Mowed Grass Research Articles

Harmonia axyridis (Boyer de Fonscolombe) (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) as a potential biological control agent of the invasive soft scale, Sphaerolecanium prunastri (Boyer de Fonscolombe) (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) in native wild apricot forests

BackgroundThe globose scale (GS), Sphaerolecanium prunastri (Boyer de Fonscolombe) (Hemiptera: Coccoidea), has invaded wild apricot forests in their native range in Central Eurasia threatening the ancestral germplasm resource. Biological control efficacy of the harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1773) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) against the globose scale was assessed in laboratory and field experiments.ResultsIn the laboratory, Harmonia axyridis has a high feeding capacity on GS with numbers consumed daily increasing with temperature (15, 20, 25, 30, 35 °C), reaching an upper asymptote of 160–200 scales per day. In field cage experiments, efficacy of biological control (EBC) against first instar (49–99%) and second instar nymphs (20–80%) increased with GS density. When ants were present, control efficiency was reduced by 10–15%. In open-field experiments without cages, EBC was comparatively lower regardless of duration and how H. axyridis were released whether as adults, eggs cards or a mixture of adults and eggs cards.ConclusionsIn the long term, biological control with this ladybird predator could be considered as part of an IPM program package that includes banning or delaying mowing grass and understory plants in the forests that offer pollen and nectar for natural enemies.

KICHIK O‘T O‘RGICH AGREGATINING ISHCHI TEZLIGI VA QAMRASH KENGLIGINI ASOSLASH

Most of the animal stock is mainly fed on farms and homestead plots. Farmers grow the fodder crops required for the stock (corn, clover) on their land plots of 0.5–3 hectares. Technological operations, particularly mowing of crops, are made manually in such small areas as the operational quality of traditional mowing units used on small fi elds is far from good; moreover, they may damage crops and consume plenty of fuel, which may increase costs and cause fi nancial losses to farmers. The operation of mini-grass mowing units can help avoid such nuisances. This needs a rationale for the operating parameters of small units. Rational working rate and working width of a small mower comprising a mini tractor TTZ-30C and a mini mowing unit KOS2,1 the basic methodologies of tractor dynamics and composition of machine-tractor aggregates (calculation of power balance, determination of traction resistance of the unit) have been used for justifying the parameters. An investigation of the power balance has defi ned numerical values for the hook capacity (4,06 kW) and traction resistance (1,195 kN) of a grass mowing unit. A working width of 2.1 m and a rational working speed of 12.23 km/h correspond to these values. A mini mowing unit comprising TTZ-30C and КОС-2,1 is being proposed for operating on smaller farming land plots. The methodologies suggested in this study can be used to justify parameters using identical technical means.

Autonomous Robot Prototype for Grass Mowing

Autonomous Robot Prototype for Grass Mowing

Compostagem de resíduos vegetais frescos e sua aplicação no cultivo de alface

ABSTRACT A considerable part of fresh plant-based food has been discarded as waste, although it could be used to make organic compost for growing plants, retaining nutrient that would be discarded without any control in the environment. The aim of this study was to produce an organic compost using fresh vegetable food discarded from restaurants and mowed grass and to evaluate it for production of lettuce. The compost was produced and mixed with the commercial substrate Tropstrato HT Hortaliças® to occupy 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 or 25% of the volume of the mixture, which was used to grow Imperial and Imperial Roxa cultivars in the first experiment, and Camila and Red Star lettuce cultivars in the second one. The experiments were conducted under protected environment, organized in a 6x2 factorial scheme, following completely randomized design with three replicates. Chemical analyses of the substrate and compost and measurements of plant size and mass were carried out. The addition of compost caused an increase in all measurements of the plant traits, with the maximum estimated increase ranging from 1.7 to 9.0 times that estimated for the absence of compost in the plant growth substrate. Maximum estimated values for size and mass were observed with compost concentrations ranging from 20.1 to 26.7% of the mixture volume. The production of organic compost and its mixture with a commercial substrate proved to be an alternative for lettuce production, giving a better destination to the organic residues and promoting a reduction in the use of industrial inputs.

