Permanent Grassland Research Articles

Policy Gaps and Diverging Perceptions of Effectiveness: An Assessment of Sustainable Permanent Grassland Management in Switzerland

This article focuses on the effectiveness of the Swiss policy mix promoting sustainable permanent grassland (PG) management in the country. We used the Cascade Framework and stakeholder’s sentiment analysis to qualitatively assess propagation pathways for generating policy effectiveness in terms of PGs’ deliverance of ecosystem services (ESs), to ultimately enable sustainable PG management. We employed a mixed-method approach combining a review of governmental documents, formal policies and policy evaluations with semi-structured interviews with Swiss stakeholders. Through this analysis, we identified 16 policy instruments influencing PG management, including 3 regulatory instruments, 11 incentive instruments, and 2 informational instruments. Results showed that these instruments primarily aim to promote sustainable PG management by employing measures targeting the very structure and composition of the landscape. As such, we found gaps in the types of instruments employed, particularly in terms of demand-side policies, which can explain the poor policy outcomes in relation to a number of environmental quality objectives. In parallel, we found that most of the interviewed stakeholders considered Swiss grassland policy as generally effective, mainly because it was perceived as democratic. While this study focuses on Switzerland, its novel conceptual and methodological approach of using the cascade-framework for policy analysis can be applied to other biogeographical regions and socio-economic contexts. Our findings can improve the calibration of future policy instruments to enable land managers and grassland landscape users to restore or maintain PGs in good ecological condition, by targeting mechanisms that can ensure achieving environmental quality objectives while remaining democratically legitimate.

A landscape-based approach to design flower blocks may reduce mammalian predator activity and protect ground-nesting farmland birds

AbstractHigh predation rates threaten many ground-nesting farmland birds and are difficult to address through conventional measures such as lethal predator control or fencing. Landscape-based approaches for conservation measures promise an alternative by reducing predator - bird encounters, but require detailed knowledge of landscape effects on predation risk. Different habitat elements attractive to predators could have opposing effects on neighbouring nesting habitats, with implications for conservation: Increased predation risk due to higher predator activity (A) or reduced predation risk by distracting predators (B). Here we focus on the placement of conservation measures using flower blocks targeted at Grey Partridges in a Central European Farmland. Based on a three-year camera trap dataset, we investigated effects of landscape structure and composition on mammalian predator activity within flower blocks at two scales (100 m and 500 m radius around the camera) with generalized linear mixed models. Length of linear edge structures, i.e., field block borders, was most important, with a greater availability of linear edge structures leading to a decrease in predator activity at both scales (hypothesis B). Conversely, predator captures at both scales increased with increasing extensive vegetation area (i.e., permanent grassland, flower blocks and fallows) and in proximity to roads, indicating that these may attract predators and increase predator densities (hypothesis A). Our results suggest that a landscape-based approach can mitigate predation risk for ground-nesting birds in flower blocks and analogous conservation measures. Highly structured, small-scale agricultural landscapes seem to be particularly important for reducing mammalian predator activity in flower blocks.

Farmer identities and permanent grassland management: Evidence from five European biogeographic zones

Abstract Permanent grassland (PG) provides multiple ecosystem services. However, there is increasing concern regarding the decreased multifunctionality of PGs, including those located in Europe. The decreased PG multifunctionality has been attributed to the increased intensity of PG management, where decision‐making is influenced by farmers' relevant behavioural intentions and self‐identities. In order to investigate how farmer identities can translate into future adoption of PG management practices, interviews (n = 373) were conducted with farmers from five European biogeographic zones. Their farms are located in Continental/Pannonian (Czech Republic), Mediterranean (Spain), Boreal (Sweden), Alpine (Switzerland) and Atlantic (United Kingdom) biogeographic regions. The data were analysed using a mixed‐method approach involving thematic analysis and multinomial logistic regression. The thematic analysis enabled seven farmer ‘identity’ types to be identified. The results of multinomial logistic regression showed that productivist identity was a predictor of farmers' intention to intensify or extensify PG in future, while land caretaker identity predicted maintenance of current PG management practice. Farmers with a higher dependence on income from agri‐environment schemes were more likely to extensify their PG in future, while those with a higher dependence on income from farm production were more likely to maintain current PG management practices. Older farmers were less likely to extensify their PG, and those having organic and extensive farms were more likely to intensify PG in future. Future policies and interventions that aim to increase PG‐related ecosystem‐service multifunctionality can be more targeted by considering specific farm attributes, farmer identities and their future PG management intentions, as well as regional differences in these. Financial benefits and risks perceived by farmers should be considered when promoting any management practices, including policy interventions and policy levers. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Trade-offs between grassland plant biodiversity and yields are heterogenous across Germany

