Pyrenean meadows in Natura 2000 network: grass production and plant biodiversity conservation

Abstract

In semi-natural mountain meadows, yield and forage quality must be reconciled with plant biodiversity conservation. This study was performed to analyze the relationships between these three parameters. To quantify plant biodiversity and pastoral value (PV), phytosociological inventories were performed in 104 semi-natural meadows in the Central Spanish Pyrenees included in the Natura 2000 network. Forage yields were calculated and forage samples were analyzed for relative feed value (RFV). We identified two main types of meadows: (i) those that had “more intensive management,” relatively close to farm buildings, with little or no slope, dominated by grasses, with low plant biodiversity, high PV and yield, but low forage quality and (ii) those that had “less intensive management,” distant from farm buildings, on slopes, richer in “other forbs”, with high plant biodiversity and forage quality, but low PV and yield. Conservation policies should emphasize less intensive management practices to maintain plant diversity in the semi-natural meadows in the Pyrenees. The widespread view that “other forbs” have low nutritional value should be revised in future research. These species often are undervalued by the PV method, because their nutritional quality, digestibility and intake are poorly understood.

Integrating Extensive Livestock and Soil Conservation Policies in Mediterranean Mountain Areas for Recovery of Abandoned Lands in the Central Spanish Pyrenees. A Long‐Term Research Assessment

“…In the burned and dense shrub cover plots the CN ratios are lower, favouring the presence of species with low pasture value: Galium lucidum , Galium verum , Linun suffruticosum , Hieracium gr . Pilosella , Daucus carota , Plantado media , Centaurea jacea (Molinillo et al ., ; Reiné et al ., ). It should also be highlighted that the highest erosion rates recorded in these plots, compared with the grazing meadow plot, involve higher nutrient losses, especially in the burned plot.…”

“…It is interesting to note that the grazing meadow plot shows the highest values of organic matter (5·8%) and CN ratio (10·5). The first values contribute to generating stronger aggregates and increase aggregate stability, reducing soil erosion (Cerdà, ), and the second promotes the expansion of herbaceous species (legumes and grass) with high pasture value: Medicago sativa , Medicago lupulina , Trifolium pratense , Trifolium repens , Festuca rubra , Dactylis glomerata … (Molinillo et al ., ; Reiné et al ., ) (high presence in the grazing meadow plot). It should be noted that CN values close to 10 are optimum to produce good pasture (Lasanta et al ., ).…”

“…The Impact of Abandonment Abandoned fields occupy a large area in the Pyrenees, as in almost all the European mountains, especially in the Mediterranean area Alonso-Sarría et al, 2016), and this process is changing the fate of the biota, soil and water resources (Cammeraat et al, 2010;Bodí et al, 2012;Novara et al, 2016). Nowadays, abandoned fields present a very dense vegetation cover composed mainly of shrubs and an herbaceous layer, which includes some legumes and grasses with high livestock interest (Molinillo et al, 1997;Lasanta-Martínez, 2005;Reiné et al, 2014). The structure and composition of vegetation cover are basically a consequence of the length of abandonment, showing a stage of plant succession with a high presence of shrubs , similar to other Dense shrub cover (n = 2) Grazing meadows (n = 2) Burned (n = 2)…”

Clearing shrubland as a strategy to encourage extensive livestock farming in the Mediterranean mountains

“…This study has demonstrated that in areas of G. scorpius these are multiplied by 2.2, from 4566 Mj ha -1 to 10,167.3 Mj ha -1 , and in areas of C. laurifolius by 3.1 (from 2435.2 Mj ha -1 to 7628.6 Mj ha -1 ). This is explained by the presence of several plants with high grazing value under the shrub (Reiné et al, 2014). Most of the pasture is produced in spring and autumn, while it decreases in summer, due to higher evapotranspiration and because some plants do not recover after the spring grazing; it also decreases in winter, due to the plant cycle halting.…”

Fitting the Stocking Rate with Pastoral Resources to Manage and Preserve Mediterranean Forestlands: A Case Study

“…The use of SI issued from standard international lists provides a rather rapid and effective tool in order to assess the PV in natural areas, which are managed through grazing animals [37,38].…”