Íslenskar landbúnaðarrannsóknir - 01.03.1971, Page 29

RÆKTUNARTILRAUNIR Á KILI 27
SUMMARY
LANDRECLAMA TION STUDIES IN THE DISTRICT KJÖLUR,
CENTRAL ICELAND
Sturla Friðriksson
Agricultural Research Institute
The district Kjölur reaching the elevation of 800 m, is a pass between two glaciers,
Langjökull and Hofsjökull, in central Iceland. A great part of it is wind eroded
and the vegetated areas remaining are in danger of being devastated. A control
of the erosion is highly desirable as well as the general improvement of the dis-
tricts grassland, which serves as a community pasture for the counties north and
south of the jrass.
Land reclamation studies have therefore been carried out on this waste land
to find out whether some vegetation coulcl be established on the outwashed
gravelly soil. In 1962 a series of experimental sites were selected on a transect
across the mountain distric from the southern lowland thraugh the pass to the
northern lowland.
Each site 24x24 m was protected by a sheep proof fence. Icelandic strains of
four grass species: Festuca rubra, Deschampsia caespitosa, Agrostis tenuis and
Calamagrostis neglecta compared with a Danish strain of Festuca rubra were
tested in replicated plots with or without clover. Annually for a period of six
years the plots received firtilizers corresjronding to 350 kg ammonium nitrate,
300 kg triple superhosphate and 100 kg pottassium chloride per hectare.
Following this cultivation the Icelandic Festuca rubra gave on the average the
greatest yield and covered 80% of the surface on the four plots at 450 to 730 m
elevation.
The Danish strain was less winter harcly and gave less yield and cover.
The Deschampsia was slow to establish, but remained quite stable. Agrostis and
Calamagrostis where the poorest yielders of the native grasses.
General climatological data are presented as well as the results of microclimato-
logical studies which were carried out at some of the experimental sites for
evaluation of the reclamation results.
HEIMILDARRIT
Friðriksson, Sturla, 196!) a: Uppgræðslutilraun
á Mosfellsheiði. ísl. landbún. 1, 1: 28—37.
Friðriksson, Sturla, 1969 b: Uppgræðslutilraun
á Tungnaáröræfum. Isl. landbún. 1, 1: 38—
44.
Frisriicsson, Sturla og l’ÁLSSON, Jóhann 1970:
Landgræðslutilraun á Sprcngisandi. lsl.
landbún. 2,2: 34—49.