2023-04-01 to 2026-03-31
Approx. 1,6 mil. EUR
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Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
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Conservation Biogeography Lab – Geography Department, Humboldt University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Institute for Alpine Environment – European Academy of Bozen-Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
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Research area Mountain Agriculture – Grassland Farming group, Laimburg Research Centre, Ora/Auer, Italy
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Institute of Geography and Spatial Management, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
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Department of Forest Engineering, Forest Management Planning and Terrestrial Measurements, Transylvania University of Brasov, Brasov, Romania
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Ethnological Research Department, National Museum of the Romanian Peasant, Bucharest, Romania
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Department of Biology-Chemistry, West University of Timisoara, Timisoara, Romania
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Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre – Institute of Botany, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
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Department of Geoinformatics – Institute of Geography, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
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Regional Association for Nature Conservation and Sustainable Development – BROZ, Bratislava, Slovakia
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Forage Production & Grassland Systems Group – Agroscope, Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research, Zürich, Switzerland
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Ukrainian Nature Conservation Group, Vasylkiv, Ukraine
- Institute of Ethnology and Social Anthropology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
Semi-natural grasslands are among the most species-rich habitats in Europe but have sharply declined in spatial extent and biodiversity in recent decades. Within Europe, the grasslands of the Alps and the Carpathians harbour extraordinary biodiversity, which varies significantly due to local environmental conditions and management intensities. This project supports the protection and expansion of species-rich grasslands in the Alps and the Carpathians based on their spatial patterns and information about their plant diversity and management. We combine in-situ vegetation monitoring data, information from farmers, and historical data, together with information from remote sensing sensors, to model the large-scale spatial patterns of grassland plant diversity and its drivers. Our findings will help decision makers and stakeholders to target diversity-friendly policies and resources allocated for the grassland management schemes.
This project will provide the first Europe-wide assessment of plant diversity richness of mountain grasslands and identify both natural conditions and management activities that condition the occurrence of species-rich grasslands. We aim to provide stakeholders with sound knowledge to expand the grassland protection network of biodiversity-rich grasslands in the Alps and the Carpathians.
Identify biodiversity-rich grasslands in the Alps and the Carpathians
Link existing botanical samples with information from remote sensing to identify biodiversity-rich grasslands in the Alps and the Carpathians.
Identify the biodiversity-supporting grassland management practices and regimes
Link spatially explicit data with the information provided by farmers and stakeholders (questionnaires and interviews) to identify biodiversity-supporting grassland management regimes, their legacies and farmers’ motivation for biodiversity-supporting grassland management.
Identify the areas suitable for expansion of the grassland protection network in the Alps and the Carpathians
Model grassland biodiversity across the Alps and the Carpathians and compare modelled results with the existing protection network to identify possible grassland diversity hotspots lacking legislative protection.
Propose new protected areas and their management across the Alps and the Carpathians
Consider stakeholders’ needs and mindset to facilitate the establishment of new grassland-protected sites in the Alps and the Carpathians and design and implement grassland management schemes that boost biodiversity.