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Development and Future of Grassland Ecosystems: Do We Need a Paradigm Shift?

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Perspectives for Biodiversity and Ecosystems

Part of the book series: Environmental Challenges and Solutions ((ECAS))

Abstract

Grassland is the largest terrestrial biome on Earth. It provides important goods and services such as animal fodder (e.g. hay), animal products (e.g. meat, milk and leather), but also ecosystem services such as the contribution to climate regulation, and landscape aesthetics. Last but not least it harbours a rich biodiversity.

Grassland ecosystems are declining in quantity and diversity due to expansion of cropland, urban areas, tree plantations, use of mineral fertilisers and pesticides, suppression of natural fires, overgrazing, undergrazing, intensification of use and cessation of use. Decisions made at regional scales are frequently not strong enough to promote sustainable grassland utilisation and protection of habitats and biodiversity, neither at regional nor at continental to global scales.

We focus on examples from different regions on Earth, the Brazilian Cerrado, Kazakh steppe, and semi-natural grasslands in Europe, and assess environmental conditions including human influences resulting in efficient nature conservation measures. We selected these examples because of their different geographical position and history of use. The examples face very different environmental conditions and evolutionary histories. However, they have in common that the biomass regularly is reduced by grazing, mowing, drought or fire. Without reduction of biomass the biodiversity of many grassland habitats is decreasing and the habitat is replaced by the growth of woody plants and forest.

With this contribution we want to advocate the discussion about a paradigm shift. For many ecosystems the classic assumption of optimal nature protection is to promote wilderness and natural processes, and human influence should be reduced or totally excluded. However, meanwhile many examples show that human influence under certain conditions and depending on the intensity can support nature conservation and biodiversity sustainability. Furthermore, usage means trade, exchange of money and therefore upvaluation of the system compared with a habitat that is not used, and, thus, has no economic value for the people.

We discuss the question how intense human influence should be for grassland conservation by focusing on the first and main goal of the Convention on Biological Diversity, i.e. survival of all biota on Earth and stopping the loss of biodiversity. Therefore, if human activities support this goal anthropo-zoogenic influence may be wellcome. In the case of many grassland habitats moderate human influence might promote both the protection and survival of biodiversity and economic aspects that can be translated in payments, i.e. human values.

The examples show that the policy at national or supranational scales most probably will decide about the fate of grasslands outside and inside of national parks and other nature reserves.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ecology and Environmental Education, University of Flensburg (EUF), Flensburg, Germany

    Carsten Hobohm

  2. Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Botany, Banská Bystrica, Slovak Republic

    Monika Janišová

  3. Academy of Applied Vegetation Science, Witten, Germany

    Hans-Christoph Vahle

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  1. Carsten Hobohm
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  2. Monika Janišová
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  3. Hans-Christoph Vahle
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Correspondence to Carsten Hobohm .

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  1. Department of Ecology and Environmental Education, University of Flensburg (EUF), Flensburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

    Carsten Hobohm

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Hobohm, C., Janišová, M., Vahle, HC. (2021). Development and Future of Grassland Ecosystems: Do We Need a Paradigm Shift?. In: Hobohm, C. (eds) Perspectives for Biodiversity and Ecosystems. Environmental Challenges and Solutions. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-57710-0_14

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