Silvopasture Research Articles

Soil organic carbon and total nitrogen stocks under different land uses in a semi-arid watershed in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, massive deforestation of natural forests and extensive use of agricultural lands have resulted in soil degradation. Soil organic carbon (SOC) quantity and quality are crucial to soil quality. However, knowledge on the effects of land use change on soil carbon storage in semi-arid northern Ethiopia is very limited. To address this problem, a study was undertaken within a semi-arid watershed in eastern Tigray, Northern Ethiopia, to estimate SOC and total nitrogen (TN) concentrations and stocks in 0–5, 5–10, 10–20 and 20–30cm soil layers for five land uses: rainfed crop production (RF), agroforestry based crop production (AF), open communal pasture (OP), silvopasture (SP) and irrigation based fruit production (IR) each with five replications. Generally, both magnitude and difference in SOC and TN concentrations showed a decreasing trend with depth within and among most land uses. SOC and TN concentrations were highly correlated in all land uses and depths. Total stocks in 0–30cm layer were 25.8, 16.1, 52.6, 24.4 and 39.1Mgha−1 for SOC compared with 2.7, 1.6, 4.9, 1.9 and 3.5Mgha−1 for TN in AF, RF, OP, IR and SP land uses, respectively. With RF as baseline and the duration of 50 years since land use conversion, the average rate of accumulation was 0.73, 0.46, and 0.19MgCha−1yr−1 in comparison with 0.065, 0.038, and 0.022MgNha−1yr−1 for OP, SP and AF, respectively. Soils under IR also accumulated 0.56MgCha−1yr−1 and 0.019MgTNha−1yr−1 in the 0–30cm layer and in comparison with the RF land use system on an average of 15 years. The results of this study revealed that conversion of croplands to grasslands or integration of appropriate agroforestry trees in cropping fields in the region has large technical potential of SOC and TN sequestrations.

Holocene semi-arid oak woodlands in the Irano-Anatolian region of Southwest Asia: natural or anthropogenic?

It is commonly accepted that, following the end of the Pleistocene, semi-arid deciduous oak woodlands did not spread in the Irano-Anatolian region of Southwest Asia as quickly as they did in the Levantine Mediterranean littoral, despite the fact that climatic improvement occurred broadly at the same time in both regions. Prehistoric impacts on woodland vegetation (such as woodcutting, burning and clearance for cultivation), the harsh continental climate of inland Southwest Asia and its distance from late Pleistocene arboreal refugia have all been discussed in the literature as likely causes of the delay. In this paper we argue that semi-arid deciduous oak woodlands should not be viewed as part of the “natural” vegetation of the Irano-Anatolian region that has been progressively destroyed by millennia of human activities since the Neolithic. They represent instead one of the earliest anthropogenic vegetation types in Southwest Asia, one that owes its very existence to prehistoric landscape practices other scholars commonly label as “destructive”. Drawing on anthracological, pollen and modern vegetation data from central Anatolia we describe how the post-Pleistocene species-rich and structurally diverse temperate semi-arid savanna grasslands were gradually substituted by low-diversity, even-aged Quercus-dominated parklands and wood pastures in the course of the early Holocene. Economic strategies that encouraged the establishment and spread of deciduous oaks included sheep herding that impacted on grass and forb vegetation, the controlling of competing arboreal vegetation through woodcutting, and woodland management practices such as coppicing, pollarding and shredding that enhanced Quercus vegetative propagation, crown and stem growth. Understanding the origin and evolution of the Irano-Anatolian semi-arid oak woodlands of Southwest Asia is of critical importance for reconstructing the changing ecologies and geographical distributions of the progenitors of domesticated crop species, and the nature and scale of early agricultural impacts on the landscape.

