Evolution of productive and biodiversity features in lucerne fields of different ages
Laen...
Kuupäev
2022
Kättesaadavus
Autorid
Ajakirja pealkiri
Ajakirja ISSN
Köite pealkiri
Kirjastaja
Estonian University of Life Sciences
Abstrakt
Medicago sativa is a legume forage crop characterized by high production of forage,
with a notable nutritive value, but in mountain areas duration of the crop could be remarkably
affected by severe environmental conditions. To assess the vegetation evolution of lucerne crops
in relation to crop age, data from fields of lucerne of different ages were collected. The aim is the
evaluation of lucerne productive performances, evolution of forage quality and assessment of
recovery by autochthonous species that naturally recolonize the studied areas in relation to age of
the cropped species. With increasing years, lucerne population was significantly decreased and
replaced by different functional types of plants, such as perennial graminoids and short-lived
forbs. Biodiversity increased significantly along time, and evolution of similarity indices
demonstrated an evolution of vegetation toward that represented by reference grassland of the
area. Productive characteristics of forage, in terms of aboveground biomass and quality, were
negatively affected by age. Results permitted to assess the evolution of different features of
lucerne for a mountain environment and to hypothesize the appropriate management for this
resource, that could contemplate also the evolution towards the reconstitution of the reference
habitat for the studied area.
Kirjeldus
Received: January 10th, 2022 ; Accepted: February 23rd, 2022 ; Published: April 1st, 2022 ; Correspondence: giovanni.argenti@unifi.it
Märksõnad
aboveground biomass, botanical composition, Medicago sativa, sown meadows, succession, articles