Exploring Mediterranean Grassland Ecosystems: Traits, Management, Seasonal Dynamics, and Biodiversity

Inglese

This doctoral thesis explores Mediterranean grassland ecosystems in Sardinia, Italy, to understand how management practices and climatic variability influence plant biodiversity, functional traits, and forage quality. Grasslands are vital for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services but are increasingly threatened by climate change, land-use changes, and mismanagement. Using a functional trait-based approach, the research evaluates the impact of Adaptive Multi-Paddock (AMP) grazing and continuous grazing on plant functional diversity and composition, highlighting the roles of LDMC, flowering length, and life forms. AMP grazing, characterized by short-duration, high-density grazing with long rest periods, offers sustainable vegetation management compared to continuous grazing. The findings demonstrate how management regimes and Seasonality influences plant traits and functional diversity. Additionally, the thesis examines the temporal dynamics of floristic composition over five years, revealing the critical role of seasonal rainfall in shaping plant communities. Surveys conducted in winter and spring underscore significant inter-annual variability in plant productivity and composition, emphasizing the need for adaptive management strategies to address climate variability. Furthermore, the thesis presents a comprehensive review of the Pastoral Value (PV) method, widely used to evaluate forage quality and management effects on grasslands. A database of Specific Indices (SI), including 2,904 species from 125 families, was created, providing a valuable tool for broader-scale grassland research and management. Together, these studies offer insights to support sustainable land use and biodiversity conservation in Mediterranean grasslands under changing environmental conditions