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Climate Change in Grassland Ecosystems
Published in Brenda Groskinsky, Climate Actions, 2022
Jesse Nippert, Seton Bachle, Rachel Keen, Emily Wedel
Given the highly impacted nature of grassland ecosystems, ecological restoration is widely utilized to recover diversity and ecological functioning in previously degraded grasslands. As already mentioned, restoration can occur following woody encroachment, in locations previously converted to agriculture, or following removal of invasive species. Engagement with grassland restoration provides many opportunities to promote meaningful climate actions. Perhaps most importantly, the process of reintroducing native plant species (and native genotypes) into the environment has carryover positive impacts that initiate the process of restoring soil fertility, growing healthy root systems that store carbon in the soil, hydrological benefits that include reduced erosion and leaching as well as increased infiltration pathways (leading to vadose-zone soil moisture recharge). Grassland restoration also provides habitat for vertebrates and invertebrates species. For example, using diverse assemblages of local plant species provides increased niche space for specialized invertebrates, increased pollination services and an ecological platform that facilitates greater abundance and diversity of vertebrate species. The process of grassland restoration doesn't only apply to large acreage locations. There can be large benefits from establishing small grassland communities in urban environments. The simple act of replacing turf with mixes of native species reduces eutrophication and runoff (from lawn fertilizers), helps conserve water since native species are often more water-use efficient than turfgrass cultivars and provides ecosystem services like pollination and habitat for birds, small mammals and insects.
Drones in Production Agronomy
Published in K. R. Krishna, Agricultural Drones, 2018
Pastures and range lands have been exposed to aerial imagery and spectral analysis, using satellites and drones for a long time. Schellberg et al. (2008) have reviewed possible applications of satellite and drone-mediated technology. Natural grass lands, pastures and shrub land used for grazing have all been accurately assessed for growth, biomass accumulation and diseases, using drone technology. Drones are also useful in precision management of turf grass (Stowell and Gelernter, 2013). Drones provide data that could be used during site-specific management of pastures (Bueren and Yule, 2014; Rango et al., 2009). Drones with their ability for high-resolution multispectral imagery can be used to assess botanical diversity of natural grass lands, pastures and man-made mixed pastures. Kutnjak et al. (2015) have shown that drones have a great potential in estimating the botanical composition and surveying grass-legume mixed pastures. Drones could assess pastures for growth, foliage, chlorophyll content, leaf-N and water status. To quote an example, pastures near Zagreb, in Croatia, were assessed for grass and legume species using their spectral signatures. The specific spectral signatures were detected by sensors on drones. The percentage of each grass and legume species found in the mixed-pasture could be detected, mapped and quantified accurately (Kutnjak et al., 2015). Drones could also be employed to spray liquid fertilizer formulations at variable-rates. Digital data that depict variations in pasture growth is utilized to spray fertilizer formulations. At the bottom line, knowledge about spectral signatures of legumes, grasses and other species that form the pasture is essential.
Utilization of Compost
Published in Epstein Eliot, The Science of Composting, 2017
The production of sod represents one of the best potential uses of compost. Harvested sod removes a layer of topsoil and eventually depletes the entire layer. The use of compost for turf grass production for home lawns, parks, athletic fields, cemeteries, or institutional grounds can result in improved soil physical properties while adding nutrients and organic matter. Compost can be used in turf grass production as (1) a soil amendment for the establishment of turf grass, (2) a fertilizer source for maintenance of established turf grass, and (3) a soil amendment or growth medium for commercial sod production (Hornick et al., 1979).
Public response to the appearance of ecological urban park design: the battle between the ‘picturesque’ and the ‘messiness’
Published in Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure, 2023
The t-tests compare the means of pictures which are grouped into seven sets. The pictures in each set depict the same scenery, yet illustrate different degrees of the picturesque and the messiness, as well as neatness and human care. Considering the case of beautiful quality, see Table 8, the statistics reveal an intriguing result that, in some settings, the means of the pictures with a messy appearance as well as a low maintenance aspect of the existing landscape are significantly higher than those with a neat, park-like appearance with a high degree of human care. These include particularly the views from outside the park (set 1 and 2). However, some respondents, especially the general public and park users, also thought that the neat landscape with flowering plants is more beautiful than the plain, green appearance of the existing landscape. In view of these results, it is suspected that it was the colorful planting in the pictures that these respondents appreciated, as revealed in section 4.2 that many respondents requested for colorful flowers. In addition, because these are the entrance settings of the park, the respondents perhaps expected to see a rather bright and striking landscape. For the views of the pond (set 5 and 6), the messy landscapes are also mostly more beautiful than the neat landscape, although some are statistically significant, some are not. This seems because messiness could enhance the natural quality of the landscape of which people are in favor. The mean comparisons of the lawn settings (set 3 and 4) reveal that the sceneries with only neat turf is more beautiful than those with some additional weedy plants. Nonetheless, most of these comparisons are not statistically significant. This seems because lawn is usually a preferred landscape, especially through its greenness and openness, yet the messy planting diminishes these qualities. However, the mean comparisons prove that if the amount of additional messy grasses does not blemish the green, open and orderly qualities of the lawn, the ratings for beautiful quality of the lawn with and without weedy planting are not significantly different. The comparisons of the green roof pictures (set 7) are very interesting because it is obvious that landscape professionals thought differently from the others. Specifically, while they thought that the picture of messy grasses is most beautiful, the others thought the opposite – the picture of mowed turf and flowering plants is most beautiful. However, it is suspected that trees are the key factor causing the other groups of respondents to consider picture 22 more beautiful than the other two pictures in the set. Yet, for landscape professionals, trees seemed unable to defeat grass and low maintenance species because the ecological benefits of these plants made them look beautiful to the eye of these professionals.