Nature-Based Management of Lawns—Enhancing Biodiversity in Urban Green Infrastructure
Urban green areas have multifunctional benefits that may mitigate unfavorable health and ecological effects. Green areas represent important biodiversity hideouts in anthropogenic regions. Lawns are the most common elements of urban greenery, covering a considerable number of green areas in cities....
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MDPI AG
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/5/1705 |
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| author | Jan Winkler Grzegorz Pasternak Wojciech Sas Erika Hurajová Eugeniusz Koda Magdalena Daria Vaverková |
| author_facet | Jan Winkler Grzegorz Pasternak Wojciech Sas Erika Hurajová Eugeniusz Koda Magdalena Daria Vaverková |
| author_sort | Jan Winkler |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Urban green areas have multifunctional benefits that may mitigate unfavorable health and ecological effects. Green areas represent important biodiversity hideouts in anthropogenic regions. Lawns are the most common elements of urban greenery, covering a considerable number of green areas in cities. The aim of this analysis was to gain knowledge on urban greenery and elaborate recommendations related to management that favors grass lawn biodiversity. The established working hypothesis is that the limited intensity of management in urban grass areas is reflected in the modification of their species composition, as well as their potential ecological functions. An experiment on the management of city lawns was conducted in 2010 (still ongoing). There are three lawn variants under different management methods: ornamental, city, and permaculture lawns. Vegetation was assessed using the method of phytocoenological relevés. The coverage values of the individual plant species were processed using multidimensional analysis of ecological data. The results showed that human decisions and activities affected the species composition of these grassy areas. There were 46 plant taxa found during the monitoring: 12 in ornamental lawn variants, 24 in city lawn variants, and 31 in permaculture lawn variants. Permaculture lawns with extensive management represent the most environmentally friendly variant with respect to biodiversity and soil moisture content. However, changes in species composition have raised questions regarding the extent to which they may perform other ecosystem functions. Increasing the intensity of lawn management has resulted in lower plant diversity. Extensive management alters the aesthetic value of lawns and creates spaces for species that may spread in urban environments. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-25T00:35:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3599d0f51ba34c31b768a394058d24bd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-25T00:35:12Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-3599d0f51ba34c31b768a394058d24bd2024-03-12T16:38:34ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172024-02-01145170510.3390/app14051705Nature-Based Management of Lawns—Enhancing Biodiversity in Urban Green InfrastructureJan Winkler0Grzegorz Pasternak1Wojciech Sas2Erika Hurajová3Eugeniusz Koda4Magdalena Daria Vaverková5Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Czech RepublicInstitute of Civil Engineering, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, Nowoursynowska 159, 02 776 Warsaw, PolandInstitute of Civil Engineering, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, Nowoursynowska 159, 02 776 Warsaw, PolandDepartment of Plant Biology, Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Czech RepublicInstitute of Civil Engineering, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, Nowoursynowska 159, 02 776 Warsaw, PolandInstitute of Civil Engineering, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, Nowoursynowska 159, 02 776 Warsaw, PolandUrban green areas have multifunctional benefits that may mitigate unfavorable health and ecological effects. Green areas represent important biodiversity hideouts in anthropogenic regions. Lawns are the most common elements of urban greenery, covering a considerable number of green areas in cities. The aim of this analysis was to gain knowledge on urban greenery and elaborate recommendations related to management that favors grass lawn biodiversity. The established working hypothesis is that the limited intensity of management in urban grass areas is reflected in the modification of their species composition, as well as their potential ecological functions. An experiment on the management of city lawns was conducted in 2010 (still ongoing). There are three lawn variants under different management methods: ornamental, city, and permaculture lawns. Vegetation was assessed using the method of phytocoenological relevés. The coverage values of the individual plant species were processed using multidimensional analysis of ecological data. The results showed that human decisions and activities affected the species composition of these grassy areas. There were 46 plant taxa found during the monitoring: 12 in ornamental lawn variants, 24 in city lawn variants, and 31 in permaculture lawn variants. Permaculture lawns with extensive management represent the most environmentally friendly variant with respect to biodiversity and soil moisture content. However, changes in species composition have raised questions regarding the extent to which they may perform other ecosystem functions. Increasing the intensity of lawn management has resulted in lower plant diversity. Extensive management alters the aesthetic value of lawns and creates spaces for species that may spread in urban environments.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/5/1705urban green areasbiodiversitygrass lawnsmanagement methodsspecies composition |
| spellingShingle | Jan Winkler Grzegorz Pasternak Wojciech Sas Erika Hurajová Eugeniusz Koda Magdalena Daria Vaverková Nature-Based Management of Lawns—Enhancing Biodiversity in Urban Green Infrastructure Applied Sciences urban green areas biodiversity grass lawns management methods species composition |
| title | Nature-Based Management of Lawns—Enhancing Biodiversity in Urban Green Infrastructure |
| title_full | Nature-Based Management of Lawns—Enhancing Biodiversity in Urban Green Infrastructure |
| title_fullStr | Nature-Based Management of Lawns—Enhancing Biodiversity in Urban Green Infrastructure |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nature-Based Management of Lawns—Enhancing Biodiversity in Urban Green Infrastructure |
| title_short | Nature-Based Management of Lawns—Enhancing Biodiversity in Urban Green Infrastructure |
| title_sort | nature based management of lawns enhancing biodiversity in urban green infrastructure |
| topic | urban green areas biodiversity grass lawns management methods species composition |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/5/1705 |
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