Harvesting Effects on Species Composition and Distribution of Cover Attributes in Mixed Native Warm-Season Grass Stands

Temu, Vitalis W.; Baldwin, Brian S.; Reddy, K. Raja; Riffell, Samuel K.

doi:10.3390/environments2020167

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Other experiments have produced opposite results and demonstrated that most tall herbs do not tolerate mowing pressure (Mitchley and Willems 1995;Valkó et al 2012;Temu et al 2015). According to Fynn et al (2004), early cutting of bud tops reduces the flowering and fruiting of tall perennials and eliminates them slowly from phytocenoses.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How to remove expansive perennial species from sedge-dominated wetlands: results of a long-term experiment in lowland river valleys

Kołos

Banaszuk

2021

Rend. Fis. Acc. Lincei

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Grasslands belong to valuable ecosystems facing, all over Europe, a drastic decline in their range and loss of species diversity. Severe floristic transformation may result from the cessation of traditional low-input agricultural use, and consequently, the massive spread of perennial herbs and tall grasses. Invaders can quickly form dense stands and displace endemic vegetation, which results in a nearly complete turnover of phytocenoses. In European protected areas, the only legally acceptable means for suppressing alien species and native dominants within protected areas are biological methods and mowing. We investigated the effect of cutting on the presence of three megaforbs: Lysimachia vulgaris, Lythrum salicaria, and Filipendula ulmaria in fen meadows. We hypothesized that long-term, systematic management mimicking a traditional agricultural practice, would suppress the expansion of megaforbs. Management effectively stopped Lysimachia vulgaris only in marshes, where groundwater in the growing season fell deeper than 50 cm. Coverage of Lythrum salicaria fluctuated over the years, while Filipendula ulmaria did not give in to mowing pressure; on the contrary, it increased its coverage in some places. In light of the results of the long-term experiment, we conclude that mowing appeared to be low effective in preventing the spread of tall perennials. It was likely that indirect factors caused the local withdrawal of megaforbs, i.e., mowing-driven stimulation of other species’ development (e.g., Carex spp., Phragmites) that outcompete Lysimachia vulgaris.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How to remove expansive perennial species from sedge-dominated wetlands: results of a long-term experiment in lowland river valleys

Kołos

Banaszuk

2021

Rend. Fis. Acc. Lincei

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“…For managed defoliation to fulfil the set objective(s), relevant plant responses to the treatments are usually monitored through changes in species composition-numbers, spatial distribution, growth performance, stand thickness, structural uniformity, etc. [6,7,9,10]. While species composition and structural uniformity could be the focus for ecosystem services and conservation-related defoliation management, forage production responses will include regrowth performance and stand thickness.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Compensatory Yield Responses of Young Native Warm-Season Grass Stands to Seasonal Changes in Harvest Frequencies

2022

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Defoliation management can significantly affect subsequent grassland’s forage productivity and sustainability. To assess the type and persistence of native warm-season grass (NWSG) yield responses to changes in defoliation intensity, a five-year harvest trial was conducted, in a randomized complete block design, at Virginia State University’s research farm. Yield responses of newly established indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans L.). Nash, big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman), switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) and eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides L.) stands to second-year changes in harvest regimes were monitored. In 2012, seedlings of these native grasses were transplanted in clean-tilled plots, with 16 plants in each pot. The field was not irrigated, but broadleaf weeds were manually controlled, and all plots were mowed in August and mid-November of 2013. Starting June 2014, each plot had three harvest-strips assigned to single, two, or three cuts per year from early June to mid-October using a plot-harvester; forage weights were recorded. Based on the recorded fresh and oven-dry sample weights, plot forage DM yields were estimated. Cumulative forage biomass of all three-cut strips flipped to single-cut increased by ≥30% and >50% for big bluestem. The second-year single-cut yields also outperformed those cut thrice since the first year by 22–51%. The second-year biomass increases from single-cut strips that were cut thrice in the first year demonstrated that flipping-triggered compensatory yield responses overshadowed the first- year losses in plant vigor. The compensatory yield increases continued to, but not beyond, the third year and varied between species. The yield responses also showed that magnitudes of defoliation management–triggered NWSG growth responses depend more on growing conditions during the recovery period than its actual duration.

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“…Usually, plant species differ in their abilities to compensate for defoliation-imposed tissue damages (Dawson et al, 2000) as reflected in respective regrowth rates (van Staalduinen and Anten, 2005). In mixed stands, such differences may lead to subsequent changes in forage biomass (Temu et al, 2014), sward structure, and/species composition (Temu et al, 2015). Owing to differences, in species' ability to restore lost photosynthetic capacities, recovery growths often result in under/overcompensation of preceding tissue damages.…”

Section: Species Forage Biomassmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Root-trimming and Cutting-heights on Growth Performance of Potted Native Warm-season Grasses

Temu

Johnson

Kering

2016

JPS

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Mechanized transplanting of native warm-season grass (NWSG) seedlings raised in biodegradable strip-cups may require trimming outgrown and entwined roots to facilitate individual placement and complete root covering. During establishment, mowing is often used to reduce weed competition and promote tillering. In two randomized complete block split-split-plot design experiments, effects of root-trimming and cutting-height on growth and biomass production of potted NWSGs [big bluestem (BB, Andropogon gerardii Vitman), eastern gamagrass (GG, Tripsacum dactyloides L.), indiangrass (IG, Sorghastrum nutans L.), and switchgrass (SG, Panicum virgatum L.)] were assessed. Six-week old seedlings were transplanted, with or without root-trimming, and four of each type and species, assigned to 10-, 15-, or 20-cm cutting-height. All plants were fertilized uniformly and watered sufficiently. After a 7-d adjustment period, plants were clipped to 10 cm which promoted tillering. A three-week regrowth was then allowed before the first of three forage harvests, at assigned cutting-heights. Plant heights were recorded every two weeks after transplanting and on each harvest date. Data were analyzed for effects of root-trimming, cutting-height, and species. Root-trimming had no effect on the parameters. Cutting-height had no effect on plant heights except for second GG and SG regrowths, and/or the third BB and SG. Cutting-height affected only SG forage biomass significantly (P < 0.05) during year1 and every species during year2 with 100%+ greater values at the 20-than the 10-cm. All 20-cm average growth rates and belowground biomass in year2 were greater (P < 0.001) than the 10-cm by > 100%, but with similar root:total biomass ratios. Overall, species yield increased in the order; IG

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Harvesting Effects on Species Composition and Distribution of Cover Attributes in Mixed Native Warm-Season Grass Stands

Cited by 5 publications

References 28 publications

How to remove expansive perennial species from sedge-dominated wetlands: results of a long-term experiment in lowland river valleys

How to remove expansive perennial species from sedge-dominated wetlands: results of a long-term experiment in lowland river valleys

Compensatory Yield Responses of Young Native Warm-Season Grass Stands to Seasonal Changes in Harvest Frequencies

Effects of Root-trimming and Cutting-heights on Growth Performance of Potted Native Warm-season Grasses

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