How properties of differently cultivated fen soils affect grassland productivity - A broad investigation of environmental interactions in Northeast Germany

•Fen soils demonstrate a large variety of site conditions due to land-use impact.•Land-use on fens, to be sustained, should not exceed two utilizations per year.•A simple applicable model for annual yield quality calculation is proposed.

This paper describes the impact of drainage and grassland use on selected soil parameters (e.g. organic carbon content, bulk density) of typical fen soils in Northeast Germany and, hence, their influence on grassland productivity. A broad investigation of site conditions has been realized at 23 grassland fields concerning soil properties, vegetation attributes and groundwater dynamics. Collectively selected fields represent characteristic types of grassland management and stages of moorsh-forming process. Concerning the entire sample, site conditions of agriculturally used peatlands vary strongly. Based on that complex data-set, the importance of defined potential impact factors on grassland production is tested and expressed in a linear regression model. Annual yield of the 2011 growing season, as a quantitative parameter of grassland productivity, does not indicate any correlation to site-specific conditions or cultivation strategy. In contrast, energy content as a qualitative measure varies strongly in relation to defined environmental parameters. Model performance is indicated with an adjusted R-square of 0.89 while the main impact factors are annual use frequency, mean summer water table (MSWT), maximum groundwater drawdown (GWmax), and organic carbon content (Corg).