<p>The aim of the study was to assess the impact of cut vegetative shoots of chosen lawn grass cultivars of <em>Festuca</em> being left on the lawn sward surface on the species composition, sodding and appearance, and over-wintering of the lawn. The influence of decomposing biomass was studied in a field experiment between 2008 and 2014. Each cultivar was sown as a monoculture on microplots with an area of 1 m<sup>2</sup>. The control consisted of sites from which the cut sward had been removed immediately after cutting.</p><p>The results obtained may indicate an allelopathic effect of the cut sward of the cultivars left on the lawn surfaces. The following had the most negative effects on the species composition of the lawn sward (from greater to lesser negative impact): <em>F. ovina</em> ‘Espro’, <em>F. rubra</em> ‘Areta’, <em>F. arundinacea</em> ‘Asterix’, and <em>F. ovina</em> ‘Pintor’. With the exception of ‘Espro’, these cultivars also limited the presence of dicotyledonous plants in the lawn sward. The cover of dicotyledonous plants and other unsown grasses was also recorded on the sites with <em>F. rubra</em> ‘Olivia’ and ‘Nimba’. The greatest negative influence on the sodding of the lawn swards was demonstrated by the latter <em>F. rubra</em> cultivar, whereas <em>F. ovina</em> ‘Espro’ had the greatest negative influence on the appearance. However, no differences were found in assessments of over-wintering of the cultivars at the study sites. However, taking into account the scale of these impacts on the characteristics evaluated, the cultivars of <em>Festuca</em> species tested can be recommended for extensive use, where a cut sward can be left on the surface of the lawn. Some caution in this respect is recommended when it comes to <em>F. ovina</em> ‘Espro’ and <em>F. rubra</em> ‘Areta’ and ‘Nimba’.</p>
The allelopathic effect of plants is one of the least known factors determining the stability of lawn swards. Leaves are a rich source of allelopathic substances. Washed out by rain or dew drops, or released during biomass decomposition, these substances can impact plants. In practice, cut sward is often left on the lawn surface and can have an allelopathic effect on regrowing plants. The effect of released allelochemicals depends on many factors, including their concentration. Hence, in order to maintain the high functional properties of the lawn, information is needed on the critical concentrations of allelochemicals inhibiting plant growth and development. Laboratory research was thus undertaken (on Petri dishes) to evaluate the effect of various water extracts of leaves of selected lawn grass cultivars. The following cultivars were the donors: 'Areta', 'Nimba', 'Olivia' (Festuca rubra); 'Espro', 'Pintor' (F. ovina),and 'Asterix' (F. arundinacea), while the acceptors were: 'Niwa' (Agrostis capillaris), 'Asterix' (Festuca arundinacea), 'Espro' (F. ovina), 'Areta' (F. rubra), 'Stadion' (Lolium perenne), and 'Bila' (Poa pratensis) – the species frequently sown in lawns. In the control treatments, distilled water was applied to the substrate. The experiment revealed that the effect of water extracts of leaves varied depending on their concentration and donor variety as well as the sensitivity of the acceptor (the test plant). In comparison with the control treatments, the strongest negative impact was caused by the cultivars 'Olivia' (F. rubra)and 'Pintor' (F. ovina), followed by 'Asterix' (F. arundinacea). Among the acceptors, the greatest sensitivity to the presence of allelochemicals was shown by A. capillaris, and the smallest by F. arundinacea.
The study objective was to assess the floristic composition of pastures for wild animals (fallow deer, Manchurian deer and mouflons) at Przytoczno, pastures for horses at Białka, and cow pastures belonging to the Land Community in Tarnogóra. We analyzed the floristic composition of the pastures under study in the growing seasons of 2011 and 2012, carried out 32 phytosociological relevés in the wild animal pastures, 32 in the horse pastures, and 38 in the cow pastures, using the Braun-Blanquet method. We determined the species diversity of the pastures based on the percentage share of species from the botanical families distinguished, the total number of species, and the Shannon–Wiener and Simpson diversity index. Our floristic surveys indicated that the greatest species diversity occurred in the horse pastures, while it was lower in the wild animal and cow pastures. The Shannon–Wiener diversity index for the sward of the pastures grazed by horses was higher (<em>H'</em> = 5.04) than for those grazed by wild animals (<em>H'</em> = 4.32) and cows (<em>H'</em> = 3.53). The Simpson index of species diversity in a community was higher for the pastures grazed by horses (<em>S</em> = 0.96) than for those grazed by wild animals (<em>S </em>= 0.95) and cows (<em>S</em> = 0.90).
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