Grasslands are very important part of the European landscape. The grazing of large herbivores is the most common land use of grassland worldwide. Recently the aspects of grazing along with non-productive grassland functions have been the subject of research and deserve particular attention in the field of science. Our research team has long-term experience with research and has published more than 60 papers in leading scientific journals on the following topics:
1. Grazing management – the studies are focused on grassland ecology and ecology of vascular plant species, aspects of different grazing intensities and ethology of large herbivores. The 14-year controlled management history in the largest grazing management experiment in the Czech Republic is the background for this research.
2. Weed species in grasslands – our research is focused especially on ecology and control of Rumex obtusifolius and other weedy species under different management practices.
3. Fertilization and plant nutrition – these studies are closely connected to the previous topics. Our studies are concerned with circulation of phosphorus in soil and plants, N isotopes and enrichment of N15 in soil organic matter and plant biomass. We are working on several decades-long grassland fertilizer experiments in the Czech Republic and Germany.
Applied outcomes of the research and further potential applications of the research:
- Published methodological tools with recommendations for grassland management for agriculture professionals.
- Applications for proposed effective agri-environment schemes.
- Baseline data for agriculture and environment subsidy policies.
Keywords:
Fertilization, grazing management, heavy metals, weed species, plant nutrition