216 E.A. Mikhailova et al. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 80 2000 213–226
fields. Two adjacent quadrats of 0.25 m
2
each were placed at each of the eight sampling sites within the
field, and plant species found within these areas were identified. Plant species names were verified and up-
dated to accepted taxa when necessary according to Czerepanov 1995. Botanical descriptions were kept
separate for the two quadrats within each site, but the plant samples were combined for further labora-
tory analysis for two quadrats total of 16 quadrats for each of the sampling sites resulting in eight sam-
ples per field. All plant material including roots was manually collected within the quadrats and separated
into live plant material, dead plant biomass and roots. Samples were combined for further laboratory anal-
ysis for two quadrates for each of the sampling sites resulting in eight samples of live plant material, dead
plant material, and roots per field.
Soil samples were collected from 0–10 cm depth in- crement at each of the eight sampling sites and com-
bined to form one composite soil sample representing each field. Bulk density measurements were done in
the native grassland and yearly-cut grazedhay fields.
2.3. Laboratory methods Soil samples were air dried, manually crushed, and
passed through a 2-mm mesh sieve. Particle-size distri- bution was determined for each sample by the pipette
method after pretreating for carbonates and soluble salts with 1 M NaOAc adjusted to pH 5, and removal
of organic matter with 30 H
2
O
2
Gee and Bauder, 1986. Oven-dry bulk densities were determined for
each sampled site. Soil pH was measured in a 1:1 soilwater suspension
McLean, 1982. Exchange acidity was determined us- ing BaCl
2
-triethanolamine buffered at pH 8 accord- ing to Method S1840 of the Cornell Nutrient Analysis
Laboratory CNAL Greweling and Peech, 1965. Ex- changeable cations were obtained with 1 M NH
4
OAc at pH 7.0 using a Zero-Max E2 vacuum extractor as de-
scribed in Method S2030 of the CNAL McClenahan and Ferguson, 1989. Cation-exchange capacity was
determined by summation of cations. Exchangeable Al was extracted with 1 M KCl and analyzed by the induc-
tively coupled argon emission plasma ICAEP, JY70 Type II using Method S2510 of the CNAL McClena-
han and Ferguson, 1989. Total N and soil organic C were determined by dry combustion-mass spectrome-
try using a Robo-prep-Tracemass system, Europa Sci- entific Cheshire, UK. Total elemental analysis of soil
by wet ash digestion HNO
3
–HClO
4
was performed according to Ritter et al. 1978.
Plant samples were thoroughly mixed, dried at 60
◦
C for 72 h, and ground to a 1 mm particle size in a cyclone mill Udy Corp., Fort Collins, CO in prepa-
ration for chemical analyses. Whole-plant N con- centration was determined by dry combustion-mass
spectrometry using a Robo-prep-Tracemass system, Europa Scientific Cheshire, UK. Samples 0.5 g
were analyzed sequentially for neutral detergent fiber NDF, acid detergent fiber ADF, and acid deter-
gent lignin using procedures described by Van Soest et al. 1991, except that the filter bag technique was
used with the ANKOM
200220
fiber analyzer. Sodium sulfite and heat-stable a-amylase was used on all
samples. In vitro true digestion IVTD concentration was determined according to Cherney et al. 1997,
using the rumen buffer fluid described by Marten and Barnes 1980 and using the Daisy II
200220
in vitro incubator and the ANKOM
200220
fiber analyzer. The buffer contained urea. Ruminal fluid inoculum was
obtained from a nonlactating, rumen-fistulated Hol- stein cow, fed on a medium quality orchard grass
hay diet for ad libitum intake. Samples 0.25 g were incubated for 48 h at 39
◦
C, followed by treating the undigested residue with neutral detergent. Total ele-
mental analysis of forage was performed according to Greweling 1976. All measured concentrations are
expressed on a dry matter basis.
All statistical calculations in this study were performed using the Minitab® statistical software
program Ryan and Joiner, 1994.