High herbivore density associated with vegetation diversity in interglacial ecosystems

The impact of large herbivores on ecosystems before modern human activities is an open question in ecology and conservation. For Europe, the controversial wood-pasture hypothesis posits that grazing by wild large herbivores supported a dynamic mosaic of vegetation structures at the landscape scale under temperate conditions before agriculture. The contrasting position suggests that European temperate vegetation was primarily closed forest with relatively small open areas, at most impacted locally by large herbivores. Given the role of modern humans in the world-wide decimations of megafauna during the late Quaternary, to resolve this debate it is necessary to understand herbivore-vegetation interactions before these losses. Here, a synthetic analysis of beetle fossils from Great Britain shows that beetles associated with herbivore dung were better represented during the Last Interglacial (132,000-110,000 y B.P., before modern human arrival) than in the early Holocene (10,000-5,000 y B.P.). Furthermore, beetle assemblages indicate closed and partially closed forest in the early Holocene but a greater mixture of semiopen vegetation and forest in the Last Interglacial. Hence, abundant and diverse large herbivores appear to have been associated with high structural diversity of vegetation before the megafauna extinctions at the end of the Pleistocene. After these losses and in the presence of modern humans, large herbivores generally were less abundant, and closed woodland was more prevalent in the early Holocene. Our findings point to the importance of the formerly rich fauna of large herbivores in sustaining structurally diverse vegetation in the temperate forest biome and provide support for recent moves toward rewilding-based conservation management.

The effect of livestock production system and concentrate level on carcass traits and meat quality of foals slaughtered at 18 months of age

This trial was conducted to study the effect of livestock production system (freedom extensive system (FES) v. semi extensive system (SES)) and amount of finishing feed (1.5 v. 3.0 kg of commercial feed) in SES on carcass characteristics, meat quality and nutritional value of meat foal slaughtered at 18 months of age. For this study, a total of 49 foals (21 from FES and 28 from SES) were used. The obtained results showed that SES had a positive influence on carcass characteristic because these foals showed the best values for live weight, carcass weight, dressing percentage, perimeter of leg (PL) and carcass compactness index. On the other hand, finishing feeding also had a significant (P<0.05) effect on PL and lean thickness, as the highest values were obtained in foals finished with 3 kg of commercial fodder. The physico-chemical properties were significantly affected by the livestock production system with the exception of ashes content (P>0.05). Foals finished in SES increased in 408% the intramuscular fat content (0.23 v. 1.17%, for foals reared in FES and SES, respectively). On the other hand, L*-value and a*-value were significantly (P<0.01) affected by livestock production system, as foals from the FES group had a more intense redder color (higher CIE a*-value) and higher lightness (higher CIE L*-value) compared with those from the SES group. Finally, meat nutritional value was significantly affected by livestock production system, as foals from an extensive production system on wood pasture could be considered as healthier in relation to their fatty acid profiles (low n-6/n-3 ratio and high hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratio) as a result of the beneficial grass intake on meat fatty acid profile.

Cork oak (Quercus suber L.) forests of western Mediterranean mountains: a plant community comparison

Cork oak landscapes hold high socio-economic and biodiversity values. In the western Mediterranean they comprise open wood pastures as well as the denser forest stands that occur particularly in mountain regions. The aim of the current study was to compare the cork oak (Q. suber) forest vegetation of the Serra de Monchique (southern Portugal) with the more extensive formations of the Sierra del Aljibe (southern Spain). In particular, we sought to understand the degree of similarity of plant species composition and diversity components – species richness, endemicity and taxonomic singularity – between the two areas, with a view to establishing the importance of this vegetation type in its regional setting. We analyse vegetation plot data on vascular plant occurrence in the forests of the study areas through ordination and cluster analysis. Species richness, endemicity and taxonomic singularity are examined for the forest areas as well other common vegetation types in their vicinity. We find an overlap in species composition across Portugal and Spain, but also important local differences. In both areas, endemicity levels are low in comparison with other common vegetation types, but total and woody species richness is relatively high. We discuss these results in relation to previous comparisons between Aljibe and similar communities in the Tingitanian peninsula of northern Morocco. We conclude that the cork oak forests of this western Mediterranean region represent a conservation priority. They are faced with multiple threats, and their survival depends on a range of conservation approaches.

