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Natural and habitat conditions of medow communities in the Northern Polder in the "Ujście Warty" National Park
Research on natural and functional values of grassy and reed phytocenoses in the “Ujście Warty” National Park in the Northern Polder, was carried out in 2013–2019. They showed that the formation of grass communities, their richness and floristic diversity, as well as natural and agricultural values, is mainly influenced by moisture, which results from the mosaic of habitats and the intensity of use. The aim of the study was to assess the floristic diversity, natural values and utility of grass communities in leasehold complexes in the “Ujście Warty” National Park in the Northern Polder in the Natura 2000 area. One of the methods of protection and renaturation of naturally valuable meadow communities is the introduction of extensive forms of mowing and pasture use. The aim of such activities is, among others, to improve floristic diversity and prevent unfavorable transformations of protocoenoses, especially in relation to areas covered by the Natura 2000 area. Single, annual mowing during the growing season, through the implementation of agri-environmental programs, does not cause significant changes in the botanical composition of the sward, but it is conducive to restoring the most valuable natural habitats as a potential habitat for bird species endangered on a national and European scale. The distinguished communities have a diversified economic and use value of Lwu ranging from 1.1 to 7.4, and some are wastelands. The calculated floristic diversity (H’) is varied and ranges from 1.3 to 3.9, and the obtained yields are sm. range from 2.8 to 14.8 t∙ha−1 .
Evaluation of Changes in the Chemical Composition of Grasses as a Result of the Methane Fermentation Process and Biogas Production Efficiency
Methane fermentation, which is one of the key processes in biogas production, plays an important role in the conversion of biomass to energy. During this process, changes occur in the chemical composition of organic feedstocks, including the chemical composition of grasses. The assessment of these changes is crucial for the efficiency and productivity of biogas production. The material for this study comprised fully mature grass blades with leaves and inflorescences and was collected from extensively used meadows and pastures, as well as cultivated and set-aside areas in the Wielkopolskie Voivodeship, the communes of Białośliwie and Trzcianka, Poland. The aim of this study was to compare methane fermentation efficiency in nine grass species and identify the biomass component involved in biogas production. The results indicate that the fermentation process, as expected, changed the cellulose content. The lignin content of the grasses before fermentation varied more than the cellulose content. The content of holocellulose (sum of carbohydrate components) in the grasses ranged from 59.77 to 72.93% before fermentation. Methane fermentation significantly reduced the carbohydrate content in the grasses, with a low degree of polymerization. Grassland biomass-based biogas production is a viable alternative to conventional fossil fuels.