Search Results (261)

Our study aimed to analyse socio-economic sustainability and the drivers of land abandonment in the Kras region of Slovenia, a representative eastern Mediterranean farmland area. We also sought to provide policy recommendations for supporting biodiversity conservation and facilitating the sustainable transition of similar High Nature Value (HNV) farming systems across Europe. The Slovenian Typical Farm Model (SiTFarm) was used to assess the economic performance of representative livestock and wine-growing farm types. Additionally, in-depth interviews with farmers were conducted to understand their perspectives on these farming systems and their preferences for alternative management strategies and policy instruments. Our findings indicate that, due to the introduction of basic income support for sustainability and complementary voluntary coupled payments, budgetary support for the livestock sector in the region is projected to increase by 27–55% in estimated gross margins during the 2023–2027 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) period, depending on the farm type. Furthermore, farms can enhance their economic performance by converting to organic farming and enrolling in agri-environmental schemes that promote extensive grasslands management, which is crucial for biodiversity conservation. This suggests that Slovenia’s current CAP strategic plan adequately addresses the maintenance of the existing farming systems. However, the region faces significant challenges, particularly in restructuring small farms and adding value to primary farm products. These issues appear to be insufficiently addressed by the current CAP strategic plan, implying that limited progress is expected in mitigating land abandonment in the long term. Comprehensive strategies for the development of feasible HNV farming systems, aligned with biodiversity conservation recommendations, and a well-managed system of supporting institutions and policy instruments is needed to facilitate more market-oriented and sustainable development of agriculture at the local level. Full article

As a vital component of the terrestrial ecosystem, grassland accounts for one-third of the global vegetation system. Grassland degradation has been exacerbated due to extreme overgrazing in China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (IMAR). While conservation was carried out via the Ecological Subsidy and Award Program (ESAP) to mitigate grassland degradation, little is known about its effectiveness in improving the biophysical conditions of grassland. This paper integrates the conceptual frameworks of total socio-environmental systems (TSESs) to assess how ecological systems respond to the ESAP, investigate the spatial heterogeneity of the ESAP, and explore the meddling effects of socio-environmental interactions on the ESAP. We integrated ecological, climate, and socioeconomic data and developed several hierarchical linear mixed models (HLMMs) to investigate how these factors interact with the ESAP in the IMAR. Our findings prove that the above-ground biomass between 2011 and 2015 responds significantly to variations in socioeconomic conditions and ecological communities. Available land resources, hospital and medical facilities, and net farmer and herdsman income are the most critical factors positively related to grassland productivity. Primary industries like mining, total consumer retail value, farming, forestry, animal husbandry, fishery productions, and GDP are the most damaging factors affecting biomass. Our study recommends a regionally or locally tailored ecological recovery policy, instead of a generalized one, in future efforts to conserve grassland. Full article

Grasslands play a crucial role in exchanges between global ecosystems and the atmosphere and form an integral part of the agricultural industry. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are mutualistic symbionts of most grassland plant species and thereby influence the functional capacity of grassland systems. Agricultural grasslands are primarily used for livestock farming and are subjected to various management practices designed to increase production, but which also alter both plant and soil communities in the process. This research investigated the effects of a selection of management practices and environmental factors on the presence and abundance of AMF in upland Welsh grasslands. The aim was to identify how these management practices affected the abundance of AMF, assessed through microscopic observations of four AMF structures: spores, hyphae, vesicles and arbuscules. The results suggest grazing sheep and cattle together had the highest overall influence on AMF abundance compared to grazing sheep or cattle separately. High plant diversity correlated with high arbuscule and vesicle abundance, but conversely, the application of lime reduced vesicle abundance. These findings offer new insights into the effects of management practices on AMF. Mixing livestock, increasing plant diversity and reducing lime applications are shown here to improve the abundance of AMF and could, therefore, help to inform sustainable farm management decisions in the future. Full article