Evaluation of soil organic carbon stability in grasslands of protected areas and arable lands applying chemo-destructive fractionation

The soils of Natura 2000 protected areas (Endocalcari-Endohypergleyic Cambisols, Fluvi-Eutric Fluvisol and Endohypogleyi-Eutric Fluvisols) and agrarian lands overgrown with grasses (Endocalcari-Endohypogleyic Cambisols) were investigated in this research in 2012. The soil organic carbon (SOC) concentrations decreased with the depth in all treatments, and the highest values were measured at 0–10 cm soil layer in pre-mainland section of middle reaches of the Nevėžis (76.8 g kg -1 ) and in old semi-natural pasture (49.5 g kg -1 ). The exclusive importance of the agrarian soil occupied with grasslands and long-lived swards and soils of protected areas occupied with natural meadows for environmental quality was revealed, because organic carbon was accumulated and sequestrated in the form of stable compounds. Natural encroachment of wood pasture by forest plant communities in the northern part of Klamputė wood pasture significantly increased SOC. The content of SOC was higher in all soil layers in wood pasture under restoration compared with surviving wood pasture. The carbon transformation processes in wood pastures differed depending on the depth: organic carbon was more stabilized in the 10–20 and 20–30 cm layers in the surviving wood pasture than that in wood pasture under restoration. It was established that the most intensive transformation and accumulation of organic carbon take place at 0–10 cm soil layer. The soils of protected areas and agricultural lands were characterized by differences in organic carbon stability. After applying the method of chemo-destructive fractionation the largest amount of residual organic carbon, which represents the resistance to degradation and the possibility to sequestration, was established in the soils under long-term use of grassland (pre-mainland section and old semi-natural pasture). The most unfavourable status of SOC, and thus all the soil organic matter (SOM), is observed in the riverside section. The labile carbon was dominant there, and the content of organic carbon resistant to chemo-destruction was very low in all soil layers.

Transplantation of subalpine wood-pasture turfs along a natural climatic gradient reveals lower resistance of unwooded pastures to climate change compared to wooded ones

Climate change could impact strongly on cold-adapted mountain ecosystems, but little is known about its interaction with traditional land-use practices. We used an altitudinal gradient to simulate a year-round warmer and drier climate for semi-natural subalpine grasslands across a landscape of contrasting land-use management. Turf mesocosms from three pasture-woodland land-use types-unwooded pasture, sparsely wooded pasture, and densely wooded pasture-spanning a gradient from high to low management intensity were transplanted downslope to test their resistance to two intensities of climate change. We found strong overall effects of intensive (+4 K) experimental climate change (i.e., warming and reduced precipitation) on plant community structure and function, while moderate (+2 K) climate change did not substantially affect the studied land-use types, thus indicating an ecosystem response threshold to moderate climate perturbation. The individual land-use types were affected differently under the +4 K scenario, with a 60% decrease in aboveground biomass (AGB) in unwooded pasture turfs, a 40% decrease in sparsely wooded pasture turfs, and none in densely wooded ones. Similarly, unwooded pasture turfs experienced a 30% loss of species, advanced (by 30 days) phenological development, and a mid-season senescence due to drought stress, while no such effects were recorded for the other land-use types. The observed contrasting effects of climate change across the pasture-woodland landscape have important implications for future decades. The reduced impact of climate change on wooded pastures as compared to unwooded ones should promote the sustainable land use of wooded pastures by maintaining low management intensity and a sparse forest canopy, which buffer the immediate impacts of climate change on herbaceous vegetation.

Soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus distribution in grassland systems, important for landscape and environment

AbstractThe accumulation of organic carbon (SOC), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in the soils of protected areas and agrarian lands in Central Lithuania was assessed. Wood pasture is recognised as an important but now scarce element of the historic environment still evident in the current landscape. Soil pH was lower in the surviving wood pasture compared to the pasture under restoration, and pH of the old semi-natural pasture and organically grown legume sward soils was close to neutral. The highest SOC content was accumulated in the meadows of pre-mainland section of floodplain of the Nevėžis. It was more than 5 times as high as that in agrarian land grown with swards, and higher than that accumulated in semi-natural pasture and wood pasture. Soils of the protected areas of pre-mainland section were characterized by the largest amount of N. Soils of semi-natural pasture, affected by agricultural management, and meadows of pre-mainland section were found to be the highest in the total P content. Due to ...

