotones, i.e. transitional habitats. The greatest diversity of both plant and animal species is generally concentrated in such habitats. Fallows enable the survival, restoration, and strengthening of populations of rare and endangered plant species, not only weeds. Furthermore, fallows will support the occurrence of a whole range of groups of invertebrates,including useful pollinators and predators of cultivated plant pests. Last but not least, follows create a valuable habitat for different vertebrates, especially birds. Fallows are becoming then the islands of biodiversity in the agricultural landscape.
|
|
|
The importance of field wetlands in agricultural landscapes
Šumberová, Kateřina ; Vymyslický, T. ; Fabšičová, Martina ; Fránková, Markéta
Field wetlands represent an extremely valuable biotope in agricultural landscapes, not only in terms of water management, but also in terms of biodiversity of various groups of organisms. Species living in these habitats survive adverse periods in the form of seeds, spores and eggs in the soil, many of them belonging to endangered groups of organisms. Our research has yielded in new findings of rare vascular plant species, as well as interesting findings of diverse species of micro- and macroscopic algae. Among the most important findings are some thermophilic and slightly halophilic vascular and algae species, whose occurrence in our country is mainly linked to southern Moravia. Seventeen plant species from the current Red List were found, three species in the critically endangered category (C1: Hibiscus trionum, Pulicaria dysenterica, P vulgaris), six species in the severely endangered category (C2: Lythrum hyssopifolia, Malva pusilla, Rumex tenophyllus, Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani, Veronica anagalloides), five species in the endangered category (C3: Centaurium pulchellum, Cyperus fuscus, Lemna trisulca, Lotus tenuis, Veronica catenata) and five rarer species requiring attention (C4: Bolboschoenus laticarpus, B planiculmis, Butomus umbellatus, Limosella aquatica, Schoenoplectus lacustris). The vegetation at the study sites could be classified into five syntaxonomic classes: Lemnetea, Potametea, Isoëto-Nanojuncetea, Bidentetea tripartitae and Phragmito-Magnocaricetea. Vascular plants were represented by several ecological groups: annual wetland plants, perennial species of reed beds and wet disturbed grasslands, hydrophilous weeds and ruderal species, and aquatic plants. Macroscopic algae were represented primarily by filamentous green algae of the genera Cladophora, Spirogyra and Oedogonium, and to a lesser extent by the genus Vaucheria spp., and by cyanobacteria (Nostoc spp.). The representatives of the genus Chara inhabited wetlands with longer periods of inundation. Diatoms (Achnanthidium, Amphora, Gomphonema, Navicula, Nitzschia, Pinnularia, Surirella and Tryblionella) were the most quantitatively represented and species-rich group of microalgae in the studied wetlands, followed by the genera Colacium, Euglena and Trachelomonas, by green algae (Desmodesmus), and by cyanobacteria (Homoeothrix and Phormidium).There was a high variability in the number of vascular plants and overall species composition, as well as in the representation of different algal groups and their species richness. Large changes were evident between and within years.
|
|
|
Vegetation succession on fallows in Podyjí National Park - small-area management of abandoned sites
Entová, Martina ; Fabšičová, Martina (advisor) ; Karlík, Petr (referee)
The main aim of the thesis was to describe the succession of several abandoned fields under ploughing and discuss ploughing as a possible management for establishing and maintaining species-rich communities of fallows. Actual vegetation, its development over time and soil seed bank were studied. Experimental small-area ploughing was established at five abandoned fields in the southeastern part of the Podyjí National Park. Three strips with different types of management were founded: A) strip ploughed each year, B) strip ploughed once at the beginning of the experiment, C) control meadow without intervention. Vegetation development was evaluated through a series of relèves recorded during the years 2009-2012. The species composition of the seed bank was described using the seedling-emergence method and subsequent elutriation of soil samples. Similarity indexes, Longevity index (LI) and concept of RCS strategies were used. The vegetation of each-year plowed sites (A) consisted mostly of annual weeds and ruderal species with R-strategy and high LI. Grassland vegetation (C) consisted mostly of grasses and perennial herbs with C-strategy and lower LI. The vegetation of older fallows (B) was at first most similar to one-year fallow (A), but during the 4 years of succession has moved closer to the meadow...
|
|
|
Vegetation dynamics on fallows
Entová, Martina ; Fabšičová, Martina (advisor) ; Procházka, Tomáš (referee)
The bachelor thesis is concerned with problems of abandoned fields. Fields are very important ecosystem for mankind. Abandonment of agricultural land and formation of fallows happend in last decades. Social and political changes can be the reason of fields abandonment as well as economical changes or changes in ecological conditions. The fallows are good model for secondary succession studies, but they can have many other funcitons in a land. Succession doesn't always proceeded in the same way, it can be affected for example by historical land use, species pool or environmental factors. Permanent plots or space for time substitution can be used for succession research. The rich reserve of seeds in the seed bank is typical for fallows. That can be described by several methods: elutriation, cloth bag, flotation or seedling emergence. Many scientists from the Czech Republic and also from all over the world are interested in fallow research. My MSc. thesis is presented at the end of this bachelor thesis. The comparison of actual vegetation and the soil seed bank of fallows in Podyjí National Park will be the aim of this work. Usage of ploughing as a possible management for creation and preservation of a rich fallow associations will be studied.
|
|
|
Influence of fire disturbance on the heathland vegetation in the Protected Landscape Area Brdy.
