Assessing the Impact of Grazing and Restoration Methods on Pannonian Grasslands

Szilárd Szentes, Andrea Kevi, Zsombor Wagenhoffer, Eszter Saláta-Falusi (), Ferenc Pajor, József Berke, Ildikó Turcsányi-Járdi, Péter Penksza, Viola Kunos, Zoltán Kende and Károly Penksza
Additional contact information
Szilárd Szentes: Animal Breeding, Nutrition and Laboratory Animal Science Department, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, István Str. 2, 1078 Budapest, Hungary
Andrea Kevi: Department of Botany, Institute of Agronomy, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Páter Károly Str. 1, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
Zsombor Wagenhoffer: Animal Breeding, Nutrition and Laboratory Animal Science Department, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, István Str. 2, 1078 Budapest, Hungary
Eszter Saláta-Falusi: Department of Botany, Institute of Agronomy, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Páter Károly Str. 1, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
Ferenc Pajor: Department of Animal Husbandry & Animal Welfare, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Páter Károly Str. 1, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
József Berke: Department of Drone Technology and Image Processing, Dennis Gabor University, Fejér Lipót Str. 70, 1119 Budapest, Hungary
Ildikó Turcsányi-Járdi: Department of Botany, Institute of Agronomy, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Páter Károly Str. 1, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
Péter Penksza: Anton Paar Hungary, Aliz Str. 3., 1117 Budapest, Hungary
Viola Kunos: Department of Agronomy, Institute of Agronomy, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Páter Károly Str. 1, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
Zoltán Kende: Department of Agronomy, Institute of Agronomy, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Páter Károly Str. 1, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
Károly Penksza: Department of Botany, Institute of Agronomy, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Páter Károly Str. 1, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary

Land, 2024, vol. 13, issue 12, 1-21

Abstract: Our study examined the impact of grazing by Hungarian Grey cattle on plant communities in grasslands restored and established through different methods. The grasslands were established and restored in 2009 using five methods: (I) naturally regenerating fallow, (II) hay-mulch addition, (III) seeded grassland following soil preparation, (IV) grazing on abandoned alfalfa fields, and (V) overseeded fallow initiated in 1989. From 2009 to 2011, all sites were uniformly mowed, after which they were grazed using free-ranging Hungarian Grey cattle starting in 2012. This project aims to restore traditional land use and dry grassland grazing in the region. Phytosociological recordings were conducted in 2012, the first year following grazing initiation, and again in 2020, nine years later. We assessed the botanical composition and grassland management value across sites in a 260-hectare experimental area within the Pannonian biogeographic region. The current study seeks to determine how different grassland restoration techniques have influenced the botanical composition and grassland management values of pastures and to identify the most suitable restoration methods. Statistical analyses were conducted using R to assess species count differences across four vegetation categories. The results indicate that the overseeded fallow established in 1989 and the hay-mulch addition method were the most effective techniques. Directly seeded grasslands and abandoned alfalfa fields differed most significantly from these areas. Across all types, species richness and total cover increased relative to the initial conditions in 2012, and the naturalness of the species composition also improved. Returning to traditional land use improved the ecological state of all sites. Restoration of the grazed areas proved optimal over the elapsed period, with two years of mowing followed by grazing. Grazing with Hungarian Grey cattle, a low-impact rustic breed, yielded successful grassland restoration outcomes. Among the restoration methods, direct seeding and the use of alfalfa fields proved uneconomical and ineffective in promoting the desired species composition. Natural regeneration and, particularly, the hay-mulch addition method, were the most effective for conservation and grassland management.

Keywords: traditional land use; grassland establishment; species richness; abundance; Pignatti life-form spectrum; Hungarian Grey cattle (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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