Organic Carbon and Nitrogen Associated with Soil Aggregates and Particle Sizes Under Different Land Uses in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia

AbstractSoil aggregation serves as storage and cycling of soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN), which are essential for the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. Thus, aggregate and particle associated SOC and TN in 0‐ to 10‐cm and 10‐ to 20‐cm layers were estimated for five land uses: rainfed cultivation (RF), agroforestry (AF), open pasture (OP), silvopasture (SP), and irrigation (IR) each with five replications within a watershed in Ethiopia. OP had the highest WSA &gt; 2 mm (88·7%) and SOC associated with macroaggregates (20·0 g kg−1), which were significantly higher (P &lt; 0·0001; P = 0·0017 for WSA and SOC, respectively) than that in other land uses in 0‐ to 10‐cm depth. SOC associated with both macroaggregates and microaggregates decreased with depth. Macroaggregates contained higher SOC than microaggregates in both layers under all land uses. AF had the highest SOC associated with microaggregates (2·6 g kg−1) followed by that in SP (2·3 g kg−1), indicating its potential to stabilize SOC more than other land uses. TN associated with macroaggregates followed a trend similar to that of SOC. OP had also significantly higher SOC (P = 0·0001) and TN (P = 0·0004) associated with sand particles than RF, AF, and IR. Sand‐associated SOC and TN were the highest in uncultivated systems. Moreover, the higher SOC concentrations associated with clay particles in soils under OP, SP, and AF showed that grass‐based and tree‐based systems are rich in stable SOC as clay‐associated SOC has higher residence time than that associated with sand or silt fractions. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

The role of tree composition in Holocene fire history of the hemiboreal and southern boreal zones of southern Sweden, as revealed by the application of the Landscape Reconstruction Algorithm: Implications for biodiversity and climate-change issues

We present a quantitative reconstruction of local forest history at two sites, Stavsåkra (hemiboreal zone) and Storasjö (southern boreal zone), in southern Sweden (province of Småland) to evaluate possible causes of contrasting Holocene fire histories in mid- and late Holocene. The Landscape Reconstruction Algorithm (LRA) is applied to evaluate between-site differences in the relative abundance of deciduous trees and Pinus (pine) and landscape/woodland openness during the Holocene. The LRA estimates of local vegetation abundance are compared with other proxies of local vegetation, that is, plant and beetle remains. The LRA results suggest that Pinus was a major tree taxon in the woodlands of Storasjö during mid- and late Holocene, while Tilia (linden) and Betula (birch) were dominant at Stavsåkra. The contrasting fire histories are shown to be strongly related to between-site differences in tree composition during mid-Holocene, 4000–2000 bc in particular. The archaeological/historical and beetle data indicate contrasting land uses from c. 1000 bc (late Bronze Age/early Iron Age), grazing in open Calluna heaths at Stavsåkra and woodland grazing at Storasjö. Between-site differences in fire history during late Holocene were likely due to different land-use practices. Between-site differences in tree composition in mid-Holocene are best explained by local climatic and geological/geomorphological differences between the hemiboreal and southern boreal zones of Småland, which might also be the primary cause of between-site differences in land-use histories during late Holocene. Maintenance of biodiversity at the landscape scale in the study area requires that existing old pine woodlands and Calluna heath are managed with fire and cattle grazing. Further climate warming might lead to higher probabilities of climate-induces fire, in particular in pine-dominated woodlands.

Modification of climate signals by human activities recorded in varved sediments (AD 1608–1942) of Lake Holzmaar (Germany)

Paleolimnological data from varved sediments in Lake Holzmaar (Eifel, Germany) were combined with documentary data on human activities, long-term data from the Historical Climate Database (HISKLID) for Germany and with recent monitoring data to evaluate changes in deposition that arose from climatic and human influences. The sediment data included seasonal layer thickness in an established varve chronology (1608–1942 AD), subannual chemical element counts, and multiannual organic matter data (TOC, TN, δ13Corg), all combined on an annual scale. Indicators for detritus deposition (lithogenic element counts and detritus layers) determined the first principal component (PC1) of the sediment data. This detritus PC1 was compared to the first PCs of the seasonal precipitation and temperature from HISKLID. While no relation was found to precipitation, the correlation with the temperature PC1 determined by spring to fall temperatures was significant. From 1608 to 1870, a positive correlation of the PCs suggests an increase of detritus deposition in the lake center with increasing non-winter temperatures. These may be linked by lake-internal sediment redeposition that increases when the periods of winter stratification become shorter and that of lake circulation longer. The detritus deposition is modulated by external detritus input depending on the intensity of erosion-conducive land use (wood pasture, wood cutting, and rotational slash-and-burn cultivation). Detritus input diminished when land use slowed down with population decrease as the consequence of plague epidemics, warfare and emigration. After 1870, forest regeneration and improving agricultural practices led to a stabilization of the catchment. Erosion and detritus deposition decreased progressively. The negative correlation of detritus deposition with the gradually increasing temperature presumably mimics a cause-effect relation, although a link with decreasing freeze–thaw action is possible. The modernization of agriculture proceeded with manuring and fertilizing, which caused an increase of lake productivity as indicated by summer blooms of diatoms with enhanced nutrient demand, increased δ13Corg values and sulfur concentrations. Within this well established data base we found combinations of criteria that may be used to deduce natural climatic or anthropogenic influences. The quantitative attribution of these influences remains a challenging task in paleolimnology because their interaction makes the detection of linking mechanisms difficult even at high degree of detail and the processes themselves remain debatable.

