Grasslands for biodiversity: supporting the protection of the biodiversity-rich grasslands and related management practices in the Alps and Carpathians

半天然草原是欧洲物种最丰富的栖息地之一，但近几十年来其空间范围和生物多样性急剧下降。在欧洲，阿尔卑斯山和喀尔巴阡山脉的草原拥有非凡的植物多样性，但由于当地的环境条件和管理强度，它们的生物多样性差异很大。因此，人们普遍认为，为了防止草原生物多样性进一步丧失，必须保护、加强和扩大物种丰富的草原。关于适合保护、改善和可能扩大的地区的知识主要来自植被样本和实验研究。然而，这些方法对于系统评价大面积生物多样性格局来说是负担不起的，也是不可行的。此外，现有的监测计划普遍缺乏草原管理制度和历史的角度来看，这两者都可以强烈影响目前的生物多样性的信息。幸运的是，大面积的地球观测数据的可用性现在允许以可接受的精度外推时间和空间上的实地测量。将这些数据与生物多样性数据集相结合，并了解社会经济背景，为实现保护目标提供了强大的机会。拟议项目的目标是：（1）查明阿尔卑斯山和喀尔巴阡山脉中多样性丰富的草原及其分布情况;（2）查明支持多样性的草原管理做法及其变化和持久性;（3）查明适合扩大草原保护网络的地区;（4）提出阿尔卑斯山和喀尔巴阡山脉的新保护区及其管理办法。通过实现这些目标，我们将与利益攸关方合作，以（i）确定在整个山脉外推植被样本的有效方法;（ii）确定草原管理驱动因素和对草原多样性的遗留影响;（iii）确定支持生物多样性的管理做法的制约因素和动机;（iv）为扩大阿尔卑斯山和喀尔巴阡山保护区网络提供科学背景。拟议的研究提供了一个很好的机会，加强研究人员和欧洲两大山脉（阿尔卑斯山和喀尔巴阡山）利益攸关方之间的合作，数据和知识交流。

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 plant diversity but their biodiversity varies significantly due to local environmental conditions and management intensities. Thus, there is general agreement that, in order to prevent further grassland biodiversity loss, the protection, enhancement and potential expansion of species-rich grasslands is necessary. Knowledge of the areas suitable for protection, enhancement and potential expansion comes largely from vegetation samples and experimental studies. However, these are unaffordable and unfeasible for systematic evaluation of biodiversity patterns over large areas. Further, existing monitoring programs generally lack information on grassland management regimes and a historical perspective, both of which can strongly influence current biodiversity. Fortunately, the availability of earth observational data over large areas now allows extrapolation of field measurements over time and space with acceptable accuracy. Combining these data with biodiversity datasets and an understanding of the socioeconomic context offers powerful opportunities for reaching conservation targets. The aims of the proposed project are to (1) identify diversity-rich grasslands and their distribution in the Alps and Carpathians; (2) identify diversity-supporting grassland management practices and their change and persistence; (3) identify the areas suitable for expanding the grassland protection network; and (4) propose new protection areas and their management across Alps and Carpathians. By addressing these aims we will cooperate with stakeholders to (i) identify effective methods for extrapolation of vegetation samples across the mountain ranges; (ii) identify the grassland management drivers and legacy effects on grassland diversity; (iii) identify constraints and motivations for biodiversity-supporting management practices (iv) provide scientific background for expanding the protection area network in the Alps and Carpathians. The proposed research provides a great opportunity to strengthen the cooperation, data and knowledge exchange between the researchers and stakeholders across the two largest mountain ranges in Europe: the Alps and the Carpathians.