Turf transplantation as a potential restoration technique in subtropical grasslands

Abstract Introduction Subtropical grasslands in southern Brazil suffer from ongoing degradation, while restoration initiatives of these ecosystems are still incipient. Turf transplantation appears as a promising approach for restoring these ecosystems. Objectives We evaluated the potential of turf transplantation as a tool for introducing native species in subtropical grasslands and tested how turf size and dominant life form affect restoration outcomes. Methods Over a 6‐month experiment, we transplanted native grassland turfs of three sizes (10 × 10, 10 × 20, and 20 × 20 cm) dominated by either prostrate or caespitose grasses. We monitored species richness, survival, colonization, and spatial expansion of vegetation. Results Species richness was higher in larger turfs and in caespitose‐dominated turfs, and increased over time. Survival was high across all treatments (>58%) and increased with turf size, while it was not affected by life form. Colonization was positively affected by turf size but not by life form. Spatial expansion was markedly higher in turfs dominated by prostrate species and relatively greater in smaller turfs. Conclusions Turf transplantation is a promising tool for restoring subtropical grasslands. Small turfs can provide rapid ground cover, whereas larger turfs enhance initial species richness. Our results highlight the importance of matching turf size and life form to specific restoration goals and indicate that this approach should now be tested under real field conditions and natural climatic constraints.