3. Results and discussion
Selected physical and chemical properties of com- posite soil samples obtained from the three experi-
mental fields are reported in Tables 2–5. These results demonstrate the inherently high soil fertility. Sampled
fields were comparable in terms of soil physical and chemical properties. Results from an earlier study
Mikhailova et al., 2000 indicated that there was low variability in physical and chemical properties of
this soil type. No statistical differences were found in SOC and N concentrations between native grassland
E.A. Mikhailova et al. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 80 2000 213–226 217
Table 2 Selected soil physical properties in 0–10 cm of soil
a
Site Munsell color
Particle-size distribution Texture
class Bulk density
Mg m
− 3
Moist Dry
Total sand Total silt
Total clay CSi
MSi Fsi
50 mm 2–50 mm
2 mm 50–20 mm
20–5 mm 5–2 mm
Native 10YR 21
10YR 31 2.0
66.8 31.2
22.9 38.1
5.8 sicl
0.80±0.09 a
c
4-Cut, 1-rest 10YR 21
10YR 31 11.8
58.3 29.9
23.4 25.6
9.3 sicl
ND
b
Yearly-cut 10YR 21
10YR 31 8.4
61.3 30.3
24.2 28.4
8.7 sicl
0.97±0.06 b
c a
Measurements were done on the composite sample.
b
ND: Not determined.
c
Mean and standard deviation of replicate samples. Means followed by different lowercase letters within a column are significantly different at p=0.05 Tukey’s W Procedure for multiple comparisons Mikhailova et al., 2000.
Table 3 Selected soil chemical properties in 0–10 cm of soil
a
Site pH
H
2
O
Organic C Total N
NH
4
OAc extract KCl
extract Ca
cmol kg
− 1
Mg cmol
kg
− 1
K cmol
kg
− 1
Na cmol
kg
− 1
Base saturated
Al cmol
kg
− 1
Exchange acidity
cmol kg
− 1
CEC cmol
kg
− 1
Native 5.8
5.53±0.27
b
0.54±0.04
b
21.25 3.21
0.483 0.148
66 2.50
13.61 38.01
4-Cut, 1-rest 6.4
6.88 0.65
23.97 3.48
0.542 0.357
72 2.10
13.09 39.22
Yearly-cut 6.6
5.55±0.77
b
0.49±0.08
b
25.29 3.44
0.260 0.368
77 1.00
12.04 38.18
a
Measurements were done on the composite sample.
b
Mean and standard deviation of five replicate samples Mikhailova et al., 2000.
and yearly-cut grazedhay field based on five replicate samples. Soil organic C and N contents were also
compared using the ‘equivalent soil mass’ approach Ellert and Bettany, 1995, taking into account an
increase in bulk density in the yearly-cut grazedhay field Table 4. There were also no differences in
SOC and N contents between native grassland and the yearly-cut grazedhay field. The periodically-cut
grazedhay field showed higher concentrations of SOC and N, but these measurements were made on a
composite sample and lack of standard deviation did not allow statistical comparison with other treatments.
Reported data shows that 50 years of hay collection
Table 4 Soil organic C and N contents based on ‘equivalent soil mass’ in 0–10 cm of soil
Thickness cm Bulk density
Equivalent soil mass Organic C mass
Total N mass Mg m
− 3
Mg ha
− 1
Mg ha
− 1
Mg ha
− 1
Native grassland 0–12
0.80±0.09 970
53.64±5.43 5.24±0.60
Yearly-cut grazedhay field 0–10
0.97±0.06 970
53.84±8.19 4.75±0.55
and grazing did not have any effect on SOC and total N concentrations in the upper 10 cm of soil. As much
as 2.5±1 t ha
− 1
of hay can be removed from the yearly-cut grazedhay field compared to 3±1 t ha
− 1
of hay recycled back into the soil in the native grassland
Afanasyeva, 1966. There may be some compensa- tion for SOC and N from the increase in root biomass.
Data on root biomass Semenova-Tyan-Shanskaya, 1966, shows that there may be some increase in
root biomass in the yearly-cut grazedhay field in the 0–5 cm of soil 656.1 g m
− 2
for native grassland com- pared to 760.2 g m
− 2
for the yearly-cut grazedhay field. Below 5 cm depth 5–50 cm, yearly-cut
218 E.A. Mikhailova et al. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 80 2000 213–226
Table 5 Total elemental analysis of soil determined by wet ash digestion
HNO
3
–HClO
4 a
Element Native
g kg
− 1
4-Cut, 1-rest g kg
− 1
Yearly-cut g kg
− 1
K 4.2
3.5 3.5
P 0.9
0.8 0.9
Ca 8.2
7.8 7.8
Mg 4.6
4.4 4.3
Mn 0.5
0.5 0.5
Fe 21.6
19.8 19.2
Cu 0.2
0.2 0.2
Zn 0.05
0.05 0.05
Mo 0.02
0.01 0.01
Cd 0.002
0.002 0.002
Cr 0.04
0.04 0.04
Ni 0.03
0.03 0.03
Pb 0.04
0.03 0.04
S 1.6
1.4 1.4
Si 1.805
0.815 0.357
V 0.04
0.03 0.03
Se 0.09
0.08 0.07
Y 0.01
0.01 0.01
a
Measurements were done on the composite sample.
