Bracken (Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn) is cosmopolitan fern, found at varying altitudes on all continents except Antarctica. It is an aggressive colonizer and can appear in various plant communities, but an important characteristic is its ability to dominate in dense patches. Once establish, the deep-set rhizomes are nearly impossible to eradicate. In Croatia, bracken dominate on specific habitat type called “bujadnice” in Lika region, but can also be found in herbaceous layers in following forest communities: As. Betulo-Quercetum; As. Pteridio-Betuletum; As. Potentillo albae-Quercetum pubescentis; As. Castaneo sativae-Fagetum; As. Helleboro nigri-Piceetum. Bracken fern is significant problem for livestock-based extensive agriculture, because it causes a range of syndromes in farm animals including thiamine deficiency, acute hemorrhagic syndrome, bright blindness, enzootic hematuria and upper alimentary carcinoma. Man may consume the toxins of bracken either directly or indirectly. In terms of the economic loss and suffering caused by bracken, it is clearly that some steps must be taken to control distribution of this fern. Timing is important in any management treatment of bracken fern. The most effective time for bracken control is summer just after the new fronds have fully expanded and starch reserves in the rhizome are at their lowest level. Two or more annual treatments and combinations of cutting and herbicide are more effective than single treatments or even single annual treatments.
Štefanić E., Kovačević V., Antunović S., Japundžić-Palenkić B., Zima D., Turalija A., Nestorović N.: Floristic biodiversity of weed communities in arable lands of Istria peninsula (from 2005 to 2017). This paper analyses the floristic biodiversity of weed communities in the arable lands of the Istrian peninsula during a twelve year period (2005−2017). A total of 50 fields were surveyed for each sampling time using the seven-degree Braun-Blanquet cover abundance scale in the following agricultural categories: a) permanent crops (vineyards/olive groves), b) alfalfa fields, c) cereals, d) row crops and e) ruderal areas. The taxonomic identification was performed during the full development of vegetation, for cereals in June and July, and for the rest -in August and September. A total of 175 weed species were determined during both study periods with Asteraceae and Poaceae families as the most abundant. Altogether, therophytes were dominant in both surveys, followed by hemycryptophytes and geophytes. Variations in species composition were visible in both study periods (2005 and 2017) as well as in the selected habitat types. Exclusive species were found in addition to those that were common for both surveys. Changes in species composition between 2005 and 2017 referred to the difference in row spacing in earlier period, and ruderal vs. agricultural habitats in the recent survey. The differences in phenological traits between the past and present surveys were greatest for germination season in permanent crops and row crops, flowering start for permanent crops, flowering period for ruderal area and weed height for permanent crops. Significant differences between the past and present survey for other plant traits did not occur.
Field margins are pollinator-friendly habitats and important refuges for many pollinators. As a valuable food resource throughout the vegetation season, not just when crop species are in flower, field margins need to be protect or restore in areas of intensive farming. This paper examines the floristic and functional structure of weed communities on field margins in the northeastern part of the Republic of Croatia. A phytocoenological survey was conducted during the summer period of 2017 and 2018. A total of 32 field margins was analyzed for species richness, abundance and their role for entomofauna. Floristically rich field margins consist of 72,6% plant species beneficial to pollinators. Foraging period can be stretching throughout the year, but stabile and high flowering period is from May to end of September. Among highest ranked honeybee plants, several invasive species with significant relative abundance are: Solidago gigantea, Asclepias syriaca and Amorpha fruticosa who pose a serious threat to plant biodiversity. Positive role of vegetation from field margins was not valuable for pollinators only, but they also serve as supply the substrates that provide a shelter and nesting sites.
Strane, a posebno invazivne vrste često imaju negativan učinak na biološku raznolikost, ekonomiju, pa i ljudsko zdravlje. One su sposobne proizvoditi produktivno potomstvo i posjeduju potencijal širenja na značajnim površinama. Stoga je širenje invazivnih vrsta jedno od najvećih problema u zaštiti prirode. Praćenje rasprostranjenosti i procjena rizika invazivne vaskularne flore Požeške kotline vršeno je tijekom ljetnih mjeseci od 2017. do 2019. godine putem kombinirane procjene brojnosti i pokrovnosti. Istraživanjima je utvrđeno ukupno 34 invazivne svojte vaskularne flore kojima je pridružena porodica, životni oblik, geografsko porijeklo te je procjenjena faza procesa invazije. Za analizu povezanosti između nadmorske visine i pokrovnih vrijednosti invazivne flore Požeške kotline, primjenjena je multivarijantna statistička tehnika - CCA analiza. Najbrojnije vrstama su porodice Asteraceae i Poaceae. Analiza životnih oblika izdvojila je dominaciju terofita, ali i prisutnost hemikriptofita, fanerofita, geofita i hidrofita. Po porijeklu invazivne biljke pronađene u Požeškoj kotlini dolaze prvenstveno sa američkog područja, posebice Sjeverne Amerike, a zatim slijede one iz Azije i Afrike. Većina zabilježene invazivne flore nalazi se u stadiju ekspanzije tj. kolonizacije. Dobar dio je već naturaliziran, a dio je u fazi introdukcije. Nizinska područja do 200 m nadmorske visine pogoduju najvećem broju invazivnih biljaka. Samo manji broj biljnih vrsta je pozitivno koreliran s brežuljkastim područjima gdje se ističu vrste Phytolacca americana L. i Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle. Najviše zahvaćeni invazijom su ruderalna i poljoprivredna staništa.
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