Evolution récente et future des paysages sylvo-pastoraux du Jura vaudois

Abstract

Recent and future evolution of the silvopastoral landscape in the Jura vaudois Land-use management in silvopastoral landscapes is particularly complex because such ecosystems depend on a subtle equilibrium in the management scheme which aims to provide various ecological goods and services such as fodder, timber and biodiversity, as well as areas for leisure and attractive scenery. In this study we investigated land-use changes in the Parc naturel régional Jura vaudois, and the changes in tree cover density in two pastures using land-use statistics and aerial photographs. A prospective modelling approach was also undertaken on one pasture to assess changes in the landscape structure under two climate scenarios. A general tendency towards segregation between closed forests and open pastures was observed. The agriculture policy has markedly influenced the dynamics of tree cover density, but this effect depended very much on the local situation, for example, the proximity of a village, which allows a better optimization of farm management. The simulation of future development of these landscapes suggests that one might expect large changes in the structure and composition of the vegetation because of climate change. In the long run, areas of high tree densities will expand, and spruce will give way to beech and pine, depending on the warming intensity. Nevertheless, adaptation to new environmental conditions for sustaining ecological goods and services will call for management measures appropriate to the intensity of climate change. Furthermore, an active adaptive management based on experimentation and innovation, as well as allowing collaboration between scientists and land managers will be required to face and mitigate the ecological problems associated with climate change.

Sustainable Land Use in Mountain Regions Under Global Change: Synthesis Across Scales and Disciplines

“…x Huber et al 2012, 2013bButtler et al 2012 Policy Role of agricultural policy network in the support of wooded pastures.…”

Agricultural Landscapes – Tangible and Intangible values of Cultural Landscapes

“…Wooded pastures are semi-natural ecosystems forming agroforestry landscapes resulting from mixed pastoral and forestry management (Gallandat et al, 1995;Buttler et al, 2009Buttler et al, , 2012 95 (Buttler et al, 2012). Wooded pastures have a high biodiversity value, due in particular to the heterogeneity of herd pressure during summer grazing (Gallandat et al, 1995;Kohler et al, 2006;Buttler et al, 2009).…”

“…These mountain pastures are currently facing a twofold challenge arising from climate change: the increase in summer droughts and heatwaves is a threat to the spruce (Vitasse et al, 2019(Vitasse et al, , 2023, the dominant tree in the Jura, and the reduction in summer rainfall is reducing water reserves in the Jura's karstic environment, making it necessary to improve storage conditions. Over the last few decades, wooded pastures have undergone two contrasting developments: a trend towards closing off the landscape and increasing forest density in the least accessible areas, far from water sources and mountain chalets or with unfavourable topographical conditions; and a trend towards intensification in areas close to villages that are easy to farm (Buttler et al, 2009(Buttler et al, , 2012. The result is a simplification of the plant mosaic and a reduction in landscape diversity.…”

The Overarching Issues Of The European Area - Moving towards Efficient Societies and Sustainable Ecosystems

“…Wooded pastures are semi-natural ecosystems forming agroforestry landscapes resulting from mixed pastoral and forestry management (Gallandat et al, 1995;Buttler et al, 2009Buttler et al, , 2012 94 (Buttler et al, 2012). Wooded pastures have a high biodiversity value, due in particular to the heterogeneity of herd pressure during summer grazing (Gallandat et al, 1995;Kohler et al, 2006;Buttler et al, 2009).…”

“…while rainfall is abundant (1400-1600 mm per year) on the anticlines, surface water is reduced, and techniques for collecting rainwater from roofs and storing it in cisterns have been developed to guarantee sufficient water for the herds and for cheese-making. Climate simulations show that these landscapes are also highly sensitive to past and future climate change (Buttler et al, 2012;Peringer et al, 2013).…”