grazedhay field has 50 less root biomass than the native grassland. Studies on rangeland soil carbon and
nitrogen responses to grazing in Wyoming showed that 12 years of grazing increased the amounts of C
and N in the surface soil Schuman et al., 1999.
A total of 107 different plant species were recorded at the three fields in the summer of 1998. The native
grassland field had the least number of plant species 41 followed by the yearly-cut grazedhay field 68,
and the periodically-cut grazedhay field 87. Accord- ing to the classification of Raunkiaer 1934 Table 6,
most of the species at each of the sampling fields are
Table 6 The biological spectrum for three sampled sites according to
Raunkiaer 1934 Site
Distribution of the species among the life forms
a
N C
HC H
HT TH
T G
Native grassland 2
2 2
72 –
– 5
17 4-Cut, 1-rest
1 2
1 79
– 2
6 9
Yearly-cut 1.5
1.5 1.5
79 3
1.5 3
9
a
N: Nanophanerophytes;
C: Chamaephytes;
HC: Hemicryptophyte-Nanophanerophyte; H: Hemicryptophytes; HT:
Hemicryptophyte-Therophyte; TH: Therophyte-Hemicryptophyte; T: Therophytes; G: Geophytes.
hemi-cryptophytes 72–79; plants that die back un- der conditions unfavorable for growth and propagate
through buds at the ground level, followed by geo- phytes 9–17; wintering buds are located in the soil
and therophytes 3–6; annual plants, wintering as seeds. This distribution of life forms is common for
meadows in Russia and western Europe Rabotnov, 1974, p. 64. A decrease in proportion of geophytes
at the native grassland field can be explained by soil compaction as a result of hay collection and grazing.
Usually the number of geophytes is increasing with improved soil aeration Rabotnov, 1974, p. 65.
Tables 7 and 8 present a more detailed inventory of plants arranged by family and sampling site. The
Table 7 Botanical composition by family
No. Family
Number of species
a
NG 4C-1R
YC 1
Alliaceae 1
1 1
2 Apiaceae
1 3
2 3
Asclepiadaceae 1
– –
4 Asparagaceae
1 –
– 5
Asphodelaceae 1
1 –
6 Asteraceae
3 11
3 7
Boraginaceae –
1 2
8 Brassicaceae
– 2
3 9
Campanulaceae –
1 3
10 Caryophyllaceae
– 2
3 11
Convallariaceae 1
1 1
12 Convolvulaceae
1 1
– 13
Cyperaceae 1
2 1
14 Dipsacaceae
– 2
2 15
Euphorbiaceae 1
1 –
16 Fabaceae
4 9
5 17
Hypericaceae –
1 1
18 Iridaceae
– 1
1 19
Lamiaceae 2
5 5
20 Linaceae
– 1
– 21
Melanthiaceae –
1 1
22 Plantaginaceae
– 2
3 23
Poaceae 8
15 11
24 Polygonaceae
– 1
2 25
Primulaceae 1
1 1
26 Ranunculaceae
2 4
3 27
Rosaceae 2
3 4
28 Rubiaceae
4 4
3 29
Scrophulariacea 5
7 5
30 Valerianaceae
– 1
– 31
Violaceae 1
2 2
Total species 41
87 68
a
NG: Native grassland; 4C-1R: 4-Cut, 1-rest; YC: Yearly-cut.
