Description of selected grass communities in the “Kózki” nature reserve and a test of their active protection through the grazing of sheep of the Świniarka race

Abstract

The objective of the study is to characterise selected grass communities, including psammophilic vegetation, in the “Kózki” nature reserve from the perspective of their floristic composition and production, and to describe the possibilities of using sheep of the Świniarka race to actively protect these communities. The studies were conducted in the growing season in 2010 in the southern part of the “Kózki” nature reserve, where sheep of the native Świniarka race grazed freely. The species composition of the vegetation and the nutritional preferences of the sheep were identified, and the production potential and the usefulness value of the sward were assessed. The following grass communities were identified in the area under study: the Molinio-Arrhenatheretea class, the Koelerio glaucae-Corynephoretea canescentis class, the Corynephorion canescentis order, and the Corynephoro-Silenetum tataricae and Caricetum cespitosae association. Based on the investigation, it was found that sheep of the Świniarka race can be used in the active protection of psammophilic vegetation because they hinder the succession of secondary tree and shrub vegetation.