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Johannes Isselstein
Division of Grassland Science/Department of Crop Sciences, University of Göttingen, Von-Siebold-Str. 8, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany

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Journal article
Published: 19 July 2021 in European Journal of Agronomy
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Clover-based crop stands are gaining importance in temporary grasslands for intensive livestock production. However, knowledge of their optimal composition to achieve high temporal stability of forage provision is insufficient, particularly so for long cultivation periods. A five-year field trial was conducted to study the effect of adding a non-leguminous forb to clover-based crop stands and to evaluate the impact of the clover variety on inter- and intra-annual stability of forage yield and quality. At two contrasting sites, we cultivated eight white clover (Trifolium repens) populations in pure stands and in mixtures with perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and/or chicory (Cichorium intybus) under a four-cut system without fertilization and determined the seasonal and annual forage yield and quality. Temporal stability of forage provision differed between crop stand types, with marked differences between years and cropping sites. In the study years with lower than long-term precipitation, adding chicory enhanced temporal stability of forage yield as compared to white clover pure stands or clover-grass mixtures at least at the site with deep soil, and maintained or enhanced that of forage quality as compared to clover-grass mixtures. This was often reversed in the study years with higher than long-term precipitation. The white clover populations only slightly varied in temporal stability of forage provision, and did so independently of the crop stand type. Our findings highlight the potential but also constraints of including a non-leguminous forb in unfertilized mown clover-based crop stands, as well as of decisions on the clover variety, to improve temporal stability of forage provision.

ACS Style

Isabelle Nölke; Martin Komainda; Bettina Tonn; Ulf Feuerstein; Johannes Isselstein. Including chicory and selecting white clover varieties as strategies to improve temporal stability of forage yield and quality in white-clover-based temporary grassland. European Journal of Agronomy 2021, 130, 126362 .

AMA Style

Isabelle Nölke, Martin Komainda, Bettina Tonn, Ulf Feuerstein, Johannes Isselstein. Including chicory and selecting white clover varieties as strategies to improve temporal stability of forage yield and quality in white-clover-based temporary grassland. European Journal of Agronomy. 2021; 130 ():126362.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Isabelle Nölke; Martin Komainda; Bettina Tonn; Ulf Feuerstein; Johannes Isselstein. 2021. "Including chicory and selecting white clover varieties as strategies to improve temporal stability of forage yield and quality in white-clover-based temporary grassland." European Journal of Agronomy 130, no. : 126362.

Matters arising
Published: 09 April 2021 in Nature Communications
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ACS Style

Bettina Tonn; Martin Komainda; Johannes Isselstein. Results from a biodiversity experiment fail to represent economic performance of semi-natural grasslands. Nature Communications 2021, 12, 1 -3.

AMA Style

Bettina Tonn, Martin Komainda, Johannes Isselstein. Results from a biodiversity experiment fail to represent economic performance of semi-natural grasslands. Nature Communications. 2021; 12 (1):1-3.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Bettina Tonn; Martin Komainda; Johannes Isselstein. 2021. "Results from a biodiversity experiment fail to represent economic performance of semi-natural grasslands." Nature Communications 12, no. 1: 1-3.

Journal article
Published: 19 December 2020 in Sustainability
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Socio-economic context is increasingly seen as a decisive factor for sustainable agricultural land use. The high prevalence of part-time farming and frequent lack of formal agricultural education within the equine sector are often seen as reasons why horse-grazed pastures do not fulfill their biodiversity potential. In spite of the substantial variability within horse farming, little is known about the relationship of socio-economic determinants with vegetation characteristics of horse-grazed grasslands. We surveyed 122 horse farms in Germany, classifying them into four socio-economic classes according to farm income type and farm managers’ agricultural education. We recorded farm structure parameters, grassland management practices and vegetation characteristics. Socio-economic class partly explained the great variability in farm structure that we observed. In contrast to our expectation, income type and agricultural education did not distinctly affect grassland management and were neither directly nor indirectly related to vegetation characteristics. Part-time farming and lack of agricultural education thus did not adversely affect the ecological value of horse-grazed grasslands. By contrast, both farm structure and paddock level management affected grassland vegetation and ecological value. Therefore, the socio-economic context of horse farms should be addressed in further research with strategies targeting the development of sustainable grassland management in horse keeping.

ACS Style

Cecilia Hüppe; Anja Schmitz; Bettina Tonn; Johannes Isselstein. The Role of Socio-Economic Determinants of Horse Farms for Grassland Management, Vegetation Composition and Ecological Value. Sustainability 2020, 12, 10641 .

AMA Style

Cecilia Hüppe, Anja Schmitz, Bettina Tonn, Johannes Isselstein. The Role of Socio-Economic Determinants of Horse Farms for Grassland Management, Vegetation Composition and Ecological Value. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (24):10641.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Cecilia Hüppe; Anja Schmitz; Bettina Tonn; Johannes Isselstein. 2020. "The Role of Socio-Economic Determinants of Horse Farms for Grassland Management, Vegetation Composition and Ecological Value." Sustainability 12, no. 24: 10641.