Anthropogenic Transformations of Vegetation in the Kuyalnik Estuary Valley (Ukraine, Odesa District)

Human influence on the steppe ecosystems of Ukraine caused irreversible loss of biodiversity in the natural zone. Currently, this problem is aggravated by military operations which cover almost half of the steppe zone and are unprecedented in the entire history of their existence. This actualizes the study of vegetation dynamic processes under the influence of the novel anthropogenic factors, and serves as the scientific basis for restoring and preserving steppe vegetation and maintaining its functional stability. The paper highlights anthropogenic changes in vegetation of the Kuyalnik Estuary valley based on long-term comparative phytocenotic surveys and uses of the method of succession series for reconstruction. These changes are representative of the river valleys of the estuaries in the Northern Black Sea region. This work examines vegetation changes induced by runoff overregulation of estuary rivers within the basin, quarrying of sand and limestone, ploughing, grazing, burning, terracing of slopes and their afforestation, excessive mowing of grass stands, and uncontrolled recreation. Subject to the existing anthropogenic impact combined with global climate changes, further vegetation degradation was predicted to occur in the direction of xerophitization and halophitization, reduction in shrubby vegetation areas, degradation of steppe vegetation, and intensification of desertification processes.

Sown wildflowers between vines increase beneficial insect abundance and richness in a British vineyard

Abstract Traditional vineyards are generally intensive monocultures with high pesticide usage. Viticulture is one of the fastest‐growing sectors of English agriculture, although there is currently limited research on habitat management practices. In a vineyard in East Sussex, England, we tested five inter‐row ground cover treatments on their potential in supporting beneficial insects: two commercially available seed mixes (meadow mix and pollen and nectar mix), a wild bee seed mix (formulated based on pollinator foraging preferences), natural regeneration, and regularly mowed grass. Over two years, from May to August, we conducted monthly floral surveys and insect surveys using transect walks and pan traps. The abundance and richness of flowers in the natural regeneration treatment were twice that of the regularly mown inter‐row treatment. By year 2, the abundance of “total insects” sampled was significantly higher in the wild bee mix compared to mown. Likewise, there was a significant effect of treatment type on pollinator richness, with a higher mean richness found in wild bee mix. Solitary wasp family richness was highest in the natural regeneration treatment and lowest in the mown treatment. Given the rapid growth and lack of specific environmental recommendations for British viticulture, we demonstrate a simple and effective approach for supporting beneficial insects and ecosystem services. Promotion of perennial wildflowers through sowing or allowing natural regeneration in inter‐row ground cover in vineyards has the potential to boost biodiversity in vineyards on a large scale if widely adopted.

Fusarium incarnatum-equiseti Species Complex Causing Root Rot Disease on Leymus chinensis in China.

Leymus chinensis (Trin.) Tzvel. is a rhizomatous grass widely grown in the grasslands of Eurasia. With strong fertility and stress resistance, L. chinensis makes an excellent pasture and mowing grass, contributing to animal husbandry and thus playing an important role in the local economy of the northern grassland area in China (Baoyin et al. 2014). During August to September 2019, diseased roots of L. chinensis were collected from an artificially planted grassland (40°47'44" N, 111°43'58″ E, alt. 1049 m) in Shaerqin County, Hohhot, China. Infected plants were scattered across the field with disease incidence up to 2%. Symptoms observed were wilted plants and rotten roots. In order to identify the causal pathogen of root rot on L. chinensis, symptomatic pieces (5 × 5 mm) of grass roots were excised and surface sterilized with 75% ethanol for 3-5 s followed by 1% NaClO for 2-3 min, rinsed three times with sterile distilled water, and placed on water agar and incubated at 25°C for 3 days. The mycelia were cut and transferred onto potato dextrose agar (PDA) for subculture. A fungus was consistently isolated, and a strain, named LCH054, was obtained by hyphal tip culture. Culture developed as white and fluffy aerial mycelia, with diffused pink pigment on the reverse side of PDA after culturing at 25℃ for 7 days. A culture of LCH054 was transferred to carnation leaf agar (CLA) (Li et al. 2014) and incubated at 25°C for 10 days. Microconidia were absent but macroconidia were produced. Macroconidia were hyaline, sickle-shaped, and had 4 to 7 septa, 19.8 to 63.6 (mean 43.8) × 1.8 to 5.7 (mean 3.2) μm (n = 100). Chlamydospores were ellipsoidal or subglobose, with thick walls in clumps or chains. All morphological characteristics of LCH054 resembled Fusarium equiseti (Leslie and Summerell 2006). The primers of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region (White et al. 1990) and translation elongation factor 1α gene (TEF-1α) (O'Donnell et al. 1998) were used to amplify the isolate, and the fragments were sequenced. BLASTn search in the NCBI database using the ITS and TEF-1α sequences revealed 99 to 100% similarities with F. equiseti. BLAST analysis of the ITS and TEF-1α sequencies in the FUSARIUM-ID database showed them to have 99.21% (500 bp out of 504 bp) and 99.52% (622 bp out of 625 bp) similarities with the Fusarium incarnatum-equiseti species complex (FIESC) (strain NRRL 45997) (O'Donnell et al. 2009), respectively. The ITS and TEF1-α sequences were deposited in GenBank as accession numbers MT937067 and MT947530, respectively. The strain LCH054 was identified as a member of the FIESC based on morphological and molecular characteristics. For the pathogenicity test, one hundred of L. chinensis seeds were planted into five pots (12 cm [diameter]) × 15 cm [high]) and kept in a greenhouse under a 16-h photoperiod with temperatures of 20-25°C and 40% relative humidity. The conidial suspension of LCH054 was prepared by washing 7-day old fungal culture grown on CLA medium using sterile deionized water. Conidia were filtered through three layers of sterile cheese cloth, counted, and adjusted to 1 × 105 conidia/ml with a hemocytometer. Forty 1-month-old healthy plants (four pots) were inoculated with 400 ml of conidia suspension using the root drenching method, whereas the inoculum was replaced with 100 ml sterile water on control plants (one pot). Fourteen days after inoculation, all inoculated plants showed the typical symptoms of root rot identical to those observed in the field, whereas the control plants remained healthy. LCH054 was re-isolated from the inoculated plants and identified by the morphological and molecular approaches as described above. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of root rot caused by F. incarnatum-equiseti on L. chinensis in China as well as worldwide. The presence of the pathogen could cause significant economic losses in L. chinensis production. For this reason, strategies for the management and control of this disease should be developed and implemented.

