Biodiversity and Traditional Land Use in South-Central Sweden: The Significance of Management Timing

Abstract

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.

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

“…Several of the management components lost from Swedish management affect plant populations directly. For example, traditional late mowing, later than the Swedish late-July mowing, is crucial for the seed production of many grassland plant species (Lennartsson et al 2012) and for the reproduction of phytophagous insects (Dahlström et al 2008). To our knowledge, this study is the most extensive (in terms of time span and number of monitored species) evaluation of how CAP-driven hay meadow management in Sweden affects biodiversity.…”

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

“…An early onset of grazing (April, May) and which continues throughout the season restricts flowering and seed production of vascular plants (Brys et al, 2004;Lennartsson & Oostermeijer, 2001). The seeds of the majority of grassland plant species ripen between late July to mid August (Dahlström et al, 2008;Wissman, 2006). Even small adjustments of the timing of disturbance within this time window will have large effects on seed production (cf.…”

“…Arrhenius & Lindquist, 1904;Ohlsson, 2006). Hay meadows were historically mown during a certain mowing period, often c. one month of length and starting in late June to mid July (Dahlström et al, 2008;Vestbö-Franzén, 2004, pp. 171-172).…”

“…In permanent pastures, the grazing season in late 19 th century lasted from late May/early June to late September/early October, according to ethnological sources (Dahlström et al, 2008;Israelsson, 2005, pp. 192-193).…”

The importance of paleoecology in the conservation and restoration of cultural landscapes

“…1). Dahlström et al (2008) show that the highest species richness in plants in central sweden is found in what today is semi-natural grassland subjected to a long continuity of grazing. It is estimated that since 1870, 99.7% of the semi-natural hay meadows have been lost, the few remaining semi-natural hay meadows are now managed mainly for conservation purposes.…”