Journal article
Published: 02 July 2020 in European Journal of Agronomy
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Low-input grasslands depend on the presence of grasses and legumes for the provision of nitrogen and a sufficient amount and quality of herbage for livestock. Increasing variability in the amount and distribution of rainfall, associated with climate change, is a major factor affecting production from permanent grassland and particularly grass-clover swards. Previous work has shown that introduction of deep-rooting dicotyledonous forbs into grass-legume mixtures increases functional trait diversity (FTD), which facilitates the resistance and resilience of grassland to drought. It also increases species diversity and functional group diversity (FGD). However, the role of species diversity at a given level of FGD and associated FTD for the resistance and resilience of low-input grassland towards drought remains unclear. This knowledge is required to design forage mixtures adapted to drier climatic conditions. We conducted a drought-stress experiment with 16 different sown sward types, grown in cylindrical mesocosms, combining three levels of species diversity (one, three, five) and three levels of FGD (one, two, three) all being associated with FTD in terms of phenology, rooting depth and nitrogen fixation to determine whether maximum levels of species diversity or FGD promote adaptation to drought. The study was conducted over three drought-stress cycles in an open-sided greenhouse where the climate followed ambient natural conditions. Over the duration of 685 days, we found no clear species diversity effect but a distinct species identity effect on biomass production and agronomic water use efficiency. A positive species identity effect depended largely on white clover presence and on the FGD within mixtures. The best performing mixtures for resistance and resilience combined FGD and FTD in a complementary way, irrespective of whether the swards contained three or five species, as FGD and FTD were already maximized within the best-performing three-species swards. Increasing complementarity of traits by species grown in carefully designed mixtures is one measure to achieve diversity effects and facilitate future sustainable grassland production. We propose to exploit the benefits of species identity and functional group diversity in designing future mixtures to cope with drought.

ACS Style

Martin Komainda; Frank Küchenmeister; Kai Küchenmeister; Manfred Kayser; Nicole Wrage-Mönnig; Johannes Isselstein. Drought tolerance is determined by species identity and functional group diversity rather than by species diversity within multi-species swards. European Journal of Agronomy 2020, 119, 126116 .

AMA Style

Martin Komainda, Frank Küchenmeister, Kai Küchenmeister, Manfred Kayser, Nicole Wrage-Mönnig, Johannes Isselstein. Drought tolerance is determined by species identity and functional group diversity rather than by species diversity within multi-species swards. European Journal of Agronomy. 2020; 119 ():126116.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Martin Komainda; Frank Küchenmeister; Kai Küchenmeister; Manfred Kayser; Nicole Wrage-Mönnig; Johannes Isselstein. 2020. "Drought tolerance is determined by species identity and functional group diversity rather than by species diversity within multi-species swards." European Journal of Agronomy 119, no. : 126116.

Journal article
Published: 18 April 2020 in Sustainability
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Horses are of increasing relevance in agriculturally managed grasslands across Europe. There is concern to what extent grazing with horses is a sustainable grassland management practice. The effect of longer-term horse grazing on the vegetation characteristics of grasslands has received little attention, especially in comparison to grazing cattle. Our study analyses the relative importance of grazing system (grazer species and regime) and grassland management for vegetation characteristics in grasslands as indicator for sustainable management. We monitored grassland vegetation in western central Germany and compared paddocks grazed by horses under two different regimes, continuous (HC) vs. rotational (HR), to paddocks grazed by cattle (C) under similar trophic site conditions. We observed more plant species and more High Nature Value indicator species on HC compared to C. The vegetation of C was more grazing tolerant and had higher forage value than HC. Regardless of the grazing regime, the competitive component was lower, the stress-tolerant component higher and the floristic contrast between patch-types stronger on HC and HR paddocks compared to C. Species richness was strongly influenced by the extent of the floristic contrast. Our results emphasize the potential of horse grazing for biodiversity in agriculturally managed grasslands.

ACS Style

Anja Schmitz; Johannes Isselstein. Effect of Grazing System on Grassland Plant Species Richness and Vegetation Characteristics: Comparing Horse and Cattle Grazing. Sustainability 2020, 12, 3300 .

AMA Style

Anja Schmitz, Johannes Isselstein. Effect of Grazing System on Grassland Plant Species Richness and Vegetation Characteristics: Comparing Horse and Cattle Grazing. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (8):3300.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Anja Schmitz; Johannes Isselstein. 2020. "Effect of Grazing System on Grassland Plant Species Richness and Vegetation Characteristics: Comparing Horse and Cattle Grazing." Sustainability 12, no. 8: 3300.

