Festuca Ovina Research Articles

Evaluation of morphological, agronomic, quality, and nutrient characteristics of sheep fescue (Festuca ovina L.) populations in semi-arid environments

Evaluation of morphological, agronomic, quality, and nutrient characteristics of sheep fescue (Festuca ovina L.) populations in semi-arid environments

Inoculation with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Supports the Uptake of Macronutrients and Promotes the Growth of Festuca ovina L. and Trifolium medium L., a Candidate Species for Green Urban Infrastructure.

Green roofs and walls play an important role in promoting biodiversity, reducing the urban heat island effect and providing ecosystem services in urban areas. However, the conditions on green walls/roofs (low nutrient and organic matter content, drought, high temperatures) are often unfavorable for plant growth. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can improve the growth and development of plants under stress conditions as they can increase nutrient and water uptake. In a 6-month pot experiment, we investigated the effect of AMF inoculation on the growth and NPK uptake of Festuca ovina L. and Trifolium medium L., which are used for green roofs and walls. Two variants of mycorrhizal inoculation were used in the experiment: a commercial mycorrhizal inoculant AM Symbivit (Symbiom Ltd., Lanskroun, Czech Republic) and a mycorrhizal inoculant collected from calcareous grassland in the Silesia region (Poland). Funneliformis mosseae was the most abundant species in the roots of F. ovina and T. medium with IM inoculum. In the CM variant, a dominance of F. mosseae was observed in the roots of F. ovina. In contrast, Archaeosporaceae sp. node 317 dominated in the roots of T. medium. Both inoculations had a positive effect on the increase in dry weight of the shoots of T. medium, but only the commercial inoculum had a positive effect on the growth of F. ovina. Both inoculations improved the P uptake by the roots and the P and K uptake into the shoots of T. medium. In addition, both inoculations improved the K uptake by the roots of F. ovina and the N, P and K uptake into the shoots. In conclusion, both AMF communities included in the inoculations had a positive effect on plant growth and nutrient uptake, but the effect depends on the plant and the mycorrhizal fungus species.

Revision of the Festuca marginata “group” (Festuca sect. Festuca, Poaceae) in Southern Europe, with special reference to France, Italy and Greece

ABSTRACT The Festuca marginata group includes several taxa of glaucous, thick-leaved fescues with three sclerenchyma strands, first described by Hackel as Festuca ovina subsp. laevis, which are common in the Euro-Mediterranean area. Ten different taxa (species and subspecies) are currently recognized in this group. Nevertheless, taxonomical works typically have only a local (mostly national) scope, and the recognized taxa show only few or negligible morphological differences, making their separate taxonomic status doubtful. Here we provide morphological, karyological, and genetic analysis (ISSR, flow cytometry) of the Festuca marginata group based on populations in a larger geographical scale including Central and Southern-Eastern Europe. We found that most of the local taxa are difficult to definitively distinguish and we suggest the whole group be treated as a single species, Festuca marginata, with two subspecies reflecting major differences in morphology and genome size between the Greece subsp. heldreichii and the remaining European populations, referred to as subsp. marginata.

Habitat Structure Impact on the Occurrence Preferences and Behaviour of the Endangered Species Hipparchia hermione (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae) in Slovakia

Abstract The aim of this study is to elaborate on the prior information about Hipparchia hermione ecology, examine its behaviour and find the habitat preferences of the species in specific study areas. The obtained results contribute to better management and conservation of the species and its habitats in Slovakia. Six types of behaviour were observed, with the exception of courtship dances, mating and perching. The most common types of behaviour observed were flight and food intake. The RDA analysis of behaviour and environmental variables resulted in a positive effect of free substrate and tall-herb vegetation on H. hermione abundance. The free substrate had a significant positive effect on all types of H. hermione behaviour. The results of the RDA analysis indicate butterflies’ shrub preference. The notion of shrubs’ presence having a positive effect on the representation of H. hermione is supported by another data set, according to which shrub vegetation provided ideal conditions for all types of observed behaviour. The abundance and diversity of nectaring plants did not have a statistically significant effect on species representation. Due to the environmental variables, the tree crowns’ significance plays a vital role. The average values are of 50%. The number of H. hermione individuals in the study areas increased with the growing number of tree trunks over 20 cm and heights over 3 m and the growing number of caterpillar host plants (Festuca ovina). The data show that Hipparchia hermione butterflies depend more on the spatial and structural arrangement of the forest than on abundance or diversity of the flora in the study areas.

