*4.1. Usability of the Presented Methodology in an Agricultural Context*

To estimate the forage value of the mown plant material, it is useful to know its species composition [42]. Since this varies spatially, a map is useful for yield estimation. However, it must be considered that the identified plant communities are not static in their composition and vary spatially and temporally [17]. The EIV of the VUs helps to understand the characteristics of an area and to identify potentially more humid, acidic, or nutrient-rich areas. Based on the EIV, few differences can be deduced, both for different observation dates and between the three communities of *Alopecurus pratensis*, *Lolium perenne*, and *Bromus hordeaceus* (see Appendix B). For assessment of forage quality, it is also helpful to estimate the forage value of a VU (see Appendix B), and spatially identify weeds [55]. The species *Bromus hordeaceus* and *Rumex obtusifolius* mentioned here as weeds are characterized by a low forage value. As can be seen in Appendix A, *Bromus hordeaceus* is represented over the entire area in *G*1. *Bromus hordeaceus* is a perennial, self-seeding grass that is found primarily in patchy rich pastures [56]. If it exceeds 10% of the vegetation, it can be considered a weed [55]. The areas dominated by *Bromus hordeaceus* during *G*<sup>1</sup> were classified as *Alopecurus pratensis*-community in *G*2.

*Rumex obtusifolius* occurs as a nitrogen and intensification indicator, as can be seen by N = 9, but due to its high content of oxalic acids and tannins, it is not fed fresh or in hay [42]. Due to its high seed potential, even a single plant should be controlled [55,57]. However, the occurrence of individual grass species that may be harmful to horses is only partially demonstrated by monitoring plant communities. The abundance of individual species within the plant community varies, possibly occurring only in sub-areas. To cover this issue, a classification of more detailed vegetation units is necessary.
