Plant diversity and functions in semi-natural grasslands under different management intensities

Plant diversity and functions in semi-natural grasslands under different management intensities Napoleone Francesca1, Burrascano Sabina1, Argenti Giovanni2, Blasi Carlo1 1Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy 2Department of Sciences of Agrofood Production and Environment, University of Florence, Italy Assessing the relations among biological diversity, ecosystem functions and management regimes in semi-natural grasslands is fundamental to develop effective conservation measures in the context of the EU’s environmental and agricultural policies. Within European Union’s rural development programs, semi-natural grasslands are targeted by specific measures aiming at managing them sustainably in terms of both profitability and conservation of biodiversity. Notwithstanding these efforts, up to now the effects of these programs on plants species diversity in extensively managed grasslands have not been properly explored. Here we aim at: i) identify the management regime that better combines biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services, such as forage for livestock and support to insect pollinators; ii) define compositional, structural and functional traits that indicate a high value for these services. The study focuses on the 6210(*) habitat: semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies on calcareous substrates (Festuco-Brometalia) (*important orchid sites). The study area includes the Central Apennines, the North-Western Alps and the Jura Mountains. The sampling design is based on the availability of management data, sampling units are randomly located in patches subjected to different grazing regimes (number and type of animals) as well as in abandoned areas. Vascular plant species composition is recorded together with several information on topography and soil. For each sampling unit, we calculate the pastoral value based on vascular plant species abundance. Plant and flower functional traits related to grazing and insect pollinators are measured for the most abundant species in order to assess the forage quality for livestock and the support to insect pollinators. In this view, we propose a novel effective method to measure flower UV-reflectance using digital photography useful for further data contribution in global plant traits database. All the ecosystem properties are associated to different management regimes whose intensity is determined by comparing the real stocking rate to the maintainable one. We expect that higher plant diversity relates to a higher pastoral value and a greater support for insect pollinators, and that these positive ecosystem properties are associated with moderate stocking rates. Understanding which management regimes allow for a better conservation status of the habitat and enhance the full range of services it provides is essential to achieve good governance models.