Journal article
Published: 09 April 2020 in Agronomy
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In future, grass swards need to be adapted to climate change and interactions of management and site are becoming more important. The persistence of Lolium perenne on peatland or during dry periods is limited and alternative forage species are required. We tested the performance of a modern variety of Festuca arundinacea and Phleum pratense as an alternative to Lolium perenne on clay, peat, and sandy soils. Each of these grasses was sown as main species in mixture with Poa pratensis and Trifolium repens and the mixtures were subjected to different frequencies of defoliation. Differences in yield proportions in the third year were significantly influenced by main species, site and their interaction. Remaining mass proportions of main species after three years were smallest on peat; on all sites Festuca arundinacea showed the highest persistence and largest yield, followed by Lolium perenne. Mass proportions of Phleum pratense were small on peat soils and Phleum had been replaced there by Holcus lanatus, and by Lolium perenne and Poa pratensis on the clay and sandy soils. We conclude that the choice of grass species in mixtures is a management tool to control stability and productivity of grass swards under specific site conditions.

ACS Style

Talea Becker; Johannes Isselstein; Rena Jürschik; Matthias Benke; Manfred Kayser. Performance of Modern Varieties of Festuca arundinacea and Phleum pratense as an Alternative to Lolium perenne in Intensively Managed Sown Grasslands. Agronomy 2020, 10, 540 .

AMA Style

Talea Becker, Johannes Isselstein, Rena Jürschik, Matthias Benke, Manfred Kayser. Performance of Modern Varieties of Festuca arundinacea and Phleum pratense as an Alternative to Lolium perenne in Intensively Managed Sown Grasslands. Agronomy. 2020; 10 (4):540.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Talea Becker; Johannes Isselstein; Rena Jürschik; Matthias Benke; Manfred Kayser. 2020. "Performance of Modern Varieties of Festuca arundinacea and Phleum pratense as an Alternative to Lolium perenne in Intensively Managed Sown Grasslands." Agronomy 10, no. 4: 540.

Journal article
Published: 08 April 2020 in Field Crops Research
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Due to complementary resource use of the components, grass-clover mixtures are usually higher yielding compared to unfertilized pure grass stands. The number and identity of species in a mixture are known as important factors for the mixture’s productivity. How intraspecific variability of component species affects the productivity of mixtures has received less attention. We established an experiment to investigate how and to what extent different populations of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) affect mixture performance. Eight novel populations of white clover and one variety of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) were grown as monocultures and in two- and three-species mixtures at two sites differing in soil fertility. Aboveground herbage was cut twice in the establishing year and four times in each of the three following years. The accumulated dry matter yield was calculated as the sum of the four annual dry matter yields. There was no significant interaction between white clover population and crop stand (i.e., white clover monoculture or mixtures with partner species) on dry matter yield accumulated over four years; the white clover population that performed well in monoculture also did so in mixtures. At both sites, the binary mixtures of white clover and chicory produced significantly higher dry matter yields than the white clover monocultures and other mixtures. Inclusion of chicory in mixtures significantly increased the stability of yield production as well. Site conditions strongly affected the performance of the forage species mixtures. We found that the benefit of mixtures over monocultures was more related to the identity of species in mixture than to the white clover population.

ACS Style

Sara Heshmati; Bettina Tonn; Johannes Isselstein. White clover population effects on the productivity and yield stability of mixtures with perennial ryegrass and chicory. Field Crops Research 2020, 252, 107802 .

AMA Style

Sara Heshmati, Bettina Tonn, Johannes Isselstein. White clover population effects on the productivity and yield stability of mixtures with perennial ryegrass and chicory. Field Crops Research. 2020; 252 ():107802.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sara Heshmati; Bettina Tonn; Johannes Isselstein. 2020. "White clover population effects on the productivity and yield stability of mixtures with perennial ryegrass and chicory." Field Crops Research 252, no. : 107802.

Journal article
Published: 01 April 2020 in The Journal of Agricultural Science
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Plant breeding has brought about improvements in the herbage yield potential, forage quality and functional traits of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). Under conditions of low external inputs, grassland swards based on perennial ryegrass often contain dicotyledonous species (legume and non-legume). Cultivar-specific functional traits such as growth form or phenology affect the competitive ability and yield in mixtures, but the extent to which cultivars with different functional traits affect forage quality in mixtures compared with pure stands is unknown. Therefore, we analysed four perennial ryegrass cultivars, each representing a combination of two functional traits with respect to phenology (early v. late heading) and growth form (upright v. prostrate) on forage quality, in a field experiment over 5 years. Each cultivar was grown in binary-mixtures with Trifolium repens L., as four-species mixtures with Taraxacum officinale L. and Plantago lanceolata L., and as grass monocultures. The effect of functional traits was dominant in the primary growth and persisted in pure stands but not in the mixtures from the third year onwards. Prostrate cultivars allowed the development of a greater proportion of clover and forbs within the mixtures, resulting in increased protein and energy and reduced fibre contents. In mixtures, forage quality was generally higher in the last regrowth. In conclusion, the indirect effects of growth form on forage quality due to modifications of botanical composition were more important than direct effects on forage quality.