Experimental restoration of coppice-with-standards: Response of understorey vegetation from the conservation perspective

A substantial part of European lowland woodlands was managed as coppices or wood pastures for millennia. However, traditional management forms were almost completely abandoned in Central Europe by the middle of the 20th century. Combined with the effects of nitrogen deposition and herbivore pressure, shifts in management resulted in biodiversity loss affecting particularly light-demanding oligotrophic plant species. Experimental thinning was applied in a former oak coppice-with-standards in an attempt to restore vanishing understorey plant communities. Two levels of thinning intensity and zero management as control were used on 90 plots. Ten years after the treatment, significant changes in species composition and diversity were observed in heavily thinned plots, while moderate thinning had mostly insignificant effects. Light-demanding oligotrophic species significantly increased, indicating positive consequences of restoration. However, heavy thinning also brought about the expansion of native ruderal species. Alien species remained unchanged. We conclude that the restoration of coppice-with-standards can be an efficient tool to support vanishing light-demanding woodland species. Combined with biodiversity benefits, the increasing demand for biofuel may contribute to the renaissance of traditional management forms in forestry.

The Conservation Value of Traditional Rural Landscapes: The Case of Woodpeckers in Transylvania, Romania

Land use change is a major threat to global biodiversity. Forest species face the dual threats of deforestation and intensification of forest management. In regions where forests are under threat, rural landscapes that retain structural components of mature forests potentially provide valuable additional habitat for some forest species. Here, we illustrate the habitat value of traditional wood pastures for a woodpecker assemblage of six species in southern Transylvania, Romania. Wood pastures are created by long-term stable silvo-pastoral management practices, and are composed of open grassland with scattered large, old trees. Because of their demanding habitat requirements, woodpeckers share habitat with many other bird species, and have been considered as possible indicator species for bird species diversity. We first compared woodpecker assemblages between forests and wood pastures. Second, we grouped features of wood pastures into three spatial contexts and addressed how these features related to the occurrence of three woodpecker species that are formally protected. Woodpecker species composition, but not the number of species, differed between forests and wood pastures, with the green woodpecker occurring more commonly in wood pastures, and the lesser spotted woodpecker more commonly in forests. Within wood pastures, the intermediate context (especially surrounding forest cover) best explained the presence of the grey-headed and middle spotted woodpecker. By contrast, variables describing local vegetation structure and characteristics of the surrounding landscape did not affect woodpecker occurrence in wood pastures. In contrast to many other parts of Europe, in which several species of woodpeckers have declined, the traditional rural landscape of Transylvania continues to provide habitat for several woodpecker species, both in forests and wood pastures. Given the apparent habitat value of wood pastures for woodpeckers we recommend wood pastures be explicitly considered in relevant policies of the European Union, namely the Habitats Directive and the EU Common Agricultural Policy.

