SUMMARYSemi-natural hay meadows are among the most biodiversity-rich terrestrial ecosystems, and are managed for conservation purposes in most of Europe, including Sweden. Romania has some of Europe's largest areas of grasslands still managed with traditional methods. Through interviews and field studies, current management practices were investigated in two Romanian villages, and compared with CAP-generated grassland management in Swedish hay meadows and historical Swedish management of grasslands. The study evaluated the effect of the eligibility criteria within both countries' National Rural Development Programmes (NRDPs) on different ecologically important components of hay meadow management. The success of Swedish management was measured by assessing population trends for 25 grassland plant species. Current management proved to be considerably more diverse in Romania than in Sweden, but historical Swedish management was similar to management in Romania. Both countries' NRDPs provide support for some management components, but create barriers against other components. The Romanian NRDP contained more barriers than the Swedish NRDP, yet Swedish management showed little success in preserving grassland plants. NRDPs should nourish the use of local and traditional knowledge in order to preserve biodiversity in semi-natural grasslands. There are major limitations in both countries' NRDPs.

The traditional agriculture in Europe favoured numerous plant and animal species that are presently declining. Integrated studies based on various sources are needed in order to unravel the complex relationships between changing landscapes and biological diversity. The objectives of this study were to describe changes in land use during c. 350 years in a Swedish agricultural landscape in relation to changes in human population and livestock, and to analyse relationships between historical land use and present-day plant species diversity. There were only minor long-term changes in land use, population and livestock between 1640 and 1854 in the two studied hamlets, but detailed data 1620-41 showed a large short-term fluctuation in livestock numbers. After 1854 larger changes took place. Grasslands were cultivated and livestock composition changed. After 1932, livestock number decreased and most of the former grazed outland (areas located outside the fenced infields) turned into forest by natural succession. 7 per cent of the study area is still grazed semi-natural grassland. The highest plant species richness is today found on semi-natural grassland with a long continuity of grazing. The distribution of five target species suggests that previous land use still has an important effect today. The majority of their occurrences are remnant populations located in previous outland pastures which are today forests. KEY WORDSLand use history, human population, livestock, plant species diversity

During the last 50-100 years, large numbers of species associated with seminatural grassland have declined. One reason for this is the considerable reduction of grassland area. Another possible explanation is the loss of historical management practices. This study addresses changes in the timing of management and its implications for biodiversity, and combines historical data on management timing (eighteenth century) with data on reproductive phenology of vascular plants and butterflies. All data are from south-east and south-central Sweden and demonstrate a considerable loss of grassland area, but an even greater loss of historical management practices. Historically, 21-32 per cent of the seminatural grassland area was subject to late season management (from early July University of Virginia Claude Moore Health Sciences Library = username $REMOTE_ASSR = IP address Thu, 16 Jun 2016 03:06:18 = Date & Time A. DAHLSTRÖM, T. LENNARTSSON, J. WISSMAN AND I. FRYCKLUND 386 Environment and History 14.1 onwards) by mowing or late-season grazing. In 2005, management had ceased in 97-99 per cent of the historically managed grassland, and current management was dominated by all-season grazing. 0.2 per cent of the grassland area was managed by mowing in 2005. Historically, at the time of mowing, 50-80 per cent of the butterfly species and 20-95 per cent of vascular plant species had completed their reproductive cycles, the proportions increasing with the later onset of management. The results suggest that the reduced use of late management is a major cause of the observed decline of grassland organisms.

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