Thick moss layers and high cover of grasses: Potential threats to herb diversity in hay meadows in Norway

Abstract

In an old, species-rich hay meadow in Varaldsøy in Hardanger, the only known remaining managed site of its kind in West Norway, the moss layer is increasing in thickness in some places. Thick moss is associated with a high cover of monocotyledons, while a low cover of monocotyledons is associated with high numbers of herbs, including vulnerable species, which mainly occur in herb-rich areas. The increase in moss is probably caused by a reduction in both traditional means of moss removal and in sheep trampling and it may represent a potential threat to plant species diversity in traditionally managed hay meadows in the region. In order to increase the area of open, species-rich hay meadows, and thus the potential population sizes for indicator species of traditional management, increased grazing intensity (back to traditional levels) and removal of mosses during haymaking is recommended. The study demonstrates that, for conservation purposes, it is not easy to replicate past conditions unless the details of traditional management practices are known and understood, and these are now passing from general knowledge.