Assessment of the Vegetation State of Several Under-exploited Agrostis tenuis - Festuca

Floristic composition of the pastures is a mirror action and practical factors applied station and management (maintenance and how to use). The purpose of this research is to assess the state of the biodiversity and pastoral value for Agrostis capillaries L. grasslands from the mountain area. Also, there has been analyzed the floristic composition and a series of ecological indexes, respectively humidity, soil reaction, temperature, and nitrogen. We examined how estimated species diversity patterns changed with varying survey intensity from Băișoara village, Cluj County, Romania, an Agrostis capillaries L. grasslands. The experiment was performed in 2015. The vegetation observations were made on 29 plots. In this descriptive plot been identified the type of grassland Agrostis capillaries, described in boreal at altitudes between 850 and 1200, generally starting on exhibitions east until the south (90˚ - 180 ˚).The floristic composition of the Agrostis capillaries grasslands from the studied area is influenced by the local conditions and the intensity of the exploitation, these surfaces being under-exploited.

The purpose of this research is to assess the state of the biodiversity and pastoral value for Festuca rupicola- Bothriochloa ischaemum grasslands from the hill area. Also, there has been analyzed the floristic composition and a series of ecological indexes, respectively humidity, soil reaction, temperature and nitrogen. Other aspects taken in account were the agronomical and anthropogenic specters. The analyzed grasslands are placed in the perimeter of the localities: Gilău, Aiton. Jucu and Frata, all from Cluj County.

The pastoral area of Romania, covering of over 4.8 million ha, has been influenced, over the last decades, by natural and human factors, which affect the normal functioning of the grassland ecosystem. The aim of this paper is to point out the dynamics of phytocoenotic biodiversity, as a result of applying grassland technical measures, in order to improve the yield and quality of grassland ecosystems with minimum effects on the environment. Therefore, the main aim of our study is to establish a positive relationship between biodiversity and the optimum quantity of organic fertilizers, which would improve the quality and quantity of the yield, without diminishing the floristic biodiversity. In the case of the studied grasslands, the phytocenotic biodiversity is influenced by the type of fertilization, the used rates and by the soil and climatic conditions. These grasslands may be improved by manure fertilization and reasonable usage, if proper management is applied. In Gradinari, Caras-Severin county, the dominant species are Festuca rupicola and Calamagrostis epigeios, in Magurele, Brasov county, Agrostis capillaris, Festuca pratensis, Poa pratensis and Trifolium repens, and in Pojorata, Suceava county, Agrostis capillaris, Trisetum flavescens, Trifolium repens and T. pratense species. The highest number of identified species (43) has been recorded by the meadow made up of Agrostis capillaris and Festuca rubra, from Pojorata, Suceava county.

In Transilvania Plateau, Brașov Depression and Bârsa Mountains on the basic lithogenic soil are grasslands with, very high pastoral value dominated by Festuca rupicola, Poa pratensis, Cynosurus cristatus, Agrostis capillaris, Festuca rubra, Trifolium repens and other forage species. By overpaddocking during the 6-8 nights, 1 sheep/1 sqm, these grasslands are invaded by nitrophile weeds such as Rumex obtusifolius between 300-1,200 m altitude, Rumex alpinus over 1,200 m to 1,600-1,800 m altitude and Urtica dioica in the all zones. In the soil the fertilizer nutrients are accumulated excessively potassium and nitrogen. In function of the overpaddocking intensity, the noxious effect during the 4 (6 ) – 8 (12) years. In this period the soil is invaded by weeds, being out economic cycle.