Green Leaf Volatiles in the Atmosphere—Properties, Transformation, and Significance

This review thoroughly covers the research on green leaf volatiles (GLV) in the context of atmospheric chemistry. It briefly takes on the GLV sources, in-plant synthesis, and emission inventory data. The discussion of properties includes GLV solubility in aqueous systems, Henry’s constants, partition coefficients, and UV spectra. The mechanisms of gas-phase reactions of GLV with OH, NO3, and Cl radicals, and O3 are explained and accompanied by a catalog of products identified experimentally. The rate constants of gas-phase reactions are collected in tables with brief descriptions of corresponding experiments. A similar presentation covers the aqueous-phase reactions of GLV. The review of multiphase and heterogeneous transformations of GLV covers the smog-chamber experiments, products identified therein, along with their yields and the yields of secondary organic aerosols (SOA) formed, if any. The components of ambient SOA linked to GLV are briefly presented. This review recognized GLV as atmospheric trace compounds that reside primarily in the gas phase but did not exclude their transformation in atmospheric waters. GLV have a proven potential to be a source of SOA with a global burden of 0.6 to 1 Tg yr−1 (estimated jointly for (Z)-hexen-1-ol, (Z)-3-hexenal, and 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol), 0.03 Tg yr−1 from switch grass cultivation for biofuels, and 0.05 Tg yr−1 from grass mowing.

A field spray drift study to determine the downwind effects of isoxaflutole herbicide to nontarget plants.

Spray drift buffers are often required on herbicide labels to prevent potential drift effects to nontarget plants. Buffers are typically derived by determining the distance at which predicted exposure from spray drift equals the ecotoxicology threshold for sensitive plant species determined in greenhouse tests. Field studies performed under realistic conditions have demonstrated, however, that this approach is far more conservative than necessary. In 2016, the US Environmental Protection Agency estimated that isoxaflutole (IFT), a herbicide used to control grass and broadleaf weeds, could adversely affect downwind nontarget dicot plants at distances of ≥304 m from the edge of the treated field due to spray drift. This prediction implies that a buffer of at least 304 m is required to protect nontarget plants. To refine the predicted buffer distance for IFT, we conducted a field study in which sensitive nontarget plants (lettuce and navy bean, two to four leaf stage) were placed at various distances downwind from previously harvested soybean fields sprayed with Balance® Flexx Herbicide. The test plants were then transported to a greenhouse for grow out following the standard vegetative vigor test protocol. There were three trials. One had vegetation in the downwind deposition area (i.e., test plants placed in mowed grass; typical exposure scenario) and two had bare ground deposition areas (worst‐case exposure scenario). For both plant species in bare ground deposition areas, effects on shoot height and weight were observed at 1.52 m but not at downwind distances of ≥9.14 m from the edge of the treated area. No effects were observed at any distance for plants placed in the vegetated deposition area. The field study demonstrated that a buffer of 9.14 m protects nontarget terrestrial plants exposed to IFT via spray drift even under worst‐case conditions. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2022;18:757–769. © 2021 Bayer. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

