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Ecology and grassland management team        ("Diver Grass")

We reveal the long-term processes of grassland ecosystems

We combine field teaching with the latest findings in grassland ecology

Our team and our work

We monitor vegetation and soil characteristics of grasslands
These are the members of our "Diver Grass" team – we are an international team
We collaborate with different institutions in the Czechia and in abroad
We collect data from long-term experiments in the Czechia and in abroad
We set up pot experiments
We participate in cross-border projects
We publish in high-quality scientific journals
We also have several book publications about grasslands
We offer topics for bachelor's and master's theses
We organize scientific conferences
The results of our research influence practices in agriculture and nature conservation

 

Members of „Diver Grass“ team

Ing. Isa Bandák
Doctorand



Research topics

Effect of long-term grassland management on the species composition of higher plants

  • functional groups of plants under different grassland managements
  • „plant traits“ under different grassland managements (length of the leaves, flowering period, plant height)
  • the effect of different grassland managements on different plant strategies (C-S-R)

The effect of long-term grazing on biomass production and sward characteristics

  • identification of the main effects affecting dry matter biomass production during and between the growing seasons
  • the effect of patches on concentrations of nutrients in the biomass and soil
  • the analysis of the extensive or intensive grazing on biomass production and forage quality
  • the analysis of the grazing intensity on the vertical structure of the grazed sward

Assessment of the nutrient dynamics in the soil and plants in the grasslands under different management practices (grazing, cutting, mulching and fertilization)

  • determination of the effects of different grazing intensities on soil and biomass nutrient concentrations under different types of patches
  • to assess the impact of anthropogenically generated waste on soil and plants
  • to compare the relationship between soil nutrients and crop yields under different types of management

Dynamics of nutrient concentrations in the grassland biomass under different management practices, in particular mineral concentrations, ADF, NDF and organic matter digestibility

What effect does different long-term management have on:

  1. imacronutrient content, NDF, ADF and digestibility of organic matter in the grassland
  2. relationship of soil nutrient content to plant nutrient content?
  3. relationship of species composition to plant nutrient content? 

     

    Pot and field experiments with Rumex species  

    Publications: 

    Performance and Mortality of Rumex obtusifolius and R. crispus in Managed Grasslands are Affected by Nutrient Availability

    Effect of nitrogen and phosphorus availability on the emergence, growth and over-wintering of Rumex crispus and Rumex obtusifolius

    Hybrid of Rumex patientia × Rumex tianschanicus (Rumex OK-2) as a potentially new invasive weed in Central Europe

    Mechanical weeding of Rumex obtusifolius in organically managed grassland

    Emergence and survival of Rumex OK-2 (Rumex patientia x Rumex tianschanicus) in grasslands under different management conditions

    Effects of nutrient availability on performance and mortality of Rumex obtusifolius and R. crispus in unmanaged grassland

    Manual weeding of Rumex obtusifolius and its effects on plant species composition in organically managed grassland

    Mechanical weeding of Rumex obtusifolius L. under different N, P and K availabilities in permanent grassland

    Effect of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium availability on mother plant size, seed production and germination ability of Rumex crispus

    Effect of cutting frequency on above- and belowground biomass production of Rumex alpinus, R. crispus, R. obtusifolius and the Rumex hybrid (R. patienta × R. tianschanicus) in the seeding year



    Projects

    DiGraSo: Projekt 100693117; Příčiny poklesu diverzity travních porostů v chráněných územích příhraničí Česka a Saska (Ursachen für den Rückgang der Grünlandvielfalt in Schutzgebieten der tschech-sächsischen Grenzregion); termín realizace projektu (září 2023 – březen 2027); členové řešitelského týmu (Vilém Pavlů, Lenka Pavlů, Jan Titěra, Martina Štrojsová, Alena Ševců)

    Diver grass: Projekt 100264999; Trvale udržitelný management travních porostů pro podporu biodiverzity (Nachhaltiges Management von Grünland-Biotopen zur Förderung der Artenvielfalt); termín realizace projektu (leden 2016 – říjen 2019); členové řešitelského týmu (Vilém Pavlů, Lenka Pavlů, Klára Pavlů, Teowdroes Kassahun, Jan Titěra a Chukwudi Nwaogu)

    Grass Gas: EU, Interreg CZ/PL r.č. CZ.114.120/0.0/0.0/16_026/0001092. Biomasa travních porostů jako obnovitelný zdroj energie. Biodiversita-Biomasa-Bioplyn; termín realizace projektu (1.3.2017 – 28.2.2021); členové řešitelského týmu (Vilém Pavlů, Lenka Pavlů, Klára Pavlů, Teowdroes Kassahun, Jan Titěra a Chukwudi Nwaogu)



    Publications

    Articles with IF

    2025

    Vallin H., Hipperson H., Titěra J., Jones L., Fraser M., 2025. Comparative Analysis of Pasture Composition: DNA Metabarcoding Versus Quadrat‐Based Botanical Surveys in Experimental Grassland Plots. Ecology and Evolution. 15(4). https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71195