Grasslands are key for food security and provide important ecosystem services. Intensive management, such as frequent mowing, increases productivity but decreases other ecosystem services as well as plant biodiversity. We here estimate large scale effects of mowing frequency on plant species richness and provide spatial assessments of yield-species richness trade-offs. We use a unique, multisource remote sensing-based dataset covering all permanent agricultural grassland fields across Germany (N = 1,313,073) over four years to estimate the causal impact of mowing frequency, as a proxy of grassland management intensity, on plant species richness. We identify spatially explicit and heterogeneous treatment effects using generalized random forests. We find that more frequent mowing significantly reduces plant species richness, but these effects vary by environmental and socioeconomic context. We quantify the trade-offs between species richness and yield due to changes in mowing frequency, finding an average cost of 126 euros per additional plant species, and demonstrate how spatial targeting can improve the cost-effectiveness of a hypothetical conservation policy, reducing this cost to 51 euros per species. Motivated by the 30 by 30 goal to protect 30% of terrestrial ecosystems by 2030, we further estimate opportunity cost of marginally extensifying 30% of German grasslands to be 131–181 million euros annually, depending on targeting priorities.

Strategies and Adaptations of Permanent Grasslands in Different Environments

Strategies and Adaptations of Permanent Grasslands in Different Environments

Landscape changes in Czech large protected areas 1950–2020: Two different landscapes types on the same path

Landscape and its development is crucial for viability and management of protected areas, therefore, we focused on Czech large protected areas and analysed their land cover and landscape structure changes from the 1950s to recent times. Based on four milestones (1950, 1990, 2004 and 2020), data from topographic maps and aerial imagery were vectorized and use for following steps as analysing main trends of changes: an increase in forest in all areas and extensification of agriculture; the latter was expressed by permanent grassland growth in almost all areas and by arable land decrease. Urbanisation was reflected in the growth of built-up areas. However, these changes did not take place equally across all protected areas. Therefore, we distinguished two groups: 1) more stable (in terms of land cover change) and forested areas; 2) protected landscape areas which were also established for conservation of cultural landscape with open land cover categories, which showed larger changes. Moreover, landscape structure shows its simplification during the study period across almost all protected areas. Therefore, our results indicate that, in some protected areas, landscape stability and in some others landscape diversity are their values.

Organic farming is more related to topography than to soil characteristics in extensively and intensively managed grasslands in Switzerland

Organic farming and other agri-environmental schemes (AES) are important policy tools to support environmental-friendly agriculture. Often, AES require a direct reduction of actual management intensity to sustain biodiversity and non-marketable ecosystem services. In addition to lower management intensity, differences in topography and soils between AES and non-AES land can occur, driven by the targeted placement of AES in the landscape. Many of the latter effects of an AES are, however, widely unknown and frequently ignored, limiting a comprehensive understanding of how organic farming and other AES deliver environmental outcomes. We analysed pedological, topographical and other spatial characteristics of parcels under two grassland AES, i.e., organic farming (vs. conventional) and extensive management (vs. intensive). Thus, this study assessed whether organic farming is related to differences in topography and soil conditions in both extensively and intensively managed grasslands in the study region in the north of Switzerland. Therefore, we combined a regional-scale spatial analysis of permanent grassland parcels and a soil survey. Both AES were tested not only in interaction with each other but also within the two main harvest types, i.e., meadows (mainly mown) and pastures (mainly grazed), resulting in eight distinct grassland types that were studied. Results show both AES to be linked to differences in soil nutrients as well as topographical and other spatial characteristics. We found interactions of the two AES with the harvest type, i.e., meadow versus pasture. This was particularly pronounced for extensively managed conventional meadows, which were frequent at low elevation and on land potentially suitable for arable farming. Extensively managed pastures and all organic grasslands exhibited reduced production conditions (i.e., higher elevation, steeper slope, lower soil phosphorus concentrations). Yet, differences between organic and conventional grasslands were by tendency more pronounced in intensively than extensively managed grasslands. Our results show that farmers preferentially adopted both AES on land not ideal for intensive production, with the exception of many extensively managed meadows in low elevations. Our study therefore demonstrated that an assessment of the ecological outcomes of an AES must not only account for direct effects via management restrictions but also for indirect effects via spatial targeting by farmers. More research is still needed to assess and compare direct and indirect effects of AES to support evidence-based policymaking and improve spatial targeting of different land-use types.

