Establishing wildflower meadows in anthropogenic landscapes

Frontiers in Horticulture, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 2

Published: Jan. 11, 2024

In anthropized sites, the establishment and management of sustainable nature-based wildflower meadow solutions exclude fertilization, weeding, watering, reduce frequency mowing. Once such inputs have been reduced, ecosystem services generated by vegetation result in an increase biodiversity terms plant animal species, improvement soil quality biota, mitigation air pollutants carbon sequestration, as well a reduction temperature. Environmental education citizen science are also some benefits this type vegetation, especially urban areas. Herbaceous meadow-like communities, which composed forbs only or combination graminoid forb usually established sowing. The seeds available for purchase from specialized seed producers single species mix, companies offer mixes garden with botanical species. Donor meadows sources genetic material template to reproduce herbaceous community at different sites through harvest, hay displacement its bank. Management techniques, preparation, determining appropriate sowing mowing time, can help establishing maintaining most desirable suspension turf allows growth natural bank, unproductive soils facilitates appearance many pollinator-friendly With pedological conditions management, thus provides beautiful rich easy maintain. This review identifies best practices qualitative selection case studies related various methods establish infrastructure main constraints lack suitable market.

Language: Английский

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New insights on massively introduced managed species and their consequences for plant–pollinator interactions

Advances in ecological research/Advances in Ecological Research, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 63 - 89

Published: Jan. 1, 2023

Language: Английский

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An evaluation of ‘pollinator-friendly’ wildflower seed mixes in Italy: are they potential vectors of alien plant species?

NeoBiota, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 94, P. 205 - 224

Published: Aug. 5, 2024

Wildflower areas are increasingly used in both urban and rural settings to enhance landscape aesthetics help the conservation of pollinators, whose dramatic decline threatens ecosystem functioning agricultural production. Consequently, today many ‘pollinator-friendly’ wildflower seed mixes can be found on market. Criteria for design these focused ability plants attract whereas identity themselves terms their alien or native status is often not adequately considered. Moreover, lack sufficient floral resources early spring late-season months, which important sustain pollinators throughout whole life cycle. In this study, we analyzed 36 commercially available Italy (1) abundance species, (2) occurrence locally species with reference three Italian geographic (northern, peninsular, insular Italy), (3) flowering period species. Most (83%) contain Italy, them also including invasive Among (41%) at least one areas. Overall, provide earlier blooms than around 35% early-spring (March) prolonged autumn (September-November). These findings highlight widespread use plant mixes, poses serious risks biodiversity habitat conservation, especially when sown We suggest a more careful such promoting wider adoption seeds local origin greater attention blooming period. If properly designed, represent an effective strategy

Language: Английский

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Shades of green – “wildflowers” and biodiversity urban planting considerations

Acta Horticulturae, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 1374, P. 221 - 228

Published: Sept. 1, 2023

Language: Английский

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