Analysis of the Possibility of Energetic Utilization of Biomass Obtained from Grass Mowing of a Large-Area Golf Course—A Case Study of Tuscany

The mowing of sports fields generates a significant amount of waste biomass which requires appropriate management. On the largest scale, this problem affects golf courses with a grass surface area of up to 100 ha. Currently, the main directions for grass clippings management include composting, grass cycling, and waste. A certain alternative may be the energetic utilization of grass clippings, which not only solves the problem of organic waste management, but also brings measurable economic profits in the form of generated electricity and heat. This paper presents a techno-economic analysis of the application of a micro biogas plant, fed with grass clippings from a golf course project in Tuscany, with a grass surface of 111.21 ha. It has been shown that the annual biomass potential is 526.65 tDM∙year−1 (±45.64 tDM∙year−1), which makes it possible to build a micro biogas plant with an electric power of ca. 46 kW. The potential amount of electricity produced during the year is able to cover 16.95–37.35% (depending on the season) of electricity demand in the hotel resort, which includes two golf courses and practice facilities. The produced heat in the amount of 1388.41 GJ, in turn, is able to cover the annual heat demand in the range of 7.95–17.24% (depending on the season). In addition, the electricity and heat produced exceeds the energy expenditures for mowing, making the energy balance positive. Unfortunately, the analysis showed that the construction of a micro scale biogas plant is economically unprofitable and is characterized (in the period of 10 years) by negative IRR and ROI (−17.74% and −34.98%, respectively). However, it should be emphasized that with the additional income resulting from the avoidance of fees for the export and management of organic waste and the reduction of fertilization costs (fertilization of part of the golf course with digestate), the application of a micro biogas plant may turn out to be economically feasible (NPV > 0).

Impacts of Land Surface Conditions and Land Use on Dust Events in the Inner Mongolian Grasslands, China

Aeolian processes in temperate grasslands (TGs) are unique because the plant growth–decay cycle, soil water, and land-use interactions affect the seasonal and inter-annual changes in dust events. Land-use types in Inner Mongolian TGs are unique (settled grazing and grass mowing) compared with those in Mongolian TGs. Since 2003, land use has been controlled by grassland protection legislation, which is intended to prevent desertification and dust storms. In this study, we used process-based ecosystem (DAYCENT) and statistical modeling, along with dust event observations from March to June of 1981–2015, to (1) identify critical land surface factors controlling dust emissions (vegetation components, live grass, standing dead grass, litter, and soil moisture) at typical and desert steppe sites in Inner Mongolia and (2) estimate the impact of controlled land-use legislation on dust events. The DAYCENT model realistically simulated the dynamics of the observed vegetation components and soil moisture in 2005–2015. At both sites, similar significant correlations were obtained between spring dust events and wind speed or a combination of all surface factors that retained anomalies (memory) from the preceding year. Among the surface factors, vegetation was a critical factor that suppressed dust in Inner Mongolian TGs, similar to that in Mongolian TGs. In the desert steppe, standing dead grass had the strongest memory and was significantly correlated with dust events, whereas no significant correlations were observed in the typical steppe. This suggests that, in a typical steppe region, heavy grazing and mowing result in few dead grasses, thereby inhibiting the prevention of dust events. Moreover, the simulations of dust events under controlled (light grazing) and uncontrolled (heavy grazing) land-use conditions demonstrated that the grassland protection legislation reduced the occurrence of dust events in typical and desert steppe sites by 25 and 40%, respectively, since 2003.