Ground-living spiders in wooded habitats under human influence on an island in Finland

doi: 10.5431/aramit4503 Abstract. Spiders were collected by pitfall traps in the south-western archipelago of Finland. Wooded study habitats on a small-sized (1.2 km 2 ) island were: 1) natural open ash grove, 2) dense mixed grove (old overgrown wooded meadow), 3) wooded aspen pasture and 4) wooded meadow, both restored ten years earlier, 5) natural wooded meadow. Highest species and family numbers were found at the natural sites (1 and 5) and the lowest in the dense grove (site 2). Linyphiidae dominated, both at species and individual level, in the groves. Lycosidae were abundant on the wooded meadows and Gnaphosidae on the wooded pasture. The highest faunal similarities were between the groves (70 % species in common) and between the wooded meadows (64 %). The lowest similarity was found between the dense grove (17 %) and the ash grove (23 %) with the aspen pasture. Ten years after clearing, sites 3 and 4 had diverse spider faunas. The fauna at site 4 resembled that on the corresponding natural site (5), thus showing restoration success. Altogether 84 species of spiders were caught. The proportion of Gnaphosidae (16 species found) is high. Most species found in the study are common in south-western Finland and many occur across the whole country. Pardosa lugubris was most dominant at three sites, P. pullata and Diplostyla concolor both at one site. Two species, Enoplognatha thoracica and Micaria fulgens, are included in the Finnish Red Data Book.

Erratum to: Agroforestry in Europe: a review of the disappearance of traditional systems and development of modern agroforestry practices, with emphasis on experiences in Germany

Agroforestry is a new name for a rather old practice. From a historical point of view, various agroforestry systems existed in Europe, of which the wood pastures (Neolithicum), the Dehesas in Spain (~4,500 years old) and the Hauberg of the Siegerland (established in the Middle Age) are the most prominent. Other widespread systems in Europe were hedgerows, windbreaks and Streuobst (orchard intercropping). Due to mechanisation and intensification of agriculture, trees have been progressively removed from agricultural fields and traditional agroforestry systems slowly disappeared. Today, agroforestry systems are again increasing in interest as they offer the potential to solve important ecological and, especially, biodiversity problems, while at the same time enabling the production of food, wood products and fodder for cattle. Although agroforestry systems offer many advantages, many farmers are sceptical of these systems and are critical and risk-averse with regard to adopting new practices. However, in comparison to traditional systems, modern agroforestry systems can be adapted to current farming practices. By selecting suitable trees and appropriate tree management, high-quality timber can be produced without influencing agricultural crops excessively. In future, agroforestry systems will become increasingly important as they offer the prospect of producing woody perennials for bioenergy on the same land area as food and/or fodder plants, while enhancing overall biodiversity.

Socio-Economic Demands, Ecological Conditions and the Power of Tradition: Past Woodland Management Decisions in a Central European Landscape

Humans have managed European landscapes, including woodlands, for millennia. Prior to the birth of modern forestry in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, there existed two basic management forms for lowland broadleaved woods: coppicing and wood pasture. While the existence and characteristics of these two basic management types are well-known, the reasons why particular woods were coppiced while others pastured are little investigated. As a case-study, we chose two large ancient woods in the southern Moravian region of Central Europe. One was managed as coppice, while the other as wood pasture for most of their histories. The woods are similar in size, location, climate and vegetation. We examined several potential explanations (terrain morphology, soil productivity, abundance of woodland, ownership and economy) for past management decisions in these woods. We found that the links between soil productivity, economic demands and ownership were of key importance. Other factors were less significant, for example woodland abundance played no detectable role in spite of the decreasing availability of woodland resources. We also found that tradition mattered; it took a major shift in ideology to change entire management strategies. In sum, management decisions were driven by a complex network of multiple interactions among the individual factors.

Population trends of Rosalia alpina (L.) in Switzerland: a lasting turnaround?

Many species that depend on old trees and dead wood are suffering from habitat losses and intensive forest management. For the conspicuous cerambycid beetle Rosalia alpina, a relative sampling analysis combined with a distribution model showed a population decrease in Switzerland between 1900 and World War II. This negative trend can be ascribed to the abandonment of traditional management such as wooded pasture and to the expansion of high forest promoted by modern forestry. Since that period, the population of R. alpina, has been increasing and each single relict population of this species was maintained. These positive population trend can be explained by less intensive forest management and a shift from fuel-wood production to timber wood. Today, many more old beech trees and much more dead wood remain in Swiss forests than 50 years ago. Consequently, the habitat conditions necessary for the development of the Rosalia longicorn have improved, especially on steep terrain in colline and submontane regions. However, it is still uncertain whether current population sizes can guarantee the survival of this species in the long term, especially as fuel-wood production is expected to become more intensive in Switzerland in future decades. The conservation of this species requires, therefore, the establishment of natural forest reserves and dead wood islands or the restoration of wooded pastures with scattered habitat trees. The Rosalia longicorn could then act as an umbrella species for other species that depend on old trees and dead wood.

