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Consumption rate and dietary choice of cattle in species-rich mesic grasslands

Nóra Balogh, View ORCID ProfileBéla Tóthmérész, View ORCID ProfileOrsolya Valkó, View ORCID ProfileBalázs Deák, Katalin Tóth, Zsolt Molnár, Csaba Vadász, View ORCID ProfileEdina Tóth, Réka Kiss, View ORCID ProfileJudit Sonkoly, View ORCID ProfilePéter Török, Károly Antal, Júlia Tüdősné Budai, View ORCID ProfileTamás Miglécz, András Kelemen
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.01.23.916635
Nóra Balogh
1Juhász Nagy Pál Doctoral School, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
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Béla Tóthmérész
2MTA-DE Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Research Group, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
3University of Debrecen, Department of Ecology, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
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  • ORCID record for Béla Tóthmérész
Orsolya Valkó
4MTA-DE Lendület Seed Ecology Research Group, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
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  • For correspondence: valkoorsi@gmail.com
Balázs Deák
2MTA-DE Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Research Group, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
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Katalin Tóth
3University of Debrecen, Department of Ecology, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
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Zsolt Molnár
5MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Ecology and Botany, Alkotmány út 2-4, H-2163 Vácrátót, Hungary
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Csaba Vadász
6Kiskunság National Park Directorate, Liszt Ferenc utca 19, H-6000 Kecskemét, Hungary
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Edina Tóth
7MTA-DE Lendület Functional and Restoration Ecology Research Group, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
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Réka Kiss
4MTA-DE Lendület Seed Ecology Research Group, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
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Judit Sonkoly
7MTA-DE Lendület Functional and Restoration Ecology Research Group, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
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Péter Török
7MTA-DE Lendület Functional and Restoration Ecology Research Group, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
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Károly Antal
8Karcag Research Institute, RIEF, University of Debrecen, Kisújszállási út 166, H-5300 Karcag, Hungary
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Júlia Tüdősné Budai
8Karcag Research Institute, RIEF, University of Debrecen, Kisújszállási út 166, H-5300 Karcag, Hungary
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Tamás Miglécz
3University of Debrecen, Department of Ecology, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
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András Kelemen
4MTA-DE Lendület Seed Ecology Research Group, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
9MTA’s Post Doctoral Research Program, MTA TKI, Nádor utca 7, H-1051 Budapest, Hungary
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Abstract

For the improvement and maintenance of the desirable ecological value of grasslands it is necessary to manage them in a way which maintains their structure and their long-term functioning. Extensive grazing plays a crucial role in the seasonal biomass removal, thereby it prevents litter accumulation and shrub encroachment. Defoliation and biomass removal are among the most important effects of grazing on the vegetation, while the sufficient quantity and quality of plant biomass is an important ecosystem service for animal husbandry. In order to maintain the long term functioning of pastures it is important to gather information about the amount of consumed biomass and the dietary choice of the grazers. Therefore, we studied the direct effects of grazing on species-rich meadow steppes in Central-Hungary and the underlying mechanisms of dietary choice of cattle using trait-based approach. We asked the following questions: (i) What are the direct effects of grazing on the main biomass fractions (litter, moss, forbs and graminoids)? (ii) Which traits distinguish the preferred and non-preferred vascular plant species? The studied pastures were divided into two adjacent units, which were managed differently in the study year: the grazed units were managed by grazing for three months before the sampling date, while the control units remained ungrazed until the sampling. We collected above-ground biomass samples, measured leaf traits and shoot nitrogen content of plants. The consumption of the litter and moss biomass was negligible, while the reduction of the live biomass of vascular plants was 65%. Grazing significantly decreased the flowering success of plants. Cattle consumed species characterized by high specific leaf area and high nitrogen content. Based on our results we emphasize that, in order to ensure the reproduction of most plant species in the long term, it is unfavourable to graze an area every year in the same period. Instead, it is recommended to use grazing in a mosaic spatial and temporal pattern. The livestock carrying capacity of an area and the long-term management of grasslands can be carefully planned based on biomass measurements and the nutritional value of plants, which is well indicated by some easily measurable plant properties such as specific leaf area and the nitrogen content of species.

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Posted January 24, 2020.
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Consumption rate and dietary choice of cattle in species-rich mesic grasslands
Nóra Balogh, Béla Tóthmérész, Orsolya Valkó, Balázs Deák, Katalin Tóth, Zsolt Molnár, Csaba Vadász, Edina Tóth, Réka Kiss, Judit Sonkoly, Péter Török, Károly Antal, Júlia Tüdősné Budai, Tamás Miglécz, András Kelemen
bioRxiv 2020.01.23.916635; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.01.23.916635
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Consumption rate and dietary choice of cattle in species-rich mesic grasslands
Nóra Balogh, Béla Tóthmérész, Orsolya Valkó, Balázs Deák, Katalin Tóth, Zsolt Molnár, Csaba Vadász, Edina Tóth, Réka Kiss, Judit Sonkoly, Péter Török, Károly Antal, Júlia Tüdősné Budai, Tamás Miglécz, András Kelemen
bioRxiv 2020.01.23.916635; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.01.23.916635

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