    2024

    Meserszmit M., Swacha G., Pavlů L., Pavlů V.V., Titěra J., Jabłoński S., Łukaszewicz M., Kącki Z., 2024. Effect of mowing versus abandonment of mesic grasslands in Central Europe on biomass use for biogas production: Implications for semi‐natural ecosystem conservation. Journal of Environmental Management. 368, 122132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.122132

    2023

    Swacha G., Meserszmit M., Pavlů L., Pavlů V.V., Kajzrová K., Kassahun T., Raduła M.W., Titěra J., Kącki Z., 2023. Drivers of species-specific contributions to the total live aboveground plant biomass in Central European semi-natural hay grasslands. Ecological Indicators. 146, 109740. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.109740

    Titěra J., Pavlů L., Pavlů V.V., Blažek P., 2023. What is a suitable management for Typha latifolia control in wet meadows? Applied Vegetation Science. 26, e12740. https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.12740

    2022

    Kajzrová, K., Kassahun, T., Pavlů, L., Pavlů, V.V., Fraser M. 2022. The effect of 19 years of restoration managements on forage quality and herbage-soil relationships within improved upland grassland. Grass and Forage Science, 77:167-174. https://doi.org/10.1111/gfs.12576

    Meserszmit, M., Swacha, G., Pavlů, L., Pavlů, V., Trojanowska‐Olichwer, A., Kącki, Z. 2022. Species composition of semi‐natural mesic grasslands as a factor influencing the methane yield of plant biomass (Central Europe). GCB Bioenergy, 14(1): 54-64.

    Pavlů L., Poetsch E.M., Pavlů V.V., Titěra J., Hejcman M., Gaisler J., Hopkins A. 2022. The Admont Grassland Experiment: 70 years of fertilizer application and its effects on soil and vegetation properties in an alluvial meadow managed under a three-cut régime. Science of the Total Environment, 808: 152081. DOI10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152081

    2021

    Kassahun T., Pavlů K., Pavlů V.V., Pavlů L., Blažek P. 2021. Effect of 15‐year sward management on vertical distribution of plant functional groups in a semi‐natural perennial grassland of central Europe. Applied Vegetation Science,   24: e12568 https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.12568

    Pavlů K., Kassahun T., Pavlů V.V. , Pavlů L., Blažek P., Homolka P. 2021. The effects of first defoliation and previous management intensity on forage quality of a semi-natural species-rich grassland. Plos One, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0248804

    Pavlů L., Pavlů V.V. & Fraser M.D. 2021. What is the effect of 19 years of restoration managements on soil and vegetation on formerly improved upland grassland? Science of the Total Environment, 755: 142469. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142469

    2020

    Titěra J., Pavlů V.V., Pavlů L., Hejcman M., Gaisler J., Schellberg J., 2020. Response of grassland vegetation composition to different fertilizer treatments recorded over ten years following 64 years of fertilizer applications in the Rengen Grassland Experiment. Applied Vegetation Science. 23, 417-427. https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.12499.

     

    Book publications

    Pavlů V., Kacki Z., Kajzrová K., Meserszmit M., Pavlů L., Stefanska-Krzaczek E., Swacha G., Titěra J., Wasiak P., 2021. Biomasa travních porostů jako obnovitelný zdroj energie. Biodiverzita-Biomasa-Bioplyn/Biomasa uzytków zielonych jako odnawialne zródlo energii Bioróznorodnosc-Biomasa-Biogaz. Výzkumný ústav rostlinné výroby, v.v.i.. Praha. 20 pp. ISBN: 978-80-7427-354-4

    Gaisler, J., Pavlů, L., Pavlů, V., Kändler, M. & Haase, H. 2019. Louky a pastviny - rostlinná společenstva travních porostů v přeshraniční oblasti Liberec-Žitava/ Wiesen und Weiden - Vorstellung der unterschiedlichen Artengemeinschaften in der Grenzregion Zittau - Liberec. Výzkumný ústav rostlinné výroby, v.v.i.. Praha. 25 pp. ISBN: 978-80-7427-322-3

    Pavlů, L., Gaisler, J., Pavlů, V., Haase, H., Kändler, M., Titěra, J., Pavlů, K., Kassahun Teka, T. & Blechinger, K., 2019. Obhospodařování travních porostů pro podporu biodiverzity v přeshraniční oblasti Liberec-Žitava. Výzkumný ústav rostlinné výroby, v.v.i.. Praha. 72 pp. ISBN: 978-80-7427-320-9.

    Pavlů, L., Gaisler, J., Pavlů, V., Haase, H., Titěra, J., Pavlů, K., Kassahun Teka, T. & Blechinger, K., 2019. Bewirtschaftung von Grasland zur Förderung der Artenvielfalt im Grenzgebiet Zittau-Liberec. Výzkumný ústav rostlinné výroby, v.v.i.. Praha. 76 pp. ISBN: 978-80-7427-320-6.

    Mládek J., Pavlů V., Hejcman M., Gaisler J., 2006. Pastva jako prostředek údržby trvalých travních porostů v chráněných územích. Výzkumný ústav rostlinné výroby, Praha. 104 pp. ISBN 80-86555-76-3