Arthropods play a crucial role in ecological processes and agricultural productivity. Soil physicochemical properties, indicators of soil health, are closely linked to arthropod communities. Gravel-sand mulching, commonly employed in arid farming, initially enhances water retention and temperature regulation but may contribute to land degradation with prolonged use. This study investigated how varying tillage durations affected soil properties and arthropod diversity under gravel-sand mulching. The analysis employed multiple comparison methods, covariance analysis (ANCOVA), non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS), and redundancy analysis (RDA). The results indicated that while soil fertility was better preserved in cultivated fields compared to in the desert grassland, arthropod diversity significantly decreased with longer cultivation periods. A total of 1099 arthropods from 79 species were sampled, by Barber trap. The highest diversity was observed in native grassland (NG), with 305 arthropods from 39 species, while tillage 21 years (GPS-21Y) exhibited the lowest diversity, with only 103 arthropods from 6 species. Dominant species included the carnivores Labidura japonica and Cataglyphis aenes. The analysis revealed low similarity in arthropod communities between GPS-21Y and other fields and high similarity in soil physicochemical properties between NG and the transition zone (STZ). RDA showed available potassium (APP) was negatively correlated with arthropod species diversity and concentration, total Nitrogen (TN) was positively correlated with arthropod species diversity but negatively correlated with species concentration, total phosphorus (TP) was negatively correlated with arthropod species diversity and concentration. This study provides insights into the relationship between maintaining soil fertility and supporting arthropod diversity in grassland agriculture. While soil fertility and arthropod diversity were correlated, continuous cropping practices negatively impacted arthropod diversity, offering valuable information for pest management and sustainable agricultural practices. Full article

This study examines the structural and geographical changes in Chile’s dairy cattle systems from 1997 to 2021, using data from agricultural censuses. It focuses on variables like animal stocks, herd sizes, pasture utilization, and stocking rates, analyzed through descriptive statistics, multivariable analysis, and geographical mapping. The findings show a significant decrease in dairy farms (−69%) and dairy cattle stocks (−25.4%), with regional disparities: southern farms increased in importance while central farms declined. There is a trend towards intensification, with higher stocking rates and larger herd sizes. Grassland utilization shifted, with a decrease in natural pastures and an increase in improved and sown pastures. The study identifies four typological groups based on stocking rates, dimensions, and pasture use, reflecting distinct evolutionary paths influenced by climate change, land use, economic dynamics, and technology. Geographical analyses highlight regional variations. This research provides insights into the dynamics of Chile’s dairy farming sector and its sustainability challenges and opportunities amidst changing environmental and socioeconomic conditions. Full article

Grasslands provide a wide range of provision, support, regulation, and cultural ecosystem services (ESs), whose valuation methods can be grouped into three categories (ecological, sociocultural, and economic). The present manuscript aims to provide an overview of academic studies on grassland ESs and of the most used economic evaluation methods. To this end, a systematic and bibliometric review was conducted using the scientific database Scopus and the VOSviewer software. The results highlighted that China and the USA were the main countries with the highest number of publications regarding ESs provided by grasslands. The number of publications began to grow starting in 2005, thanks, perhaps, to the publication of influential documents, such as the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, and the general increase in interest in ecological policy issues. The year 2023 had the highest number of documents in absolute (646), demonstrating the timeliness, importance, and relevance of this research topic. The most studied grassland ES has been carbon storage; however, a central role was played also by biodiversity. In this context, papers that estimated grassland ESs from an economic perspective represented only 3% of all papers that Scopus has returned. More than half of these referred to the use of equivalent coefficients to calculate the ES value of different land uses/land cover categories or, at most, of 11 types of ES. All this highlights the difficulty in estimating individual ESs provided by grasslands from an economic point of view and the greater propensity to use physical, chemical, and biological indicators. Consequently, the sustainable management of grasslands requires more studies on the economic evaluation of their ES, as well as environmental aspects in the economic accounting of governments, or to implement a support system for farms in delivering various ecosystem services. Full article

