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Plant diversity effects on forage quality, yield and revenues of semi-natural grasslands

Author

Listed:
  • Sergei Schaub

    (ETH Zürich, Agricultural Economics and Policy Group
    ETH Zürich, Institute of Agricultural Sciences)

  • Robert Finger

    (ETH Zürich, Agricultural Economics and Policy Group)

  • Florian Leiber

    (Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Department of Livestock Sciences)

  • Stefan Probst

    (ETH Zürich, Institute of Agricultural Sciences
    Bern University of Applied Sciences, School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences)

  • Michael Kreuzer

    (ETH Zürich, Institute of Agricultural Sciences)

  • Alexandra Weigelt

    (Leipzig University, Institute of Biology
    German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv))

  • Nina Buchmann

    (ETH Zürich, Institute of Agricultural Sciences)

  • Michael Scherer-Lorenzen

    (ETH Zürich, Institute of Agricultural Sciences
    University of Freiburg, Faculty of Biology, Geobotany)

Abstract

In agricultural settings, plant diversity is often associated with low biomass yield and forage quality, while biodiversity experiments typically find the opposite. We address this controversy by assessing, over 1 year, plant diversity effects on biomass yield, forage quality (i.e. nutritive values), quality-adjusted yield (biomass yield × forage quality), and revenues across different management intensities (extensive to intensive) on subplots of a large-scale grassland biodiversity experiment. Plant diversity substantially increased quality-adjusted yield and revenues. These findings hold for a wide range of management intensities, i.e., fertilization levels and cutting frequencies, in semi-natural grasslands. Plant diversity was an important production factor independent of management intensity, as it enhanced quality-adjusted yield and revenues similarly to increasing fertilization and cutting frequency. Consequently, maintaining and reestablishing plant diversity could be a way to sustainably manage temperate grasslands.

Suggested Citation

  • Sergei Schaub & Robert Finger & Florian Leiber & Stefan Probst & Michael Kreuzer & Alexandra Weigelt & Nina Buchmann & Michael Scherer-Lorenzen, 2020. "Plant diversity effects on forage quality, yield and revenues of semi-natural grasslands," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-11, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-14541-4
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14541-4
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    Cited by:

    1. Sandra Dullau & Knut Rydgren & Anita Kirmer & Urs Georg Jäger & Maren Helen Meyer & Sabine Tischew, 2021. "The Dessau Grassland Experiment—Impact of Fertilization on Forage Quality and Species Assembly in a Species-Rich Alluvial Meadow," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-21, April.
    2. Szymczak, Leonardo Silvestri & Carvalho, Paulo César de Faccio & Lurette, Amandine & Moraes, Anibal de & Nunes, Pedro Arthur de Albuquerque & Martins, Amanda Posselt & Moulin, Charles-Henri, 2020. "System diversification and grazing management as resilience-enhancing agricultural practices: The case of crop-livestock integration," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    3. Schmid, Julia S. & Huth, Andreas & Taubert, Franziska, 2021. "Influences of traits and processes on productivity and functional composition in grasslands: A modeling study," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 440(C).
    4. Richter, Franziska & Jan, Pierrick & El Benni, Nadja & Lüscher, Andreas & Buchmann, Nina & Klaus, Valentin H., 2021. "A guide to assess and value ecosystem services of grasslands," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    5. Sergei Schaub & Nadja El Benni, 2024. "How do price (risk) changes influence farmers’ preferences to reduce fertilizer application?," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 55(2), pages 365-383, March.

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