BIOLOGICAL, ECOLOGICAL AND AGRICULTURAL INDICATORS OF GRASSLAND FLORA FROM AGHIRESU AREA, CLUJ DISTRICT

The aim of our research is to develop a floristic, phytocenological, ecological, cytogenetic, economic, syndynamic and ecoprotective study of the vegetation of the dominant grasslands of Festuca valesiaca Scleicher ex Gaudin and Agrostis capillaris L. in the North-West region of Romania. A numer of 20 phytocenological surveys were carried out in the most representative sample areas in order to find answers to the five objectives pursued. The species from the floristic inventory of the grasslands are included in the Association table according to the cenotic affinity criteria as characteristic and differential entities for the cenotaxons of the alliance, order and class. The phytocoenoses of the grasslands gathered in the association Agrostio-Festucetum valesiacae are statistically analysedin the results based on tables, histograms, dendrograms, diagrams on the distribution of species in ecological bioforms categories, phytogeographic elements, cytogenetic elements, ecological indices or factors: soil moisture, air temperature, soil chemical reaction. The succession dynamics of phytocoeneoses, the economic value and the productive potential, the sustainable and eco-protective management of the grasslands were all studied. The results thus obtained were compared with two reference papers belonging to authors who conducted more recent studies in different geographical regions. Eight conclusions were drafted in which both the results of the research and the original contribution of the authors are summarized.

Important land surfaces from hill and mountain areas from the northern hemisphere formerly used for cropping were abandoned. Often, the abandoned land evolved by natural succession to grassland, shrubland or even to forest. The main goal of this paper is to bring new datasets necessary for the understanding of the evolution of ex-arable grassland vegetation from the forest steppe area into relationship with climate. The researches were performed in the locality of Grădinari (Caraş-Severin County, Western Romania) on an ex-arable plot abandoned since 1995. The vegetation data were collected for 19 years (time interval 2003-2021). The analyzed vegetation features were floristic composition, biodiversity and pastoral value. The climate data considered were air temperature and rainfall amount. The vegetation and climate data were correlated statistically, with a view to highlighting the potential impact of the temperature and rainfalls during the evolution of succession process on the grassland's floristic composition, biodiversity and pastoral value. The pressure of the increased temperatures on the natural restoration process of the biodiversity and pastoral value of ex-arable forest steppe grassland could, at least partially, be mitigated by random grazing and mulching works.

On a Nardus stricta subalpine grassland in the Bucegi Massif, located at 1800 m altitude in the juniper floor (Pinus mugo), in 1995 an experiment was set up to improve them through different methods of calcium amendment, overseeding and reseeding, periodically fertilized with mineral fertilizers (NPK). The calcium amendment stimulated on average over the last 5 years (2019 - 2023), of the 28 years since administration, the species Trifolium repens which reaches 9.8% compared to 2.7% for the unamended variants, Poa pratensis to 18.9 % fined vs. absent in unamended and Agrostis capillaris at 26.1% vs. 24.3 in unamended. By amending with 7.5 t/ha of lime dust (CaO), the pastoral value after 24-28 years reaches an average of 77.5 compared to 60.4 in the non-amended variants, 27% higher. Likewise, the production of green mass in the same period reaches 11.79 t/ha for the fined variants compared to 6.72 t/ha for the non-fined ones, with an increase of 81%. Overseeding with grass mixtures has been shown to be better in terms of production than reseeding or natural grassland with wild species. The average production of cow's milk per hectare was evaluated at 3970 litters in the amended variants and 3,120 liters in the unamended one, 850 l/ha more. In the oversown varieties, the average milk production was 3,680 liters per hectare compared to 3460 l/ha, 220 liters more. The factors: calcium amendment and overseeding over a period of almost 30 years in the case of mineral fertilization have the greatest influence on the productivity of subalpine meadows of Nardus stricta in the Carpathians.

Mineral and organic fertilization have a huge effect on natural grasslands. The purpose of this research is to assess the state of the biodiversity and pastoral value for grasslands from the Transylvanian Plateau area. In this area has been analyzed the floristic composition and a series of ecological indexes, respectively humidity, soil reaction, temperature and nitrogen. Other aspects taken in account were the agronomical and anthropogenic specters. The analyzed grasslands are placed in the perimeter of Gheorgheni village, from Cluj County. Experience includes 20 experimental variants with organic fertilization with combined with mineral fertilization, 5 variants in 4 rehearsals. Each experimental variant is 2 m long X 5 m wide. In most hill meadows the economic efficiency is relatively low, and in order to be increased, it is necessary to apply the whole complex of measures for their improvement, care and exploitation, of which a special role is the application of appropriate treatments that stimulate the development of valuable species. Several researches show that applying fertilizers on grasslands is economically justified since, generally, 1 kg of active element results in an increase of 80-100 kg of green matter.

