Grazing animals as an element of natural landscape
Marianna Warda
Maciej Rogalski
Abstract
Human activity contributes to ecosystems and landscape transformation. The aim of this paper is to determine the importance of grazing animals in forming and protecting the natural landscape. The paper is a survey of the results of own and other authors' studies concerning the effect of various animals grazing on species diversity of the studied grassland communities. To study sward species composition Braun-Blanquet and botanical-weight analyze methods were used. The number of species (communities) and share of species (community) in the sample was a basis to calculate the index of species (community) diversity. It was confirmed that sward grazing contributed to an increase of diversity and mosaic of sward. The number of species creating plant communities has been growing. Knowledge of strategy and techniques of fodder getting by animals can be used to protect the valuable worth but threatened biocenosis. Results of the studies carried out in Swina valley testify that extensive grazing by horses and cattle on salted meadows contributed to the protection of 21 plant species growing there, including the last stand of Plantago coronopus L. and the protection of birds’ habitats. In the paper aesthetical and recreation importance of pastures was underlined and also the role of pasture management to keep the cultural heritage, for example by restitution of local animal breeds.
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