An agro-environmental payment for the management of the so-called ‘Biodiversity Promotion Areas’ (BPA) has been used to accomplish biodiversity conservation goals in Switzerland. These areas have ...been managed according to specific limitations on mowing dates and fertilizers. We assessed the regional-scale effectiveness of BPA implementation within Ticino Canton by answering the following questions: (i) is plant species diversity higher in BPA than in conventionally managed grasslands (CMG)? (ii) which are the differences between BPA and CMG in terms of climatic, topographical, ecological, and vegetation variables? (iii) which vegetation types, functional groups, and plant species are specifically related to BPA? A total of 242 vegetation surveys (64 in BPA and 178 in CMG, respectively) was carried out in 55 farms and the main climatic and topographic features were assessed. Differences in terms of plant diversity, ecological indicator and pastoral values, species functional groups, vegetation types, and indicator species between BPA and CMG were assessed. The BPA harboured a higher plant diversity. They were located in steeper areas, at higher elevations, and characterised by lower soil nutrient content, mowing tolerance, and pastoral value than CMG. Dry meadow species number and cover were higher in BPA, while nutrient-rich meadow species number was higher in CMG. The species associated to BPA belonged to a wider range of functional groups and 38% of them belonged to the national list for biodiversity promotion in agriculture, whereas no species associated to CMG belonged to that list. Thus, our results confirmed the effectiveness of BPA for biodiversity conservation for the Southern Swiss Alps.
Multipurpose tree species are recognized as an important fodder source for livestock, but their potential remains untapped due to dearth of knowledge about their nutritive value. Therefore, 15 MPTs, ...i.e., Acacia catechu, Albizia chinensis, Bauhinia variegata, Celtis australis, Ficus roxburghii, Grewia optiva, Leucaena leucocephala, Melia composita, Morus serrata, Olea glandulifera, Ougienia oojeinensis, Pittosporum floribundum, Quercus glauca, Q. leucotrichophora and Salix tetrasperma were evaluated for nutritional characteristics, relative nutritive value index (RNVI), palatability index and farmers' preference on a seasonal basis in north-western Himalayas mid-hills. Most of the nutritive and mineral content decreased as leaves matured with the exception of ether extract, calcium, copper, organic matter and carbohydrate content, while cell-wall constituents and anti-nutritional contents increased. Overall, M. serrata had the highest RNVI in spring and summer, while G. optiva during autumn and winter. Similarly, L. leucocephala had the highest palatability (97.86%), while M. composita (38.47%) had the lowest one. Additionally, G. optiva was the most favored MPT for livestock among farmers, while M. composita was the least ones. The outcome of the study will help policy makers, planners and farm managers in establishing large scale plantations of highly nutritious and palatable species, like G. optiva, L. leucocephala, B. variegata, and M. serrata for year-round supply of green leaves and as a supplement to low-quality feed.
Aim
The implementation of Grazing Management Plans (GMP), a specific policy and management tool, aimed at enhancing farm productivity while preserving plant diversity, soil and landscape. The GMP are ...based on rotational grazing systems (RGS) with animal stocking rate adjusted to balance grassland carrying capacity. The aim was to test the 5‐year effects produced by GMP implementation on botanical composition, plant diversity and soil nutrient content on sub‐alpine and alpine pastures.
Location
Val Troncea Natural Park, western Italian Alps.
Methods
A total of 199 vegetation transects was carried out in summer 2011 and repeated in summer 2016. The botanical composition was recorded and plant diversity indices, i.e. species richness and Shannon diversity (H′ index), were computed. Mean soil nutrient content was indirectly estimated through computation of Landolt N indicator value (N index) for each transect. Pair‐sample statistical tests and PERMANOVA were perfomed at different levels: on the whole vegetation dataset, on vegetation communities (i.e. vegetation types and ecological groups) and considering functional pools of species.