ACS Style

Martin Komainda; Johannes Isselstein. Effects of functional traits of perennial ryegrass cultivars on forage quality in mixtures and pure stands. The Journal of Agricultural Science 2020, 158, 173 -184.

AMA Style

Martin Komainda, Johannes Isselstein. Effects of functional traits of perennial ryegrass cultivars on forage quality in mixtures and pure stands. The Journal of Agricultural Science. 2020; 158 (3):173-184.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Martin Komainda; Johannes Isselstein. 2020. "Effects of functional traits of perennial ryegrass cultivars on forage quality in mixtures and pure stands." The Journal of Agricultural Science 158, no. 3: 173-184.

Journal article
Published: 29 February 2020 in Sustainability
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Engaging farmers as citizen scientists may be a cost-efficient way to answering applied research questions aimed at more sustainable land use. We used a citizen science approach with German horse farmers with a dual goal. Firstly, we tested the practicability of this approach for answering ‘real-life’ questions in variable agricultural land-use systems. Secondly, we were interested in the knowledge it can provide about locomotion of horses on pasture and the management factors influencing this behaviour. Out of 165 volunteers, we selected 40 participants to record locomotion of two horses on pasture and provide information on their horse husbandry and pasture management. We obtained complete records for three recording days per horse from 28 participants, resulting in a dataset on more individual horses than any other Global Positioning System study published in the last 30 years. Time spent walking was greatest for horses kept in box-stall stables, and walking distance decreased with increasing grazing time. This suggests that restrictions in pasture access may increase stress on grass swards through running and trampling, severely challenging sustainable pasture management. Our study, involving simple technology, clear instructions and rigorous quality assessment, demonstrates the potential of citizen science actively involving land managers in agricultural research.

ACS Style

Anja Schmitz; Bettina Tonn; Ann-Kathrin Schöppner; Johannes Isselstein. Using a Citizen Science Approach with German Horse Owners to Study the Locomotion Behaviour of Horses on Pasture. Sustainability 2020, 12, 1835 .

AMA Style

Anja Schmitz, Bettina Tonn, Ann-Kathrin Schöppner, Johannes Isselstein. Using a Citizen Science Approach with German Horse Owners to Study the Locomotion Behaviour of Horses on Pasture. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (5):1835.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Anja Schmitz; Bettina Tonn; Ann-Kathrin Schöppner; Johannes Isselstein. 2020. "Using a Citizen Science Approach with German Horse Owners to Study the Locomotion Behaviour of Horses on Pasture." Sustainability 12, no. 5: 1835.

Research article
Published: 05 February 2020 in Functional Ecology
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1.Forage selection by herbivores is a major driver of plant diversity in pasture vegetation. Yet, we know relatively little about how plant traits influence decisions of different herbivore species and breeds to select or avoid a certain plant species on semi‐natural pastures. 2.We quantified the influence of the traits leaf N and P content, leaf dry matter content (LDMC), specific leaf area (SLA) and physical defence mechanisms on plant species selection for three cattle breeds: high‐yielding Angus×Holstein crossbreed, dual‐purpose Original Braunvieh and undemanding Highland Cattle. The cattle grazed a series of adjacent paddocks in different alpine pastures. Plant species selection was quantified by assessing the difference in biomass proportions of all plant species in 66 vegetation subplots per breed before and after grazing. Plant traits and indicator values were extracted from the TRY database. Data on 152 plant species were analysed using a local mixed‐effects model and a global multivariate hierarchical regression model. 3.Plant traits had a clear impact on forage behaviour. Plants with high SLA, leaf N and P contents were significantly selected, whereas plants with high LDMC (e.g., woody plants) and defence mechanisms (e.g., thistles) were generally avoided. Species with high forage quality indicator values as defined by Briemle et al. (2002) were significantly preferred. More importantly, significant differences between forage behaviour of cattle breeds were detected. Selection by less‐productive Highland Cattle was much less influenced by plant traits than the selection by the two higher‐yielding breeds. 4.Results indicate a clear impact of plant traits on forage selection and demonstrate breed‐specific influences. Highland Cattle (and possibly other robust breeds) graze less selectively and impose less selective exclusion on plants. Thereby, they likely influence plant species composition of pastures in a different way than high‐yielding breeds, thereby creating a distinct habitat.

ACS Style

Caren M. Pauler; Johannes Isselstein; Matthias Suter; Joel Berard; Thomas Braunbeck; Manuel K. Schneider. Choosy grazers: Influence of plant traits on forage selection by three cattle breeds. Functional Ecology 2020, 34, 980 -992.

