Effect of seed mixture composition and management on competitiveness of herbs in temporary grasslands

In multispecies grasslands the proportion of different herb species may vary considerably due to low competitiveness of some herbs. To examine the possibility for increasing the competitiveness an experiment with three factors were set up: 1) amount of herb seed in a perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), white clover (Trifolium repens) mixture, 2) slurry application and 3) cutting frequency. The experiment was carried out over two years. The herbs mix contained salad burnet (Sanguisorba minor), fenugreek (Trogonella foenum-gruecum), chicory (Chicorium intybus), caraway (Carum carvi), birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium), plantain (Plantago lanceolata), Lucerne (Medicago sativa) and melilot (Melilotus officinalis). The proportion of herb seeds was 5, 25, 50 or 100 %. The herb species were most competitive in the first harvest year. In the second year the proportion of all herb species were very low in the mixtures, where white clover and perennial ryegrass were represented. The proportion of many herbs were higher at a 7-cut than at a 4-cut management, and application of cattle slurry also affected the competitiveness. In general chicory, caraway and plantain were the strongest competitors, salad burnet and birdsfoot trefoil were intermediate, and melilot, fenugreek and chervil were very weak competitors

Root biomass and carbon storage in differently managed multispecies temporary grasslands

Species-rich grasslands may potentially increase carbon (C) storage in soil and an experiment was established to investigate C storage in highly productive temporary multi-species grasslands. Plots were established with three mixtures: 1) a herb mixture containing salad burnet (Sanguisorba minor L.), fenugreek (Trogonella foenum-gruecum), chicory (Chicorium intybus L.), caraway (Carum carvi L.), birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.), chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium L.), plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.), lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) and melilot (Melilotus officinalis), 2) 50% of the herb mixture and 50% of a white clover (Trifolium repens L.)/perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) mixture, and 3) 5% of the herb mixture and 95% of the white clover/ryegrass mixture. Management factors were number of cuts per year and fertilizer application. Aboveground biomass increased considerably with increasing content of herbs and with fertilizer application in plots with a 4-cut strategy. With a 6-cut strategy without fertilizer herbs had no effect on the aboveground biomass. In the herb mixture biomass of small roots was lower than in mixtures with white clover and ryegrass. There was a tendency towards increased biomass in the large root fraction with increasing herb content. The experiment indicated increased CO2 evolution following cultivation of multispecies grasslands

Ecology of Sydney plant species : part 10, Monocotyledon families Lemnaceae to Zosteraceae

Ecological data in tabular form are provided on 668 plant species of the families Lemnaceae to Zosteraceae, 505 native and 163 exotics, occurring in the Sydney region, defined by the Central Coast and Central Tablelands botanical subdivisions of New South Wales (approximately bounded by Lake Macquarie, Orange, Crookwell and Nowra). Relevant Local Government Areas are Auburn, Ashfield, Bankstown, Bathurst, Baulkham Hills, Blacktown, Blayney, Blue Mountains, Botany, Burwood, Cabonne, Camden, Campbelltown, Canada Bay, Canterbury, Cessnock, Crookwell, Evans, Fairfield, Greater Lithgow, Gosford, Hawkesbury, Holroyd, Hornsby, Hunters Hill, Hurstville, Kiama, Kogarah, Ku-ring-gai, Lake Macquarie, Lane Cove, Leichhardt, Liverpool, Manly, Marrickville, Mosman, Mulwaree, North Sydney, Oberon, Orange, Parramatta, Penrith, Pittwater, Randwick, Rockdale, Ryde, Rylstone, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven, Singleton, South Sydney, Strathfield, Sutherland, Sydney City, Warringah, Waverley, Willoughby, Wingecarribee, Wollondilly, Wollongong, Woollahra and Wyong. The study area falls within the Sydney Basin IBRA Bioregion. Families are: Lemnaceae, Liliaceae, Lomandraceae, Luzuriagaceae, Najadaceae, Orchidaceae, Philydraceae, Phormiaceae, Poaceae, Pontederiaceae, Posidoniaceae, Potamogetonaceae, Restionaceae, Ripogonaceae, Smilacaceae, Sparganiaceae, Thismiaceae, Typhaceae, Uvulariaceae, Xanthorrhoeaceae, Xyridaceae, Zingiberaceae, Zosteraceae. Data are derived from herbarium collections, literature and field observations. It is hoped that the many, often alarming gaps in the information available will stimulate much-needed research into the ecology of more of the species. Information is provided so far as available to us for each plant species in the following categories: Life History: Growth form, vegetative spread, longevity, primary juvenile period (time from germination to fruiting), reproduction, flowering and fruiting times, fruit/seed type, dispersal, establishment and growth, fire response, interaction with other organisms. Distribution: Status/origin (native/naturalised), botanical subregions, distribution in Sydney area, selected locations. Habitat: Habitat, altitude, annual rainfall, typical local abundance, vegetation, substrate, exposure. Conservation: Conservation status

