Combining Historical and Ecological Knowledge to Optimise Biodiversity Conservation in Semi-Natural Grasslands

Gustavsson, Eva; Dahlström, Anna; Emanuelsson, Marie; Wissman, Jörgen; Lennartsson, Tommy

doi:10.5772/24634

Cited by 14 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 75 publications

(80 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The significance for biodiversity of management practices, identified in Sweden and Romania, was derived from the literature (Emanuelsson 2009;Gustavsson et al 2011;Gustawsson 1976). We evaluated EU policies for sustainable grassland management by comparing information on current and historical hay meadow management in Romania and Sweden with the eligibility criteria and requirements for agri-environment payment in the NRDPs.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In Sweden, current mowing procedures included no other management activities above the mowing itself and some bush clearing (Table 2). Gustavsson et al (2011) and Gustawsson (1976) found that most of the management components occurring in Romanian meadows were also present in the historical management of Swedish hay meadows (Table 2).…”

Section: Hay Meadow Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We identified the biological significance of the management components found in interviews, by field mapping and in historical sources through literature reviews (Emanuelsson 2009;Gustavsson et al 2011;Gustawsson 1976).…”

Section: Evaluation Of Eligibility Criteria and Requirements For Agrimentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To complement the diaries and cadastral maps concerning information about management components in hay meadows, we used the literature reviews of Gustawsson (1976) and Gustavsson et al (2011), which were mainly based on ethnological work from the 18th century onwards and recent work on pre-industrial agrarian land-use.…”

Section: Analysing Historical Hay Meadow Management In Swedenmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Managing biodiversity rich hay meadows in the EU: a comparison of Swedish and Romanian grasslands

2013

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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.

show abstract

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Hay Meadow Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Evaluation Of Eligibility Criteria and Requirements For Agrimentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Analysing Historical Hay Meadow Management In Swedenmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Managing biodiversity rich hay meadows in the EU: a comparison of Swedish and Romanian grasslands

2013

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Grassland species are threatened both by ceased management and by insufficient management quality. The latter is partly due to the fact that the present management methods differ considerably from the historical management that has formed the rich grassland biodiversity, for example, in terms of type, timing, and intensity of management [9]. While cessation of management has been generally acknowledged as an important cause of the decline of grassland biodiversity [4], suboptimal management of the remaining grasslands has attracted less attention [10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effect of Timing of Grassland Management on Plant Reproduction

Lennartsson

Wissman

Bergström

2012

International Journal of Ecology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Seminatural grasslands are maintained by regular anthropogenic disturbance, usually grazing or mowing. Management action late in the growing season was historically more common than today. Two experimental grazing regimes, continuous stocking from May to September and late-onset grazing from mid-July, were compared in two Swedish grasslands. Effects on flowering and fruit production were studied and related to plant functional traits. Change in vegetation composition over six years was analysed in one grassland. Delayed onset of grazing enhanced fruit production up to four times. Phenology of reproduction was the most important plant trait explaining differences in reproduction among species. Diversity of vascular plant species was higher after six years of late-onset grazing. No differences in vegetation height or proportion of grazed shoots were found by the end of the season. The results suggest that early reproduction may function as an escape from damage and that late onset of grazing may be used as a substitute for labour-intense traditional mowing.

show abstract

Agricultural legacy shapes plant diversity patterns in mountain grasslands of Maramureș and Bukovina: A cross‐border perspective (Ukraine, Romania)

Janišová,

Magnes,

Bojko

et al. 2024

People and Nature

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We investigated farming practices and grassland plant diversity patterns in the historical regions of Maramureș and Bukovina, located in the central Eastern Carpathians of Romania and Ukraine. We explored the influence of social and historical factors on recent grassland plant diversity, including changes and modifications in land use and grassland management practices. We used stratified random sampling to select 48 grassland parcels in eight villages on the Ukrainian‐Romanian borderlands. We identified the factors that affect the composition and diversity of grassland vascular plants and bryophytes at multiple spatial scales and compared the frequency and timing of historical and recent grassland management practices to distinguish between preserved and modified agricultural traditions. In most of the grassland parcels studied (83% in Romania and 78% in Ukraine), traditional land use persisted. Local plant species richness was primarily influenced by management practices, outweighing the impact of topography and soil factors. Regular mowing at appropriate intensity increased the richness of vascular plants, while grazing promoted the richness of bryophyte species. Modifications to farming systems, observed in all studied villages, were mainly due to declining population and livestock numbers. Although the timing of spring and autumn grazing in hay meadows still adhered to tradition, mowing schedules shifted earlier, especially for the first cut of two‐cut hay meadows. Traditional corralling, fertilization and hayseed application have become rare or discontinued in certain villages, while controlled burning has increased. Past use of mineral fertilizers in Ukrainian villages during the Soviet era influenced the recent diversity and composition of vascular plant species, favouring nutrient‐demanding species. Social factors and agricultural policies indirectly affect biodiversity in semi‐natural grasslands, leaving a tangible footprint even in the most remote areas of the Carpathian Mountains. We provide basic recommendations to preserve the remarkable biodiversity of the region. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

show abstract

Combining Historical and Ecological Knowledge to Optimise Biodiversity Conservation in Semi-Natural Grasslands

Cited by 14 publications

References 75 publications

Managing biodiversity rich hay meadows in the EU: a comparison of Swedish and Romanian grasslands

Managing biodiversity rich hay meadows in the EU: a comparison of Swedish and Romanian grasslands

The Effect of Timing of Grassland Management on Plant Reproduction

Agricultural legacy shapes plant diversity patterns in mountain grasslands of Maramureș and Bukovina: A cross‐border perspective (Ukraine, Romania)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About