Soils are a valuable renewable resource on human timescales, and they interact with distinctive grassland ecosystems characterized by unique biodiversity and essential provision of ecosystem services, such as water supply and carbon sequestration. However, knowledge of the effects of wildfires on soil properties and nutrient availability in the Andes remains limited. Andean grasslands are currently one of the ecosystems of the Peruvian Andes most affected by wildfires. Our objective is to analyze the effect of fire activity on the physicochemical properties of soil and analyze its social context in Cusco, in the southern Andes of Peru. Soil samples were collected during five periods, spanning both the dry and rainy seasons, to characterize changes in soil properties and monitor vegetation recovery post-fire in two local communities dedicated to livestock activities. The vegetation restored after the wildfire was measured by the “step transect” method. Post-fire changes in soil properties indicate slight increases in pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium during the onset of the rainy season; thereafter, a gradual reduction in these values was observed. This reduction can be attributed to leaching associated with the seasonal rainfall and runoff regime. Our findings indicate that one-year post-fire, the biomass in burned areas is reduced to 30–46% of the biomass in unburned areas. A complete regeneration is likely to occur in up to 4 years; this assertion is supported by the perceptions of the affected population, as expressed in interviews conducted in the two farming communities. These results are significant for decision-makers formulation of policies and regulations regarding grasslands and their seasonal restoration. Full article

This study investigates the dairy sector in Slovenia, focusing on farm heterogeneity, efficiency in resource utilization, and policy implementations. Through a modeling approach, we explore the differences among dairy farms, considering factors such as herd size, farm management, natural conditions, and production potential. Based on 32 typical dairy farms, representing the entire dairy sector, composed of 6400 dairy farms, the analysis was performed using the farm model (SiTFarm). We emphasize the importance of accurate assessments, given the variability of policy impacts across farm types. While medium-to-large, specialized farms dominate milk production, smaller farms, particularly in less favored areas, hold social and environmental importance despite facing competitive challenges. Addressing environmental sustainability could involve promoting practices that improve milk yield and include grazing, as this tends to lower greenhouse gas emissions per kilogram of milk (−5%). Dairy farms contribute about one-third of the generated revenue in Slovene agriculture, of which a good half goes to farms located in less favored areas. They manage a good quarter of permanent grassland in Slovenia, and it is certainly the sector that can achieve the highest return on these areas. In 75% of the farms, the gross margin is higher than 1756 EUR/ha and using best practices they exceed 3400 EUR/ha. The model results indicate that the average hourly rate on dairy farms during the observed period falls within the range of EUR 7.3 to 17.4 of gross margin for most farms, with the top-performing ones exceeding 24 EUR/h. However, due to the significant reliance on budgetary payments (on average, 58% of the gross margin), the implementation of the common agricultural policy strategic plan generally leads to a deterioration in the economic indicators of dairy farms. This impact is particularly pronounced on medium-sized and larger farms, increasing the effect on income due to the substantial fixed costs involved. Our findings underscore the interplay between policy interventions, farm characteristics, and sectoral outcomes, offering valuable insights for policy-makers and stakeholders. Full article

Cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) is becoming increasingly important for grassland farming due to climate change, which alters precipitation and increases droughts. Although it is generally considered to be drought-tolerant, little is known about the differences between cultivars. This study aimed to investigate the effects of four different field capacity (FC) levels (80%, 60%, 40%, and rewetting to 80% after a period of 40% FC) on the yield, crude protein content, water consumption, water use efficiency (WUE), and drought susceptibility index of five European cocksfoot cultivars (cv). A pot experiment was conducted in a greenhouse subjected to the specified irrigation treatments over three growth periods. The results revealed significant differences in the cultivars’ responses to the irrigation treatments. Dry matter yield decreased under simulated drought conditions, while crude protein content and WUE increased. Prolana cv achieved the highest yield under drought conditions, Tandem cv had the highest WUE, and Laban cv exhibited the highest crude protein content. Rewetting to 80% FC in the last growth period resulted in similar dry matter and crude protein yields for all cultivars compared to full irrigation. These findings highlight the importance of selecting and breeding drought-tolerant cocksfoot cultivars to maintain high yields and quality in perennial grassland farming under future climate conditions. Full article

