Work

When Clearing Out an Old House Advances Science: The Hump‐Shaped Diversity Distribution in Central European Grasslands Better Explained

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The proportion of natural grasslands in Central European landscapes prior to the Neolithic period, which were maintained through grazing by large herbivores or frequent disturbances, remains a subject of debate (Svenning 2002).However, most of the grasslands in the current landscape were created by deforestation following the Late Bronze Age (Hejcman et al. 2013).Centuries of stable management involving low-intensity mowing or grazing without fertilisation have since created speciesrich ecosystems that are considered semi-natural in Central Europe.Wilson et al. (2012) concluded that European temperate grasslands are the richest ecosystems in the world up to 50 m 2 , with a maximum of 43 vascular plant species on 0.1 m 2 (in Romania) and 116 species on 25 m 2 (in the Czech Republic).

Source: Global Change Biology

DOI: 10.1111/gcb.70731

Author: Pascal Vittoz

Institution: University of Lausanne

Language: English

Topic: Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies

Subfield: Nature and Landscape Conservation

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Life on land

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,550