Comprehensive assessment of turfgrass wear tolerance: A study on mechanical and chemical traits

A key criterion in the selection process for turfgrass breeding is effective wear tolerance, indicating the plant's capacity to endure forces that may impact leaves, stems, crowns, and roots. In this study, the correlation between mechanical and chemical traits and the wear tolerance of 37 cultivars belonging to seven turfgrass species was examined. Mechanical properties and fiber characteristics of wide range of turfgrass cultivars were determined and compared for the first time. The evaluation of turf wear tolerance (described as turf cover index, TCI) was conducted through a three-year field trial using a Brinkman traffic simulator. Tensile tests were conducted to determine biomechanical parameters. According to the TCI, the most wear-resistant cultivars were those of Lolium perenne, Most of these cultivars demonstrated a TCI below 0.1. The cultivar 'Nira' was the most resistant, with a TCI of − 0.285. The least resilient cultivars belonged to Festuca ovina and Festuca rubra, all exhibiting TCI values above 0.6. Agrostis stolonifera and Agrostis capillaris were characterised by lower cellulose and acid detergent fiber content but high hemicellulose content. The opposite result was determined for Festuca rubra and Festuca ovina. The highest hemicellulose ratio was obtained for Poa pratensis. Lolium perenne was characterised by relatively high content of cellulose, lignin and hemicellulose. Cultivars of Festuca arundinace distinctly differed from other cultivars, demonstrating higher mechanical resistance with an average force-to-break of 3.73 N. Cultivars of Agrostis stolonifera and Agrostis capillaris reached force-to-break values up to 1.0 N. The relationships between TCI and fiber composition of turfgrass leaves were significant for crude fiber, NDF and hemicellulose content. Thus higher NDF and hemicellulose content resulted in higher force-to-break and work-to-break parameters.

Stormwater salt remediation and tolerance of turf and native grasses

As stormwater management embarks on a new journey of resource allocation and disparity, addressing the contamination resulting from deicing salts is a growing concern for designers and land planners. Turf and native grass variety are currently one of the most readily available and adaptive resources to address some of these ever increasing hydrologic concerns. However, little is known about the water quality efficiency and optimal design layout of turf and native grasses in urban or rural landscapes with regards to salt remediation. In this study, a five plot series of grass swales was utilized in this study to measure water quality efficiency and salt tolerance of turf and native grasses. The grass varieties that were tested in this study include; Common hard fescue (Festuca trachyphylla), Chewings fescue (Festuca rubra commutata), and sheep fescue (Festuca ovina). Results showed that the grass swales that made up of a blend of grass variety were the most successful at reducing saline and TDS levels as compared to their monoculture counterparts. The findings reveal that a relatively simple grass swale could provide excellent salt and TDS reduction when utilizing a blend of grass varieties; specifically a hard fescue and sheep fescue blend.