E.A. Mikhailova et al. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 80 2000 213–226 219
Table 8 Distribution of plants for three sampled fields classified by forage class, family and species
a
No. Forage classfamilyspecies
NG PC
YC
Grasses Poaceae
8 15
11
1 Agrostis vinealis Schreb.
– 6
2 2
Arrhenatherum elatius L. J. C. Presl 11
2 6
3 Briza media L.
– 5
– 4
Bromus inermis Leyss. 13
7 5
5 Bromus riparius Rehm.
5 15
14 6
Calamagrostis epigeios L. Roth 8
1 –
7 Dactylis glomerata L.
1 3
2 8
Elytrigia intermedia Host Nevski –
1 7
9 Festuca pratensis Huds.
– 3
– 10
Festuca rupicola Heuff. Serg. –
14 13
11 Helictotrichon pubescens Huds. Pilg.
– 1
1 12
Phleum phleoides L. Karst. –
3 4
13 Poa angustifolia L.
14 14
12 14
Stipa pennata L. 6
5 –
15 Stipa pulcherrima C. Koch
1 –
– 16
Stipa tirsa Stev. –
2 1
Total grass species 8
15 11
Total occurrences 59
82 67
Legumes Fabaceae
4 9
5
17 Amoria montana L. Sojak
– 7
1 18
Anthyllis macrocephalaWend. –
2 –
19 Chamaecytisus ruthenicus Fisch. ex Woloszcz.
1 7
2 20
Lathyrus lacteus Bieb. Wissjul. 1
2 –
21 Lotus corniculatus L.
– 1
– 22
Medicago falcata L. –
1 1
23 Onobrychis arenaria Kit. DC.
– 4
4 24
Trifolium alpestre L. 1
1 –
25 Vicia tenuifolia Roth
10 6
10
Total legume species 4
9 5
Total occurrences 13
31 18
Sedges Cyperaceae
1 2
1
26 Carex humilis Leyss.
– 5
9 27
Carex michelii Host 4
1 –
Total sedge species 1
2 1
Total occurrences 4
6 9
Forbes Alliaceae
1 1
1
28 Allium oleraceum L.
4 4
8
Apiaceae 1
3 2
29 Falcaria vulgaris Bernh.
– 5
2 30
Peucedanum oreoselinum L. Moench 2
1 2
31 Seseli libanotis L. Koch
– 2
–
Asclepiadaceae 1
– –
32 Vincetoxicum hirundinaria Medik.
7 –
–
Asparagaceae 1
– –
33 Asparagus officinalis L.
1 –
–
220 E.A. Mikhailova et al. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 80 2000 213–226
Table 8 Continued No.
