Preserving plant biodiversity by implementing the economic sustainability of mountain farming in sub-Mediterranean dry grasslands

Question: Sub-Mediterranean dry grasslands are threatened by multiple socio-economic and environmental constraints, not least the global warming. The research is part of the CLIMAPP project, funded by the University Research funds (FAR 2014/2015), whose main aim was to deepen our knowledge on how to counter such threats using a multidisciplinary approach. The specific aims were to understand the drivers and mechanisms behind the species assemblage modification and to test adaptive management techniques to ensure a high level of animal welfare and food quality. Methods: We analysed the dry grasslands functional variation under different stressors, disturbance intensities and environmental gradients, to build predictive models of grasslands modifications. In an experimental farming system, we analysed the interplay between sheep welfare and forage, and compared milk/cheese chemical composition under different management conditions. Produced cheeses were submitted to sensory and consumer tests; a hypothetical choice experiment was performed to evaluate the consumer willingness to pay. Results: We found that increasing summer aridity leads to a shift from acquisitive to retentive traits and to regeneration strategies enabling plants to cope with the unpredictability of climate variability. Productive grasslands were the most negatively influenced by increasing summer drought. Reduction of disturbance fosters the spread of dominant tall grasses leading to decreased nutrient value of pastures and a loss of plant diversity. Worsening of forage features caused the increase of rumen keratinization degree and a decline of sheep welfare. The experimented adaptive management techniques proved to foster the production quality. Milk and cheese showed an increase of poly-unsaturated fatty acids and Vitamin A and E. These features reflected in the cheese taste and consumer appreciation, which in turn led to the theoretical availability of the 56% of consumers to pay the 47% more than the current market price for the cheese. Conclusions: Proper management practices proved to be a key tool in maintaining grasslands ecosystem services and to increase the quality of productions and satisfy customers’ demand, respecting the animal welfare and reducing the risks of mountain farming abandonment by increasing the farm incomes.