Allelopathy and potential allelochemicals of Ligularia sagitta as an invasive plant

ABSTRACT Allelopathy is the main chemical means in the invasion process of exotic plants and one of the key factors in grassland degradation. In this experiment, we investigated the effects of ethyl acetate phase extract (EAE), n-butanol phase extract (BE) and aqueous phase extract (AE) from the aboveground (stems and leaves) and roots of Ligularia sagitta on seed germination and seedling growth of four Gramineae forages (Poa pratensis L. Festuca ovina L. Elymus nutans Griseb. Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn.) in their sympatric domains and one Legosuminae forage (Medicago sativa L.). The chemical components in each phase extract of L. sagitta were determined with UHPLC-MS/MS non-targeted metabolomics, and the differential compounds were screened using Orthogonal Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA). Within a set concentration range, EAE significantly inhibited seed germination and seedling growth of four Gramineae forages. BE and AE acted mainly in the seedling growth stage and did not significantly inhibit forage seed germination. P. pratensis was most sensitive to L. sagitta extracts; at 2.0 mg/mL of EAE from roots, germination energy and germination rate of P. pratensis seeds were 0. L. sagitta extracts inhibited the growth of M. sativa seedlings and did not inhibit its seed germination. A total of 904 compounds were identified with UHPLC-MS/MS, among which 31, 64, 81 and 66 metabolites displayed different accumulation patterns in the four comparison groups (R.EAE vs. R.BE, R.EAE vs. R.AE, SL.EAE vs. SL.BE, SL.EAE vs. SL.AE), respectively. In particular, 9 compounds were found to be common up-regulated differential metabolites in the four comparison groups and were enriched in EAE. Additionally, N,N-dimethylaniline, Caffeic acid, 4-Hydroxybenzoic acid, 4-Hydroxybenzaldehyde and cis-9-Octadecenoic acid as potential allelochemicals in L. sagitta. The results of this study support efforts at finding alternative control plants for the restoration of poisonous grass-type degraded grasslands.

Seed-Borne Bacterial Diversity of Fescue (Festuca ovina L.) and Properties Study.

Rich endophytic bacterial communities exist in fescue (Festuca ovina L.) and play an important role in fescue growth, cold tolerance, drought tolerance and antibiotic tolerance. To screen for probiotics carried by fescue seeds, seven varieties were collected from three different regions of China for isolation by the milled seed method and analyzed for diversity and motility, biofilm and antibiotic resistance. A total of 91 bacterial isolates were obtained, and based on morphological characteristics, 36 representative dominant strains were selected for 16S rDNA sequencing analysis. The results showed that the 36 bacterial strains belonged to four phyla and nine genera. The Firmicutes was the dominant phylum, and Bacillus, Paenibacillus and Pseudomonas were the dominant genera. Most of the strains had motility (80%) and were biofilm-forming (91.7%). In this study, 15 strains were capable of Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) production, 24 strains were capable of nitrogen fixation, and some strains possessed amylase and protease activities, suggesting their potential for growth promotion. Determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against the bacteria showed that the strains were not resistant to tetracycline and oxytetracycline. Pantoea (QY6, LH4, MS2) and Curtobacterium (YY4) showed resistance to five antibiotics (ampicillin, kanamycin, erythromycin, sulfadiazine and rifampicin). Using Pearson correlation analysis, a significant correlation was found between motility and biofilm, and between biofilm and sulfadiazine. In this study, we screened two strains of Pantoea (QY6, LH4) with excellent growth-promoting ability as well as broad-spectrum antibiotic resistance. which provided new perspectives for subsequent studies on the strong ecological adaptations of fescue, and mycorrhizal resources for endophytic bacteria and plant interactions.

A whole-canopy approach to assess varying effects of cover crop vs grapevine competition and recovery