Forage classfamilyspecies NG
PC YC
Asphodelaceae 1
1 –
34 Anthericum ramosum L.
6 2
–
Asteraceae 3
11 3
35 Achillea millefolium L.
– 12
11 36
Anthemis tinctoria L. –
3 –
37 Carduus hamulosus Ehrh.
– 1
– 38
Centaurea scabiosa L. 1
1 6
39 Cirsium arvense L. Scop.
1 –
– 40
Erigeron acer L. 4
– –
41 Inula hirta L.
– 1
– 42
Leontodon hispidus L. –
5 –
43 Leucanthemum vulgare Lam.
– 6
3 44
Scorzonera purpurea L. –
2 –
45 Senecio jacobaea L.
– 1
– 46
Taraxacum officinale Wigg. –
4 –
47 Tragopogon orientalis L.
– 2
–
Boraginaceae –
1 2
48 Echium russicum J.F. Gmel.
– 2
– 49
Myosotis popoviiDobrocz. –
– 2
50 Nonea pulla DC.
– –
1
Brassicaceae –
2 3
51 Barbarea vulgaris R. Br.
– –
1 52
Bunias orientalis L. –
1 1
53 Draba sibrica Pall. Thell.
– 9
16
Campanulaceae –
1 3
54 Campanula patula L.
– –
1 55
Campanula persicifolia L. –
6 4
56 Campanula rotundifolia L.
– –
1
Caryophyllaceae –
2 3
57 Arenaria serpyllifolia L.
– 2
– 58
Cerastium holosteoides Fries –
– 9
59 Eremogone micradenia P. Smirn. Ikonn.
– –
2 60
Stellaria graminea L. –
5 10
Convallariaceae 1
1 1
61 Polygonatum odoratum Mill. Druce
4 1
1
Convolvulaceae 1
1 –
62 Convolvulus arvensis L.
10 2
–
Dipsacaceae –
2 2
63 Knautia arvensis L. Coult.
– 6
3 64
Scabiosa ochroleuca L. –
2 3
Euphorbiaceae 1
1 –
65 Euphorbia semivillosa Prokh.
2 –
– 66
Euphorbia subtilis Prokh. –
2 –
Hypericaceae –
1 1
67 Hypericum perforatum L.
– 3
2
Iridaceae –
1 1
68 Iris aphylla L.
– 3
3
Lamiaceae 2
5 5
69 Acinos arvensis Lam. Dandy
– 3
3 70
Phlomoides tuberosa L. Moench 3
– 1
71 Prunella grandiflora L. Scholl.
– 1
– 72
Salvia pratensis L. –
10 12
73 Stachys officinalis L. Trevis.
3 –
– 74
Stachys recta L. –
5 7
75 Thymus marschallianus Willd.
– 2
2
E.A. Mikhailova et al. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 80 2000 213–226 221
Table 8 Continued No.
Forage classfamilyspecies NG
PC YC
Linaceae –
1 –
76 Linum perenne L.
– 3
–
Melanthiaceae –
1 1
77 Veratrum nigrum L.
– 1
1
Plantaginaceae –
2 3
78 Plantago lanceolata L.
– 4
6 79
Plantago media L. –
1 2
80 Plantago urvillei Opiz
– –
3
Polygonaceae –
1 2
81 Rumex acetosa L.
– 3
2 82
Rumex acetosella L. –
– 1
Primulaceae 1
1 1
83 Primula veris L.
4 10
4
Ranunculaceae 2
4 3
84 Adonis vernalis L.
– 4
1 85
Delphinium cuneatum Stev. ex DC. 2
2 –
86 Ranunculus polyanthemos L.
– 3
9 87
Thalictrum minus L. 3
4 2
Rosaceae 2
3 4
88 Filipendula vulgaris Moench
10 12
10 89
Fragaria viridis Duch. Weston 8
7 3
90 Potentilla argentea L.
– –
2 91
Potentilla humifusa Willd. ex Schlecht. –
1 2
Rubiaceae 4
4 3
92 Asperula cynanchica L.
1 5
6 93
Galium boreale L. 7
1 2
94 Galium tinctorium L. Scop.
1 2
– 95
Galium verum L. 15
11 2
Scrophulariaceae 5
7 5
96 Melampyrum argyrocomum Fisch. ex Ledeb.
1 2
– 97
Melampyrum cristatum L. 1
4 –
98 Odontites vulgaris Moench
– 2
1 99
Pedicularis kaufmannii Pinzg. –
– 1
100 Rhinanthus aestivalis N. Zing. Schischk.
– 12
– 101
Verbascum lychnitis L. –
– 1
102 Veronica chamaedrys L.
3 8
12 103
Veronica dentata F. W. Schmidt 4
4 –
104 Veronica prostrata L.
1 2
1
Valerianaceae –
1 –
105 Valeriana rossica P. Smirn.
– 3
–
Violaceae 1
2 2
106 Viola arenaria DC.
– 5
5 107
Viola hirta L. 1
8 2
Total Forb species 28
61 51
Total occurrences 110
241 198
Grand total families 19
29 24
Grand total species 41
87 68
Grand total occurrences 186
360 292
a
NG: Native grassland; PC: Periodic cutting 4-Cut, 1-rest; YC: Yearly-cut.
222 E.A. Mikhailova et al. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 80 2000 213–226
most abundant species in the Poaceae family are Ar- rhenatheum elatius L. J. C. Presl, Bromus inermis
Leyss., Bromus riparius Rehm., Festuca rupicola Heuff. Serg., Poa angustifolia L. and Stipa pennata L.
There was a decrease in number of occurrences of A. elatius L. J. C. Presl, B. inermis Leyss., Calama-
grostis epigeios L. Roth with the utilization of native grassland as a pasture and a hay source. These species
have low rates of regeneration as a result of hay cut- ting and trampling Rabotnov, 1974. In the Fabaceae
family the most abundant species was Vicia tenuifolia Roth. Forbs were primarily represented by such fami-
lies as Alliaceae [Allium oleraceum L.], Apiacea [Fal- caria vulgaris Bernh.], Aspholedaceae [Anthericum
ramosum L.], Asteraceae [Achillea millefolium L.], Brassicaceae [Draba sibrica Pall. Thell.], Campanu-
laceae [Campanula persicifolia L.], Caryophyllaceae [Stellaria graminea L.], Convolvulaceae [Convolvu-
lus arvensis L.], Lamiaceae [Salvia pratensis L. and Stachys recta L.], Primulaceae [Primula veris L.],
Roseacea [Filipendula vulgaris Moench and Fragaria viridis Duch. Weston], Rubiaceae [Galium verum
L.], Scrophulariaceae [Veronica chamaedrys L.] and Violaceae [Viola arenaria DC. and Viola hirta L.].