Tipping points and farmer decision-making in European permanent grassland (PG) agricultural systems

Permanent grasslands (PG) provide multifunctional ecosystem services (ES) in Europe and globally, which are threatened by both increased farming intensity and land use change in marginal areas. Farm management decisions can represent critical thresholds, or behavioural “tipping points”, in the agricultural system. Decisions are influenced by a combination of agronomic, policy and social factors. Transformation of PG systems can be facilitated through positive tipping points and relevant policy implementation to ensure sustainable PG systems. The aim of this research was to understand the drivers of decisions regarding land use changes and management towards critical positive and negative tipping points across five biogeographic zones in Europe. Interview methodology assessed farmers’ preferences and priorities regarding the adoption of sustainable PG systems. Participants were selected from five case study countries, each representing a different biogeographic zone in Europe (Continental/Pannonian: Czech Republic, Boreal: Sweden, Mediterranean: Spain, Alpine: Switzerland, and Atlantic: UK). The sample also covered three farming intensity types within these biogeographic zones: high input/intensive conventional farms (≥1.0 LU/ha); low input/extensive conventional farms (<1.0 LU/ha); and certified organic farms. In total, 373 farm interviews were obtained from the case study countries between October 2020 and October 2021. The analysis focuses on drivers of change and considers tipping points across these countries, considering case studies of land use changes (specifically land abandonment) and land management practices (specifically changes in stocking rates). The most common reasons for PG management changes towards either intensification or extensification were economic. Farmers require policy support to increase provision of non-market ES, while rebalancing subsidies can deliver environmental ES at scale through abandonment (e.g., through the creation of specific habitats that support some threatened species). Agri-environment schemes (AES)and subsidies could be more flexible to allow farmers to better adapt grassland management to local production conditions and unpredictable circumstances such as droughts, floods, or market shocks. To maintain PG that delivers more goods and services, financial compensation for ES delivery was perceived to be the most significant support mechanism needed, while easier access to ES provision expertise through extension or consultancy services is considered important factor.

The centennial legacy of land-use change on organic carbon stocks of German agricultural soils.

Converting natural vegetation for agriculture has resulted in the loss of approximately 5% of the current global terrestrial soil organic carbon (SOC) stock to the atmosphere. Increasing the agricultural area under grassland may reverse some of these losses, but the effectiveness of such a strategy is limited by how quickly SOC recovers after conversion from cropland. Using soil data and extensive land-use histories gathered during the national German agricultural soil inventory, this study aims to answer three questions regarding agricultural land-use change (LUC): (i) how do SOC stocks change with depth following LUC; (ii) how long does it take to reach SOC equilibrium after LUC; and (iii) what is the legacy effect of historic LUC on present day SOC dynamics? By using a novel approach that substitutes space for time and accounts for differences in site properties using propensity score balancing, we determined that sites that were converted from cropland to grassland reached a SOC equilibrium level 47.3% (95% confidence interval (CI): 43.4% to 49.5%) above permanent cropland levels 83 years (95% CI: 79 to 90 years) after conversion. Meanwhile, sites converted from grassland to cropland reached a SOC equilibrium level -33.6% (95% CI: -34.1% to -33.5%) below permanent grassland levels after 180 years (95% CI: 151 to 223 years). We estimate that, over the past century, today's German agricultural soils (16.6 million ha) have gained about 40 million Mg C. Furthermore, croplands with historic LUC from grassland are losing SOC by -0.26 Mg ha-1 year-1 (10% of agricultural land) while grasslands historically converted from cropland are gaining SOC by 0.27 Mg ha-1 year-1 (18% of agricultural land). This study shows that even long-standing temperate agricultural sites likely have ongoing SOC change as a result of historical LUC.