AMA Style

Caren M. Pauler, Johannes Isselstein, Matthias Suter, Joel Berard, Thomas Braunbeck, Manuel K. Schneider. Choosy grazers: Influence of plant traits on forage selection by three cattle breeds. Functional Ecology. 2020; 34 (5):980-992.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Caren M. Pauler; Johannes Isselstein; Matthias Suter; Joel Berard; Thomas Braunbeck; Manuel K. Schneider. 2020. "Choosy grazers: Influence of plant traits on forage selection by three cattle breeds." Functional Ecology 34, no. 5: 980-992.

Journal article
Published: 04 February 2020 in Sustainability
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Grazing is inherently close to the nature of herbivores, but no longer applied everywhere in Europe. Therefore, the perception of grassland experts on the occurrence, importance, constraints, solutions and future of grazing of dairy cows was studied. The study builds on results from the European Grassland Federation Working Group Grazing in the period 2010–2019. Both surveys and focus group meetings were used. There is a clear trend of reduced grazing in Europe. Since grazing is valued by different stakeholders and provides many ecosystem services, solutions to the constraints to grazing must be found. Constraints can be divided into region specific constraints, farm specific constraints and farmer specific constraints. The solutions include developing new knowledge, bringing the knowledge already available to practice and rewarding farmers for grazing as a service to society. If grazing is not supported, it will further decline. However, a joined endeavour has the potential to make a significant difference in transforming grass-based production systems and stimulating grazing.

ACS Style

Agnes Van Den Pol-Van Dasselaar; Deirdre Hennessy; Johannes Isselstein. Grazing of Dairy Cows in Europe—An In-Depth Analysis Based on the Perception of Grassland Experts. Sustainability 2020, 12, 1098 .

AMA Style

Agnes Van Den Pol-Van Dasselaar, Deirdre Hennessy, Johannes Isselstein. Grazing of Dairy Cows in Europe—An In-Depth Analysis Based on the Perception of Grassland Experts. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (3):1098.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Agnes Van Den Pol-Van Dasselaar; Deirdre Hennessy; Johannes Isselstein. 2020. "Grazing of Dairy Cows in Europe—An In-Depth Analysis Based on the Perception of Grassland Experts." Sustainability 12, no. 3: 1098.

Journal article
Published: 23 December 2019 in Journal of Environmental Management
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Traditional orchard meadows are among the most valuable cultural and agricultural systems for nature conservation in Europe. They comprise scattered fruit trees over a highly diverse herbaceous layer and provide a wide range of ecosystem services. However, they are strongly endangered due to farmland intensification and abandonment. Livestock grazing is known to promote grassland diversity but it may also cause tree damage through debarking. In this study, we evaluated the effect of different grazers (cattle, horse and sheep) on fruit trees in 42 traditional orchards of the Rhenish uplands (Germany). Overall, we found that 70% of the study trees showed debarking damage, although most of them (40%) were slightly damaged (1–10% of the trunk debarked). Most debarked trees showed accumulated damage over time, and only 8% of the study trees were damaged during the last year. The probability of strong debarking (>50% of the trunk damaged) was higher in orchards grazed by cattle and horses than on those grazed by sheep (5.3 and 3.7-fold difference, respectively). Importantly, unsustainable levels of cumulative debarking caused a decay of crown development, which may strongly affect fruit production. Additionally, lower tree densities favored higher levels of debarking intensity but did not affect the probability of occurrence. Individual tree-protection was an effective practice in decreasing trunk debarking (95% reduction in tree damage occurrence). The impact of grazing animals on trees might represent a useful indicator to assess the sustainability of each grazing system and should be taken into account in future agriculture and conservation policies.

ACS Style

Aida López-Sánchez; Ramón Perea; Sonia Roig; Johannes Isselstein; Anja Schmitz. Challenges on the conservation of traditional orchards: Tree damage as an indicator of sustainable grazing. Journal of Environmental Management 2019, 257, 110010 .

AMA Style

Aida López-Sánchez, Ramón Perea, Sonia Roig, Johannes Isselstein, Anja Schmitz. Challenges on the conservation of traditional orchards: Tree damage as an indicator of sustainable grazing. Journal of Environmental Management. 2019; 257 ():110010.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Aida López-Sánchez; Ramón Perea; Sonia Roig; Johannes Isselstein; Anja Schmitz. 2019. "Challenges on the conservation of traditional orchards: Tree damage as an indicator of sustainable grazing." Journal of Environmental Management 257, no. : 110010.