This work aims at quantifying dynamics and impact of increasing and decreasing cover crop to vine competition. A two-year study was conducted on well-watered potted ‘Barbera’/’SO4’ grapevines with the root system split into two 40 L pots. In the spring of 2020, four grassed (G) treatments were established, using Festuca arundinacea (FA) and Festuca ovina (FO) sown in either one or two pots (GG-FA, GT-FA, GG-FO, and GT-FO, respectively), and compared with a tilled control (TT). These treatments were maintained for the following season, with all grass covers terminated on June 30 using herbicide. In 2021, the whole-canopy gas exchange of three canopies per treatment was continuously monitored from Day of Year (DOY) 155–175 and DOY 179–249. Grass sowing in spring 2020 had a significant impact on final pruning weight, decreasing by 70 % in GG-FA compared to TT. The treatments imposed in 2020 severely limited canopy development in spring 2021, with the net carbon exchange rate (NCER) decreasing between 27 % (GT-FO) and 73 % (GG-FA) vs. TT, and transpiration (T) per vine registering a decrease between 16 % (GT-FO) and 43 % (GG-FA). Moreover, final yield recorded in 2021 was very severely limited in GG-FA (0.4 kg/vine) and, albeit to a lesser extent, in GG-FO. Terminating all grass covers on June 30, 2021 triggered a prompt vine recovery, with NCER and T rates catching up to TT levels in 54 days and canopy WUE showing a rapid resumption. This is the first study providing assessment of cover crop to vine competition encompassing seasonal gas exchange effects at the whole canopy level. It also shows that canopy water use efficiency decreases with increasing competition and vice versa.

Fine Fescue Species Vary in Their Susceptibility to Snow Molds

Fine fescues are a group of turfgrass species that are often planted when low-input maintenance is desired. The five species most commonly associated with the fine fescues are strong creeping red fescue, slender creeping red fescue, Chewings fescue, sheep fescue, and hard fescue. Little is known about the resistance of fine fescues to snow mold diseases despite the widespread adoption of fine fescues across temperate climates with harsh winters. Field and controlled environment trials were conducted in Wisconsin and New Jersey between 2014 and 2017 to assess snow mold resistance among the fine fescues. In both the field and controlled environments, hard and sheep fescue were among the most resistant to snow molds, and Chewings fescue was the most susceptible. However, significant variation existed among the cultivars within each species, suggesting that opportunities exist for breeding to improve resistance to snow mold in the fine fescues.

Assessment of the prospects of growing perennial grasses on landfills

Nineteen species of agricultural plants, recommended for cultivation in arid conditions of the USA, were tested on the dumps of the Ekibastuz coal mine. The most promising was Atriplex gardneri var. aptera - a North American plant that naturally inhabits the steppe regions of the USA. The group of promising species includes Leymus racemosus, Elymus trachycaulus, and Psathirostachys jnceus. Less promising species for biological reclamation include Calamovilfa longifolia, Bouteloua gracilis, Andropogon gerardii, Leymus arenarius, Pascopyrum smithii sv. Rosana, Pascopyrum smithii sv. Rodan, Elymus lanceolatus, Elytrigia intermedia, Agropyron cristatum, Atriplex canescens, Festuca ovina, and Elimus sibiricus. Lowly promising and unpromising species include Panicum virgatum, Agropyron cristatum x A. desertorum, Schizachyrium scoparium, and Bouteloua curtipendula. These plants are either not frost-resistant or cannot tolerate drought on the dumps.

Impact of fertilizing on biodiversity in pasture ecosystems

Biodiversity in grazing systems determines production efficiency, system stability and resilience, and nutrient retention. In this relation during the period 2016-2018, a scientific research experiment was conducted on a natural grass stand of the Nardus stricta L. type at an altitude of 1400 m in the area of Chuchul (Bulgaria) of the following rates of fertilization: 1. Untreated (Control); 2. Annual fertilizing with N60P60; 3. First-year fertilizing with N60, and second and third with P60; 4. First-year fertilizing with P60, and second and third with N60; 5. First and second year fertilizing with N60, and third with P60; 6. First and second year fertilizing with P60, and third with N60; 7. First year fertilizing with N60, second year with P60, third year with N60; 8. First-year fertilizing with P60, second year with N60, third year with P60. The aim of the article is to analyze the impact of fertilizing with mineral fertilizers on the biodiversity of a pasture ecosystem and to propose an appropriate way of fertilizing to improve the species diversity of useful components in the grass stand. Biodiversity was determined by the indicator botanical composition of the grass stand, and the species diversity of the components in the grass stand by botanical groups was observed under eight variants of variable mineral fertilizing. It was found that the fertilization increased share of perennial grasses and motley grasses. The species Nardus stricta L., defining the type of pasture, was replaced from the more useful types of grasses, such as: Nardus stricta L., Agrostis capillaris L., Phleum alpinum L., Festuca ovina L., Festuca rubra L., Agrostis alba L., Chrysopogon gryllus L., Dactylis glomerata L., Lolium multiflorum L. The fertilizing effect is most significant in the third year, when both the representatives of grasses and legumes were significantly increased.