The Use of Grass Typology in Diagnosing and Sustainably Managing Permanent Grasslands

Permanent grasslands are characterized by herbaceous flora adapted to local conditions, with deep root systems that facilitate resource uptake and provide resistance to anthropogenic and abiotic stresses. This study aimed to develop and implement efficient diagnostic and agronomic management tools for farmers. In order to demonstrate the methodology, we selected five diverse grasslands with different characteristics. The research tested the grass typology method to diagnose these areas and establish optimal management practices based on floristic composition. The method was applied to achieve the rational management of the grasslands studied. The results provided valuable data on floristic composition, species frequency, and specific functional indices. The characterization of the five grasslands in Moșnița Nouă in Timiș County enabled us to recognize optimal grassland strategies for each area, maximizing production based on the grass typology. Thus, the study demonstrated the impact of using simplified tools to improve grassland diagnosis and management, significantly contributing to the more sustainable maintenance of the permanent grasslands for farmers.

The effects of fertilizer pretreatment on nitrogen cycling in an intensively managed temperate grassland

Effective nitrogen (N) management is essential for minimizing fertilizer nutrient losses and maximizing N use efficiency. This study, conducted over two years on permanent grassland sites in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, explored the effects of urea treatment with a urease inhibitor and digestate acidification on N-cycling and yield performance in a temperate maritime grassland context. Micro plots within these grasslands received varying N rates via acidified (with sulphuric acid) or non-acidified digestate (biogas residues), urea treated with- or without urease inhibitor (N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide) or calcium ammonium nitrate. Parameters measured included dry and N matter accumulations, NH3 volatilization, N2O emissions, NO3--N leaching, methane (CH4), and total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from soils. The findings demonstrated that the acidified digestate consistently enhanced metabolizable energy (ME), N yields (up to 47 %) and the apparent N recovery (ANR). While the acidified digestate and treated urea concurrently reduced NH3 emissions, the treated urea did not significantly affect (p> 0.05) dry matter (DM) and N yields, ANR, or total GHG emissions. Thus, digestate acidification or urea N stabilization could effectively mitigate the environmental impact of forage grass production while maintaining higher or comparable yields. However, higher risks of pollution swapping to groundwater bodies may result from higher N input rates. Applying acidified digestate or stabilized urea N to grasslands at a 120 kg mineral N ha−1 rate offers a practical approach, yielding appreciable N and ME while minimizing N losses.

Understanding the Dairy Sector in Slovenia: A Modeling Approach for Policy Evaluation and Decision Support

This study investigates the dairy sector in Slovenia, focusing on farm heterogeneity, efficiency in resource utilization, and policy implementations. Through a modeling approach, we explore the differences among dairy farms, considering factors such as herd size, farm management, natural conditions, and production potential. Based on 32 typical dairy farms, representing the entire dairy sector, composed of 6400 dairy farms, the analysis was performed using the farm model (SiTFarm). We emphasize the importance of accurate assessments, given the variability of policy impacts across farm types. While medium-to-large, specialized farms dominate milk production, smaller farms, particularly in less favored areas, hold social and environmental importance despite facing competitive challenges. Addressing environmental sustainability could involve promoting practices that improve milk yield and include grazing, as this tends to lower greenhouse gas emissions per kilogram of milk (−5%). Dairy farms contribute about one-third of the generated revenue in Slovene agriculture, of which a good half goes to farms located in less favored areas. They manage a good quarter of permanent grassland in Slovenia, and it is certainly the sector that can achieve the highest return on these areas. In 75% of the farms, the gross margin is higher than 1756 EUR/ha and using best practices they exceed 3400 EUR/ha. The model results indicate that the average hourly rate on dairy farms during the observed period falls within the range of EUR 7.3 to 17.4 of gross margin for most farms, with the top-performing ones exceeding 24 EUR/h. However, due to the significant reliance on budgetary payments (on average, 58% of the gross margin), the implementation of the common agricultural policy strategic plan generally leads to a deterioration in the economic indicators of dairy farms. This impact is particularly pronounced on medium-sized and larger farms, increasing the effect on income due to the substantial fixed costs involved. Our findings underscore the interplay between policy interventions, farm characteristics, and sectoral outcomes, offering valuable insights for policy-makers and stakeholders.