Journal article
Published: 03 July 2019 in Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment
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Highland cattle are lighter, slower-growing and less demanding on forage than most production-oriented cattle breeds, which may affect vegetation composition. This study aimed at identifying the importance of breed-dependent impact on the composition of pasture vegetation in comparison to well-investigated factors such as site properties and grazing management. Vegetation was investigated in 50 paired pastures at 25 locations ranging from Swiss mountain areas to lowlands in southern Germany. Pastures in a pair had been grazed by either Highland cattle or a more production-oriented cattle breed for at least 5 years. Plant species composition was assessed on 150 subplots, three per pasture in areas representing different grazing intensities. Generalized linear mixed-effects models, (partial) constrained correspondence analysis and structural equation models were used for data analysis. Despite similar site conditions between the paired pastures at each location, plants on pastures of Highland cattle showed significantly lower indicator values for grazing and trampling tolerance. Both, grazing and trampling were strongly connected and had a common negative effect on plant species diversity. Moreover, Highland cattle had a direct positive influence on diversity, likely due to reduced woody plant species cover and a higher cover of epizoochoric species. This resulted in significantly higher plant species richness (alpha and gamma) on pastures of Highland cattle than those of production-oriented breeds. The observed differences in plant species richness between pastures of different grazing breeds increased with duration of adaptation, i.e. the time a pasture was grazed by a certain breed. The study demonstrates a clear impact of cattle breed on vegetation, which is consistent with the phenotypical differences of the animals. Largely overlooked, cattle breed may explain some of the frequently contrasting responses of vegetation to grazing. The findings have important implications for management decisions and breeding endeavours which go beyond mere productivity objectives. They highlight the potential of low-production Highland cattle to sustain and promote ecosystem services on species-rich, semi-natural grasslands.

ACS Style

Caren M. Pauler; Johannes Isselstein; Thomas Braunbeck; Manuel K. Schneider. Influence of Highland and production-oriented cattle breeds on pasture vegetation: A pairwise assessment across broad environmental gradients. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 2019, 284, 106585 .

AMA Style

Caren M. Pauler, Johannes Isselstein, Thomas Braunbeck, Manuel K. Schneider. Influence of Highland and production-oriented cattle breeds on pasture vegetation: A pairwise assessment across broad environmental gradients. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. 2019; 284 ():106585.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Caren M. Pauler; Johannes Isselstein; Thomas Braunbeck; Manuel K. Schneider. 2019. "Influence of Highland and production-oriented cattle breeds on pasture vegetation: A pairwise assessment across broad environmental gradients." Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 284, no. : 106585.

Journal article
Published: 18 April 2019 in Land
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Agricultural land use is influenced in different ways by local factors such as soil conditions, water supply, and socioeconomic structure. We investigated at regional and field scale how strong the relationship of arable crop patterns and specific local site conditions is. At field scale, a logistic regression analysis for the main crops and selected site variables detected, for each of the analyzed crops, its own specific character of crop–site relationship. Some crops have diverging site relations such as maize and wheat, while other crops show similar probabilities under comparable site conditions, e.g., oilseed rape and winter barley. At the regional scale, the spatial comparison of clustered variables and clustered crop pattern showed a slightly stronger relationship of crop combination and specific combinations of site variables compared to the view of the single crop–site relationship.

ACS Style

Susanne Stein; Horst-Henning Steinmann; Johannes Isselstein. Linking Arable Crop Occurrence with Site Conditions by the Use of Highly Resolved Spatial Data. Land 2019, 8, 65 .

AMA Style

Susanne Stein, Horst-Henning Steinmann, Johannes Isselstein. Linking Arable Crop Occurrence with Site Conditions by the Use of Highly Resolved Spatial Data. Land. 2019; 8 (4):65.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Susanne Stein; Horst-Henning Steinmann; Johannes Isselstein. 2019. "Linking Arable Crop Occurrence with Site Conditions by the Use of Highly Resolved Spatial Data." Land 8, no. 4: 65.

Journal article
Published: 03 October 2018 in Animals
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In spring, the transition from a total mixed ration (TMR) to pasture requires metabolic adaptions for the cow. It had been shown that supply of low amounts of concentrate after transition to full-time grazing caused energy deficits, resulting in a lower milking performance and changes in a variety of variables indicative for energy metabolism. The present study aimed to investigate how a moderate concentrate supply (4.5 kg dry matter cow/day) after transition to pasture influences health and production indicators. Over a 12-week trial period dairy cows were observed during transition from confinement to pasture (pasture group: PG) and compared to cows fed TMR indoors (confinement group: CG). On average, the PG consumed less feed and energy than the CG and mobilized body reserves, which is mirrored in a decrease of body condition and various fat depots. These effects were paralleled by elevated serum concentrations of non-esterified fatty acids and ketone bodies as well as an increase in liver fat content. The physical activity (elevated walking, eating, decreasing rumination time) of the PG was significantly higher than that of the CG, which intensified the energy deficiency and resulted in a lower milk yield. In conclusion, the moderate concentrate supply was insufficient to counterbalance the lower energy intake from pasture during transition.

