Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
1
Introduction to Turf-grasses
Turf-grasses are plants of the family
Poaceae
that form a more or less
continuous ground cover that persists under regular mowing and traffic.
Turf, on the other hand, is the community of turf-grass plants and the soil
attached to their roots. Turf-grass therefore refers only to the plant
community, whereas turf represents a higher level of ecological organ-
ization by including the soil (or any other medium in which the turf-
grasses are grown) and its resident organisms. For example, turf around a
tropical resort consists of many turf-grasses selected for recreational,
athletic and ornamental purposes.
Most of the turf-grasses we currently use were developed under the
selection pressure of grazing animals. Before mechanical mowers were
readily available, sheep grazing was used to maintain golf courses and
other recreational sites. When grasses were subjected to grazing, only
those plants with their growing points near the soil surface could survive
(Fig. 1.1). These were the first grasses we could call turf-grasses. They
formed a continuous cover and could persist under regular mowing or
grazing. Advances in the development of mechanical mowers allowed
turf-grasses to be cut shorter and resulted in further selection for low
growing points. Now, some turf-grasses can be mowed as close as
3-4 mm above the ground, forming turf areas as thick, firm and smooth
as carpets.
Turf plays many roles in our lives. Its dense growth and extensive
root system prevent soil erosion by wind and water, it removes smoke
and dust from the atmosphere, and it releases oxygen into the air.
Its uniform green colour reduces visual pollution, especially along
