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Grassland Ecosystem Services: Research Advances and Future Directions for Sustainability...
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Grassland Ecosystem Services: Research Advances and Future Directions for Sustainability II

A special issue of Land (ISSN 2073-445X). This special issue belongs to the section "Land, Biodiversity, and Human Wellbeing".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2024 | Viewed by 4666

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Michael Vrahnakis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Forestry, Wood Sciences and Design, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, Greece
Interests: grassland ecology and management; grassland biodiversity; grassland condition and health; management of protected areas; agroforestry systems
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Yannis (Ioannis) Kazoglou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Associate Professor, Department of Forestry, Wood Sciences and Design, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, Greece
Interests: extensive grazing; autochthonous livestock breeds; wet grassland and reedbed management; grassland management plan; biodiversity; protected areas of the EU Natura 2000 network
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Grasslands are of paramount importance for the creation of ecosystem services, i.e., supporting, provisioning, regulating, and cultural services. Grasslands sustain economies, from the local to the national levels, in human societies and nature by forming numerous habitat types where exceptional elements of biodiversity flourish. They play a major role in providing high-quality forage for both livestock and wild animals; they support communities of insects with major roles in the pollination process; they sustain apiculture and contribute to the prevention of erosion processes; they contribute to the maintenance of the water cycle. They contribute to climate change mitigation and are large carbon storage tanks. Given their importance, a number of scientific works are scanning, searching for, and promoting structural and functional elements of grasslands in disciplines ranging from the political to the economic and ecological.

From recent scientific developments to future directions, this Special Issue (SI) aims at presenting the world’s grasslands within the framework of sustainable ecosystem management. The theme of the SI fits into the scope of the Land journal, since it seeks to bring to the light the research advances in grassland science and management and, more specifically, the human-made impacts on the creation of ecosystem services related to grasslands.

Suggested themes and article types for submissions include: grassland abandonment, grassland types, uses, management, conservation and restoration, impact of climate change on grassland ecology, grassland condition and health, grassland ecosystem services (i.e., supporting, provisioning, regulating and cultural) and issues related to the monitoring, biodiversity, water provision and hydrology of grasslands.

Prof. Dr. Michael Vrahnakis
Dr. Yannis (Ioannis) Kazoglou
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Land is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • grassland abandonment
  • grassland ecology
  • grassland management
  • grassland biodiversity
  • grassland hydrology
  • issues and threats
  • supporting
  • provisioning
  • regulating
  • cultural grassland ecosystem services