Grassland bird populations in the Mediterranean lowlands have declined dramatically over the past few decades. This decline is due to a combination of factors, including changes in land use and farming practices as well as the impacts of climate change. In particular, more intensive agricultural methods have played a significant role in this reduction. However, in the higher-altitude uplands of the region, traditional practices like pastoralism and rotational low-intensity farming are still common, and these areas continue to support substantial populations of several threatened grassland bird species. In this viewpoint, we discuss the challenges that the uplands are facing and suggest rethinking regional development to better balance the needs of people and nature. Full article

The analysis of the realization path of the value of ecotourism products in agro-cultural heritage sites from the perspective of farmers’ behaviors can not only provide decision-making references for improving the well-being of farmers and alleviating poverty but also help to provide a scientific basis for the sustainable development of ecosystems in agro-cultural heritage sites. Based on the field research data of the Qitai dry farming system in Xinjiang in 2023, this study establishes an evaluation index system for livelihood capital transformed by tourism value, and it analyzes whether there is a significant difference between the livelihood capital held by different types of farmers by using the entropy method and non-parametric tests. This study found that (1) farmers who participated in tourism in alpine grassland pastoral areas possessed advantageous financial, social and cultural capital; those who participated in tourism in rain-fed agricultural areas possessed advantageous human capital; and those who participated in tourism in irrigated agricultural areas possessed advantageous financial and human capital. (2) There are significant differences in the natural, physical and financial capital between farmers in alpine grassland pastoral, rain-fed and irrigated agricultural areas. (3) The different types of farm households are categorized into three representative livelihood types in dryland agricultural and cultural heritage sites: strong financial capital-strong, socio-cultural capital sites, strong human capital-weak natural capital sites, and strong human capital-weak physical capital sites. Depending on the composition of the livelihood capital, different types of farmers in heritage sites can realize the tourism value of ecological products, thus helping them to ameliorate their combined benefits. Full article

Focusing on sustainability, the new Common Agricultural Policy (2023–2027) sets ambitious goals for water management, as reducing irrigation water use is a vital issue. Cooperation among farmers, relevant authorities, and researchers plays a significant role in achieving these objectives. Therefore, this study applies a multicriteria mathematical programming model to optimize land use, considering water use, profit, labor, and cost. The model was applied to three farmer groups located in Greece and proved to be valuable in the implementation of irrigation water use. Using the same methodology, two additional cases of farmer groups that utilize drylands are presented in complementary ways to investigate how the new CAP affects non-irrigated land uses. Regarding the irrigated case, reducing water usage involves decreasing the land dedicated to crops characterized by high water demand, such as rice, corn, vetch, and clover. This adjustment stems from the necessity to replace irrigated land with non-irrigated land because climate change demands low water consumption for crops and underscores the importance of the new policy framework to promote sustainable agriculture. As for the non-irrigated case, achieving optimal farm planning entails reducing the cultivated areas of vetch, grassland, and sunflower. This result is driven by the need to increase crops receiving primary subsidies, highlighting the necessity for non-irrigated farms to enhance their profitability through the benefits provided by the Common Agricultural Policy. Lastly, it is important to note that this study significantly contributes to guiding decision-makers in achieving alternative agricultural land uses and farm plans while also aiding in the comprehension of the new cross-compliance rules. Full article

