Regular reseeding and overseeding with commercial seed leads to a loss of original diversity.
(c)HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein

Genetic conservation for grassland species and varieties

(c)HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein

Genetic conservation for grassland species and varieties

Changes in the management of our cultural landscape have increased rapidly in recent years. This also applies to grassland farming. Ecologically oriented, environmentally friendly, and heavily subsidy-dependent mountain farming contrasts sharply with the economic pressure for intensification and optimization in intensive grassland production areas. The unbroken trend towards increasing cutting frequency and grazing intensity – short-grass grazing has now even penetrated the Alpine region – is increasingly pushing permanent grassland stands in the Alps to the limits of their capacity. Climate, geology, topography, and traditional management practices have given rise to a multitude of diverse and species-rich grassland stands. These form the basis for the high biodiversity of plants and animals in the Alpine region. However, the proportion of extensive grassland with natural stands has been declining for decades.

On better sites, management is often intensified, resulting in a rapid decline in biodiversity. On poorer sites, on the other hand, land use is frequently abandoned, as this is usually linked to afforestation. This leads to a further decline in extensive grassland. The protection, conservation, and sustainable use of these genetic resources of extensive grassland is therefore a crucial task. Maintaining genetic diversity within species is an important contribution to preserving the biodiversity of these plant communities. Given Austria's diverse climate zones and the variety of site and management factors, it is essential to record, assess, and safeguard the resulting genetic diversity. However, this goal cannot be achieved through in-situ conservation measures alone. There are now ways not only to protect such valuable habitats but also to reintegrate them into our cultural landscape.