Impact of Grassland Management System Intensity on Composition of Functional Groups and Soil Chemical Properties in Semi-Natural Grasslands

Semi-natural grasslands are some of the most species-rich habitats in Europe and provide important ecosystem services such as biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration and soil fertility maintenance. This study investigates how different intensities of grassland management affect the composition of functional groups and soil chemical properties. Five grassland management systems were analyzed: Cut3-three cuts per year; LGI-low grazing intensity; CG-combined cutting and grazing; Cut4-four cuts per year; and HGI-high grazing intensity. The functional groups assessed were grasses, legumes and forbs, while soil samples from three depths (0-10, 10-20 and 20-30 cm) were analyzed for their chemical properties (soil organic carbon-SOC; soil total nitrogen-STN; inorganic soil carbon-SIC; soil organic matter-SOM; potassium oxide-K₂O; phosphorus pentoxide-P₂O₅; C/N ratio; and pH) and physical properties (volumetric soil water content-VWC; bulk density-BD; and porosity-POR). The results showed that less intensive systems had a higher proportion of legumes, while species diversity, as measured via the Shannon index, was the highest in the Cut4 system. The CG system tended to have the highest SOC and STN at a 0-10 cm depth, with a similar trend observed for SOC_stock at a 0-30 cm depth. The Cut4, HGI and CG systems also had an increased STN_stock. Both grazing systems had the highest P₂O₅ content. A tendency towards a higher BD was observed in the top 10 cm of soil in the more intensive systems. Choosing a management strategy that is tailored to local climate and site conditions is crucial for maintaining grassland stability, enhancing carbon sequestration and promoting long-term sustainability in the context of climate change.