Ali Koç

Changes in vegetation and soil properties along a slope on overgrazed and eroded rangelands

Abstract Rangelands, generally located on steep semi-arid zones, have a special importance in resource management. Continued overgrazing and erosion cause range degradation by altering plant communities and soil properties. The objective of this study was to determine changes in vegetation and soil properties along a slope on overgrazed and moderately eroded rangelands. Four study sites with three landscape positions: summit, backslope and footslope, were selected. In each position, botanical composition, canopy coverage, rangeland quality degree, and some important surface soil properties such as texture, bulk density, moisture content, organic matter content, CaCO 3 content and plant available-P content, were determined. The frequency of grasses in botanical composition varied from 39.5% to 84.0%, and on the average, the frequency was lowest at summit and highest at footslope positions. The frequency of legumes at summit positions was lower than those of the other positions in two range sites. The amount of canopy coverage changed between 19.6% and 45.2%. The highest amounts were obtained in footslopes and the lowest amounts were in summits. The degree of range quality varied between 3.2 and 5.5. Based on the overall means of the four sites, there were no significant differences among the positions regarding range quality degree, but it was generally lowest at summit positions. Clay content of surface samples was lowest at backslopes in all sites. But, there were no significant differences in clay contents of the summit and footslope positions. Changes in soil bulk density showed a significant trend along the slopes, and it was generally higher in backslope and footslope than that of summit position. Soil moisture content at time of sampling and organic matter content was generally higher at footslope positions than those of backslope and summit. While the amount of plant available-P was the lowest at backslope positions of the range sites, CaCO 3 content of soil was lowest at footslopes in all sites.

Nitrogen fertilizing and pre-anthesis cutting stage improve dry matter production, protein content and botanical composition in meadows

Meadows in highlands are an important source of feed for livestock especially when harvested as hay for the winter period. Hay production from meadows largely depends on water table and management practices. A study was conducted on meadows with different water table levels (L1: high, L2: medium, L3: deep) for investigating effects of nitrogen (N) fertilization (N0: 0, N75: 75, N150: 150, N225: 225 kg N ha−1) and cutting stage (CS1: pre-anthesis, CS2: anthesis, CS3: milk accumulation) on hay yield and botanical composition in 1997 and 1998. Dry matter (DM) production changed depending on water table levels among sites. DM production showed relatively small increases when cutting was delayed in L2 until cutting stage CS3. The DM production and crude protein (CP) yield increased in response to N application, and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) was the same in L1 and L2, but decreased in L3. N application slightly increased the ratio of grasses to legumes at L2 and L3. N had no effect on grass to legume ratio in the L1 location and L1 was dominated by rushes and sedges. As cutting was delayed in L1 and L2, the proportion of grasses increased, but rushes and sedges decreased. Fertilization practices have definite influences on botanical composition and production on meadows. Therefore, we propose 150 kg ha−1 nitrogen for flooded meadows to prevent N runoff, and 225 kg ha−1 for dry meadow in highlands. Cutting should be at the pre-anthesis stage.

The History and Current Direction of Rangeland Management in Turkey

On the Ground Turkey is a country with many urban centers (Istanbul has 15 million people) and with a high gross national product (16th in the world). More than one-third of the country is rangeland and livestock production accounts for at least 30% of agricultural income. Rangelands and livestock production on rangelands historically have been at the center of Turkish society, economy, and culture. Roots of many Turkish range management practices can be traced back to the steppes culture of central Asia in 2500 BC. The government established strict policies and regulations on the communal rangelands allocated to each community by the central government. The grazing management regulations were based on strategies to ensure that 1) stocking rates did not exceed carrying capacity, 2) timing of grazing was in balance with seasonal conditions, and 3) grazing units were periodically deferred. The composition and productivity of Turkeys rangelands have degraded considerably since the early 1900s with an increasing density of humans and their livestock on grazing lands and an abandonment of the traditional policies and structure regulating grazing of rangelands. The Rangeland Act of 1998 gave the Turkish government authority to regulate the grazing season, carrying capacity, and rangeland development and use. Consideration of agrarian reform measures is at the center of revitalizing the publicly owned rangelands in Turkey.

The effect of bovine saliva on growth attributes and forage quality of two contrasting cool season perennial grasses grown in three soils of different fertility

The aim of this study was to determine the response of Dactylis glomerata L. (Orchardgrass) and Festuca ovina L. (Sheep fescue), to bovine saliva application in a loamy soil (most fertile), a sandy loam and a sandy soil (least fertile). The effects of cutting and cutting + saliva on relative height growth rate (RHGR), above- and belowground biomass and forage quality attributes [crude protein, NDF (neutral detergent fibre) and ADF (acid detergent fibre)] were investigated. The results showed that the cutting and cutting + saliva treatments resulted in greater RHGR than the control, but only with D. glomerata in the sandy soil did the application of saliva increase the RHGR. However, saliva applied after cutting increased the aboveground biomass averaged over all species and all three soils. Saliva applied to D. glomerata increased the belowground biomass in the sandy loam and sandy soils but decreased it in F. ovina in the sandy soil. The application of saliva had no effect on the crude protein or the NDF content of either species in any of the soils. On the other hand, the application of saliva after clipping increased the ADF of F. ovina but decreased that of D. glomerata averaged over all three soils. Averaged over both species, the ADF was increased by the addition of saliva in the sandy soil, had no significant effect in the sandy loam (P > 0.05) and was slightly increased in the loam.