Influence of anthropogenic factors on the ecology of Melanocorypha calandra and Alauda arvensis in depressions of Dnipro — Molochna

The research was carried out for 3 years in the steppe biotopes of the bottoms of the Ahaymany, Barnashivsky, Green, Big Chapelsk, and Small Chapelsk depressions of the Dnipro — Molochna interfluve. Based on visual inspection and processing of space images, the degree of anthropogenic transformation of these ecosystems is analyzed. The highest percentage of plowing is characteristic of the Ahaymany depression, which occurred in the last 10 years. Among the factors that significantly affect the nesting birds of the steppe complex are also the continuous low mowing of grass (Green depression) and overgrazing of livestock — Small Chapelsk depression. The nesting density of background steppe species was determined, the highest density of Alauda arvensis in different years is characteristic of Ahaymany (245,2 pairs/km2) and Barnashivsky depression (211,2 pairs/km2), and Melanocorypha calandra — for the Big Chapelsk depression (140,1 pairs/km2). Stable is only the territory of the Big Chapelsk depression the protected regime under moderate grazing load of wild ungulates. A positive correlation was established between the values of steppe habitat area and Alauda arvensis nesting in the Ahaymany, Barnashivsky, Small Chapelsk, and Green depressions and, accordingly, a negative dependence for Melanocorypha calandra.

Influence of Vineyard Inter-Row Groundcover Vegetation Management on Arthropod Assemblages in the Vineyards of North-Eastern Italy.

Simple SummaryHabitat simplification and use of pesticides in vineyard agro-ecosystems simplified arthropod communities, reducing natural pest control. In this context, habitat management practices could be useful strategies to provide fundamental sources for sustaining natural enemies. The effects of habitat management practices on pests and beneficial arthropods were evaluated in vineyards of North-eastern Italy through different field experiments. We reduced mowing frequency of inter-row spontaneous grasses, compared different timing of mowing of a green manure mixture, and different green manure mixtures. The abundance of key natural enemies (e.g., predatory mites, parasitic wasps and spiders) and some grapevine leafhoppers increased when the grass mowing frequency was reduced. Many beneficial arthropods increased in numbers in organic vineyards. Late mowing of green manure favored spiders and parasitic wasps but not herbivores associated with grapevines. The experiments on the comparison of green manure mixtures did not significantly affect the arthropod communities. Groundcover management practices could enhance beneficial arthropod abundance, but the adoption of this practice should be carefully evaluated when pests occur. In this study, the effects of habitat management practices on both pests and beneficial arthropods were evaluated in vineyards of North-eastern Italy through different field experiments: (1) mowing of inter-row spontaneous grasses in conventional and organic vineyards, (2) different timing of mowing of a green manure mixture, and (3) comparing different green manure mixtures. The first experiment followed a split-plot design, while randomized block design was used in the second and third experiment. In each experiment arthropods were sampled using different methods: leaf sampling, beating and sweep net sampling. Non-mowed spontaneous grasses in inter-rows of vineyards favored the abundance of natural enemies (e.g., predatory mites, parasitic wasps and spiders), and sometimes grapevine leafhoppers. Many arthropod species were recorded in higher numbers in organic vineyards. Late mowing of green manure favored beneficial arthropods (e.g., spiders and parasitic wasps), while it did not influence herbivore density. Groundcover management practices, aimed at increasing plant biodiversity in vineyards, could be a useful tool to enhance beneficial arthropod abundance, although the adoption of this practice should be carefully evaluated when pests occur. Semi-natural areas can contribute to create a more pest-stable agro-ecosystem and should be integrated with appropriate ecological infrastructures surrounding vineyards.

Food, shadow, and fire influence a tropical bird´s display

Within social signaling contexts, behavioral displays used for territorial defense and courtship may be affected by vegetation characteristics and by human disturbance. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the relation between motor display variables of the blue-black grassquit (Volatinia jacarina) and vegetation characteristics. Secondly, we tested if human disturbance (fire and grass mowing) could induce variations in display variables. We modelled two display variables involving conspicuousness and energetic motor investment (i.e., leap duration and rate) to examine their relation to habitat characteristics that reflect vegetation complexity (i.e., grass seed abundance, shadow intensity, vegetation density) and evaluated whether confounding factors (e.g., time of day, territory location and breeding status) influenced this relationship. In a second set of analyses, we assessed the influence of fire and grass mowing upon the bird’s display. We found that leap duration increased in contexts of high seed abundance and shadow intensity, and leap rate decreased along the day. Distance from display perches to vegetation patch edge or streets and the presence of an active nest did not predict displays variables. We also show that following a fire event, birds exhibited a lower display rate. Our results indicate that vegetation structure helps to shape the blue-black grassquit display, consistent with the interpretation that courtship exhibitions can signal territory quality. Our findings also show that anthropogenic disturbance can impact a bird’s sexual display and underscores the urgency of further studies about the effects of human activities on animals’ reproductive behaviors. Vegetation characteristics influence resource abundance and provide the backdrop for most animal activities. The degree of vegetation density can either facilitate or confound individuals’ daily activities, since vegetation density influences detection by mates, competitors, and predators. Human-induced habitat changes can influence animal communication by modifying vegetation structure and resource distribution. Our objective was to evaluate the relation between motor display variables of a tropical bird and vegetation characteristics and test if human disturbance could induce variations in display variables. We found that displays are influenced by seed abundance and shadow intensity, leap rate is highest at dawn, and fire reduces display rate. Our results indicate that vegetation structure helps in shaping this species’ sexual display. We highlight the lack of studies evaluating the influence of human activities on animals’ reproductive behaviors.