Table 9 compares C, N and lignin concentrations of above-ground plant biomass, above-ground dead
plant biomass and roots. No statistical differences were found in terms of C concentrations among
treatments. Nitrogen concentrations significantly in- creased in above-ground dead plant biomass and roots
Table 9 C, N and lignin concentrations in above-ground live and dead plant material and roots at three sampling sites
Site n
C g kg
− 1
N g kg
− 1
Lignin g kg
− 1
Above-ground live plant material Native grassland
8 487.0±9.5
15.8±2.0 67.2±7.7 a
a
4-Cut, 1-rest 8
489.7±7.4 14.8±1.8
87.0±13.4 b Yearly-cut
8 487.3±7.9
16.5±1.7 85.8±14.5 b
Above-ground dead plant material Native grassland
8 474.5±18.8
11.6±1.0 a 92.8±12.8 a
4-Cut, 1-rest 8
471.0±12.7 14.9±1.7 b
103.9±20.7 a,b Yearly-cut
8 490.4±9.1
24.8±2.9 c 142.0±15.9 b
Roots Native grassland
8 493.4±15.5
12.8±1.0 a 225.2±25.9 a
4-Cut, 1-rest 5
506.9±9.9 13.9±2.9 a
251.4±28.4 a,b Yearly-cut
8 492.5±16.5
18.4±2.9 b 296.2±39.5 b
a
Mean and standard deviation of replicate samples. Means followed by the same lowercase letter within a column are not significantly different at p=0.05 Tukey’s W Procedure for multiple comparisons. Comparisons are only made within a type of plant material.
Table 10 Plant composition by forage class
a
Forage class Number of species. Percentage to total
number of species in quadrats Native grassland
4-Cut, 1-rest Yearly-cut
Grasses 8
20 15
17 11
16 Legumes
4 10
9 10
5 7
Sedges 1
2 2
2 1
1 Forbs
28 68
61 71
51 76
Total 41
100 87
100 68
100
a
A total of 107 species were classified as grasses, legumes, sedges and forbs.
in the periodically-cut and yearly-cut grazedhay fields. There was a significant increase in lignin
concentrations in the above-ground plant biomass, above-ground dead plant material and roots. Increase
in lignin concentrations in the above-ground live plant biomass at the periodically-cut and yearly-cut
grazedhay fields can be explained by a substantial decrease in proportion of grasses, which are lower
in lignin. These changes in C, N and lignin contents of various plant materials can have an impact on soil
organic C and N concentrations in the long term.
