2026-10-07T04:07:33Z https://api.figshare.com/v2/oai

oai:figshare.com:article/33876688 2026-09-17T08:28:41Z category_24235 category_24217 category_23857 category_23869 category_23881 category_24394 item_type_3 month_year_09_2026

Dataset for 'Tracking a decade of change: plant diversity decline parallels nutrient enrichment in Alpine semi-natural grasslands' Marco Salvatori (21710903) Lisa Angelini (10114263) Terrestrial ecology Community ecology (excl. invasive species ecology) Agricultural land management Agricultural spatial analysis and modelling Sustainable agricultural development Plant biology not elsewhere classified plant biodiversity mountain agroecosystems extensive grasslands agricultural intensification <p dir="ltr">Alpine grasslands are among Europe’s most biodiverse ecosystems, yet they are increasingly affected by intensification, land-use change, and climatic and socio-economic shifts. While long-term biodiversity loss is well documented, short-term ecological changes remain poorly understood. Here, we assess ecological changes in Alpine semi-natural grasslands over a decade.</p><p dir="ltr">We surveyed 55 grassland sites covering 392.7 ha across eight Alpine areas in northern Italy in 2014 and 2024. We mapped vegetation types and land-use categories in both years and quantified changes in surface-weighted plant species richness and nitrogen fertilisation. We modelled changes in relation to elevation and slope, assessed clusters of vegetation types of different naturalness value, and developed a Naturalness Index combining species richness and management intensity to identify conservation and restoration priorities.</p><p dir="ltr">Over a decade, mean weighted plant species richness declined from 31.5 to 28.9 species, while nitrogen fertilisation increased by 10.9 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹. Biodiversity loss and nutrient enrichment were strongest at lower elevations, and significant changes also occurred on steeper sites, suggesting that intensification is expanding into previously less accessible areas. Although hay-meadow extent remained stable, orchards increased, while wetlands, pastures and annual crops decreased. Grasslands clustered into three groups of different naturalness, requiring different management strategies, from conservation of species-rich communities to restoration of nutrient-enriched vegetation.</p><p dir="ltr">Ecological degradation occurred rapidly and without measurable habitat loss. Integrating vegetation trends, nutrient inputs, land-use dynamics, and ecological condition provides a practical framework to support grassland conservation under the EU Nature Restoration Law.</p> 2026-09-17T08:28:41Z Dataset Dataset 10.6084/m9.figshare.33876688.v1 https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/Dataset_for_Tracking_a_decade_of_change_plant_diversity_decline_parallels_nutrient_enrichment_in_Alpine_semi-natural_grasslands_/33876688 CC BY 4.0