Publication Date
1989
Location
Nice France
Description
The old viewpoint that man and his influences are harmful to nature conservation has been proved that it is not necessarilly so. This fact is especially true in the species-rich hay meadow communities of Northern Spain. These old meadows can be defined by their traditional management which have not change for centuries and variety of plants and animals they have. These communities were originated by the first inhabitants who cleared the woodlands and could not be able to exist without the influence of man. Traditional management varies in detail throughout the area depending of the landowner, annual variation in climate and altitude. But most of the meadows are cut for hay in July and grazed by cattle and sheep in autumn and winter. The use of organic manure is widespread in the lowland areas and irrigation is carried out when available. The effects of chemical fertilizers on the species composition and production of meadows has been an important field of research (Carpintero and Suarez, 1976; Oomes and Mooi, 1981). The knowledge of the specific effects of traditional management on the composition, diversity, amounts of nutrients in soils and related production of these meadows has been much more limited especially in Spain. The objective of this work is to assess the factors responsible for differences in botanical composition, diversity and production under different traditional management regimes : with or without irrigation, application of organic fertilizers and autumn and winter grazing.
Citation
Garcia, A and Navascues, I, "The Effect of Management on Floristic Composition and Production on Species-Rich Hay Meadows" (1989). IGC Proceedings (1985-2023). 17.
(URL: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1989/session13/17)
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
The Effect of Management on Floristic Composition and Production on Species-Rich Hay Meadows
Nice France
The old viewpoint that man and his influences are harmful to nature conservation has been proved that it is not necessarilly so. This fact is especially true in the species-rich hay meadow communities of Northern Spain. These old meadows can be defined by their traditional management which have not change for centuries and variety of plants and animals they have. These communities were originated by the first inhabitants who cleared the woodlands and could not be able to exist without the influence of man. Traditional management varies in detail throughout the area depending of the landowner, annual variation in climate and altitude. But most of the meadows are cut for hay in July and grazed by cattle and sheep in autumn and winter. The use of organic manure is widespread in the lowland areas and irrigation is carried out when available. The effects of chemical fertilizers on the species composition and production of meadows has been an important field of research (Carpintero and Suarez, 1976; Oomes and Mooi, 1981). The knowledge of the specific effects of traditional management on the composition, diversity, amounts of nutrients in soils and related production of these meadows has been much more limited especially in Spain. The objective of this work is to assess the factors responsible for differences in botanical composition, diversity and production under different traditional management regimes : with or without irrigation, application of organic fertilizers and autumn and winter grazing.
