Valutazione dell’impiego di specie pratensi per la costituzione di “fasce tampone” all’interno del comprensorio agricolo del lago di Massaciuccoli (PI)

The Massaciuccoli lake is a water body of coastal formation, localized in the north-west of Tuscany. In several studies it has been emphasized the possible contribution of agriculture in the enrichment in nutrient and the silting of waters with consequences in water degradation. The introduction of buffer strips in one of the possible, concrete strategies to realize easily, without several changes in agricultural practices. In order to test the effective reliability of a system of buffer strips inside the agricultural area, the comparison of some grassland cultivars, has been carried out. In particular were considered: three cultivars of Festuca arundinacea Schreb. (Apache, Arminda, Villageoise), two cultivars of Lolium perenne L. (Barrage, Palmer), one cultivar of Poa pratensis L. (Bartitia) and an intercropping of Festuca arundinacea Schreb. cv. Villageoise + Lolium perenne L. cv. Palmer. The sampling regarded the height of the grassland, the topsoil biomass, the content in nitrogen and phosphorus in vegetables, the land coverage by grasses and weeds. The cultivars Barrage, Palmer and the intercropping of Villageoise + Palmer seem the most suitable for the constitution of buffer strips in the referred area. The verification of their effective action has been entrusted to a prototype, operating in laboratory, that is predisposed for the measure of the pulling-down ability of the soil and nutrient particles from the surface outflow. The instrumental device evidences as a pulling-down effect is in relation to the presence of a vegetable cover, but the characteristics of the outflow (volume and speed) seem to meaningfully influence the effective action of the buffer strips.