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

27 pages, 17067 KiB  
Article
Diversity Levels under Different Grazing Intensities in Semi-Wet Grasslands
by Eleni Avramidou, Ioanna Karamichali, Ioannis Tsiripidis and Eleni M. Abraham
Land 2024, 13(4), 488; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13040488 - 09 Apr 2024
Viewed by 402
Abstract
The biodiversity of grasslands has been shaped by long-time interaction between natural processes and human activities, such as grazing. Traditional grazing management by animals contributes to the maintenance of high biodiversity in grasslands. However, changes in land use in recent years such as [...] Read more.
The biodiversity of grasslands has been shaped by long-time interaction between natural processes and human activities, such as grazing. Traditional grazing management by animals contributes to the maintenance of high biodiversity in grasslands. However, changes in land use in recent years such as the abandonment of animal husbandry or intensification of grazing, pose a threat to grasslands biodiversity. The aim of the present study was to investigate the compositional and functional diversity in semi-humid grasslands of northern Greece under different grazing intensities. Three sites with similar vegetation and composition but different grazing intensities were selected in Taxiarchis University Forest of Mountain Holomontas. The three grazing intensities were (1) ungrazed, for more than 40 years, (2) moderate grazed, and (3) highly grazed. The ungrazed area showed an increase in vegetation cover and a decrease in bare ground. In comparison to grazed areas, the ungrazed one showed lower levels of grasses and legumes but higher abundances of woody and broad-leaved species. The highest values of all the studied diversity indices (Shannon–Wiener (H), Simpson Diversity Index, Jaccard, and species abundance) were recorded at moderate grazing intensity. Differences were recorded between the grazed and ungrazed areas in all of the quantitative traits (specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content, stem dry matter content, vegetative and reproductive plant height, leaf nitrogen, and phosphorus concentration). Protecting sensitive mountainous grasslands from both overgrazing and abandonment requires a balanced and sustainable management approach. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Grassland Ecosystem Services: Research Advances and Future Directions for Sustainability II)
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15 pages, 2450 KiB  
Article
Military Activity Impact on Vegetation in Pannonian Dry Sandy Grasslands
by Márta Bajnok, Károly Penksza, Attila Fűrész, Péter Penksza, Péter Csontos, Szilárd Szentes, Ferenc Stilling, Eszter Saláta-Falusi, Márta Fuchs, Caleb Melenya, Judit Házi, Dániel Balogh and Zsombor Wagenhoffer
Land 2024, 13(2), 252; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13020252 - 18 Feb 2024
Viewed by 627
Abstract
The conservation of dry sandy grasslands is a global issue because of the restoration and conservation of endangered ecosystems to provide a sufficient amount of forage under warming and drying climatic conditions. Our aim was to explore the impact of military activity on [...] Read more.
The conservation of dry sandy grasslands is a global issue because of the restoration and conservation of endangered ecosystems to provide a sufficient amount of forage under warming and drying climatic conditions. Our aim was to explore the impact of military activity on sandy grasslands in Hungary. The sample areas chosen were the Little Hungarian Plain (I. and II.) and the Great Hungarian Plain (III.), consisting abandoned, restored areas; still-active military exercise fields; and shooting ranges. In each sample area, six to ten coenological surveys were made. Based on our survey, the closed natural sandy grassland was documented only in the Little Hungarian Plain and were found rich in species. The open sandy grassland was described in all studied sites, Festuca vaginata appeared in all of them, while Festuca pseudovaginata was observed only in the Great Hungarian Plain. In the open sandy grassland, the natural vegetation had the highest cover value (78.8%), the sowed grassland area had the least cover value (53.3%), while the III. sample area was also poor in coverage (56.5%) but consisted of a natural species composition favorable for restoration. Our results confirmed the indirect role of military activity in the successful habitat conservation of Pannonian dry sandy grassland ecosystems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Grassland Ecosystem Services: Research Advances and Future Directions for Sustainability II)
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17 pages, 3485 KiB  
Article
Integrated Land-Use Systems Contribute to Restoring Water Cycles in the Brazilian Cerrado Biome
by Sarah Glatzle, Roberto Giolo de Almeida, Mariana Pereira Barsotti, Davi José Bungenstab, Marcus Giese, Manuel Claudio M. Macedo, Sabine Stuerz and Folkard Asch
Land 2024, 13(2), 221; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13020221 - 10 Feb 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 743
Abstract
Cerrado, constituting native Brazilian vegetation in the tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome, has been extensively replaced by crop and pastureland, resulting in reduced water recycling to the atmosphere via evapotranspiration (ET). Re-introducing trees via integrated land-use systems potentially restores soil [...] Read more.
Cerrado, constituting native Brazilian vegetation in the tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome, has been extensively replaced by crop and pastureland, resulting in reduced water recycling to the atmosphere via evapotranspiration (ET). Re-introducing trees via integrated land-use systems potentially restores soil health and water-related processes; however, field data are scarce. During two years, we monitored soil moisture dynamics of natural Cerrado (CER), continuous pasture (COP), integrated crop-livestock (ICL), and integrated crop-livestock-forestry (ICLF) systems across 100 cm soil depth. Across years, mean soil moisture was highest for ICL, followed by COP and lowest in systems with trees (ICLF and CER). However, seasonal and spatial analyses revealed pronounced differences between soil layers and systems. COP and ICL mainly lost water from upper soil layers, whereas in ICLF, the strongest water depletion was observed at 40–100 cm depth, almost reaching a permanent wilting point during the dry season. CER was driest in the upper 40 cm, but water storage was highest below 60 cm depth. Our results suggest that compared to conventional land-use practices, integrated systems, including trees, increase water recycling to the atmosphere via ET and potentially compensate for the loss of key ecological functions of degraded or replaced Cerrado. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Grassland Ecosystem Services: Research Advances and Future Directions for Sustainability II)
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17 pages, 2311 KiB  
Article
Understanding the Dynamics of Sex-Specific Responses Driven by Grassland Management: Using Syrphids as a Model Insect Group
