Articles
Naturalising geophytes and forbs in Bermuda grass for enhancing the biodiversity of urban lawns
Article number
1429_49
Pages
405 – 410
Language
English
Abstract
Lawns in Mediterranean regions are demanding in terms of resources and maintenance.
Warm-season grasses such as Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers., adapt to drought, salinity and represent a cost effective and sustainable option.
During winter Bermuda grass is dormant and brown, instead of a constraint this could be an opportunity for the development of flowering species: bulbs and forbs.
This study assesses the naturalisation of autumn-to-spring-flowering bulbs and forbs in a Bermuda grass turf, to increase the habitat opportunities for pollinators in anthropogenic areas.
Nine geophytes and 18 forbs were incorporated into a mature turf of Bermuda grass, Cynodon dactylon × Cynodon transvaalensis ‘Tifway 419’. The planting was carried out in 2016 and after five years in 2021 we recorded the number of individuals grouped as functional types (Graminae, forbs, bulbs, legumes), number of bulbous species and flowering plants.
Many species belonging to different functional types were able to grow and flower after five years in the Bermuda grass turf: bulbs had a cover peak (21-28%) in March, followed by forbs in April (20-27%) and legumes (16-19%) in May.
Of the 18 forbs, just seven were recorded in the lawn flora, and some new ones were observed.
The bloom lasted from March to May until the Bermuda grass mowing time started.
Flower visiting insects were observed in spring (belonging to Apoidea and Diptera). We conclude that after five years from the planting, a satisfactory number of bulbs and forbs keep growing and flowering so the species found can be considered resilient and adapted to the cutting and able to naturalise in a warm-season grass lawn with biodiversity improving and ecosystem services advantages.
Warm-season grasses such as Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers., adapt to drought, salinity and represent a cost effective and sustainable option.
During winter Bermuda grass is dormant and brown, instead of a constraint this could be an opportunity for the development of flowering species: bulbs and forbs.
This study assesses the naturalisation of autumn-to-spring-flowering bulbs and forbs in a Bermuda grass turf, to increase the habitat opportunities for pollinators in anthropogenic areas.
Nine geophytes and 18 forbs were incorporated into a mature turf of Bermuda grass, Cynodon dactylon × Cynodon transvaalensis ‘Tifway 419’. The planting was carried out in 2016 and after five years in 2021 we recorded the number of individuals grouped as functional types (Graminae, forbs, bulbs, legumes), number of bulbous species and flowering plants.
Many species belonging to different functional types were able to grow and flower after five years in the Bermuda grass turf: bulbs had a cover peak (21-28%) in March, followed by forbs in April (20-27%) and legumes (16-19%) in May.
Of the 18 forbs, just seven were recorded in the lawn flora, and some new ones were observed.
The bloom lasted from March to May until the Bermuda grass mowing time started.
Flower visiting insects were observed in spring (belonging to Apoidea and Diptera). We conclude that after five years from the planting, a satisfactory number of bulbs and forbs keep growing and flowering so the species found can be considered resilient and adapted to the cutting and able to naturalise in a warm-season grass lawn with biodiversity improving and ecosystem services advantages.
Authors
F. Vannucchi, M. Volterrani, F. Bretzel
Keywords
Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers., bulbs, annuals, biodiverse lawns, nature-based solutions
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