biodiversity

Bijeenkomst: EGF2015
Auteur: Pleșa A., Rotar I., Păcurar F., Vidican R., Balázsi A. and Stoian V.
ISBN: 978-9090-289-61-8
Jaar van uitgifte: 2015
Producttype: Paper
Semi-natural grassland in the Central area of Apuseni Mountains, Romania is fertilized only with organic fertilizers. Manure from cows and horses is applied in quantities of 6 to 10 Mg ha‑1. There has been a recent tendency for intensification of grassland close to human settlements and a decline or even abandonment of that located further away. An experiment with four variants was established in order to follow the effect of enhanced inputs of manure on Festuca rubra L. grassland, in terms of productivity, quality and biodiversity, as well as to recommend the optimum quantity of fertilizer. Production increased with increasing amounts of manure, but the quality of fodder did not show the same trend. The cover of Centaurea phrygia C. A. Mey and Pimpinella major L. increased in the treatments with large amounts of manure and these species contributed to significant reductions in fodder quality.

Bijeenkomst: EGF2015
Auteur: Vintu V., Samuil C., Saghin G. and Stavarache M.
ISBN: 978-9090-289-61-8
Jaar van uitgifte: 2015
Producttype: Paper
In the mountainous region of Romania about 200,000 ha is covered by grassland, which is mainly dominated by Nardus stricta L. We have studied the influence of mineral fertilization on productivity, canopy composition and forage quality of Nardus stricta L. permanent grassland in the intra-mountainous depression of Vatra Dornei (North-Eastern Carpathians, 820 m.a.s.l.). Fertilisation was applied at rates of N100-200 P100-200 kg ha‑1 in one or several applications. These mineral fertilizer rates resulted in changes in the dominant species of Nardus stricta L. grasslands, by increasing the percentage of Festuca rubra L. and Agrostis capillaris L. Productivity increased by 119-224%, as well as forage quality compared to the unfertilized control.

Bijeenkomst: EGF2015
Auteur: Hopkins A., Bailey J., Reheul D., Brandsma J., Pehrson I., Mosquera-Losada M.R. and Crespo D.G.
ISBN: 978-9090-289-61-8
Jaar van uitgifte: 2015
Producttype: Paper
This paper summarizes outcomes of a focus group that examined resource-use efficiency of permanent grassland in the context of profitable utilization, taking account of trade-offs needed to deliver other ecosystem services. Resource efficiency is considered at the levels of (1) improved herbage production and quality; (2) improved herbage utilization; (3) improved livestock utilization to deliver higher product value; and (4) resource efficiency to improve ecosystem services. A range of farm-scale and system-scale measures and innovative actions are identified that have potential for realizing improved resource-use efficiencies.

Bijeenkomst: EGF2015
Auteur: Korevaar H. and Geerts R.H.E.M.
ISBN: 978-9090-289-61-8
Jaar van uitgifte: 2015
Producttype: Paper
During the past decade trials have shown the value of species-rich grasslands for farmland biodiversity. On four highly productive dairy farms, where farming was combined with management of species-rich grasslands and habitat creation for meadow birds, we analysed the value of these species-diverse swards with respect to grass production and quality, farm management and biodiversity. Compared with grass, herbs and legumes generally contained higher levels of minerals and their herbage offered more structure in the cattle diet. Speeding up the creation of species-diverse swards is possible by reseeding with speciesrich mixtures. On these farms a species richness of 17-30 species per 100 m-2 was obtained. Previous research showed that replacement of 25-30% Lolium perenne silage by silage from comparable speciesrich swards is possible without a decline in milk production. When highly productive dairy farms create species-diverse swards on part of their acreage, it will be possible to produce healthy forage while also providing a good habitat for meadow birds.