Environmental and management drivers of alpine grassland vegetation types

Abstract

Current vegetation of alpine grasslands has been shaped by the combination of natural ecological factors (such as climate, soil, topography) and human activities, mainly represented by animal grazing and agricultural practices. An assessment of these factors can explain the present composition of plant communities and help to evaluate the future development of rangeland vegetation. Nowadays, the analysis of the botanical composition of grasslands is of a major importance in order to propose appropriate management plans for the sustainable exploitation of pastoral resources and their future conservation. The main purpose of this work was to assess the relevance of ecological and management factors in alpine grasslands in an area located in eastern Italy, currently used for extensive grazing, and to describe the main factors that affect the characteristics of pasture types. To this aim, about 900 ha of alpine grasslands were surveyed in Val Visdende (northern Veneto, province of Belluno, Italy) by means of 189 linear transects. Some environmental variables (altitude, slope, aspect) and factors related to management (pastoral value, animal excreta, distance from night barns) were collected for each botanical transect. Landolt indicators were calculated in order to evaluate the ecological space occupied by each type. This assessment made it possible to identify the most relevant grassland communities (namely nutrient poor, shrub encroached, nutrient rich and humid pastures) occurring in the studied area, the effectiveness of ecological indicators to describe and to differentiate vegetation groups and the effect of animal management and ecological factors in the discrimination of grassland types.

VegeT: An Easy Tool to Classify and Facilitate the Management of Seminatural Grasslands and Dynamically Connected Vegetation of the Alps

“…This result is explicable with the fact that value 1 of N index is ascribed only to those species growing on "very infertile" substrates [45] such as dolomitic-calcareous rocks that, even if present in alpine pastures, are rarely with a high cover percentage. The category "hyper-oligotrophic" was, however, preserved because some peculiar plant communities of the Alps could be included in this category, such as some grasslands of low fertile soils present where dry prairies are common as in the Dolomites massifs [57].…”

“…Finally, it must be highlighted that VegeT is the first edition of an instrument that can be improved and/or integrated (if needed) thanks to user (researchers, technicians and land managers) feedback. Greater usage in the next few years, including its application in different alpine areas and the consideration of different grasslands typologies [57], will contribute to the improvement of the tool.…”

Changes in functional traits and diversity of typical alpine grasslands after a short-term trampling disturbance

“…In particular, enormous visitation and tourist activities pose an urgent threat to alpine grasslands, which are known for spectacular scenes, high endemic diversity, irreplaceable social and cultural values, and extreme vulnerability (Körner, 1999;Argenti et al, 2020).…”

Naturschutzfachliche Bewertung der Pflegemaßnahmen von Wiesen auf Steilflächen in Molln (Oberösterreich)

“…In der modernen Landwirtschaft ist diese Art der Nutzung nicht mehr wirtschaftlich und wird kaum noch praktiziert, weswegen viele solcher Wiesen mittlerweile brach liegen oder mit Fichten aufgeforstet wurden (Bernhardt et al 2010;essl 1998). Diese Entwicklung ist nicht einzigartig für das Untersuchungsgebiet, sondern tritt häufig in den Alpen und europaweit auf (argenti et al 2020;Bernhardt 1996;Cousins & eriksson 2008;gustavsson et al 2007;holzner et al 1986: 69;köttl et al 2016;Maurer et al 2006). Auch in der Schweiz kann beobachtet werden, dass die abgelegensten und steilsten Wiesen nur dann gepflegt werden, wenn die Landwirte dafür Fördergelder erhalten (kaMpMann et al 2008).…”