Temporal trajectories of plant functional traits in mediterranean grasslands under different grazing regimes

AbstractAimsMediterranean grasslands are semi‐natural ecosystems that have been affected by land‐use intensification and abandonment during the past decades. Adaptative multi‐paddock grazing regimes, where grazing alternates with long periods of vegetation recovery, have been proposed as a more biodiversity‐friendly management compared with continuous grazing. This study aimed to compare the effect of these two different grazing regimes on a set of plant traits in mediterranean grassland vegetation over time.LocationCentral part of Sardinia (Italy) at 350 m a.s.l. in a permanent grassland system.MethodsWe applied the point quadrat method to quantify the specific contribution of each species along permanent transects in spring and winter from 2018 to 2022. We considered the following plant traits: leaf dry matter content, life forms, flowering start and length of flowering. Overall, we performed 128 surveys and measured traits for 61 species. We ran a linear mixed model to test the effect of season, grazing regimes and years on functional diversity and community‐weighted mean for single traits.ResultsAdaptative multi‐paddock regimes over time increased the leaf dry matter content. However, compared with grazing regimes, seasonality through time had the greatest effect on flowering traits and life forms.ConclusionThe relatively small variation in the plant traits suggests that the mediterranean grassland was rather stable despite wide variation in grazing regimes, probably linked to their long history of human association. Nonetheless, adaptative multi‐paddock regimes may have higher beneficial effects compared with continuous grazing, favouring more palatable species and improving soil fertility. By contrast, the high variation in the plant traits over time suggests a high vulnerability of the same grassland to climatic changes.

The content and quality of soil carbon and nitrogen as well as enzymatic activity in soils with diverse texture following different land use and management practices

AbstractA detailed knowledge concerning the responses of different carbon pools and the activity of soil enzymes to various land uses is critical for maintaining soil health and quality. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to determine the effects of different soil uses and management practices on the contents of total, dissolved and microbial biomass C and N as well as the fractional composition of humus and the set of enzyme activities. This study was conducted to compare the status of soil properties in the surface horizons of 24 soils with diverse textures, following the different land uses. Thus, arable lands, short‐term cultivation, vineyards, orchards, hop plantations and grasslands were compared. The contents of total and dissolved carbon and nitrogen, the fractional composition of humus, the content of microbial biomass C and N and the enzymatic activity were assessed. The application of various land uses affects the C and N content of the soils and their humus fractions as well as their enzymatic activities differently. Generally, both grass‐based systems (grasslands and orchards) revealed the most positive effects in most of the studied properties as compared to other land use systems. By contrast, long‐term tillage and/or the lack of permanent plant cover (cereals, grapevine and hop cultivation) adversely affects the studied properties of the soils. No clear pattern of changes was detected in terms of the fractional composition of the SOM. The enzymatic activity changed because of their different functions in SOM transformation and because of the differences in the complexities of the enzymatic substrates occurring in the soil. Most of the studied properties were significantly higher in soils with a loamy texture as compared to the sandy loam and loamy sand soils. Differently managed soils presented a distinctive response in terms of organic matter content and quality as well as extracellular enzyme activity as a function of the tillage regime applied and different cultivated plants. In general terms, both land uses which were based on permanent grass cultivation revealed that the most positive effects occurred on these studied properties as compared to other land use systems. Therefore, we may conclude that permanent grasslands play a special role in the status of soil organic matter, microbial content and enzymatic activity.

Development of insects in newly established grassland over six years: Increased conservation benefits through diverse plant communities

Agri-environmental schemes seek to mitigate the loss of biodiversity by subsidizing the restoration of grassland in Europe. However, little is known about the colonization of newly established grasslands by insects, especially over periods exceeding 1–2 years. Therefore, we investigated the development of species richness, abundance and species assemblages of wild bees, syrphids, butterflies, orthopterans and true bugs in two types of newly established grassland strips in an agricultural landscape in Austria over a six-year time span. We compared currently subsidized plant-species poor grassland strips (SG; Ecological Focus Areas) with newly established grassland strips (NG) that were created with a diverse, regionally adapted seed mixture, to find out whether diverse seed mixtures can ensure lasting improvements in the insect species richness of grassland strips over a 6-year period. We used permanent seminatural grasslands (old grassland OG) as reference habitat. From the first year after establishment, we found no differences in syrphid assemblages between OG and NG. In contrast, true bug assemblages in NG differed significantly from those in OG still five years after establishment. Wild bee, butterfly and orthopteran species composition differences between grassland strips (NG, SG) and permanent grasslands (OG) were decreasing over time. However, we found no evidence of a successional change in insect species assemblages in NG and SG. NG promoted a significantly higher wild bee richness and equivalent syrphid, butterfly, orthoptera and true bug richness compared with OG. Over the study period, NG showed sustained insect diversity, outperforming plant species-poor SG in promoting wild bee, syrphid and true bug richness. Therefore, we suggest that diverse and regional seed mixtures could enhance the effectiveness of grassland restoration for insect conservation and could make re-sowing within the first 6 years after establishment unnecessary.

