Grasslands—more important for ecosystem services than you might think

Abstract

Extensively managed grasslands are recognized globally for their high biodiversity and their social and cultural values. However, their capacity to deliver multiple ecosystem services (ES) as parts of agricultural systems is surprisingly understudied compared to other production systems. We undertook a comprehensive overview of ES provided by natural and semi‐natural grasslands, using southern Africa (SA) and northwest Europe as case studies, respectively. We show that these grasslands can supply additional non‐agricultural services, such as water supply and flow regulation, carbon storage, erosion control, climate mitigation, pollination, and cultural ES. While demand for ecosystems services seems to balance supply in natural grasslands of SA, the smaller areas of semi‐natural grasslands in Europe appear to not meet the demand for many services. We identified three bundles of related ES from grasslands: water ES including fodder production, cultural ES connected to livestock production, and population‐based regulating services (e.g., pollination and biological control), which also linked to biodiversity. Greenhouse gas emission mitigation seemed unrelated to the three bundles. The similarities among the bundles in SA and northwestern Europe suggest that there are generalities in ES relations among natural and semi‐natural grassland areas. We assessed trade‐offs and synergies among services in relation to management practices and found that although some trade‐offs are inevitable, appropriate management may create synergies and avoid trade‐offs among many services. We argue that ecosystem service and food security research and policy should give higher priority to how grasslands can be managed for fodder and meat production alongside other ES. By integrating grasslands into agricultural production systems and land‐use decisions locally and regionally, their potential to contribute to functional landscapes and to food security and sustainable livelihoods can be greatly enhanced.

A statistical comparison of spatio‐temporal surface moisture patterns beneath a semi‐natural grassland and permanent pasture: From drought to saturation

“…Grassland accounts for 60% of the total UK agricultural area, which is proportioned almost equally at 55% as agriculturally improved permanent pasture and 45% rough grazing on semi‐natural grasslands (DEFRA, 2019). Both permanent pasture and semi‐natural grassland (often referred to as open‐moorland or ‘unimproved’ pasture) encompasses a large percentage of the UK uplands, providing sustenance to grazing livestock alongside other ecosystem services (Bengtsson et al, 2019; Hayhow et al, 2019; Lamarque et al, 2011; Morse, 2019). Historically, semi‐natural grassland was converted into permanent pasture during the eighteenth and nineteenth century to increase agricultural output (Kain, Chapman, & Oliver, 2004; Whyte, 2006).…”

DNA-Based Assessment of Genetic Diversity in Grassland Plant Species: Challenges, Approaches, and Applications

“…Grasslands are among the most widespread land ecosystems of the planet, covering more than 50 million square kilometres, roughly 40% of the land surface [1]. In addition to their fundamental role as sources of roughage for ruminant livestock, grasslands provide important ecosystems services related to water (e.g., water provisioning and water flow regulation), climate (e.g., carbon sequestration and storage), soil quality (e.g., erosion prevention), biodiversity (e.g., habitats for pollinating insects) and cultural heritage [2]. They can be categorized according to their management intensity into natural, semi-natural, and improved grasslands.…”

“…Semi-natural grasslands depend on minimal human management, such as moderate grazing and occasional mowing [3,4]. Improved grasslands, on the other hand, are usually intensively managed and tend to harbour only high yielding forage crop cultivars [2]. Over the last century, the surface area covered by natural and semi-natural grassland has shrunk to make place for arable land or, in the case of some semi-natural grasslands, due to the abandonment of cultivation [2,5].…”

“…Improved grasslands, on the other hand, are usually intensively managed and tend to harbour only high yielding forage crop cultivars [2]. Over the last century, the surface area covered by natural and semi-natural grassland has shrunk to make place for arable land or, in the case of some semi-natural grasslands, due to the abandonment of cultivation [2,5]. Demographic growth and changing dietary preferences are driving available, we describe exemplary studies on grasses and legumes, the two major grassland plant families used as forages.…”

Native seed addition as an effective tool for post-invasion restoration

“…These meadows were created by humans centuries ago as grasslands traditionally used for hay production or grazing and as such, they depend on mowing or grazing in order to prevent natural succession towards forests. Such meadows are an inherent part of the cultural landscape in Europe, they typically host vast biodiversity and have high conservation value (Bengtsson et al, 2019). The current large stands of R. alpinus in the Krkonoše Mts.…”