Results
Considering the whole vegetation dataset, species richness, H′ index and N index significantly increased from 2011 to 2016. Moreover, species richness significantly increased in almost all vegetation ecological groups, with the highest increase within the mesotrophic group. The H′ index significantly increased in eutrophic, pre‐forest and thermic groups, while the N index increased in all vegetation groups, except in the eutrophic and snow‐bed groups. A significant difference in botanical composition was detected within oligotrophic, mesotrophic and thermic groups. The number and cover of N‐poor high‐elevation species increased in all groups and this result might be related to effects produced by livestock, which promoted seed transport and increased connectivity amongst different communities. The meso‐eutrophic species number and cover significantly increased within thermic, mesotrophic and pre‐forest groups, suggesting greater use of such areas by livestock under RGS than under continuous grazing.
Conclusions
The implementation of RGS with stocking rate adjustments proved to be an effective and a sustainable management tool to enhance botanical composition and plant diversity of sub‐alpine and alpine grasslands over a 5‐year span.
The implementation of a rotational grazing system with stocking rate adjustments proved to be an effective and a sustainable management tool to enhance botanical composition and plant diversity (species richness and Shannon diversity index) of sub‐alpine and alpine grasslands over a 5‐year span.
The study of plant phenology has frequently been used to link phenological events to various factors, such as temperature or photoperiod. In the high-alpine environment, proper timing of the ...phenological cycle has always been crucial to overcome harsh conditions and potential extreme events (i.e. spring frosts) but little is known about the response dynamics of the vegetation, which could shape the alpine landscape in a future of changing climate. Alpine tundra vegetation is composed by an array of species belonging to different phytosociological optima and with various survival strategies, and snowbed communities are a relevant expression of such an extreme-climate adapted flora. We set eight permanent plots with each one in a snowbed located on the Cimalegna plateau in Northwestern Italy and then we selected 10 most recurring species among our plots, all typical of the alpine tundra environment and classified in 3 different pools: snowbed specialists, grassland species and rocky debris species. For 3 years we registered the phenophases of each species during the whole growing season using an adaptation of the BBCH scale. We later focused on the three most biologically relevant phenophases, i.e., flower buds visible, full flowering, and beginning of seed dispersion. Three important season-related variables were chosen to investigate their relationship with the phenological cycle of the studied species: (i) the Day Of Year (DOY), the progressive number of days starting from the 1
st
of January, used as a proxy of photoperiod, (ii) Days From Snow Melt (DFSM), selected to include the relevance of the snow dynamics, and (iii) Growing Degree Days (GDD), computed as a thermal sum. Our analysis highlighted that phenological development correlated better with DFSM and GDD than with DOY. Indeed, models showed that DOY was always a worse predictor since it failed to overcome interannual variations, while DFSM and marginally GDD were better suited to predict the phenological development of most of the species, despite differences in temperature and snowmelt date among the three years. Even if the response pattern to the three variables was mainly consistent for all the species, the timing of their phenological response was different. Indeed, species such as
Salix herbacea
and
Ranunculus glacialis
were always earlier in the achievement of the phenophases, while
Agrostis rupestris
and
Euphrasia minima
developed later and the remaining species showed an intermediate behavior. However, we did not detect significant differences among the three functional pools of species.