An Adapted Indicator Framework for Evaluating the Potential Contribution of Bioeconomy Approaches to Agricultural Systems Resilience

AbstractThis study reviews a variety of “bioeconomy approaches” (BAs) to assess their potential contribution to resilience in agricultural systems, focusing on benefits that can improve multi‐functionality regarding private and public goods. It is based on Meuwissen et al.'s framework to assess the resilience of farming systems. Drawing on literature and expert knowledge, this indicator framework is adapted to develop a new framework which is then applied to seven contrasting BAs (miscanthus, perennial flowering wild plant mixtures, permanent grassland, nutrient recycling, agrivoltaics, urban agriculture, and microalgae). The major outcomes are: 1) the extended indicator framework can help evaluate BAs for their potential to foster resilience in future agricultural systems, 2) all BAs are characterized by their ability to provide multiple private and public goods simultaneously, 3) the strongest contribution of BAs to public goods is their function in maintaining the good condition of natural resources and resource‐use efficiency, 4) all BAs can enhance resilience in agricultural systems by contributing diversity, multifunctionality, environmental sustainability, and autonomy, 5) the mitigation of potential drawbacks of BAs implementation requires ex‐ante assessment, favorable BAs combinations, and stakeholder involvement, 6) context‐specific analysis of each BAs is required to assess their qualitative and quantitative contribution to resilience.

Assessing landscape-level effects of permanent grassland management and landscape configuration on open-land butterflies based on national monitoring data

Halting and reversing the ongoing insect decline requires in-depth knowledge on key drivers. Due to their sensitivity to habitat quality, butterflies are valuable indicators for grassland management intensity, including mowing. However, most studies examining mowing regime impacts on butterflies are limited to small spatial extents. Here, we tested the potential of citizen science butterfly monitoring data for assessing landscape-level effects of mowing regimes (number of mowing events and timing of the first event) and edge density (density of boundaries between different land-cover types) on butterfly richness, abundance, and community composition. We used generalised linear mixed-effects models to relate nationwide data from the German Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (DEBMS) to high-resolution satellite imagery on mowing events in permanent grasslands (grasslands excluded from crop rotation). As butterfly transects may not consistently be located within grasslands, we ran our models for different thresholds from 0 to 50%, representing increasing shares of the transect route situated within permanent grasslands (10% intervals). We did not find significant associations between mowing regimes and butterflies when focussing on species richness and abundance of all species inhabiting open land. However, we found strong positive associations of delayed mowing with the abundance of grassland specialists with increasing grassland shares per transect. Further, we found negative associations of delayed mowing with the annual number of generations and of more frequent mowing with the abundance of specialists, depending on the share of grassland per transect. Edge density had a positive association with species richness and abundance of species inhabiting open land, as well as abundance of grassland indicator species and grassland specialists in landscapes with a low grassland share per transect. Our findings underscore the importance of low-intensity managed permanent grasslands at the landscape scale for specialised butterflies. Additionally, we highlight the importance of a high density of boundaries for open-land and specialised butterflies, particularly in landscapes with highly fragmented permanent grasslands. To improve future analyses of grassland management impacts, we recommend expanding DEBMS monitoring sites to cover a larger grassland management intensity gradient and to place more transects within grasslands.

Assessing belowground carbon storage after converting a temperate permanent grassland into a bamboo (Phyllostachys) plantation