Soil properties are affected by vegetation types in a semi-arid mountain landscape

Soil plays a crucial role in the provision of ecosystem services, particularly in mountain areas that are frequently regarded as delicate and vulnerable systems. The alteration of vegetation cover is known to impact the various fractions of organic matter and other soil properties, subsequently influencing the activities of microbes and enzymes that play a role in nutrient cycling. However, there is not much information available regarding the effect on soil properties in semi-arid mountain landscapes. Here, we studied different soil features under woodland (dominated by Carpinus orientalis Miller.), shrubland (dominated by Berberis integerrima Bunge.) and grassland (dominated by Festuca ovina L., Dactylis glomerata L. and Bromus danthoniae Trin.) in the north of Iran. In the summer, a total of eighteen soil (0–10 cm depth) samples were collected from each vegetation type. In addition, to investigate the dynamics of soil microclimate and biota population, the same number of soil samples were collected in the fall season. Results indicated that woodland had a more fertile soil and a higher biological activity than the other vegetation types. Soil earthworm groups showed higher densities in the fall season, whereas soil biota population and microbial processes were enhanced in the summer season. In addition, the study area presented hot spots of soil fertility and biological activities in woodland compared with shrubland and grassland. As a conclusion, distinct soil properties are influenced by various types of vegetation (particularly woody species in contrast to grass covers). With the aim of increasing soil functioning or rehabilitating degraded areas, natural resource managers are suggested to establish wood covers (trees or shrubs) rather than grasslands, whenever possible.

The Effects of Breeding Practices and Fertilization on Vegetation in Barren Pasture The Case of Kastamonu

The research was conducted in the pasture of Alpagut village of Kastamonu center (410 25' 48.52''N, 330 55' 20.54D, altitude 851 m) located in the Western Black Sea Region of Turkey to determine the changes in pasture vegetation caused by pasture soil improvement and management practices. Fertilization was applied according to pasture soil analysis, brush clearing and alternate grazing system was applied. Pasture vegetation change was measured by modified wheeled loop method in the pre- and post-improvement periods. It was determined that breeding practices increased the proportion of legumes, other families and perennial plants and contributed to the formation of a balanced vegetation. The proportions of declining, reproductive, invasive and annual species were 11.50%, 5.10%, 46.75% and 33%, respectively, before pasture topsoil reclamation, while there was a decrease in annual species in the post-reclamation period. There was an increase in declining, reproductive and invasive species. It was found to be 26.66%, 15.39%, 55.86% and 17.00%, respectively. While Bromus sp., Sanguisorba minor, Fumana arabica, Festuca ovina species were dominant in the pasture area in the pre-improvement period, Bothriochloa ischaemum, Teucrium chamaedrys, Festuca ovina and Astragalus frickii species became dominant after the improvement. It was determined that breeding and management practices increased the area covered with vegetation from 74.00% to 98.00%, the proportion of legumes from 1% to 12%, and the pasture condition and health classification from poor-healthy to moderate-healthy category. It is recommended that the grazing plan for pasture sustainability be maintained.