by Raja Imran Hussain, Daniela Ablinger, Walter Starz, Jürgen Kurt Friedel and Thomas Frank
Land 2024, 13(2), 201; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13020201 - 07 Feb 2024
Viewed by 704
Abstract
Grassland ecosystems, managed by various grassland managements strategies, are the world’s most important land use. However, insect’s sex-specific responses within the context of grassland management have never been considered before. Therefore, our aim was to expand the understanding to the dynamics of grassland [...] Read more.
Grassland ecosystems, managed by various grassland managements strategies, are the world’s most important land use. However, insect’s sex-specific responses within the context of grassland management have never been considered before. Therefore, our aim was to expand the understanding to the dynamics of grassland managements that drive sex-specific responses by using syrphids as a model insect group. We hypothesize that (1) male and female syrphids exhibit differential habitat preferences in grassland managements, (2) abundance and activity of male and female syrphid levels are influenced by vegetation structure in grassland habitats. Extensive and intensive grassland exhibited significantly different male and female syrphid abundance compared to abandoned grassland. Surprisingly, grassland management had a significant impact on male syrphids richness only, not on female. Flower cover significantly increased male and female syrphid abundance and richness. However, plant height significantly increased female syrphid abundance and richness only. Interestingly, abandoned grassland supports a higher amount of unique female syrphids than male syrphids. The dynamics of grassland management are not unidirectional, but they are multifaceted and multidirectional. Considering the importance of sex-specific responses by insects can provide a more comprehensive understanding of dynamics of grassland managements. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Grassland Ecosystem Services: Research Advances and Future Directions for Sustainability II)
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18 pages, 3167 KiB  
Article
A Proposed Typology of Farming Systems for Assessing Sustainable Livelihood Development Pathways in the Tien Shan Mountains of Kyrgyzstan
by Azamat Azarov, Roy C. Sidle, Dietrich Darr, Vladimir Verner and Zbynek Polesny
Land 2024, 13(2), 126; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13020126 - 23 Jan 2024
Viewed by 834
Abstract
In Kyrgyzstan, most farming systems focus on animal husbandry, which depends on mixtures of crops and pastures around settlements and higher-elevation summer pastures. These farms face the problems of insufficient fodder production and pasture degradation due to overgrazing, resulting in low productivity of [...] Read more.
In Kyrgyzstan, most farming systems focus on animal husbandry, which depends on mixtures of crops and pastures around settlements and higher-elevation summer pastures. These farms face the problems of insufficient fodder production and pasture degradation due to overgrazing, resulting in low productivity of livestock and reduced household incomes. The spatial diversity of farms often hampers the development of interventions aimed at improving crop and animal productivity, as well as sustainable grassland management, while the absence of a comprehensive and systematic classification system that effectively encompasses the diverse range of livelihood strategies within farming systems presents a significant obstacle to the advancement of initiatives promoting sustainable livelihoods. This study aimed to develop a consistent typology of smallholder farms in the Tien Shan using multivariate analysis. By analyzing data from 235 farm-households and evaluating key classification variables, we identified two distinct farming systems, upper mountain farms and lower mountain farms, based on socioeconomic and agro-ecological characteristics. Our typology considers elevation, grazing period, cultivated area, and off-farm income and better captures the diversity of farming activities and household income compared to current classification models. These findings will inform and tailor policies and interventions suitable for enhancing sustainable livelihoods in Kyrgyzstan’s mountain farming systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Grassland Ecosystem Services: Research Advances and Future Directions for Sustainability II)
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15 pages, 1744 KiB  
Article
Effective Treatments for the Successful Establishment of Milkweed (Calotropis procera L.) under Water Deficit
by Mojtaba Dolatkordestani, Mansour Taghvaei and Andrea Mastinu
Land 2023, 12(11), 1987; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12111987 - 29 Oct 2023
Viewed by 729
Abstract
The application of superabsorbents to soils and seed coatings is a pre-sowing seed treatment method that is commonly used to improve early vigor and establish stability and uniformity under water deficit conditions. To evaluate the interaction of seed coating and superabsorbent on Calotropisprocera [...] Read more.
The application of superabsorbents to soils and seed coatings is a pre-sowing seed treatment method that is commonly used to improve early vigor and establish stability and uniformity under water deficit conditions. To evaluate the interaction of seed coating and superabsorbent on Calotropisprocera L. (milkweed) under water deficit conditions, a greenhouse experiment was conducted. The experiment was conducted with four coating material levels (non-coated seeds and seeds coated with peat moss, vermicompost, and canola residue), four growth medium levels (soil, sand + soil, soil + 2 g superabsorbent, and soil + 4 g superabsorbent), and three field capacity regimes (25, 50%, and 100%) in a completely randomized design factorial arrangement with four replications. Reducing the field capacity from 100 to 25% led to decreased growth (shoot and root dry weights and leaf area) and chlorophyll content. The activities of SOD, CAT, APX antioxidant enzymes, and proline increased under drought stress. The use of superabsorbent polymers in growth media enhanced growth indices and chlorophyll content and decreased the activity of antioxidant enzymes and proline under water deficit conditions. The highest chlorophyll and growth indices were observed when 4 g of superabsorbent was added to the growth medium under drought stress. The application of 4 g of superabsorbent to the growth medium reduced the activity of antioxidant enzymes and proline. The use of seed coatings improved the growth indices, antioxidant enzyme activity, and chlorophyll content under drought stress. The most adaptive morphological and physiological responses to water stress were observed in the vermicompost-coated seeds. The vermicompost coating containing a superabsorbent polymer (4 g/kg soil) proved to be the best for establishing milkweed under mild (50% FC) and severe water deficits (25% FC). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Grassland Ecosystem Services: Research Advances and Future Directions for Sustainability II)
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