AbstractBamboo (Phyllostachys sp.) is considered a sustainable resource that can replace fossil fuel‐based products. Its additional ability to sequester organic carbon in the soil (SOC) makes it a promising nature‐based solution for combating climate change. However, bamboo's soil C storage potential may vary considerably between species or growing conditions and needs to be better quantified, especially in temperate climates where data are lacking. In the present research, the SOC dynamics of plots converted from grassland to plantations of three bamboo species (i.e. Phyllostachys nigra, Phyllostachys aurea and Phyllostachys aureosulcata), planted 12 years ago on podzol (World Reference Base classification) in the Belgian Campine region, have been studied. Soil and root samples were taken until a depth of 40 cm using a 10 cm interval. Besides, the total belowground C stability (mgCO2‐C g−1 C h−1) was assessed by measuring during 3 months the carbon dioxide (CO2) efflux relative to the belowground C stock. Based on an equivalent soil mass, only P. aureosulcata, the species with the highest culm basal area, had a significant (p &lt; .001) SOC increase of 5.0 kg C m−2 (relative increase of +94%) as compared with grassland. Considering the sum of C stocks in the soil, roots and leaf litter, all bamboo species showed significant (p &lt; .001) C storage, i.e. +3.6 kg C m−2 (+64%), +5.3 kg C m−2 (+94%) and +8.6 kg C m−2 (+151%) for P. nigra, P. aurea and P. aureosulcata, respectively. In addition, bamboo's relative basal CO2 efflux (0.007, 0.006 and 0.008 mgCO2‐C g−1 C h−1, respectively) was remarkably lower than in the grassland (0.012 mgCO2‐C g−1 C h−1), though it was only significant for P. aurea. This study highlights that converting temperate permanent grassland into Phyllostachys bamboo plantation can result in net and rapid organic C storage by increasing the total belowground C stability and C input. Further research regarding the net CO2 balance of bamboo‐derived products is still required to fully assess its climate change mitigation potential.

Tree lines influence soil temperatures, sward growth dynamics and litter decomposition in permanent grassland

Climate change is likely to have a negative impact on soil functions in agro-ecosystems in the future. Alley cropping combines trees and agricultural crops or grassland on the same agricultural area. It has recently been discussed as more sustainable and resilient than comparable systems without trees for the temperate zone. So far, the influence of tree lines on biomass growth and decomposition of aboveground litter in the adjacent grassland is not fully clear. We measured the effect of tree lines on soil temperatures of an adjacent grass sward at five positions differing in distance and orientation (facing the tree line in the East or West) in a temperate alley-cropping system. Growth dynamics (sward height and soil cover) as well as litter half-life times for two cutting frequencies (four vs. two annual cuts) were monitored during two experimental years. The botanical composition at the transect positions was evaluated using the dry weight rank method. We found lower soil temperatures close to the trees, even though the proportion of soil cover was slightly lower close to the trees. The sward heights did not show a consistent pattern with respect to distance to the trees. Annual biomass accumulation was greatest at 6 m distance to the trees. An intermediate distance to the trees had a beneficial effect on productivity compared to the position with the lowest tree effect (25 m). Litter half-life times decreased with increasing sward height without a consistently positive/negative influence of the tree line over the examined growth periods. Lower litter half-life times in taller grass swards indicate that the sward height is the main factor driving litter decomposition while the influence of the trees is of minor importance.

Biodiversity promotes resistance but dominant species shape recovery of grasslands under extreme drought

Abstract How biodiversity underpins ecosystem resistance (i.e. ability to withstand environmental perturbations) and recovery (i.e. ability to return to a pre‐perturbation state), and thus, stability under extreme climatic events is a timely question in ecology. To date, most studies have focussed on the role of taxonomic diversity, neglecting how community functional composition and diversity beget stability under exceptional climatic conditions. In addition, land use potentially modulates how biodiversity and ecosystem functions respond to extreme climatic conditions. Using an 11‐year time‐series of plant biomass from 150 permanent grassland plots spanning a gradient of land‐use intensity, we examined how taxonomic and functional components of biodiversity affected resistance and recovery of biomass under extreme drought. The association between biodiversity, land use and biomass varied across years, especially in the driest years. Species‐rich or functionally diverse communities (associated with low land‐use intensity) buffered extreme droughts better, while species‐poor communities or those dominated by fast‐growing species (associated with high land‐use intensity) had higher recovery capabilities after a moderate‐to‐extreme drought. Synthesis. Our results show that plant community functional and taxonomic components determine grasslands resistance and recovery under moderate‐to‐extreme drought. In turn, this points to the importance of designing landscapes with both extensively and intensively managed grasslands. Functionally or taxonomically rich communities (favoured under low land‐use intensity) would preserve biomass under extreme droughts, whereas species‐poor or fast‐growing communities (favoured by high land‐use intensity) would restore biomass after extreme droughts.