Effect of Biochar Application and Mineral Fertilization on Biomass Production and Structural Carbohydrate Content in Forage Plant Mixture

Biochar, a fine-grained porous material, exhibits properties that improve soil quality on agricultural land. Biochar, in combination with mineral fertilizers in perennial mixed crops, has so far not been studied for its effect on biomass production and feed value. The study, conducted in 2021 and 2022, aims to investigate the impact of different biochar application rates (alone and in combination with high and low NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) fertilizer dosages) on the yield and structural carbohydrate content in grass–legume mixtures. Thus, a two-factorial pot study consisting of 36 pots was established in 2021. The study was set up in a randomized block design with nine fertilization treatments in four replicates. The factors studied were the rate of biochar (0, 5, and 10 Mg ha−1) and the rate of NPK mineral fertilizer application (0, 105, and 185 kg ha−1). First, biochar was applied and then the grass–legume mixture was sown, consisting of Lolium perenne L., Festuca arundinacea Schreb., Dectylis glomerata L., Lolium multiflorum Lam., Phleum pratense L., Festuca rubra L., Festuca ovina L., Poa pratensis L., Trifolium repens L., and Medicago sativa L. In both years of the study, during the growing season, plant biomass was harvested three times to assess biomass production and structural carbohydrate content. In the collected samples, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and acid detergent lignin (ADL) were examined, and, based on these, dry matter digestibility (DDM), dry matter intake (DMI), and relative feed value (RFV) were calculated. Compared to the control, the biochar addition increased the biomass production by 6.7–14.4% in the first year and by 49–59% in the second year after application. The addition of biochar in combination with NPK fertilization caused an increase in biomass production—22–45% in the first year and 71–136% in the second year after application. The structural carbohydrate content in the mixture depended neither on the biochar dose nor on fertilization. On the other hand, the most significant differences for the studied parameters were observed due to different harvest dates.

Application of living mulch in rows of the apple trees on several rootstocks – long-term evaluation

The long-term influence of several living mulches on apple tree growth, nutrient status, yield, and fruit quality concerning the year of cover crop sowing in tree rows was evaluated in the Lower Silesia region in the southwestern part of Poland. The estimation was conducted in six apple tree ‘Ligol’ populations differentiated by the rootstock: M.26, M.9, P 60, P 2, P 16, and P 22. In experiment no. 1, one-year-old nursery stock was planted, and perennial living mulches were sown: colonial bent grass (Agrostis vulgaris With.) and white clover (Trifolium repens L.) in the same year and blue fescue (Festuca ovina L.) in the following year. In experiment no. 2, which involved two-year-old stock, the sowing of blue fescue was delayed until the second, third, fourth, and fifth years following orchard planting. The presence of the cover crop significantly affected young tree growth when one-year-old trees were planted. The sowing of the living mulch in the first or the second year after tree planting led to a significant reduction in the cumulative yield obtained from the young trees. The living mulch improved the red coloration of the fruit skin in the young orchard, but it caused a reduction in the mean fruit weight and size. However, it also contributed to decreased nitrogen concentration in the leaves of the apple trees, and the tree tolerance to living mulch increased as the orchard aged. A choice of semidwarf rootstock, postponed sowing of cover crop, and high-quality nursery stock were recognized as the most important factors for fostering apple tree tolerance to living mulches in tree rows.

Environmental decision support system development for natural distribution prediction ofFestuca ovinain restoration of degraded lands