EFFECT OF SOWING METHODS ON SILAGE YIELD AND QUALITY OF SOME CORN CULTIVARS GROWN IN SECOND CROP SEASON UNDER IRRIGATED CONDITION OF CENTRAL ANATOLIA, TURKEY

Silage corn has an important potential as second crop under irrigated lands of semi-arid regions. This research was conducted to determine silage yield and quality of some corn cultivars (Ada, Cadiz, Donana, Sagunto and Sakarya) grown after barley harvest using different sowing methods (direct and conventional) in 2014 and 2015 years in Eskisehir Plain. Investigated parameters were significantly different between years except for leaf ratio and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content. In the first year, plant height, fresh forage yield, and Fleig point were higher than the second year but dry matter, crude protein, acid detergent fiber (ADF) content, cob ratio and pH were contrarily higher in the second year. Sowing method significantly affected all parameters except leaf ratio. Using direct sowing method increased cob ratio (40.3 %), dry matter (22.93 %), crude protein content (7.56 %), pH (3,76) and Fleig score (85.82) compared to conventional sowing method. Cultivars significantly varied in terms of plant height, cob ratio, dry matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, pH, and Fleig point. Considering the total silage yield and quality the domestic cultivar Ada, which seeds are common in the market, could be suggested after barley harvest for second crop production as long as sown conventionally in irrigated lands of Central Anatolia.

Farklı Cins Hayvan ile Otlatılan Meraların Sağlık ve Ekolojik Alan Sınıflaması

Meralar ekolojik faktorlerin yonlendirmesine bagli olarak kendisini yenileyebildigi gibi geriye gidis de sergileyebilir. Kullanim ozelliklerine bagli olarak olumlu, olumsuz veya mevcudu muhafaza eden seklinde davranis sergilemektedir. Bu calisma sigir, koyun ve sigir ile koyunun birlikte otlatildigi meralarin saglik ve ekolojik alan siniflamasini belirlemek amaciyla Erzurum ili Kargapazari daglarinda yurutulmustur. Bitki ortusu, toprak ve su ozellikleri yonunden incelenen mera kesimlerinde onemli farkliliklar gozlemlenmistir. Sonuclar bir butun olarak degerlendirildiginde, kisa boylu bugdaygillerin hakim oldugu yuksek rakimli bozkir meralarinda kontrolsuz koyun otlatmanin kontrolsuz sigir otlatmaya gore bitki ortusu ve iliskili kaynaklari daha fazla tahrip edici oldugunu ifade etmemiz mumkundur. Ancak koyunlarin genis yaprakli turleri baski altina aldigi goz ardi edilememelidir. Sonuc olarak bozkir meralarinin surdurulebilir kullanimi acisindan otlatma mevsimi ve kapasitesine uymak sartiyla sigir ve koyun surulerinin karisik otlatilmasinda fayda vardir.

Sığır veya Koyun ile Otlatılan Eskişehir Ovası Taban Meralarının Bitki Örtülerinin Karşılaştırılması

Eskisehir Ovasinda 2014 yilinda yurutulen bu calismada koyun ve sigir suruleri ile otlatilan taban meralarin bitki ortuleri ele alinmistir. Mera kesimlerinde hakim turlerin ciceklendigi donemde lup yontemi ile 40’ar hatlik olcum yapilmistir. Elde edilen verilerden yola cikarak yapilan hesaplamalarda her iki mera kesiminde de kopek disinin baskin tur oldugu, koyun otlatma ile kofa bitkisinin kontrol altina alinabildigi, otlayan hayvan cinsine bagli olarak mera bitki ortusunde farkliliklarin ortaya ciktigi gorulmustur. Ele alinan meralarda bitki ortusunun sik olmasina ragmen agir otlatmadan dolayi tur bileseninin olumsuz yonde degistigi gozlenmistir. Elde edilen sonuclardan yola cikarak Eskisehir ovasini temsilen ele alinan taban meralarinin otlayan hayvan cinsine gore bitki ortulerinde farklilasma olmakla birlikte agir otlatmanin temel sorun oldugu ve bu meralarin gelistirilmesi ve surdurulebilir kullanimi acisindan suru tercihi, otlatma mevsimi ve otlatma kapasitesi ile ilgili yeni calismalara ihtiyac oldugu sonucuna varilmistir.