Functions of grassland and their potential in delivering ecosystem services

Abstract

Grassland ecosystems provide ample services that are vital to nature and mankind. The role and the potential of grasslands to provide services has always been valued by farmers, it is now being increasingly recognized by the society as a whole. Services result from complex networks of interrelated ecosystem processes and both, processes and services, occur at a range of spatial and temporal scales. Generally, society expects that grasslands provide a range of services at the same time. This is difficult as often one intended utilization will dominate the others. The relationship of many of these services is therefore characterized by tradeoffs. Farmers play a centre in balancing conflicting relationships. One of the best options is to improve management in order to reduce tradeoffs. Research is increasingly needed to support innovative management in this respect. However, the mitigation of tradeoffs is in many cases difficult and limited and it requires an in-depth understanding of teh functional relationship between services. Balancing persistent tradeoffs is a matter of setting priorities which requires a discourse finally leading to an understanding among the various stakeholders. The practicability of the ecosystem services concept is most challenging both for research and development. The present review introduces conceptual ideas on the role of the ecosystem services concept in grassland farming. Major services and tradeoffs among services are identified. The feasibility to balance tradeoffs is analyzed in more detail in two case studies. One study is dealing with the various ways to provide protein to dairy cows and with the implications for other ecosystem services. The second example deals with wet grassland farming and the conservation of rare meadow birds.