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The effect of long-term fertilizers application on soil chemical properties, plant species composition and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi of grasslands
Zemková, Lenka ; Pavlů, Vilém (advisor) ; Hakl, Josef (referee)
Fertilization and liming of grasslands have been used as an instrument improving hay production for centuries. For a long period of time, these practices not only sustained and increased hay yields, but also had negative effects on grassland ecosystems. Among others, they caused considerable changes in plant species composition leading in most cases to the reduction of species richness due to a lower capability of indigenous plants to compete with more productive pasture species. Furthermore these practices caused changes in soil and biomass chemical properties and shifts of soil microbial communities, including arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.
The aim of this thesis was to analyze the responses of plant and mycorrhizal community and soil chemical properties in grassland ecosystems to long-term application of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and calcium. Results of this work indicate that agricultural management practices aimed at maximization of hay production may, in the long run, significantly increased hay yield, reduce plant species richness, promote grasses but suppress herbs, legumes and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the soil although the response to phosphorus varied among different arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal taxa. Long-term fertilization also significantly changed soil chemical properties and considerably reduced belowground carbon storage.
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