ACS Style

Julia Hartwiger; Melanie Schären; Ursula Gerhards; Liane Hüther; Jana Frahm; Dirk Von Soosten; Jeanette Klüß; Martin Bachmann; Annette Zeyner; Ulrich Meyer; Johannes Isselstein; Gerhard Breves; Sven Dänicke. Effects of a Change from an Indoor-Based Total Mixed Ration to a Rotational Pasture System Combined with a Moderate Concentrate Feed Supply on the Health and Performance of Dairy Cows. Animals 2018, 8, 169 .

AMA Style

Julia Hartwiger, Melanie Schären, Ursula Gerhards, Liane Hüther, Jana Frahm, Dirk Von Soosten, Jeanette Klüß, Martin Bachmann, Annette Zeyner, Ulrich Meyer, Johannes Isselstein, Gerhard Breves, Sven Dänicke. Effects of a Change from an Indoor-Based Total Mixed Ration to a Rotational Pasture System Combined with a Moderate Concentrate Feed Supply on the Health and Performance of Dairy Cows. Animals. 2018; 8 (10):169.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Julia Hartwiger; Melanie Schären; Ursula Gerhards; Liane Hüther; Jana Frahm; Dirk Von Soosten; Jeanette Klüß; Martin Bachmann; Annette Zeyner; Ulrich Meyer; Johannes Isselstein; Gerhard Breves; Sven Dänicke. 2018. "Effects of a Change from an Indoor-Based Total Mixed Ration to a Rotational Pasture System Combined with a Moderate Concentrate Feed Supply on the Health and Performance of Dairy Cows." Animals 8, no. 10: 169.

Journal article
Published: 01 May 2018 in Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment
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Currently there is a shift from grassland based forage production towards maize systems in the Low Countries of north-west Europe. Breaking-up grassland and turning it into arable fields is associated with high nitrate leaching. Crop models can help to identify cropping strategies to reduce nitrate leaching by performing long-term simulation experiments. This study aimed: (i) to evaluate the crop model APSIM against field trial data, in particular nitrogen (N) balance components N-uptake, leaching and soil mineral N, and (ii) conduct a simulation experiment for assessing suitable management practices over a long period using historical records (1980–2015). Evaluation data consisted of two rotation types over two years (maize-maize and barley-mustard-maize) with two nitrogen (N) fertilizer schemes (zero and standard fertilizer: 160 for maize and 120 kg N/ha for barley) after the break-up of grassland. Experiments were carried out at three different sites with contrasting soils in north-west Germany. Results showed that APSIM was capable of simulating the crop rotations and fertilizer applications satisfactorily: Total biomass (n = 21) was reproduced with a root mean square error (RMSE) of 1139 kg/ha against an observed mean of 9915 kg/ha across crops. Total N uptake (n = 21) was simulated well with a RMSE of 22 kg/ha (against observed mean 144 kg/ha). Simulated soil mineral N in the top 0–30 cm (n = 253) and 0–90 cm (n = 33) showed a high index of agreement (IA) of 0.90 and 0.86, respectively. Comparisons observed vs simulated over time confirmed that APSIM was able to capture the N dynamics in the soil. Extractable soil water was also modelled well. Leached nitrate (n = 16) was simulated with a RMSE of 50 kg N/ha, whereby APSIM captured the high nitrate losses of up to 240 kg N/ha/winter period caused by the high mineralization and the fertilization. In the long-term the simulation experiment showed that fertilization of maize did not result in additional biomass, but in higher leaching losses. Mustard was effective in reducing nitrate leaching but is difficult to implement in practice. Finally, the study demonstrated that crop modelling complements conventional analysis very well in identifying environmentally sound and profitable management practices for complex situations in soil-crop systems such as grassland break-up.

ACS Style

Munir P. Hoffmann; Johannes Isselstein; Reimund P. Rötter; Manfred Kayser. Nitrogen management in crop rotations after the break-up of grassland: Insights from modelling. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 2018, 259, 28 -44.

AMA Style

Munir P. Hoffmann, Johannes Isselstein, Reimund P. Rötter, Manfred Kayser. Nitrogen management in crop rotations after the break-up of grassland: Insights from modelling. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. 2018; 259 ():28-44.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Munir P. Hoffmann; Johannes Isselstein; Reimund P. Rötter; Manfred Kayser. 2018. "Nitrogen management in crop rotations after the break-up of grassland: Insights from modelling." Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 259, no. : 28-44.

Journal article
Published: 01 December 2016 in Land Use Policy
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ACS Style

V. Hammes; M. Eggers; J. Isselstein; M. Kayser. The attitude of grassland farmers towards nature conservation and agri-environment measures—A survey-based analysis. Land Use Policy 2016, 59, 528 -535.

AMA Style

V. Hammes, M. Eggers, J. Isselstein, M. Kayser. The attitude of grassland farmers towards nature conservation and agri-environment measures—A survey-based analysis. Land Use Policy. 2016; 59 ():528-535.