Over the last decades, the reduction of manpower for herd management has led to an increase of continuous grazing systems (CGS) in the Italian Alps, which allow cattle to roam freely. Under CGS, due ...to high selectivity, livestock exploit grasslands unevenly, over- and under-using specific areas at the same time with negative effects on their conservation. To counteract these effects, a specific policy and management tool (i.e. Grazing Management Plan) has been implemented by Piedmont Region since 2010. The Grazing Management Plans are based on the implementation of rotational grazing systems (RGS), with animal stocking rate adjusted to balance it with grassland carrying capacity. A case study was conducted on alpine summer pastures to test the 5-year effects produced by the implementation of a Grazing Management Plan in grasslands formerly managed under several years of CGS on 1) the selection for different vegetation communities by cattle, 2) the abundance of oligo-, meso-, and eutrophic plant species (defined according to Landolt N indicator value), and 3) forage yield, quality, and palatability. A total of 193 vegetation surveys were carried out in 2011 and repeated in 2016. Cows were tracked yearly with Global Positioning System collars to assess their grazing selectivity, and forage Pastoral Value (PV) was computed to evaluate forage yield, quality, and palatability. Five years after RGS implementation, cow selectivity significantly decreased and the preference for the different vegetation communities was more balanced than under CGS. The abundance of meso- and eutrophic species increased, whereas oligotrophic ones decreased. Moreover, the abundance of moderately to highly palatable plant species increased, whereas non-palatable plant species decreased, with a consequent significant enhancement of the PV. Our findings indicate that the implementation of Grazing Management Plans can be considered a sustainable and effective management tool for improving pasture selection by cattle and forage quality in mountain pastures.
In recent decades, pastoral abandonment has produced profound ecological changes in the Alps. In particular, the reduction in grazing has led to extensive shrub encroachment of semi-natural ...grasslands, which may represent a threat to open habitat biodiversity. To reverse shrub encroachment, we assessed short-term effects of two different pastoral practices on vegetation and dung beetles (Coleoptera, Scarabaeoidea). Strategic placement of mineral mix supplements (MMS) and arrangement of temporary night camp areas (TNCA) for cattle were carried out during summer 2011 in the Val Troncea Natural Park, north-western Italian Alps. In 2012, one year after treatment, a reduction in shrub cover and an increase in bare ground cover around MMS sites was detected. A more intense effect was detected within TNCA through increases in forage pastoral value, and in the cover and height of the herbaceous layer. Immediately after treatment, changes in dung beetle diversity (total abundance, species richness, Shannon diversity, taxonomic and functional diversity) showed a limited disturbance effect caused by high cattle density. In contrast, dung beetle diversity significantly increased one year later both at MMS and TNCA sites, with a stronger effect within TNCA. Multivariate Regression Trees and associated Indicator Value analyses showed that some ecologically relevant dung beetle species preferred areas deprived of shrub vegetation. Our main conclusions are: i) TNCA are more effective than MMS in terms of changes to vegetation and dung beetles, ii) dung beetles respond more quickly than vegetation to pastoral practices, and iii) the main driver of the rapid response by dung beetles is the removal of shrubs. The resulting increase in dung beetle abundance and diversity, which are largely responsible for grassland ecosystem functioning, may have a positive effect on meso-eutrophic grassland restoration. Shrub encroachment in the Alps may therefore be reversed, and restoration of grassland enhanced, by using appropriate pastoral practices.
The decline of agro-pastoral activities has led to a widespread tree and shrub-encroachment of former semi-natural meso-eutrophic grasslands in many European mountain regions. Temporary night camp ...areas (TNCA) and mineral mix supplements for targeted cattle were arranged over shrub-encroached areas to restore grassland vegetation within the Val Troncea Natural Park (Italy). From 2011 to 2015, their effects on vegetation structure and pastoral value of forage were assessed along permanent transects. Four years after treatments, both practices were effective in reducing the shrub cover and increasing the cover and average height of the herbaceous layer, but changes were more remarkable within TNCA. Moreover, the arrangement of TNCA decreased the cover of nanophanerophytes and increased the cover of graminoids and high quality species, as well as the overall forage pastoral value. In conclusion, TNCA were the most effective pastoral practice to contrast shrub-encroachment and increase herbage mass and forage quality of sub-alpine grasslands.
