As part of the dissertation “Grassland restoration success – Comparison of initial and long-term evaluation” by Dr. Silke Schaumberger , building on research activities of the Central Europe project SALVERE (Semi-natural Grassland as a Source of Biodiversity Improvement, duration 2009-2011), a comparison between the harvesting methods green cutting and threshing as well as the creation of new biodiversity areas based on these methods was scientifically monitored for over 10 years even after the official end of the project.

Question

We investigated the transfer of seeds from species-rich grassland using green cuttings and threshed material to answer the following questions: Do these two methods differ in terms of reclamation success, and how do the two methods compare in their long-term effects on species composition and species occurrence?

methodology

We harvested seed material from a species-rich tall oatgrass meadow at Wels Airport using green cutting and threshing and sown it on recipient plots at the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein. The transferable species were identified through vegetation surveys on the donor plot, supplemented by seed sample analyses. We analyzed the transfer rates and vegetation cover with respect to the species present on the donor plot. Furthermore, the occurrence of previously defined tall oatgrass meadow target species was investigated over the 10-year observation period. The species composition and the presence of species were determined through vegetation surveys.

Results

The success of the two methods in establishing green habitats was similar within the observation period. Although the number of donor site species decreased, the establishment of target species was satisfactory, and species-rich grassland could be successfully transferred in the long term, despite differing site conditions between donor and recipient sites and strong dynamics in species composition over time.

Conclusions

Both harvesting methods are well-suited for transferring species-rich grassland to recipient areas, and the choice of method ultimately depends on costs and the prevailing circumstances. Even if donor and recipient areas differ in their site conditions, species-rich grassland can be successfully established. The prerequisites for this are that: (a) a high proportion of the transferred species can establish and persist, and (b) the respective revegetation objectives (e.g., increasing biodiversity) do not impede vegetation development in accordance with the specific site conditions.

The results were published at (subscription required):

Schaumberger, S.; Blaschka, A.; Krautzer, B.; Graiss, W.; Klingler, A. and Pötsch, EM (2021): Successful transfer of species-rich grassland by means of green hay or threshing material – does the method matter in the long term? Applied Vegetation Science 24 (3), 24:e12606.