Wild orchids of Tyumen and challenges, related to their preservation

There are 11 plant species of the Orchidaceae family in the city area of Tyumen; eight of them are protected in the Tyumen region, one species is included in the Red Book of Russia. Representatives of the family are found in the urban forest complex, roadside forest belts, on lawns and in public gardens of the central part of the city. Most species are represented locally by single specimens or small groups; three species – Epipactis helleborine, Platanthera bifolia and Neottianthe cucullata can form large complete coenopopulations. The main anthropogenous factors negatively affecting the condition of orchids in the city are: reconstruction of roads and plantations, regular mowing of grass in the habitats of plants. The protection of species requires coordinated efforts of municipal services for the improvement of urban areas and environmental organizations.

ТЕХНОЛОГИИ ИНТЕРНЕТА ВЕЩЕЙ В КОРМОПРОИЗВОДСТВЕ И ИХ ЭФФЕКТИВНОСТЬ

Currently, Internet of Things technologies are increasingly used in agriculture. One of the distinctive features of the industry is the territorial dispersion of means of production and objects of labor, so the use of Internet of Things technologies gives the greatest effect here. In the context of the need to strengthen food security for such product groups as milk and dairy products, as well as beef, an important factor in increasing production is a strong feed base. The potential of livestock productivity can be fully realized only through the use of high-quality feed. Since 65-80% of the feed ration of livestock consists of grass feed (hay, haylage, green fodder, silage), this is exactly the segment of feed production where it is necessary to activate the reserves of its development. Obtaining high-quality grass feed depends largely on establishing the timing of mowing grass, when the ratio between the decreasing protein content and the increasing amount of fiber is optimal. Failure to comply with the optimal timing of harvesting grass feed can lead to a decrease in livestock productivity by up to 20%. Taking into account the large areas of forage crops, this task can be solved by using the Internet of Things technology with the use of remote sensing of crops and unmanned aerial vehicles (drones).

Municipal regulation of residential landscapes across US cities: Patterns and implications for landscape sustainability

Local regulations on residential landscapes (yards and gardens) can facilitate or constrain ecosystem services and disservices in cities. To our knowledge, no studies have undertaken a comprehensive look at how municipalities regulate residential landscapes to achieve particular goals and to control management practices. Across six U.S. cities, we analyzed 156 municipal ordinances to examine regional patterns in local landscape regulations and their implications for sustainability. Specifically, we conducted content analysis to capture regulations aimed at: 1) goals pertaining to conservation and environmental management, aesthetics and nuisance avoidance, and health and wellbeing, and 2) management actions including vegetation maintenance, water and waste management, food production, and chemical inputs. Our results reveal significant variation in local and regional regulations. While regulatory goals stress stormwater management and nuisance avoidance, relatively few municipalities explicitly regulate residential yards to maintain property values, mitigate heat, or avoid allergens. Meanwhile, biological conservation and water quality protection are common goals, yet regulations on yard management practices (e.g., non-native plants or chemical inputs) sometimes contradict these purposes. In addition, regulations emphasizing aesthetics and the maintenance of vegetation, mowing of grass and weeds, as well as the removal of dead wood, may inhibit wildlife-friendly yards. As a whole, landscaping ordinances largely ignore tradeoffs between interacting goals and outcomes, thereby limiting their potential to support landscape sustainability. Recommendations therefore include coordinated, multiobjective planning through partnerships among planners, developers, researchers, and non-government entities at multiple scales.

