Karel Fiala

Effect of Manipulated Rainfall on Root Production and Plant Belowground Dry Mass of Different Grassland Ecosystems

A field experiment was established to quantify the effects of different amounts of rainfall on root growth and dry mass of belowground plant parts in three types of grassland ecosystems. Mountain (Nardus grassland), highland (wet Cirsium grassland), and lowland grassland (dry Festuca grassland) ecosystems were studied in 2006 and 2007. Roofs constructed above the canopy of grass stands and gravity irrigation systems simulated three climate scenarios: (1) rainfall reduced by 50%, (2) rainfall enhanced by 50%, and (3) the full natural rainfall of the current growing season. Experimentally reduced amounts of precipitation significantly affected both yearly root increments and total root dry mass in the highland grassland. Dry conditions in 2007 resulted in considerable reduction of total belowground dry mass in highland and mountain grasslands. Although not all differences in root biomass of studied grasslands were statistically significantly, some also showed a decrease in root increment and in the amount of belowground dry mass in dry conditions.

Different nutrient use strategies of expansive grasses Calamagrostis epigejos and Arrhenatherum elatius

Enhanced nitrogen (N) levels accelerate expansion of Calamagrostis epigejos and Arrhenatherum elatius, highly aggressive expanders displacing original dry acidophilous grassland vegetation in the Podyjí National Park (Czech Republic). We compared the capability of Calamagrostis and Arrhenatherum under control and N enhanced treatments to (i) accumulate N and phosphorus (P) in plant tissues, (ii) remove N and P from above-ground biomass during senescence and (iii) release N and P from plant material during decomposition of fresh formed litter. In control treatment, significantly higher amounts of total biomass and fresh aboveground litter were observed in Calamagrostis than in Arrhenatherum. Contrariwise, nutrient concentrations were significantly higher (11.6–14.3 mg N g−1 and 2.3 mg P g−1) in Arrhenatherum peak aboveground biomass than in Calamagrostis (8.4–10.3 mg N g−1 and 1.6–1.7 mg P g−1). Substantial differences between species were found in resorption of nutrients, mainly P, at the ends of growing seasons. While P concentrations in Arrhenatherum fresh litter were twice and three times higher (1.6–2.5 mg P g−1) than in Calamagrostis (0.7–0.8 mg P g−1), N concentrations were nearly doubled in Arrhenatherum (13.1–15.6 mg N g−1) in comparison with Calamagrostis (7.4–8.7 mg N g−1). Thus, the nutrients (N and mainly P) were retranslocated from the aboveground biomass of Calamagrostis probably more effectively in comparison with Arrhenatherum at the end of the growing season. On the other hand, Arrhenatherum litter was decomposed faster and consequently nutrient release (mainly N and P) was higher in comparison with Calamagrostis which pointed to different growth and nutrient use strategies of studied grass species.

Interannual Variation in Root Production in Grasslands Affected by Artificially Modified Amount of Rainfall

The effect of different amounts of rainfall on the below-ground plant biomass was studied in three grassland ecosystems. Responses of the lowland (dry Festuca grassland), highland (wet Cirsium grassland), and mountain (Nardus grassland) grasslands were studied during five years (2006–2010). A field experiment based on rainout shelters and gravity irrigation simulated three climate scenarios: rainfall reduced by 50% (dry), rainfall increased by 50% (wet), and the natural rainfall of the current growing season (ambient). The interannual variation in root increment and total below-ground biomass reflected the experimentally manipulated amount of precipitation and also the amount of current rainfall of individual years. The effect of year on these below-ground parameters was found significant in all studied grasslands. In comparison with dry Festuca grassland, better adapted to drought, submontane wet Cirsium grassland was more sensitive to the different water inputs forming rather lower amount of below-ground plant matter at reduced precipitation.

Effect of nitrogen addition and drought on above-ground biomass of expanding tall grasses Calamagrostis epigejos and Arrhenatherum elatius

Tall expansive grasses act as serious weeds since they spread intensively and are a important threat to biodiversity of various plant communities. A field experiment was set up based on three sets of paired plots, where Calamagrostis epigejos and Arrhenatherum elatius dominated and a mixture of both these tall grasses occurred. Parallel plots were treated by additional amounts of nitrogen (50 kg N ha−1) for six years (2002–2007). Above-ground biomass was harvested in both wet (2004) and dry (2007) years, separated in individual fractions, and weighed to determine the above-ground biomass. We wanted to know if a higher nitrogen availability in dry year can support above-ground growth of expansive tall grasses C. epigejos and A. elatius and what their competitive ability of these tall grasses in mixture is in dry conditions. Drought resulted in a decrease in above-ground biomass production of studied tall expansive grasses, and, in a relative increase in mortality of A. elatius shoots in comparison with C. epigejos. Drought can substantially reduce the effect of applied nitrogen on above-ground growth of expansive tall grasses. However, A. elatius appears to be producing more above-ground biomass after application of N even in relatively dry conditions.

The effect of nitrogen addition on biomass production and competition in three expansive tall grasses.

