Theme 1-2: Rangeland/Grassland Ecology--Poster Sessions

Description

The purpose of this study was the assessment of the effect of climatic changes since 1985 on the productivity of grasslands in Wielkopolska region (Poland). The weather data (precipitation sum, mean, maximum and minimum air temperature, insolation, relative air humidity and wind speed) were collected from 1985 to 2018 at five weather stations located in the region that belong to the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management. Using this data, trends of Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) were determined. Grassland productivity was estimated from data collected by the Central Statistical Office, that refer to meadow hay production for each commune and each of the three regrowths. For the analysis of the effects of climatic trends on grassland productivity in Wielkopolska, linear regression was used.

It was concluded that the climatic changes in the Wielkopolska region for the last 34 years were expressed as the increase of mean yearly air temperature, precipitation sum, as well as of the Penman-Monteith evapotranspiration (ET). The significance of these changes was evidenced for air temperature (p= 0.0006) and for the ET (p= 0.004). The analysis carried out for individual months showed that (i) mean air temperature was significantly rising in summer, from June to September, as well in April and November, (ii) precipitation sum changes were not significant, and (iii) the ET was rising in April and September. The significant SPEI trends analysed for different periods (from 1 to 12 months) indicate that soil moisture conditions in the region were deteriorating. No significant effect of the SPEI trends on annual grassland yield and the yield of 2nd regrowth in Wielkopolska was found. The significant relationship was found for the 3-months SPEI in spring which negatively affected hay yield in the first regrowth (p= 0.011- 0.021) and for SPEI calculated for different periods decreasing the grassland productivity in third regrowth.

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Productivity of Grasslands in Wielkopolska in Conditions of Weather Variables Changes in the Last 34 Years

The purpose of this study was the assessment of the effect of climatic changes since 1985 on the productivity of grasslands in Wielkopolska region (Poland). The weather data (precipitation sum, mean, maximum and minimum air temperature, insolation, relative air humidity and wind speed) were collected from 1985 to 2018 at five weather stations located in the region that belong to the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management. Using this data, trends of Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) were determined. Grassland productivity was estimated from data collected by the Central Statistical Office, that refer to meadow hay production for each commune and each of the three regrowths. For the analysis of the effects of climatic trends on grassland productivity in Wielkopolska, linear regression was used.

It was concluded that the climatic changes in the Wielkopolska region for the last 34 years were expressed as the increase of mean yearly air temperature, precipitation sum, as well as of the Penman-Monteith evapotranspiration (ET). The significance of these changes was evidenced for air temperature (p= 0.0006) and for the ET (p= 0.004). The analysis carried out for individual months showed that (i) mean air temperature was significantly rising in summer, from June to September, as well in April and November, (ii) precipitation sum changes were not significant, and (iii) the ET was rising in April and September. The significant SPEI trends analysed for different periods (from 1 to 12 months) indicate that soil moisture conditions in the region were deteriorating. No significant effect of the SPEI trends on annual grassland yield and the yield of 2nd regrowth in Wielkopolska was found. The significant relationship was found for the 3-months SPEI in spring which negatively affected hay yield in the first regrowth (p= 0.011- 0.021) and for SPEI calculated for different periods decreasing the grassland productivity in third regrowth.