The Dessau Grassland Experiment—Impact of Fertilization on Forage Quality and Species Assembly in a Species-Rich Alluvial Meadow
Since alluvial meadows of river valleys of the Cnidion dubii are protected by the EU Habitats Directive, reconciling farmers’ demands for forage quality with the objective of maintaining them in good conservation status is an important issue in grassland research. In a long-term experiment from 2010...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-04-01
|
| Series: | Agriculture |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/11/4/339 |
| _version_ | 1797538211025649664 |
|---|---|
| author | Sandra Dullau Knut Rydgren Anita Kirmer Urs Georg Jäger Maren Helen Meyer Sabine Tischew |
| author_facet | Sandra Dullau Knut Rydgren Anita Kirmer Urs Georg Jäger Maren Helen Meyer Sabine Tischew |
| author_sort | Sandra Dullau |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Since alluvial meadows of river valleys of the Cnidion dubii are protected by the EU Habitats Directive, reconciling farmers’ demands for forage quality with the objective of maintaining them in good conservation status is an important issue in grassland research. In a long-term experiment from 2010 to 2018, we investigated the impact of fertilizing on forage quality and species assembly on a species-rich and twice-mown alluvial grassland in the Dessau Elbe floodplain (Germany). The experiment was composed of an unfertilized control, PK, N60, N60PK and N120PK applications. A significant improvement in forage quality was achieved by nitrogen fertilization only for crude protein, with higher feeding requirements for sheep met only in individual years. The legume cycle was inhibited by the application of nitrogen and high grass cover was maintained, but not increased, at the highest nitrogen application after an exceptional summer flood. The target forbs persisted in numbers over the study period in all treatments. For cover, the low-competitive target forbs responded neutrally to nitrogen fertilization, whereas detrimental effects were demonstrated for the competitive ones. Thus, we recommend not applying more than 60 kg year<sup>−1</sup> of nitrogen and only in combination with phosphorus and potassium. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:28:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b82f16616a694d06b6d735cded82f5ed |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0472 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:28:17Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agriculture |
| spelling | doaj.art-b82f16616a694d06b6d735cded82f5ed2023-11-21T14:54:30ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722021-04-0111433910.3390/agriculture11040339The Dessau Grassland Experiment—Impact of Fertilization on Forage Quality and Species Assembly in a Species-Rich Alluvial MeadowSandra Dullau0Knut Rydgren1Anita Kirmer2Urs Georg Jäger3Maren Helen Meyer4Sabine Tischew5Department of Agriculture, Oecotrophology and Landscape Development, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, 06406 Bernburg, GermanyDepartment of Environmental Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, 6851 Sogndal, NorwayDepartment of Agriculture, Oecotrophology and Landscape Development, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, 06406 Bernburg, GermanyDepartment of Nature Conservation, State Office for Environmental Protection Saxony-Anhalt, 06116 Halle (Saale), GermanyDepartment of Agriculture, Oecotrophology and Landscape Development, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, 06406 Bernburg, GermanyDepartment of Agriculture, Oecotrophology and Landscape Development, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, 06406 Bernburg, GermanySince alluvial meadows of river valleys of the Cnidion dubii are protected by the EU Habitats Directive, reconciling farmers’ demands for forage quality with the objective of maintaining them in good conservation status is an important issue in grassland research. In a long-term experiment from 2010 to 2018, we investigated the impact of fertilizing on forage quality and species assembly on a species-rich and twice-mown alluvial grassland in the Dessau Elbe floodplain (Germany). The experiment was composed of an unfertilized control, PK, N60, N60PK and N120PK applications. A significant improvement in forage quality was achieved by nitrogen fertilization only for crude protein, with higher feeding requirements for sheep met only in individual years. The legume cycle was inhibited by the application of nitrogen and high grass cover was maintained, but not increased, at the highest nitrogen application after an exceptional summer flood. The target forbs persisted in numbers over the study period in all treatments. For cover, the low-competitive target forbs responded neutrally to nitrogen fertilization, whereas detrimental effects were demonstrated for the competitive ones. Thus, we recommend not applying more than 60 kg year<sup>−1</sup> of nitrogen and only in combination with phosphorus and potassium.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/11/4/339alluvial grasslandfertilizer levelsfeeding valuelegume cycletarget forbs |
| spellingShingle | Sandra Dullau Knut Rydgren Anita Kirmer Urs Georg Jäger Maren Helen Meyer Sabine Tischew The Dessau Grassland Experiment—Impact of Fertilization on Forage Quality and Species Assembly in a Species-Rich Alluvial Meadow Agriculture alluvial grassland fertilizer levels feeding value legume cycle target forbs |
| title | The Dessau Grassland Experiment—Impact of Fertilization on Forage Quality and Species Assembly in a Species-Rich Alluvial Meadow |
| title_full | The Dessau Grassland Experiment—Impact of Fertilization on Forage Quality and Species Assembly in a Species-Rich Alluvial Meadow |
| title_fullStr | The Dessau Grassland Experiment—Impact of Fertilization on Forage Quality and Species Assembly in a Species-Rich Alluvial Meadow |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Dessau Grassland Experiment—Impact of Fertilization on Forage Quality and Species Assembly in a Species-Rich Alluvial Meadow |
| title_short | The Dessau Grassland Experiment—Impact of Fertilization on Forage Quality and Species Assembly in a Species-Rich Alluvial Meadow |
| title_sort | dessau grassland experiment impact of fertilization on forage quality and species assembly in a species rich alluvial meadow |
| topic | alluvial grassland fertilizer levels feeding value legume cycle target forbs |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/11/4/339 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sandradullau thedessaugrasslandexperimentimpactoffertilizationonforagequalityandspeciesassemblyinaspeciesrichalluvialmeadow AT knutrydgren thedessaugrasslandexperimentimpactoffertilizationonforagequalityandspeciesassemblyinaspeciesrichalluvialmeadow AT anitakirmer thedessaugrasslandexperimentimpactoffertilizationonforagequalityandspeciesassemblyinaspeciesrichalluvialmeadow AT ursgeorgjager thedessaugrasslandexperimentimpactoffertilizationonforagequalityandspeciesassemblyinaspeciesrichalluvialmeadow AT marenhelenmeyer thedessaugrasslandexperimentimpactoffertilizationonforagequalityandspeciesassemblyinaspeciesrichalluvialmeadow AT sabinetischew thedessaugrasslandexperimentimpactoffertilizationonforagequalityandspeciesassemblyinaspeciesrichalluvialmeadow AT sandradullau dessaugrasslandexperimentimpactoffertilizationonforagequalityandspeciesassemblyinaspeciesrichalluvialmeadow AT knutrydgren dessaugrasslandexperimentimpactoffertilizationonforagequalityandspeciesassemblyinaspeciesrichalluvialmeadow AT anitakirmer dessaugrasslandexperimentimpactoffertilizationonforagequalityandspeciesassemblyinaspeciesrichalluvialmeadow AT ursgeorgjager dessaugrasslandexperimentimpactoffertilizationonforagequalityandspeciesassemblyinaspeciesrichalluvialmeadow AT marenhelenmeyer dessaugrasslandexperimentimpactoffertilizationonforagequalityandspeciesassemblyinaspeciesrichalluvialmeadow AT sabinetischew dessaugrasslandexperimentimpactoffertilizationonforagequalityandspeciesassemblyinaspeciesrichalluvialmeadow |