Pánková, Karolína ; Adámek, Martin (advisor) ; Fabšičová, Martina (referee)
of the thesis Heathlands are an unique semi-natural element of European landscape, which historically evolved under continuous man land-use pressure. In conditions of our country, this biotope is relatively rare in occurrence and small in area. In the former military training zone Brdy, Protected landscape area nowadays, there are heathlands of great extent developed due to deforestration and history of fires and mechanical disturbances of the soil surface and vegetation, which used to accompany military trainings. After the termination of military use of the locality, there is a risk of gradual degradation of the biotope caused by tree encroachment, litter accumulation which inhibits generative regeneration of the heath, and degeneration of the heath itself. This thesis aism to entangle influence of the fire on the heathland vegetation in the area with special attention given to vitality and structure of heath stands. The fieldwork was focused on the dynamics and species composition of the vegetation, including bryophytes and lichens, separately on the long-term scale (up to 80 years) and the short-term scale (permanent plots in the recently burnt vegetation). Experimental part of the thesis tested germination of the seeds from Brdy area under the conditions of fire and with presence of different...
|
|
|
Three years long investigation of fishpond Dehtář - first fishpond in the NETLAKE COST action project
Potužák, Jan ; Šumberová, Kateřina ; Fránková, Markéta ; Fabšičová, Martina ; Ducháček, M. ; Císař, K. ; Duras, J.
In 2014–2016 we monitored basic environmental parameters in the fishpond Dehtář near České Budějovice (Czech Republic) using system of sensors. Among other parametres we studied for instance water chemistry and phyto- and zooplankton community biomass, and species composition. Thank to the method used we recorded strong fluctuations in some of the environmental parameters, parrticularly in oxygen concentrations. Thank to the integration of the auomatic high frequency monitoring using the sensor system along with traditional research methods we were able to interpret the marked ecosystem changes. Several factors participated in the several days long oxygen depletion: warm and calm weather, later interchanged by cold front accompanied with mixing of water column and cloudy sky, fish farming management (high amount of nutrients related to manuring) and changes in biomass of phytoplancton (fast decomposition of high biomass amount of cyanobacteria). Our results enable to prevent similar situations in future, by e.g. lowering of nutrient input.
|
|
|
Vegetation succession on fallows in Podyjí National Park - small-area management of abandoned sites
Entová, Martina ; Fabšičová, Martina (advisor) ; Karlík, Petr (referee)
The main aim of the thesis was to describe the succession of several abandoned fields under ploughing and discuss ploughing as a possible management for establishing and maintaining species-rich communities of fallows. Actual vegetation, its development over time and soil seed bank were studied. Experimental small-area ploughing was established at five abandoned fields in the southeastern part of the Podyjí National Park. Three strips with different types of management were founded: A) strip ploughed each year, B) strip ploughed once at the beginning of the experiment, C) control meadow without intervention. Vegetation development was evaluated through a series of relèves recorded during the years 2009-2012. The species composition of the seed bank was described using the seedling-emergence method and subsequent elutriation of soil samples. Similarity indexes, Longevity index (LI) and concept of RCS strategies were used. The vegetation of each-year plowed sites (A) consisted mostly of annual weeds and ruderal species with R-strategy and high LI. Grassland vegetation (C) consisted mostly of grasses and perennial herbs with C-strategy and lower LI. The vegetation of older fallows (B) was at first most similar to one-year fallow (A), but during the 4 years of succession has moved closer to the meadow...
|
|
|
Vegetation dynamics on fallows
Entová, Martina ; Procházka, Tomáš (referee) ; Fabšičová, Martina (advisor)
The bachelor thesis is concerned with problems of abandoned fields. Fields are very important ecosystem for mankind. Abandonment of agricultural land and formation of fallows happend in last decades. Social and political changes can be the reason of fields abandonment as well as economical changes or changes in ecological conditions. The fallows are good model for secondary succession studies, but they can have many other funcitons in a land. Succession doesn't always proceeded in the same way, it can be affected for example by historical land use, species pool or environmental factors. Permanent plots or space for time substitution can be used for succession research. The rich reserve of seeds in the seed bank is typical for fallows. That can be described by several methods: elutriation, cloth bag, flotation or seedling emergence. Many scientists from the Czech Republic and also from all over the world are interested in fallow research. My MSc. thesis is presented at the end of this bachelor thesis. The comparison of actual vegetation and the soil seed bank of fallows in Podyjí National Park will be the aim of this work. Usage of ploughing as a possible management for creation and preservation of a rich fallow associations will be studied.
|
|
| |
guest ::
