European permanent grasslands mainly threatened by abandonment, heat and drought, and conversion to temporary grassland
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Date
2020
Publication Type
Conference Paper
ETH Bibliography
yes
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Abstract
Permanent grassland (PG) covers 35% of the agricultural area in the EU-28. Across Europe, PG exists in many contrasting managed or unmanaged environments where it contributes to feed supply, biodiversity, carbon sequestration, aesthetic value, recreation, clean water and prevention of soil loss. The delivery of these PG ecosystem services is under threat by land use change, climate change and sub-optimal management. We carried out a survey among experts to assess the threats within their countries. Respondents described the main PG-types, together with their areas, and assessed to what extent a particular PG-type is threatened by intensification, land use change, climate change or nitrogen (N) depositions. Threats were scored on a three-point scale: no, small or great. Replies were received from 11 countries (CH, CZ, DE, ES, HU, IT, ME, NL, PL, SE, UK), representing the main biogeographic zones in Europe. The dataset contained 83 PG- types on a total area of 25 Mha. Abandonment, heat and drought stress and conversion to temporary grassland were considered as the largest threats, each considered as a great threat on PG-types covering 8 to 9 Mha (~35%). The second largest group comprised N depositions, conversion to arable land and intensification, each as a great threat on PG-types covering 4 to 5 Mha (~20%).
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Publication status
published
External links
Book title
Proceedings of the 28th General Meeting of the European Grassland Federation
Journal / series
Volume
25
Pages / Article No.
553 - 555
Publisher
Wageningen Academic Publishers
Event
28th General Meeting of the European Grassland Federation (EGF 2020) (virtual)
Edition / version
Methods
Software
Geographic location
Date collected
Date created
Subject
abandonment; climate; intensification; land use; N deposition; expert survey
Organisational unit
03648 - Buchmann, Nina / Buchmann, Nina
Notes
Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) the conference was conducted virtually.
Funding
774124 - Developing SUstainable PERmanent Grassland systems and policies (EC)