Session

Semi-natural grasslands are among the most species-rich habitats in Europe, but they have declined sharply in recent decades. G4B assesses the natural conditions and management activities that influence grassland plant diversity in the Alps and Carpathians. To achieve these objectives, we collected more than five thousand spatially explicit botanical records, mainly using the Braun-Blanquet method, from Tyrol, South Tyrol, and adjacent regions. These data are then linked to topographic, climate and land-use information provided by farmers and stakeholders through questionnaires and interviews to identify biodiversity-supporting grassland management regimes. A first evaluation shows how strongly management influences the number of plant species. Non-fertilised hay meadows have an average of forty species. A similar number of species can be found in agroforestry systems and low-stocked pastures. The number of species decreases significantly with increasing frequency of mowing and fertilisation to an average of fifteen species. The spatial distribution of plant diversity and connected management practices provides stakeholders with sound knowledge to design and implement grassland management schemes that boost biodiversity.