Effect of Shading and Mowing on the Growth of Indonesia’s Native Zoysia grass in Silty Clay Soil

<p>In general, turfgrass grows well and forms high quality turf under full sun exposure. It is very difficult, however, to grow a warm season turfgrass under shaded condition. Zoysia grass is a popular warm season grass that commonly grow under full sun exposure condition. There are limited information regarding the growth response and turf quality of zoysia grass when grown under shaded condition. This study aims to observe the growth and quality of various zoysia grass local cultivars at different shading intensities and different mowing. This research was carried out using 10 zoysia grass cultivars planted in the rice fields’ vertisol clay with randomized complete block design. The shading used were control, shade-nets with 25% and 65% hole densities. Zoysia grass was fertilized using NPK; 4:1:3 and mowed three times. The results showed that plants without shade, 25% and 65% received on average solar irradiance of 25,141; 12,456 and 3,727 lux. The increase in shade level decreased the shoot fresh weight, dry weight, root dry weight and the plant height. Shading and frequent mowing effected the plant height. Mowing has more effect on plant height in 25% shading than in 65% shading. The increase in shading, in mowed grass showed increased plant height and decreased plant dry weight. Mowing three times can reduce plant height in all shades. The grasses under 25% shading resulted the highest plant dry weight; whereas and shading 65% resulted the lowest. Plant dry weight and uniformity of turf were affected by the cultivars.</p>

Comparing the Spatial Accuracy of Digital Surface Models from Four Unoccupied Aerial Systems: Photogrammetry Versus LiDAR

The technological growth and accessibility of Unoccupied Aerial Systems (UAS) have revolutionized the way geographic data are collected. Digital Surface Models (DSMs) are an integral component of geospatial analyses and are now easily produced at a high resolution from UAS images and photogrammetric software. Systematic testing is required to understand the strengths and weaknesses of DSMs produced from various UAS. Thus, in this study, we used photogrammetry to create DSMs using four UAS (DJI Inspire 1, DJI Phantom 4 Pro, DJI Mavic Pro, and DJI Matrice 210) to test the overall accuracy of DSM outputs across a mixed land cover study area. The accuracy and spatial variability of these DSMs were determined by comparing them to (1) 12 high-precision GPS targets (checkpoints) in the field, and (2) a DSM created from Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) (Velodyne VLP-16 Puck Lite) on a fifth UAS, a DJI Matrice 600 Pro. Data were collected on July 20, 2018 over a site with mixed land cover near Middleton, NS, Canada. The study site comprised an area of eight hectares (~20 acres) with land cover types including forest, vines, dirt road, bare soil, long grass, and mowed grass. The LiDAR point cloud was used to create a 0.10 m DSM which had an overall Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) accuracy of ±0.04 m compared to 12 checkpoints spread throughout the study area. UAS were flown three times each and DSMs were created with the use of Ground Control Points (GCPs), also at 0.10 m resolution. The overall RMSE values of UAS DSMs ranged from ±0.03 to ±0.06 m compared to 12 checkpoints. Next, DSMs of Difference (DoDs) compared UAS DSMs to the LiDAR DSM, with results ranging from ±1.97 m to ±2.09 m overall. Upon further investigation over respective land covers, high discrepancies occurred over vegetated terrain and in areas outside the extent of GCPs. This indicated LiDAR’s superiority in mapping complex vegetation surfaces and stressed the importance of a complete GCP network spanning the entirety of the study area. While UAS DSMs and LiDAR DSM were of comparable high quality when evaluated based on checkpoints, further examination of the DoDs exposed critical discrepancies across the study site, namely in vegetated areas. Each of the four test UAS performed consistently well, with P4P as the clear front runner in overall ranking.

Результаты исследований установки для ухода за почвой в интенсивном горном садоводстве

A new structural and technological scheme has been proposed and a prototype of a plant for soil care in intensive mountain gardening has been developed, which allows mowing and chopping grass vegetation in the aisles, feeding and evenly laying mulch on the loosened section of the near-trunk strip of fruit plantations, followed by mixing it with the soil. The use of the proposed technology and installation for its implementation allows: to accelerate the process of humification mixed with the soil of finely ground mulch material and the creation of favorable microbiological processes in the soil; improve the efficiency of absorption and accumulation of precipitation; covering the soil with mulch material suppresses the germination of weeds and protects the surface of the loosened soil from excessive evaporation of moisture.