In terms of forage class Table 10, forbs domi- nated in number of plant species at the three sam-
pling sites ranging from 68 to 76, followed by grasses 16–20, legumes 7–10 and sedges
1–2. Table 10 shows an increase in the propor- tion of grasses and a corresponding decrease in the
E.A. Mikhailova et al. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 80 2000 213–226 223
proportion of forbs in the native grassland field. The same trend was recorded in terms of yields by
Semenova-Tyan-Shanskaya 1966. Table 11 compares the mineral concentrations of
forage at the three sampled sites. Forage concentra- tions at all sites were low in potassium and phos-
phorous according to the ranges of essential mineral contents of temperate pasture grasses given by Mc-
Donald et al. 1995, p. 437. In terms of other essential minerals, most of their concentrations fell into the nor-
mal or high ranges. The periodically-cut grazedhay field generally had higher concentration of most of
the minerals measured. This field also had the highest number of different plant species present, 87 out of
107 of total species found at all three sampling sites. The data suggests that there may be a slight shifting
from monocotyledonous species to dicotyledonous species Table 8. This shift may have resulted in ten-
dency towards higher forage mineral concentrations in the fields with a cutting management, particularly
the periodically-cut grazedhay field. For example, Wilman and Derrick 1994 observed that Plantago
lanceolata L., which is present in the cut fields, but
Table 11 Mineral composition of forage at three sampled fields
Element n
Native grassland 4-Cut, 1-rest
Yearly-cut K g kg
− 1
8 8±1
a
L 8±1 L
b
9±1 L P g kg
− 1
8 1.1±0.2 L
1.0±0.1 L 1.2±0.1 L
Ca g kg
− 1
8 5.8±1.5 a
c
N 11.1±2.3b H
9.0±1.7 b H Mg g kg
− 1
8 1.2±0.2 a N
2.3±0.5b N 2.2±0.3 b N
Mn mg kg
− 1
8 47±8 N
66±12 N 63±16 N
Fe mg kg
− 1
8 103±29 a N
299±175 b,c H 144±40 a,c N
Cu mg kg
− 1
8 5.3±0.9 a N
8.8±2.4 b,c N 6.8±1.3 a,c N
B mg kg
− 1
8 7.45±2.36 a
14.56±4.93 b,c 11.24±3.27 a,c
Zn mg kg
− 1
8 12±1a N
15±2 a,c N 17±2 b,c N
Mo mg kg
− 1
8 0.21±0.04 a L
0.47±0.24 b N 0.10±0.06 a L
Al mg kg
− 1
8 101.9±21.4 a
317.7±181.5 b 142.3±34.4 a
Na mg kg
− 1
8 13.61±10.43
20.51±10.16 7.46±6.96
Co mg kg
− 1
8 0.27±0.06 a N
0.57±0.27 b H 0.23±0.89 a N
Cd mg kg
− 1
8 0.05±0.03 a
0.13±0.06 b,c 0.08±0.02 a,c
Cr mg kg
− 1
8 2.26±0.37 a
3.55±1.19 b,c 2.63±0.34 a,c
Ni mg kg
− 1
8 1.00±0.38
1.85±0.72 1.15±0.30
Pb mg kg
− 1
8 0.98±0.39
1.32±0.44 0.86±0.13
V mg kg
− 1
8 0.40±0.08 a
0.86±0.34 b 0.40±0.05 a
Y mg kg
− 1
8 0.14±0.04 a
0.31±0.14 b 0.12±0.03 a
a
Mean and standard deviation of replicate samples.
b
L: Low; N: Normal; H: High McDonald et al., 1995, p. 437.
c
Means followed by the same lowercase letter within a row are not significantly different at p=0.05 Tukey’s W Procedure for multiple comparisons.
Table 12 Crude protein CP, neutral detergent fiber NDF, acid detergent
fiber ADF, in vitro true digestibility IVTD, and lignin concen- trations
Site n
CP g kg
− 1
NDF g kg
− 1
ADF g kg
− 1
IVTD g kg
− 1
Native 8
93.8±12.3
a
654±38 385±13
661±45 4-Cut, 1-rest
8 87.2±10.4
655±45 410±27
661±45 Yearly-cut
8 97.8±9.9
677±33 425±23
620±51
a
Mean and standard deviation of replicate samples.
not in the native field, was higher in Mg and Ca than Lolium Perenne L., a perennial grass. Dicotyledons
in general will have higher Mg and Ca concentrations than monocotyledons and this trend was observed in
this study.
There were no differences p0.05 in forage qual- ity in terms of crude protein and digestibility among
the three sampled fields Table 12. Forage harvested from these fields is fed primarily to cattle and to
horses. Fed for ad libitum consumption, these forages would meet maintenance requirements for protein
NRC, 1989a, b. Animals consuming these forages
224 E.A. Mikhailova et al. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 80 2000 213–226
would most likely require some energy supplementa- tion, although these forages could provide a substantial
portion of the ration for minimal cost. However, this conclusion is based on data collected in a relatively
dry year, averaging only once in 4 years. Higher qual- ity can be expected in years with more typical weather
conditions and time of forage harvest. Results suggest that the management schemes utilized at present are
unlikely to affect forage quality as presented to the an- imal. Age at time of harvest is likely to have the most
significant impact on forage quality, so these results were not unexpected Cherney et al., 1993. The type
of management systems used here would be consid- ered an extensive system, yet farmers get an economic
benefit from these forages. Farmers pay nothing for the use of these grasslands during spring grazing and
summer harvest.
4. Summary and conclusion