AbstractAnthropogenic activities, species invasions, and ecological factors are driving rapid changes in rangeland ecosystems. For ensuring the richness and sustainability of plant species habitats, there is a pressing need for a reliable prediction model that can accurately forecast and map species distribution under varying ecological conditions. We aimed to compare the performance of three widely used machine learning methods: Multilayer perceptron (MLP), radial basis function (RBF), and support vector machine (SVM) in predicting the distribution ofFestuca ovinain mountainous protected rangelands. We conducted our investigation by analyzing the distribution ofF. ovinain 305 randomly selected plant sample plots. In each plot, we recorded 10 ecological variables. Three machine learning models were developed to predict the likelihood ofF. ovinadistribution. Our results demonstrated that the RBF model had a higher number of misclassifications (11 samples) compared to MLP and SVM models (10 samples), indicating that MLP and SVM models were more accurate for distribution modeling. Additionally, MLP showed a higher R‐squared value (0.87) compared to SVM (0.85), suggesting that MLP was the most accurate model for restoring degraded lands. Hence, we developed theFestuca ovinaDistribution Model (FODM) using the MLP model. Sensitivity analyses revealed that soil texture, soil depth, electrical conductivity (EC), pH, and vegetation density significantly influencedF. ovinadistribution, with respective sensitivity coefficients of 0.48, 0.47, 0.45, 0.41, and 0.41. Based on the finalized FODM, we designed an Environmental Decision Support System (EDSS) tool to assist rangeland managers in mappingF. ovinadistribution. By applying the EDSS tool, we demonstrated its practicality in using the FODM for effective decision‐making and land management. The EDSS tool serves as a valuable resource for rangeland managers, enabling them to make informed decisions regardingF. ovinarestoration and effectively use the predictive capabilities of the FODM in real‐world applications.

Impact of litter burning on alpine <i>Festuca varia</i> grasslands of the Northwestern Caucasus

Fires play an important role in structure and function of terrestrial ecosystems, but their long-term impact on the composition and structure of plant communities in humid high mountain regions remains almost not studied. At the most dry alpine grasslands, dominated by a dense-tussock grass Festuca varia, with substantial accumulation of non-decomposed litter, the 23-years long experiment with regular (every two years) litter burning was established. The composition of plant community changed significantly. The mortmass (mass of litter), aboveground vascular plant biomass and relative abundance of dominants decreased substantially. In aboveground biomass the proportion of grasses decreased and that of forbs increased. The shoot numbers of Anthemis cretica, Campanula collina, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca ovina, Nardus stricta, and Veronica gentianoides increased after burning. Two-fold increase of alpha-diversity of vascular plants was observed on plots with burning treatment, it was twice as high as initial value, and was significantly higher than the values in the control plots. Long-term burning did not substantially change mean P, Ca and Mg content in the biomass of the most of studied species, only K content decreased in some species, while Mg content increased in Festuca varia and Nardus stricta. The increase of P and Mg content in the mortmass was observed. During long-term burning, weak soil acidification and the decrease of Ca content, as well as strong decrease of nitrogen content and the intensity of nitrogen transformation processes were observed. Generally, the observed patterns were similar to those in other studied herb communities, however, the decrease of K content during the regular burning was not reported earlier.

Improved drought tolerance in Festuca ovina L. using plant growth promoting bacteria

Improved drought tolerance in Festuca ovina L. using plant growth promoting bacteria

Potentially harmful elements pollute soil and vegetation around the Atrevida mine (Tarragona, NE Spain)

Mining activity is one of the main sources to pollute soil, water and plants. An analysis of soil and plant samples around the Atrevida mining area in Catalonia (NE Spain) was preformed to determine potentially harmful elements (PHEs). Soil and plant samples were taken at eight locations around the mining area. The topsoil (0–15 cm) samples were analysed for physico-chemical properties by standard methods, by ICP-MS for Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn, and were microwave-digested. Plant, root and shoot samples were digested separately, and heavy metals were analysed by AAS. Translocation factor (TF), biological concentration factor (BCF) and biological accumulation factor (BAF) were determined to assess the tolerance strategies developed by native species and to evaluate their potential for phytoremediation purposes. Soil pH was generally acid (5.48–6.72), with high soil organic matter (SOM) content and a sandy loamy or loamy texture. According to the agricultural soil values in southern Europe, our PHEs concentrations exceeded the toxicity thresholds. The highest root content of the most studied PHEs appeared in Thymus vulgaris L. and Festuca ovina L., while Biscutella laevigata L. accumulated more PHEs in shoots. The TF values were > 1 in B. laevigata L., but BAF obtained < 1, except Pb. B. laevigata L., and can be considered potentially useful for phytoremediation for having the capacity to restrict the accumulation of large PHEs amounts in roots and Pb translocation to shoots.