Evaluation of herb pastures for New Zealand dairy systems : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Animal Sciences at Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand

Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) and plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.) sown in pure swards or both herbs sown with red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) and white clover (T. repens L.) are able to produce large amounts of high-quality forage in summer and autumn, when production and quality of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) are often limited. There have been many cases of poor persistence of chicory with current management practices, but there is limited information for plantain and the herb-clover mix pastures when grazed in dairy systems. Additionally, the presence of bioactive compounds in plantain has created interest in their potential effect on rumen fermentation. The objectives of this research were to evaluate the effect of grazing frequency, two and four weeks, on the agronomic characteristics and diet selection of chicory, plantain, and herb-clover mix pastures, with dairy cows during two growing seasons (2011-2012; 2012-2013) and to examine the effect of the bioactive compounds in plantain on in vitro rumen fermentation. Chicory plants grazed every two weeks, rather than every four weeks, did not develop large taproots, and consequently stored less carbohydrate reserves (fructan and fructose) and failed to develop extra shoots. Chicory grazed every two weeks failed to persist, while chicory grazed every four weeks persisted only for the two growing seasons. For plantain the grazing frequency did not affect its plant density nor taproot diameter; however, the number of shoots per plant increased when grazed every two weeks compared to every four weeks. Overall, plantain and herb-clover mix pastures were more productive and persistent than chicory. The three pastures produced high-quality feed for dairy cows. Dairy cows preferred the herb-clover mix pasture, rather than pure chicory or plantain swards, and selected indiscriminately between chicory, plantain, and red clover. The diet selection for chicory and plantain varied between seasons and was affected by the vertical access and horizontal distribution of the species in the swards. The presence of bioactive compounds, aucubin and acteoside in plantain reduced the ammonia concentration during fermentation and probably causes less urea to be excreted in the cow‘s urine when grazing plantain. In conclusion, the herb-clover mix performed best due to its high herbage production and nutritive value and greater grazing preference by dairy cows, plus its potential to reduce the nitrogen lost from dairy systems

Non-Target Feeding by Galerucella Calmariensis on Sandbar Willow (Salix Interior) in Illinois

Purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria L., is an introduced Eurasian perennial herb that has been in North America since the early 1800s (Thompson et al. 1987). Purple loosestrife has been considered a serious threat to the integrity of North American wetlands (Thompson et al. 1987, Blossey et al. 2001a). L. salicaria has been the target of a significant North American project using biological control to combat it (Malecki et al. 1993, Blossey et al. 2001a)

Floristic Inventory of Woollen’s Gardens Nature Preserve, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, USA, With Quantitative Vegetation Sampling of Permanent Plots in 2003 and 2016

Urban forest fragments face challenges to habitat quality due to small size, isolation from larger natural areas, and close association with anthropogenic disturbance. Monitoring changes in vegetation can inform management practices targeted at preserving biodiversity in the face of these threats. Woollen’s Gardens is a high-quality mesic upland forest preserve in the city of Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, with a beechmaple older-growth forest and a significant display of showy spring wildflowers. The entire preserve was inventoried and quantitative vegetation analysis along seven 100 m transects was conducted in 2003 and again in 2016 to track changes. Data from both years document a high-quality flora with few non-native plants. Floristic Quality Index values for native species, derived from Floristic Quality Assessment, were 50.2 in 2003 and 47.3 in 2016. Native mean C-values of 4.5 and 4.3 for each year support that the site is comparable to the highest quality natural areas in central Indiana. Values declined little when non-natives were included, indicating non-natives are having little negative impact on the flora. Although non-natives comprised less than 10% of the flora, 11 of the 16 species are considered invasive in Indiana. In 2003, invasive Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) was among species in plots with the highest relative importance value. In 2016, invasive wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei) was among these species. Limited public access to Woollen’s Gardens minimizes human disturbance, but invasive species are a threat to vegetation quality. Continuation of eradication efforts is strongly recommended before populations of these non-natives become more difficult to control

North American flora.

v. 21, pt. 1 (1916