A large increase of grasses Calamagrostis epigejos, Bromus inermis and Brachypodium pinnatum has often been observed in many regions enriched by higher nitrogen (N) wet deposition inputs. Competitive relationships between these grasses under enhanced N loads have not yet been studied. Therefore an outdoor experiment was established which involved monocultures of Calamagrostis, Bromus and Brachypodium and their 1:1 mixtures in containers under two N treatments, i.e., unfertilized and fertilized (+50 kg N ha(-1)). In monocultures, the total aboveground biomass of Calamagrostis, Bromus and Brachypodium were 1.1, 3.6 and 2.5 times higher respectively due to enhanced N fertilization. Relative crowding and aggressivity coefficients indicate that Calamagrostis and Bromus dominate when mixed with Brachypodium at both levels of N availability. When mixed with Bromus, Calamagrostis is the poorer competitor at lower N loads, however, it can be dominating in N fertilized treatments.

Soil nutrient heterogeneity and competitive ability of three grass species (Festuca ovina, Arrhenatherum elatius and Calamagrostis epigejos) in experimental conditions

We studied the effects of differences in root growth and nutrient pool on the competitive ability of Festuca ovina (short grass), Arrhenatherum elatius and Calamagrostis epigejos (tall grasses) grown in monocultures and in mixtures of homogeneous and heterogeneous environments during two growing seasons. Analysis of variance revealed a significant effect of plant species on nutrient concentrations in above-ground biomass and of substrate type on contents of N, K, Ca, Mg in biomass. The ANOVA also confirmed the significant effect of competitive environment on the concentration of N, K in above-ground biomass. In heterogeneous environments, both tall grasses (in competition with F. ovina) were able to produce more roots in the nutrient-rich patches and to accumulate more nitrogen in plant tissues, which was associated with higher yield of their above-ground biomass. Thus, the relative competitive ability for nutrients of both tall grasses was higher than that of F. ovina. This competitive ability of A. elatius to C. epigejos increased in heterogeneous treatments.

Direkte Bestimmung von Bor im Pflanzenmaterial nach der Kurkuminmethode

SummaryA direct curcumin method for determination of boron, developed by Grinstead and Snider was used for determination of this element in plant material.During combustion of plant tissue no alkali was added; the leaching of boron from plant ash was carried out besides with 6N HCl also with 2N H2SO4.Results obtained by this method are well comparable with those obtained in the laboratories of other countries. The use of the method described is recommended because of its rapidity and simplicity.ZusammenfassungDie Kurkuminmethode, besonders ihre Rosocyaninmodifikation, gehört zu einer der empfindlichsten Spektrophotometermethoden zur Bestimmung von Bor. Der Vorteil der Rosocyaninmethode besteht darin, dass die eigentliche Bestimmung von Bor nur von wenigen Elementen gestört wird, so dass es bei einer passenden Modifikation dieser Methode unnötig ist das Bor durch Ionenaustauscher oder durch Destilation zu separieren6.Zur Bestimmung von Bor im Pflanzenmaterial benutzten wir die Rosocyaninmodifikation der Kurkuminmethode nach Grinstead und Snider3.

Biomass Production of Different Grassland Communities under Artificially Modified Amount of Rainfall

ABSTRACT Global climate change is predicted to alter growing season rainfall patterns, potentially reducing total amounts of growing season precipitation and redistributing rainfall into fewer but larger individual events. Such changes may affect numerous soil, plant, and ecosystem properties in grasslands and ultimately impact their productivity and biological diversity. A five-year field study with regulated amount of precipitation was executed in different types of temperate grasslands (dry Festuca, wet Cirsium and Nardus grasslands) in three different regions (in lowland, highland and mountain, respectively) in the Czech Republic. Three simulated rainfall treatments were applied: reduced rainfall by 50% (dry), increased rainfall by 50% (wet), and natural rainfall of the current growing season (ambient). The addition of supplemental resources of water exhibited slightly positive relation with the above-ground production (AP), but statistically significant only in the lowland grassland. At all grasslands, both root biomass (RB) and total below-ground biomass (TBB) were significantly higher in wet compared to dry treatments. Significantly increased values of the TBB/AP ratios occurred only in the highland grassland due to enhanced rainfall. The opposite relations were found in lowland grassland where the TBB/AP ratio decreased in response to enhanced rainfall, though not significantly. In the mountain grassland, values of the TBB/AP ratios have shown less variability. The highland wet Cirsium grassland was more sensitive to altered rainfall regimes forming rather lower proportion of below-ground plant production.

Proportion of Root Production in Several Temperate Grasslands of Central Europe

Abstract Variability in frnpp, defined as the fraction of root net primary productivity (RNPP) to total net primary productivity (TNPP) [above-ground net primary productivity (ANPP) + RNPP] were examined through synthesis of 40 samples from available field biomass data assessed by in-growth core and obtained at 13 grassland sites situated in different altitudes in the Czech and Slovak Republics. Results indicate that frnpp varied from 0.05 to 0.59 across the compared sites. Submontane wet meadows had larger frnpp and dry lowland grasslands had smaller frnpp However, extreme conditions of mountain sites were reflected in a decrease of frnpp. Thus the relationship between values of frnpp at different sites and altitudes was indicated by quadratic regression with the highest frnpp coefficients in middle altitudes, where there were sufficient amounts of precipitation together with not so extremely cold temperatures. Results also indicate a high variability in frnpp at a regional scale and along increasing altitude. These data show how important and different roles grasslands can play in accumulation and turnover of root biomass.