Chicago/Turabian Style

V. Hammes; M. Eggers; J. Isselstein; M. Kayser. 2016. "The attitude of grassland farmers towards nature conservation and agri-environment measures—A survey-based analysis." Land Use Policy 59, no. : 528-535.

Journal article
Published: 07 May 2012 in Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment
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N. Wrage; N. Şahin Demirbağ; M. Hofmann; J. Isselstein. Vegetation height of patch more important for phytodiversity than that of paddock. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 2012, 155, 111 -116.

AMA Style

N. Wrage, N. Şahin Demirbağ, M. Hofmann, J. Isselstein. Vegetation height of patch more important for phytodiversity than that of paddock. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. 2012; 155 ():111-116.

Chicago/Turabian Style

N. Wrage; N. Şahin Demirbağ; M. Hofmann; J. Isselstein. 2012. "Vegetation height of patch more important for phytodiversity than that of paddock." Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 155, no. : 111-116.

Journal article
Published: 30 November 2008 in European Journal of Agronomy
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Depending on soil and management, ploughing up grassland for use as arable land can lead to an increase in the release of mineralized nitrogen and a high risk of nitrogen leaching during winter. The amount of N leaching is also dependent on the N efficiency of following crops and the level of N fertilization. In a field experiment in northwest Germany permanent grassland was ploughed and used as arable land. The experiment was conducted over 2 years at three sites and investigated two main factors: (i) succeeding crops, either spring barley (and catch crop)–maize or silage maize–maize; and (ii) N-fertilization either nil or moderate (120 kg N ha−1 for barley or 160 kg for maize). Plant yields, the soil mineral nitrogen (SMN) content and the nitrate leaching losses over winter were determined. On average for the 2-year period, the SMN in autumn and the nitrate leaching losses during winter for the rotation barley–maize were 76 kg ha−1 SMN and 81 kg N ha−1 N leaching losses, and for maize–maize they amounted to 108 and 113 kg ha−1, respectively. The SMN and N leaching losses for the plots with no N fertilizer were 49 and 52 kg N ha−1 and for the plots fertilized at a moderate N level they were 135 and 142 kg N ha−1, respectively. We conclude that although the extent of nitrate leaching is influenced by the site conditions and management of the grassland prior to ploughing, the management after ploughing is the decisive factor. The farmer can significantly reduce nitrate leaching with his choice of succeeding crop and the amount of N fertilization.

ACS Style

Manfred Kayser; Kirsten Seidel; Jürgen Müller; Johannes Isselstein. The effect of succeeding crop and level of N fertilization on N leaching after break-up of grassland. European Journal of Agronomy 2008, 29, 200 -207.

AMA Style

Manfred Kayser, Kirsten Seidel, Jürgen Müller, Johannes Isselstein. The effect of succeeding crop and level of N fertilization on N leaching after break-up of grassland. European Journal of Agronomy. 2008; 29 (4):200-207.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Manfred Kayser; Kirsten Seidel; Jürgen Müller; Johannes Isselstein. 2008. "The effect of succeeding crop and level of N fertilization on N leaching after break-up of grassland." European Journal of Agronomy 29, no. 4: 200-207.

Review article
Published: 30 September 2004 in Biological Conservation
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From a review of the literature, we conclude that the main mechanism by which grazing livestock affect biodiversity in pastures is the creation and maintenance of sward structural heterogeneity, particularly as a result of dietary choice. We identify lack of understanding of the currencies used by animals in their foraging decisions and the spatial scale of these decisions as major constraints to better management. We conclude that there are important differences between domestic grazing animal species in their impact on grazed communities and that these can be related to differences in dental and digestive anatomy, but also, and probably more importantly, to differences in body size. Differences between breeds within species appear to be relatively minor and again largely related to body size. We conclude that there is an urgent need to understand the genetic basis of these differences and also to separate true breed effects from effects of rearing environment. We also review the economic implications of using different animal types and conclude that there is a need for more research integrating these aspects with biodiversity outcomes.

ACS Style

A.J. Rook; B. Dumont; J. Isselstein; K. Osoro; M.F. WallisDeVries; G. Parente; J. Mills. Matching type of livestock to desired biodiversity outcomes in pastures – a review. Biological Conservation 2004, 119, 137 -150.

AMA Style

A.J. Rook, B. Dumont, J. Isselstein, K. Osoro, M.F. WallisDeVries, G. Parente, J. Mills. Matching type of livestock to desired biodiversity outcomes in pastures – a review. Biological Conservation. 2004; 119 (2):137-150.

Chicago/Turabian Style

A.J. Rook; B. Dumont; J. Isselstein; K. Osoro; M.F. WallisDeVries; G. Parente; J. Mills. 2004. "Matching type of livestock to desired biodiversity outcomes in pastures – a review." Biological Conservation 119, no. 2: 137-150.