Site descriptions of 16 restored permanent semi-natural grasslands (A-P) in Sweden.

<p>Site descriptions of 16 restored permanent semi-natural grasslands (A-P) in Sweden.</p

The future of semi-natural pastures in Sweden. Report (English version), Symposium and workshop in Jönköping March 8-9th 2017

This report summarises the symposium and workshop regarding the future of semi-natural pastures in Sweden, held in Jönköping March 8-9th 2017. <br><br>The first day consisted of a symposium where presentations and subsequent discussions were based on three main topics:<br>- What are the <i>motives </i>for continued management of semi-natural pastures?<br>- What are the <i>attitudes </i>of different actors to these motives in relation to agricultural benefits?<br>- What are the <i>actions </i>needed to ensure sustainable future use of semi-natural pastures?<br><br>On the second day, three parallel workshops were held allowing for the topics from day one to be discussed more thoroughly. The workshop sessions were divided into three themes:<br>1. <i>The Design of Future Subsidy Systems</i><br>2. <i>Future and Alternative Management Methods</i><br>3. <i>Information and Communication</i><br><br>The purpose of this report is to compile all the thoughts, ideas and suggestions that emerged from the workshop, regarding potential measures that could be implemented to ensure the future sustainable management of semi-natural pastures in Sweden. The report first summarises the presentations from the first day of the meeting to provide context to the feedback received from participating stakeholders. <br><br>For more information (in Swedish):<br><u>https://sites.google.com/view/naturbete2017</u><br><br>This report is also published in Swedish, link below (DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.5097172).<br><br><br><br

Long Term Positive Effect of Grassland Restoration on Plant Diversity - Success or Not?

<div><p>Restoration is important for biodiversity conservation worldwide, but surprisingly little is known about its efficiency in a long-term perspective. In this study, we re-examined Swedish semi-natural grasslands 12–20 years after the restoration, by comparing field inventories of vascular plant species diversity made in 2001 with follow-up inventories in 2012. We also analysed restoration effect in relation to six environmental factors and used continuously managed semi-natural grasslands as references of desired state after restoration. We found that total species richness increased over time but not to reference levels, while there were no significant changes in species density or number of grassland specialists. However, the overall species composition in the restored sites, as well as grassland specialist composition, now largely resembled reference conditions. Fertilisation and time between abandonment and restoration were the only environmental variables that affected total species composition change, while site area affected change in grassland specialist composition. Our results show that restoration of semi-natural grasslands can contribute to conservation of semi-natural habitats and their associated biodiversity. Yet, due to the vague restoration goals for these sites, it is difficult to evaluate the restoration success, which emphasise the general need for clear and measurable goals.</p></div

Diversity in restored semi-natural grasslands measured at two different time steps.

<p>Diversity in restored semi-natural grasslands measured at two different time steps.</p

Naturbetesmarkernas framtid i Sverige. Rapport, Symposium och workshop i Jönköping 8-9 mars 2017.

Denna rapport sammanfattar symposiet och workshopen <b>Natubetesmarkernas framtid i Sverige</b>, som hölls i Jönköping 8-9 mars 2017.<br> <br>Första dagen bestod av ett symposium där presentationer och efterföljande diskussioner utgick från tre huvudfrågor:<br>- Vilka <i>motiv </i>finns det för ett fortsatt brukande?<br>- Vad finns det för <i>attityder </i>till dessa motiv och till jordbruksersättningar hos olika aktörer?<br>- Vilka <i>åtgärder </i>behövs för att lösa ett framtida hållbart brukande av naturbetesmarker?<br><br>Andra dagen fortsatte arbetet i parallella workshopsessioner indelade i tre teman:<br>1. <i>Utformning av framtida ersättningssystem</i><br>2. <i>Framtida och alternativa skötselmetoder</i><br>3. <i>Information och kommunikation<br></i><br>Syftet med rapporten är att sammanställa första dagens presentationer men framförallt de tankar, idéer och förslag som framkom gällande potentiella åtgärder för att säkerställa ett framtida hållbart brukande av naturbetesmarker i Sverige.<br><br>För mer information, presentationer från symposiet och bilder: <u>https://sites.google.com/view/naturbete2017</u><br><br><i>This report has also been translated into English</i> (DOI: <a target="_blank">10.6084/m9.figshare.5097319</a>

Plant species richness found in restored and reference semi-natural grasslands.

<p>Total number of plant species and grassland specialists and per m²(95% CI) found in reference semi-natural grasslands at time 2 (i.e. 2012) and restored semi-natural grasslands at time 1 and 2 (i.e. 2001 and 2012).</p

Species composition shift in restored semi-natural grasslands.

<p>Detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) of the total species composition in the restored sites at Time 1 (T1, i.e. 2001) and Time 2 (T2, i.e. 2012), and at the continuously managed reference sites at Time 2.</p

Local variables responsible for the specialist species composition in the restored semi-natural grasslands.

<p>Constrained partial canonical correspondence analysis (inventory time set as a co-variable (Time 1 = year 2001, Time 2 = year 2012)). The variable ‘Area (log)’ (explained 5.1%) was significant.</p