Maintaining a harmonious balance between grassland ecology and local economic development necessitates effective management of livestock resources. Traditional approaches have proven inefficient, highlighting an urgent need for intelligent solutions. Accurate identification of livestock targets is pivotal for precise livestock farming management. However, the You Only Look Once version 8 (YOLOv8) model exhibits limitations in accuracy when confronted with complex backgrounds and densely clustered targets. To address these challenges, this study proposes an optimized CCS-YOLOv8 (Comprehensive Contextual Sensing YOLOv8) model. First, we curated a comprehensive livestock detection dataset encompassing the Qinghai region. Second, the YOLOv8n model underwent three key enhancements: (1) incorporating a Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM) to accentuate salient image information, thereby boosting feature representational power; (2) integrating a Content-Aware ReAssembly of FEatures (CARAFE) operator to mitigate irrelevant interference, improving the integrity and accuracy of feature extraction; and (3) introducing a dedicated small object detection layer to capture finer livestock details, enhancing the recognition of smaller targets. Experimental results on our dataset demonstrate the CCS-YOLOv8 model’s superior performance, achieving 84.1% precision, 82.2% recall, 84.4% [email protected], 60.3% [email protected], 53.6% [email protected]:0.95, and 83.1% F1-score. These metrics reflect substantial improvements of 1.1%, 7.9%, 5.8%, 6.6%, 4.8%, and 4.7%, respectively, over the baseline model. Compared to mainstream object detection models, CCS-YOLOv8 strikes an optimal balance between accuracy and real-time processing capability. Its robustness is further validated on the VisDrone2019 dataset. The CCS-YOLOv8 model enables rapid and accurate identification of livestock age groups and species, effectively overcoming the challenges posed by complex grassland backgrounds and densely clustered targets. It offers a novel strategy for precise livestock population management and overgrazing prevention, aligning seamlessly with the demands of modern precision livestock farming. Moreover, it promotes local environmental conservation and fosters sustainable development within the livestock industry. Full article

This study aimed to compare remotely sensed data with in situ data using the AquaCrop simulation model for accurately monitoring growth conditions and predict grassland biomass in the north-eastern and central-western regions of Poland from 2020 to 2022. The model was calibrated using input data, including daily climate parameters from the ERA5-Land Daily Aggregated dataset, crop characteristics (initial canopy cover, maximum canopy cover, and harvest index), and soil characteristics. Additionally, parameters such as the leaf area index (LAI), soil texture classes, and plant growth stages were obtained through field campaigns. The grassland’s biomass simulation results indicate that the root mean square error (RMSE) values for the north-eastern region ranged from 0.12 to 0.35 t·ha⁻¹, while for the central-western region, they ranged from 0.07 to 0.12 t·ha⁻¹. Overall, the outcomes obtained from Sentinel-2 data perform comparably to the in situ measurements, and in some instances, even yield superior results. This study contributes valuable insights into grass production management on farms, providing essential information and tools for managers to better understand grass growth and development. Full article

Nutrient fertilizer application to agricultural land has led to greenhouse gas emissions and has altered soil nitrogen (N) deposition. In soil, N can be degraded in four ways: entering surface water through water flow, absorption by plants and microorganisms, decomposition into gas, and deposition as minerals. This study proposes the concept of N degradability and aims to clarify how farming activities affect N degradability in soil. Over 260 soil profiles were excavated, and the effective soil depth, coordinates, soil types, and vegetation were recorded at each measurement point. The following characteristics were determined in the soil samples: pH, organic matter, total N, total phosphorus, total potassium, total soluble N, available phosphorus, and available potassium. The sample characteristics were subjected to Pearson correlation analysis, principal component analysis, and one-way analysis of variance. The 260 samples included four soil types: dark brown soil, black soil, albic black soil, and meadow soil. Black soil exhibited more stable N levels compared with the other three soil types, showing a tendency towards N accumulation. Ground vegetation was categorized into seven types: forest, rice, maize, red adzuki bean, grassland, soybean, and others. Forests contributed the most to N deposition. Conversely, planting maize led to a tendency for N loss compared with forests. This study can provide a reference for the sustainable development of agriculture and the balance of ecological protection. Full article