The abrupt temperature change (ATC) and warming hiatus (WH) phenomena impact global resources and the environment. However, information on the spatial and temporal variability in the ATC and WH over large regions, long time scales and densely distributed stations is lacking. In the study, based on average minimum, average and average maximum temperatures data from 1951 to 2016 from 622 meteorological stations in China, the spatial and temporal variability in the timing of the ATC and WH events and the characteristics before and after these events were revealed by using the Mann–Kendall test. In most areas of China, an ATC occurred in the three temperature parameters, and the onset of the changes occurred later at lower latitudes. The ATC in the average minimum temperature occurred earlier than that in the average temperature, and the ATC in the average maximum temperature occurred the latest. After the ATC, a WH occurred at most of the stations that experienced an increase in temperature, whereas a cooling hiatus (CH) did not occur at stations that experienced a decrease in temperature. The regions with decreasing temperatures were concentrated in the hilly and plain areas of southern China and in subtropical and tropical monsoon climate zones. The WH of the average temperature occurred earlier than that of the average maximum temperature, which occurred earlier than that of the average minimum temperature. Overall, the WH began later from east to west and was mainly concentrated in approximately 1998 and 2007. Both the ATC and the WH in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau area showed hysteresis. The ATC to WH period was between three and 27 years, and the earlier the ATC was, the longer was the period. Before the ATC, all three temperature parameters increased slightly. The average minimum temperature rose faster than the average temperature, and the average maximum temperature rose the slowest. Furthermore, the variation became more dramatic from southeast to northwest. After the ATC, the temperatures in most areas increased rapidly, and the rate of temperature increase increased with decreasing latitude. The average maximum temperature decreased in the area east of 100° E and south of 30° N. In this area, the rates of temperature increase for the average minimum and average temperatures were on a par with the rate of decrease in the absolute average maximum temperature, with the rates being three to five times greater than those before the ATC, but without dramatic variations. After the ATC, a CH did not occur at the stations where the temperature had decreased, whereas a WH occurred after a certain period of time at most of the stations where the temperature had increased. Moreover, such occurrences differed with latitude. A comparison of the temperature after the WH with that both before and after the ATC but before the WH revealed that the temperature did not vary dramatically. Eight to 10 years after the WH, the temperatures at a small number of stations in northern China rose again; however, due to the short length of the time series, it is impossible to determine whether the WH had truly ended. The results of the study enrich the findings of climate change research and provide a reference for addressing resource and environmental issues.

<i>Koeleria macrantha</i> (Ledeb.) Schultes (<i>K. alpigena</i> Domin, <i>K. cristata</i> (L.) Pers. pro parte, <i>K. gracilis</i> Pers., <i>K. albescens</i> auct. non DC.)

Rain is one of the important hydrological components. Factors that affect the amount of rainfall in an area are temperature, air humidity, air pressure and wind direction. Previous research stated that there is a strong relationship between temperature and the amount of rainfall. This research was conducted to find out how strong the relationship between the amount of monthly rainfall that occurs in Padang City and the average temperature that occurs in each month for the last 30 years. The research method used is to use quantitative methods using descriptive statistics and non-parametric (spearman correlation test). The selection of the Spearman correlation test was carried out based on the results of the data normality test using the One Sample Anderson-Darling, Ryan-Joiner and Kolmogorov-Smirnov method. Data on temperature and rainfall for the city of Padang are not normal even though they have been normalized using the Box-Cox tranformation method. Spearmen's correlation test shows that there is no significant relationship between the amount of rainfall and temperature with a correlation level of only 9% with a P-Value of 0.087 &gt; 0.05 or 0.001. Further research is needed to find out how strong other factors such as air pressure, humidity and wind direction are on the amount of rainfall in the city of Padang.

