Impacts of extensive grazing and abandonment on grassland soils and productivity

摘要: Abstract Two long-term (16 year) experiments on intensively managed pastures compared extensive grazing, abandonment and continued intensive grazing were assessed for impacts soil parameters, plant nutrient content ecological indicator values. There was a reduction in carbon nitrogen the abandoned treatment to at wetter site. At drier site, resulted build up of carbon. dead organic matter nutritive value vegetation as reduced. Indicator values confirmed reduced nutrients fall site pH. also rise dominance plants preferring moist conditions, especially As biodiversity gains are small, management these systems could be seen trade-off between managing production this is apparent, whereas maximises content.