The study investigated plant-soil interactions along a proglacial chronosequence in the Italian Alps, with a specific focus on pioneer and grassland species structure and biogeochemical processes, ...with the aim to evaluate the biotic patterns in ecosystem development. We recorded vascular plant frequencies and the mean diameter of one pioneer and one grassland target species in 18 permanent plots distributed along six different stages encompassing a 170-years chronosequence in the Lauson Glacier forefield (NW Italy). We evaluated the main soil properties and measured the C:N:P stoichiometry in the biomass of pioneer and grassland target species and in the underlying soil. For comparative purposes, we analyzed also bare soils sampled near the sampled plant individuals. Pioneer species number and cover significantly increased 10 and 40 years after deglaciation respectively, while alpine grassland species cover and number peaked only after 65 and 140 years, respectively. Along the chronosequence, soils beneath vascular plants were enriched in nutrients, especially under individuals of alpine grassland species, with total organic C contents ranging between 1.3 and 8.9 g·kg
−1
compared to 0.2 and 3.3 g·kg
−1
in bare soils. Nitrogen content in bare soils was nearly undetectable, while it increased in the plant-affected soils, leading to a more balanced C:N:P stoichiometry in the oldest stages. The colonization of alpine grassland species started immediately, although species number and cover increased only when the soil acquired sufficient nutrient supply and functionality. Although the ecosystem remained C and N limited, the soil could provide adequate conditions for more competitive species establishment, as confirmed by the increasing number and cover of alpine grassland species. Thus, soil nutrient dynamics were strongly influenced by plants, with a major influence triggered by late-successional grassland species.
Alnus viridis is a pioneer species that has expanded in Central Europe in the last decades, causing a series of negative agro-environmental impacts. Robust livestock grazing could be used as a ...targeted tool to reduce its encroachment, but more information is needed to find the best approach to achieve this goal. In this study, we assessed the potential of molasses-based blocks (MB) to lure Highland cattle into
A. viridis
-encroached areas and monitored impacts on the vegetation after grazing. In 2019 and 2020, two Highland cattle herds equipped with GPS collars were placed in three paddocks in the Swiss and Italian Alps, differing in the degree of
A. viridis
encroachment. In 2020, MB were added to highly encroached areas within each paddock to attract the herds to feed on
A. viridis
. Botanical surveys were carried out before and after grazing, around MB and control areas. Highland cattle grazed significantly more around MB (up to 50 m from the MB) compared to the previous year (i.e., same area without MB) and compared to control areas. The increased targeted grazing around MB led to a significant decrease in herbaceous cover and an increase in bare soil compared to control areas. Livestock grazing and trampling significantly reduced the cover of ferns, tall herbs, medium and small herbs, and woody species around MB compared to control areas.
A. viridis
leaves and branches were significantly removed and damaged up to 10 m from the MB, due to the more intense livestock grazing. Such results highlight the potential of this management regime to effectively reduce
A. viridis
encroachment in montane grasslands.
The interest for goats rearing has increased during last decades on the Italian Alps. However, feeding preferences by grazing goats have not undergone detailed investigation in extensive montane ...grazing systems. Our study aimed to assess plant species selection by integrating vegetation surveys with animal GPS tracking under two contrasting alpine vegetation communities: a semi-natural grassland (SG) and a grazable forestland (GF). Goats selected a high array of plant species (56 and 47 species in the SG and GF, respectively), but most of their diet was composed by a few species (ten species accounted for 95% and 91% of the total species intake in the SG and GF, respectively). The selection by goats seemed to be more species-dependent rather than functional group-dependent. Goats appeared to be less selective within a homogeneous herbaceous grassland, because they selected plant species proportionally to their abundance (P=0.05). Conversely, in a heterogeneous and stratified grazable forestland they showed a more pronounced preference for most of the browse species, regardless of species abundance. Plant species selection was positively correlated with species height in both vegetation communities (P<0.001). Despite this selective behaviour, animal stocking density played a key role in the selection of many species and this result suggests that animal management (i.e., implementation of different stocking rates and densities) could be an important tool in modifying diet selection, promoting the consumption of particular plant species and thus managing the dynamics of plant communities in alpine environments.
PDF