Pigs and Pollards: Medieval Insights for UK Wood Pasture Restoration

English wood pastures have become a target for ecological restoration, including the restoration of pollarded trees and grazing animals, although pigs have not been frequently incorporated into wood pasture restoration schemes. Because wood pastures are cultural landscapes, created through the interaction of natural processes and human practices, a historical perspective on wood pasture management practices has the potential to provide insights for modern restoration projects. Using a wide range of both written and artistic sources form the Middle Ages, this article argues that pigs were fed in wood pastures both during the mast season when acorns were available and at other times as grazing fields. Pollarded pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) likely dominated these sustainable cultural landscapes during the medieval period.

A Contextual Analysis of Land-Use and Vegetation Changes in Two Wooded Pastures in the Swiss Jura Mountains

This study examines the effects of land-use policies and natural events on the evolution of two wooded pastures in the Jura Mountains in Switzerland between 1934 and 2000. The socioeconomic context and the local conditions were seen as major driving forces influencing land management practices which in turn redefined land-use policies. We studied the dynamics of the Jura Mountains' wooded pastures, combining a thorough knowledge of the historic context with aerial image analysis. Besides pointing out general milestones in the evolution of Swiss land policy, we compiled chronicles on the management for both study sites on the basis of archives and interviews. Aerial images taken at time intervals of approximately 15 years were chosen to identify land-cover changes. The method used to analyze them relied on a structural classification of phytocoenoses, thus allowing the determination of four categories of tree-cover densities ranging from unwooded pastures to ungrazed forest. We reported overall aerial changes for each tree density class as well as spatial transitions from one category to another. The combination of spatial statistics with qualitative data depicting the evolution of the historic context gives a better understanding of the land-use changes and their rationale. The most important changes in tree density occurred during World War II and resulted in a more open landscape. The intensive use of wooded pastures during the war was the consequence of a high demand for wood and food resources. Postwar protectionist regulations, agricultural subsidies, and technical improvements maintained considerable pressure on wooded pastures. Storms and drought episodes further exacerbated this process in some areas. The trend then reversed from the 1970s onwards because of the limitations put on milk production and the falling price of wood. This resulted in a more extensive use of pastures, leading to tree encroachment. However, remote sites were more impacted than pastures closer to inhabited areas, which exhibited a trend towards more segregation between grassland and densely wooded pastures. With both extensification and segregation of land use, the complex vegetation mosaic and the landscape diversity that characterize wooded pastures are threatened but still offer good economic opportunities that call for differentiated management strategies.

Dynamics of Forage Production in Pasture-woodlands of the Swiss Jura Mountains under Projected Climate Change Scenarios

Silvopastoral systems of the Swiss Jura Mountains serve as a traditional source of forage and timber in the subalpine vegetation belt, but their vulnerability to land use and climate change puts their future sustainability at stake. We coupled experimental and modeling approaches to assess the impact of climate change on the pasture-woodland landscape. We drew conclusions on the resistance potential of wooded pastures with different management intensities by sampling along a canopy cover gradient. This gradient spanned from unwooded pastures associated with intensive farming to densely wooded pastures associated with extensive farming. Transplanted mesocosms of these ecosystems placed at warmer and drier conditions provided experimental evidence that climate change reduced herbaceous biomass production in unwooded pastures but had no effect in sparsely wooded pastures, and even stimulated productivity in densely wooded pastures. Through modeling these results with a spatially explicit model of wooded pastures (WoodPaM) modified for the current application, results were extrapolated to the local landscape under two regionalized Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change scenarios for climate change. This led to the suggestion that within the Jura pasture-woodlands, forage production in the near future (2000-2050 AD) would be affected disproportionately throughout the landscape. A stable forage supply in hot, dry years would be provided only by extensive and moderate farming, which allows the development of an insulating tree cover within grazed pastures. We conclude that such structural landscape diversity would grant wood-pastures with a buffering potential in the face of climate change in the forthcoming decades.