Continuous vs. Rotational Grazing of Cool Season Pastures During the Summer Months

Abstract. Dewi MAK, Aurina DM, Faturrahman AD, Fatikha LA, Rachmalia F, Ainaya FA, Kinanthi A, Rohman CM, Fadzilah FPA, Pramudita DA, Ramadhan MF, Mahajoeno E, Nugroho GD, Sujarta P, Dadiono MS, Yap CK, Rahim KABA, Setyawan AD. 2023. Ecological index and economic potential of mollusks (Gastropods and Bivalves) in Ayah Mangrove Forest, Kebumen District, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 24: 1231-1241. Mollusks are a group of triploblastic coelomates with soft bodies that live in various ecosystems, one of which is mangroves. This research was conducted with the aim of knowing the ecological index and economic potential in the mangrove forest of Ayah Village, Kebumen District, Central Java, Indonesia. First, the sampling method for each location using a transect plot measuring 10 x 10 m² was made. Mollusk species in each plot that had been obtained were then counted, collected, and recorded. Furthermore, abiotic variables such as water salinity, soil and water pH, and air, water and soil temperature, were measured. Then, the individuals and mollusk species that have been collected are calculated using ecological indices, such as the Shannon-Wiener biodiversity index, species density, Margalef species richness index, Evenness index, and Simpson dominance index. Meanwhile, the economic potential of the mollusk was searched using references from scientific journals and books. Finally, all data obtained were analyzed descriptively with supporting figures and tables. The results obtained 23 identified species of mollusk, i.e.: Gastropods (18 species) and Bivalves (5 species). The total density of mollusk obtained was 3.49 ind/m2, the species diversity index was 2.22 (moderate), the species evenness index was 0.71 (relatively even), the species dominant index was 0.16 (low), the species richness index was 2.71 (low). The environmental factors are as follow: temperature of air (30-30.3°C), water (28-29°C), soil/sediment (24-30°C), water pH 7.5-7.7, soil pH 7 and salinity 1-5 ppt. Of the total of 23 mollusks, 18 species could be consumed, i.e.: A. granosa, B. spirata, C. angulifera, C. aurisfelis, C. oualaniensis, E. aurisjudae, F. ater, L. scabra, N. lineata, N, violacea, N. dubia, P. viridis, P. cingulata, P. expansa, P. canaliculata, P. maculata, S. cucullata, and T. telescopium. The seven species of mollusks can be used as accessories, i.e.: B. spirata, N. lineata, P. cingulata, P. exilis, P. expansa, P. canaliculata, and P. maculata. Meanwhile, the mollusks used as decorations are as many as eleven, i.e.: A. granosa, B. spirata, C. corona, C. oualaniensis, N. margaritiferus, N. dubia, P. expansa, P. canaliculata, P. maculata, S. cucullata and V. turrita.

ABSTRACTGrasslands are distributed globally across various topographies. In non-flat grasslands, aspect (the direction that a slope faces) influences the amounts of radiation and consequent effects on temperature and soil moisture, all of which are important drivers of plant growth. Aspect is important not only in hill and mountain areas but also in more moderate topographies such as plateaux, steppes and prairies. Here, we tested the aboveground growth response to an important driver of climate change – elevated carbon dioxide (eCO2) – of two temperate grass species grown under simulated north (unshaded) and south (shaded) aspects. We used trellis-like structures to create the appropriate radiation regimes; irrigation ensured that only radiation and hence soil temperatures were different. We utilised the long-running New Zealand Free-Air Carbon Dioxide Enrichment (FACE) experiment and established turves of Lolium perenne L. and Agrostis capillaris L. The aboveground dry matter (DM) was regularly harvested over 10 months. For the main effects, there was no overall response to CO2 but Agrostis produced about 50% more DM than Lolium while the north aspect produced about 15% more DM than the south. There was an interaction between CO2 level and aspect: for both species production was about 20% greater under eCO2 on the north aspect but had no effect on the south aspect. Given that a large proportion of the world’s grasslands is on slopes, this aspect × CO2 interaction causes us to reconsider the up-scaling of CO2 responses from FACE experiments that have been universally carried out on flat terrain.